Forget Who Left for the D, Just Start Playing Some
by T.O.E. on Jul 4, 2009 3:49 PM CDT
13 comments
When you think of the Chicago Bulls, the first thing that normally comes to mind is Michael Jordan. Maybe, it’s because of the way he led the Bulls to six NBA championships in eight years during the ‘90s. Or, the way he hit clutch shot after clutch shot that left opponents devastated and Bulls’ fans wanting to be like Mike. Even though he influenced an entire generation to be like him, the public still gives some credit to Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and Steve Kerr. Ask some people and they would tell you that Jordan couldn’t do it without Horace Grant. But, what the Bulls did that’s sometimes over-shadowed by their overall domination is the defense they played. The championship Bulls’ teams played fierce defense, which led to Jordan and Pippen’s multiple NBA All-Defensive honors.
We have all heard the ole cliché "defense wins championships" and it’s true. The Lakers were a great scoring team, but they had to buckle down on defense to win the NBA Finals. The Celtics won the title the year before with defense and, so did the Spurs for their four titles, the Pistons in ’04 and the Lakers for their three-peat. For the Bulls to return to prominence, they have to get back to playing hard-nosed defense.
During the post-Jordan era, the Bulls have only had two great years out of the eleven seasons that has passed since Jordan laced them up for the Bulls. The 2004-05 and 2006-07 seasons are the only years that the Bulls posted a winning record, both seasons pushing 50 wins. The Bulls went (47-35) in 2004-05 and (49-33) in 2006-07 and this was no accident.
In those two seasons the Bulls ranked at least 7th in points against and allowed less than 94 points per game. The Bulls was ranked 7th in the NBA and 4th in the East during ’04-’05 giving up just 93.4 points per game and ranked 6th in the NBA and 3rd in the East during ’06-’07 averaging only 93.8 points against per game.
Clearly, Chicago needs to get back to playing defense if they want to win and they have an opportunity to turn things around now. Fans have been bittersweet about the departure of Ben Gordon, but this can actually be a good thing for Chicago. Gordon was beloved for his great scoring that spark the team, but was a defensive liability. He failed to fight through screens and if he was having a tough shooting night, then he didn’t bother to play defense.
This is where the Bulls’ front office needs to take off their skirts and be aggressive. Gordon’s spot still need to be filled, but the team should go after veteran big-men like McDyess, if possible, or even Theo Ratliff who can still defend around the rim and rebound. They may not be long-term answers, but every young team need veterans that can set the tone and be leaders. We still have to see what rookies Taj Gibson and James Johnson can bring, but the Bulls should attack free agency like they did the draft, looking to get tougher.
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Our team is going nowhere if the D stays as pitiful as it was last year. We have to change the whole culture like Denver did this year.
by C Smoove on Jul 4, 2009 4:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Absolutely
The Bulls need a veteran to come in and take charge like Billups did for the Nuggets.
T.O. Estes III
by T.O.E. on Jul 4, 2009 6:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Amen
Do you think Mike Singletary can help the Bulls……or how about Terry Tate?
by bluezman7 on Jul 4, 2009 4:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
They Need Somebody
most of the Bulls’ games last season was tough to watch just because the defense was so bad.
T.O. Estes III
by T.O.E. on Jul 4, 2009 6:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes Ratliff
The Bulls need somebody who’s not afraid to get physical. It doesn’t have be Ratliff, but a veteran with a similar style.
T.O. Estes III
by T.O.E. on Jul 4, 2009 6:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Derrick has to get better on D
We still could have a line-up of Kirk-Salmons-Deng-Tyrus-Noah thats better defensively than 50% of other teams. I think Taj and JJ will be pretty physical too. You know whos great but heavily under-rated Jeff Foster.
by TRiCioNeRo on Jul 4, 2009 6:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I remember watching to Bulls on Sunday during the '90s in Feb or March
The game would typically be close at the beginning of the 3rd Qtr. All of a sudden the Bulls would go on a 16-2 run. It was just awesome. Poor John Starks. I think he still has nightmares. The whole team, but especially Scotty and MJ, would turn up the defense. Frightening if you’re the opposition.
by hlac on Jul 4, 2009 10:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Scape goat: Ben Gordon?
Someone please tell me, all of the responsibility seems to be on the players to enact great team defense? But those great defensive teams you speak of and the others outside of Chicago had a great defensive architect who wasn’t on the court.
Phil Jackson didn’t design the triangle offense, but his speciality is defense and he taught/teaches it passionately.
Skiles recent history coaching with the Bulls speaks for it self, even with Ben Gordon playing a key role for the team. (This argument alone questions much of the criticism towards BG defense. Bulls org is nothing but smoke and mirrors for distractions)
Now, answer this question… who on the coaching staff has experience to teach and enforce team defense to get back too
(ranking 6th in the NBA and 3rd in the East during ’06-’07 averaging only 93.8 points against per game) … Again BG was on this team and lead the Bulls in scoring?
Something to think about
The main components to ranking higher in defense and allowing less points allowed is slowing one’s offensive down playing in a half court style game, likewise enforcing the same upon the other team.
This becomes effective if a team has a better half court game together with a inside-outside(low post scorer plus 3pt) threat, again together with great half court offensive sets (scott skiles specialty,vdn has no clue in this). Three components!
Now you, others and the Bulls will now decide to play better defense when they now have none of the three components to pull it off?
Another John Paxson whim without any clue or strategy to his thought process! Think just a year ago the organization was preaching we have to speed up the offense because we are young, now saying defense (but, really this means slow the offense down) Confusion. But next summer stupid Paxson will say we need offense. So predictable!
Smoke and mirrors of distractions to justify a policy of cheapness!
There’s is nothing wrong with wanting to be better defensively, but this Paxson organization has only a strategy to vacillate back and forth without real commitment to any real strategy
man up!
by exult463 on Jul 5, 2009 8:47 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree, but
I’n not using Gordon as a scape goat, but the money and roster spot that would have gone to Gordon can be used on a player or players that can get the scoring defense back under 100 ppg. Allowing teams to score 102 ppg is ridiculous.
Del Negro is far from a defense wizard, but having players that can defend and want to defend is necessary. Yes the Bulls play a fast-paced game, giving the opponent more chances to score, but if they focused on defense more than they do now, they can hold teams to about 96-97 ppg, which is reasonable and rank them in the top half instead of the bottom tier of the NBA.
T.O. Estes III
by T.O.E. on Jul 5, 2009 12:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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