John Hollinger optimistic about Bulls, yet has them missing the playoffs
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Sep 28, 2009 5:00 PM CDT
138 comments
To paraphrase for you non-insiders: Hollinger notes the streamlined post-trade rotation as a big success, respects the Gordon decision and 2010 plan, has little to say about the rookies. There's also a bizarre digression into whether VDN should've practiced with video games before last season.
He does throw in a big concern that wasn't really addressed this offseason: defensive rebounding. I hope a full season of Miller and Deng (a huge step up in Rebounding at the SF spot from Salmons), as well as physical improvements from Noah and Thomas (though is the mysterious falling defensive rebounding prowess of Thomas more of a mental thing?), can get them to near average in that department.
Hollinger's overall outlook is that Rose will improve, Deng will be back to his 'peak', Salmons will dip a bit but be solid, and it all nearly offsets the loss of Gordon.
Though he has the Bulls winning fewer games and missing the playoffs.
Not sure how he formulated his standings on statistical projections (and even if he did, some fudging would have to be done with games/minutes played), but the difference between winning 39 games and making the playoffs, and missing them with 38 wins, is huge. I truly think the 2010 free agency plan is bust if this is not even a playoff team.
Full Hollinger East Standings after the jump:
| Cavaliers | 63-19 |
| Magic | 62-20 |
| Celtics | 54-28 |
| Hawks | 44-38 |
| 76ers | 42-40 |
| Wizards | 41-41 |
| Heat | 40-42 |
| Pistons | 39-43 |
| Bulls | 38-44 |
| Raptors | 35-47 |
| Pacers | 31-51 |
| Bobcats | 29-53 |
| Knicks | 26-56 |
| Bucks | 25-57 |
| Nets | 24-58 |
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There are lot of things that can be said about the Bulls
but being worse than the Pistons is not one of them.
"I'm in the Hall already, on the wall already, I'm a work of art I'm a Warhol already"-Jay Z
by bigballa10 on Sep 28, 2009 5:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
We were barely better than them last season
Since then, they’ve gotten better and we’ve gotten worse.
by Big D on Sep 28, 2009 5:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I disagree on both accounts.
The Bulls have not gotten worse and the Pistons have not gotten better.
Why isn't your friendly Bulls Blogger friendly?
by Dionysus2.0 on Sep 28, 2009 5:53 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
We went 3-1 against them, with an injuries, a rookie star, and our record would've been much different with Salmons/Miller the entire season.
We are better than the Pistons.
by Stacey_Is_King on Sep 28, 2009 7:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
lol
I honestly don’t know who you’re backing up.
The poster formerly known as Freethefro.
by MPG on Sep 28, 2009 8:44 PM CDT up reply actions 6 recs
Not an answer!
I support the Tornado Release [See: Joakim Noah]
by Prevenge on Sep 29, 2009 10:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think they've gotten better at all
They have nobody on the front line anymore and much lesser defenders replaced the players they had. I would say the Bulls are at least close to the same level as last year.
"I'm in the Hall already, on the wall already, I'm a work of art I'm a Warhol already"-Jay Z
by bigballa10 on Sep 28, 2009 7:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
How in hell are we going to score points?
Hollinger noted in the article that Gordon was the reason our 3pt numbers were solid, and with him gone we’re in trouble. But we also lost Noc, Hughes, Thabo, and Tim Thomas, and they took 3s too, and all we have to replace them is Pargo and Salmons. We made 493 threes last year, and 329 of them were by players no longer on our team.
No inside scorers, no 3pt shooters, nobody who gets to the FT line at a high rate. It’s a recipe for disaster, especially against zone defenses. 38 wins seems reasonable…
by YaoPau on Sep 28, 2009 5:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Then again, we were 14th in offensive rating last year
with the same predicament, and with Vinny running crazyplays. I guess the question is “how in hell did we pull that off?”
by YaoPau on Sep 28, 2009 5:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am not overly worried about 3pt shooting.
Kirk is a career .380 shooter and Salmons showed last season that he could stroke it from long range. They could combine for over 250 makes between them. We know Pargo will chuck them up there without a conscience.
Point scoring was not a problem for this team last season, and its low on my list of concerns for this season.
Why isn't your friendly Bulls Blogger friendly?
by Dionysus2.0 on Sep 28, 2009 5:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I guess you're right
I’m overreacting. We had an ORtg around 113 after the deadline last year. Subbing Deng in for Gordon hurts us a bit, but it won’t tank us. I guess I just liked when we had Rose at point with Gordon + Salmons both able to make threes. We could still have that with a Rose, Hinrich, Salmons, Deng, Noah lineup.
by YaoPau on Sep 28, 2009 5:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I did a relatively quick and dirty calculation based on ORtg and DRtg
with the assumption that Deng would return to form (2006-07) and there would be modest improvements for Tyrus, Noah, and Rose. I assumed starters would play about 65% of total team minutes and that the bench would not be too woeful (-1 point differential per 100 possessions). This seemed like a pretty good assumption given that our bench was pretty solid last year and Brad and Kirk were players I deemed bench guys. Also, I don’t think James Johnson will totally suck (I pegged him at around a -2.5, pretty standard for a rookie). That gave the Bulls a overall point differential of around 1.5 points per 100 possessions. That translates to roughly 45 wins. I don’t think it’s totally unreasonable to think that the Bulls get to 45 wins. I’d hedge and say probably more like 42 or 44, but still. I made the same sorts of assumptions Hollinger made (Deng returns to 2006 form, improvements from the young guys, and Salmons’s production dipping slightly) and I still couldn’t figure out how he got to the numbers he came up with. He must be totally disregarding defense. It’s the only way these numbers make any sense… and even then, I just don’t get it.
1. Cut a hole in a box
2. Put your Kirk in that box
3. Make some team open that box
by fundamentallysound on Sep 28, 2009 6:39 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
woops, when I said the bench was a -1 points per possession, I meant
-3 points per possession (an even more pessimistic take on our bench guys), when multiplied by the remaining 35% of minutes to be used, led to -1.05. This was subtracted from ~ 2.6 to get the 1.5 points per possessions that I mentioned above. Again, using the same assumptions as Hollinger and assuming good health, I don’t get how he pegs the Bulls for 36 wins, unless he totally ignores D.
1. Cut a hole in a box
2. Put your Kirk in that box
3. Make some team open that box
by fundamentallysound on Sep 28, 2009 6:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I believe Hollinger generates his predictions through PER projections so his
projections do to a significant degree disregard defense.
by Scotter on Sep 28, 2009 7:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hollinger is really kind of an ass like that.
“PER is the best system ever! It may not account for defense but I can use it to project team wins”
Heck, I bet I could project team wins better by just guessing based on hearsay.
I support the Tornado Release [See: Joakim Noah]
by Prevenge on Sep 28, 2009 9:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Is that how he's putting the Sixers and Wizards ahead of us?
That would make sense. Both teams appear to me to have just as many question marks as we do.
12/31: Fire Vinny Del Negro.
by NBA Observer on Sep 28, 2009 11:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm convinced a five-man rotation of Rose/Hinrich/Gordon/Salmons/Deng...
…for next season at PG, SG, SF would be (while w/o a superstar) one of the best 1-3 combos in the league. It’s not an efficient use of resources, but you’d have two starting-caliber “combo” players at backups. Honestly, w/ Skiles (or other good coaches)… that’d be unbelievable.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
by tyger1147 on Sep 28, 2009 8:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Obviously, you'd have to disregard egos and playing time.
But I don’t think there’s a situation that wouldn’t be accomplished by that fivesome. Need a driver? Need a cutter? Need a bomber? Need a creator? Need a spot-up? Need a defender? Need a distributor? Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
by tyger1147 on Sep 28, 2009 8:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Hinrich and Salmons will be fine as our 3-pt shooters.
I say this with the hope that we actually run plays this year. Noc/Hughes/Thabo/T.Thomas we’re technically 3pt shooters, but they tended to take them at all the wrong situations, and their percentages reflect that. Tim Thomas is the only exception, but if he’s the most efficient 3pt shooter of that bunch, then the rest had no business shooting anyway.
I’d like to think that the Bulls will take ‘better 3s’ than they did last year. That is, less taken on fast breaks, less because you’re Larry Hughes and you’re trying to shoot your way into the starting lineup, less because you’re Noc and your 15 minutes of good basketball are up.
by darksmokepuncher on Sep 28, 2009 5:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fewer 3pt shots needed, more points inthe paint
Salmons and Deng will shoot higher % shots so Bulls will not need as many 3pt attempts.
As for missing Ben, I bet 2nd year Anthony Morrow shoots a higher 3pt percentage than Ben.
As a rookie, he was 46% and made 86-184
Ben 41% and 173-422
by Noe_Valley on Sep 29, 2009 12:09 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
... Anthony Morrow is not on our team.
1. Cut a hole in a box
2. Put your Kirk in that box
3. Make some team open that box
by fundamentallysound on Sep 29, 2009 12:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
didn't mean to imply he was...
Would the Bulls miss 3pt shooting? My take is it’s better to take high % shots which I see Salmons and Deng doing. As for 3pt scoring, a undrafted rookie can shoot well and score a bunch provided they get the looks. I’m not sold on Pargo but if the ball moves well, 3 pt shots will fall.
by Noe_Valley on Sep 29, 2009 1:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
lol, are you serious?
yeah anthony morrow is actually #1 but he had 184 attempts to ben’s 422. not to mention that ben’s kept up that percentage over 1856 3PA in his career.
ben is #25 on the list for last season, barely edging out ray allen, but he has the most attempts of anyone in the top 25 (not more than allen though), by a pretty significant margin over anyone other than mo williams and roger mason. and this was a career high for mo by far (5 percentage points higher). not many guys shoot the way gordon does.
"They should. They better. I'm Vinny Del Negro!"
by Jaina on Sep 29, 2009 7:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
3 pt shooters.
Ben was 6th man of year his rookie year. Ben’s unique but for 3pt shooting, you don’t need to spend 11M on a Ben Gordon.
For 3pt shooting, one can find a good 3pt shooter for a lot less than the #3 pick and 11M year. Craig Hodges, Steve Kerr and etc.
If the ball moves around this year, Salmons and Deng will take higher % shots than Ben, not as dramatic but the points will count.
Morrow plays on a dysfunctional team. He may get minutes this year – or not. Worth watching as he’s supposed to be, like Gorden, a gym rat and worked hard on his conditioning and ball skills in the off-season. Kid dropped 37 points in one of his first NBA games.
by Noe_Valley on Oct 1, 2009 1:09 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i never wanted to spend 11M on gordon
and i’m sure most people who’ve been around could tell you that if they’ve seen my opinion.
but to say ben’s production could be replaced by an undrafted rookie is ridiculous.
"They should. They better. I'm Vinny Del Negro!"
by Jaina on Oct 1, 2009 8:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good thing Gordon did more than shoot 3 pointers.
I mean, REALLY good thing.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
by tyger1147 on Oct 1, 2009 3:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think not having Hughes and Thabo shooting threes
is going to hurt this team offensively. Especially Hughes.
by msquared10 on Sep 28, 2009 7:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Remember Hughes
had that stretch where he was lights out? He helped to raise the Bulls average during that time.
by runningman on Sep 28, 2009 10:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hughes shooting always regresses to the mean
Larry has his streaks. In 09 he shot 39%, total and 41% for the Bulls.
As a team, Bulls shot 38% in 09.
Lifetime he’s shot 31%
by Noe_Valley on Sep 29, 2009 12:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't disagree
I was just pointing out that Larry actually shot the 3 well as a Bull last year. Of course that just made him more confident in his bad shots.
by runningman on Sep 29, 2009 12:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Larry, to my surprise
His 41% did lift the Bulls average. I thought otherwise.
Larry’s shot selection always bugged me. Gordon might launch a desperate 3 at the buzzer and miss. Larry fired ill advised 3pt shoots with time on the clock.
by Noe_Valley on Sep 29, 2009 1:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Larry’s shot selection always bugged me"
Understatement of the century.
by penguin1 on Sep 29, 2009 1:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can see 38 wins but for some I think they will actually win around 44. I don’t think we will miss the playoffs.
by C Smoove on Sep 28, 2009 5:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I have seen the Bulls projected by statheads over at the APBRmetrics board
at around 36-38 wins pretty consistently. That seems a little low to me, but the thing I can’t fathom in Hollinger’s predictions is how on earth the Pistons beat out the Bulls. Now, granted they added Gordon and Villaneuva. However, they lost Rasheed. I just don’t see how a team with not one player, outside of Tayshaun Prince and maaaybe Kwame Brown, that can really play defense worth a damn makes it to the playoffs over the Bulls. If Vinny has even a little sense, there’s no way the Pistons should beat out the Bulls. Then again, Vinny stinks and John Kuester is pretty excellent (at least he was as the Cavs “Offensive Coordinator”).
1. Cut a hole in a box
2. Put your Kirk in that box
3. Make some team open that box
by fundamentallysound on Sep 28, 2009 6:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
'Sheed dropped off a bit last year
I’m not sure how he’s factoring in coaching. If he is, no doubt he gave Vinny some sort of negative factor, based on his description of him.
USE THE SOFTWARE. Actions-> Rec/Flag. Reply to comments with the reply button. Rec good fanposts/fanshots so the crud gets pushed down.
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Sep 28, 2009 6:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sheed dropped off, but he was still better than Charlie V.
1. Cut a hole in a box
2. Put your Kirk in that box
3. Make some team open that box
by fundamentallysound on Sep 28, 2009 6:46 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
But Pistons are on their zillionth new coach
And while he does have more coaching experience than Vinny, it’s not like the Pistons should be getting a huge positive for the coaching either.
In honor of the dearly departed, I declare July PB&J month - everyone raise a sandwich to the memory of Ben!
by wjb1492 on Sep 28, 2009 7:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
sheed was mediocre last season at best
Charlie V is a solid player and this opens up time for Maxiel as well.
They also dropped Allen “not the answer anymore” Iverson who was rubbish for the pistons.
" Blake Griffin is being presented with the Summer League MVP trophy at center court. Sort of like winning a Scrabble tournament vs. Dyslexics. " K.Arnovitz esquire.
by Bushka on Sep 28, 2009 10:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
not just defense, but the pistons have zero offense in the paint
maybe they’ll prove me wrong, but I see them being a team that lives and dies on jumpshots. Hopefully the Bulls will get away from that mentality.
by darksmokepuncher on Sep 28, 2009 6:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
But they have legitimate scoring weapons
Charlie V, while not a prototypical inside scorer, just knows how to get points up. Ben Gordon is a sensational scorer per FGA and has been for quite some time, crafty and does better in the clutch.
Rip can score at will (though not as much as his inflated rep would indicate).
Heck Prince can be a better scorer than he has been (Though he dropped quite a bit last year).
Stuckey can score too.
The Pistons should have a hirewire offense….
I don’t know about the d, but I can see them in the playoff mix….I just don’t see them and especially the defenseless Wizards being better than us.
Thurston Moore is a rock god
by majoyenrac on Sep 29, 2009 12:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
also that skinny rookie if he gets minutes can score
"I tried being reasonable, I didn't like it."
"Go ahead, make my day"
"We boil at different degrees"
"A good man always knows his limitations"
"You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?"
by exult463 on Sep 29, 2009 12:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't underestimate the power of Flip, he'll find a way to make the Wizards slightly below average defensively
while keeping them very strong offensively and that should be good enough for 45 wins
We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.
Ronald Reagan
by snley on Sep 29, 2009 2:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am not underestimating Flip
I’m just also not overestimating Arenas….
That’s the issue. Plus I always liked Mike Miller, but what the fuck happened to him last year???? and will that continue.
I like Antawn quite a bit, a classy and really really good player (who plays little D true, but he’s great), Butler’s good, and their young pieces are promising, but Arenas hasn’t shown anything but injury the last what 2.3 years….and when he’s played allegedly healthy he’s done so poorly. Now he wants us to believe he’s better than ever….
I like Arenas quite a bit, but I’m not counting on that chicken until he’s hatched.
Thurston Moore is a rock god
by majoyenrac on Sep 29, 2009 3:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
They lost McDyess too
"I'm in the Hall already, on the wall already, I'm a work of art I'm a Warhol already"-Jay Z
by bigballa10 on Sep 28, 2009 7:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I just don't see how
adding Salmons, Deng, and Miller and not having Gordon, Hughes, Nocioni, Gooden, and Thabo for a full season can really make us 3 games worse than last year. 3 out of the 5 players in that latter group were absolutely awful and played a lot of minutes for us last year. All 3 players in the first group are solid, if not spectacular. We will miss Gordon’s clutch scoring a ton, but I don’t see how we shouldn’t win at least 41 games again. Especially with expected improvement from Rose, Tyrus, and Noah.
by Illini15 on Sep 28, 2009 6:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I mean, come on...
last year our starting lineup on opening day was Rose, Thabo (!), Deng, Tyrus, and Gooden (!!). And Aaron Gray started some games for us!! And we still won 41 games!
by Illini15 on Sep 28, 2009 6:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree completely.
losing Thabo’s boneheaded play at the end of that Miami game nets us another win by itself.
by darksmokepuncher on Sep 28, 2009 6:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I truly think that people forgot how abysmal our roster was
before the all-star break last season. People give our front office shit for not making trades, but the fact that we unloaded Nocioni AND Gooden for Salmons and Miller is still unbelievable to me. That trade has to be one of the most underrated in recent NBA history.
by Illini15 on Sep 28, 2009 6:30 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Don't forget
getting rid of Larry Hughes!!! That in itself had to count for some improvement no matter who we got back.
"I'm in the Hall already, on the wall already, I'm a work of art I'm a Warhol already"-Jay Z
by bigballa10 on Sep 28, 2009 7:59 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Just give the ball to Rose everytime down floor.
If they double he’ll either split the double-team, or simply blow by them. If they triple, Rose will then have a 50/50 chance of scoring on that possession. If they quadruple, then he’ll just pass the ball to the open man. Simple as that! Chicago Bulls 09-10 NBA Champions.
I am nobody, so this is what I am
by IamClassic on Sep 28, 2009 6:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think you're confusing D-Rose with Michael Jordan.
Just nitpicking.
"B-Roy is the best shooting guard I have played against"
-Ron Artest
by premthegrem on Sep 28, 2009 7:56 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Michael is Michael, DRose is DRose.
Uuumm, no confusion here.
I am nobody, so this is what I am
by IamClassic on Sep 28, 2009 8:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Deng said no one was going to be selfish this year.
They’ll pass the ball around like we did back in grade school and then the last one to have the ball with 5 seconds left will chuck one up.
Everything I post is speculation. I have no insider information nor ideas deemed concrete enough by those who are self-elected to regulate post content.
by cranscape on Sep 28, 2009 8:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If you want another bulls championship, Derrick needs to be as selfish as he possibly can.
I am nobody, so this is what I am
by IamClassic on Sep 28, 2009 8:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Because Jordan being more unselfish wasn't a critical part of the growth of the team.
by Scotter on Sep 28, 2009 8:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wasn't he just getting older and changing his game up a bit?
Everything I post is speculation. I have no insider information nor ideas deemed concrete enough by those who are self-elected to regulate post content.
by cranscape on Sep 28, 2009 8:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No. Phil Jackson and Tex Winter fought hard with MJ to alter his approach to the game.
by Scotter on Sep 28, 2009 9:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Who are you, the bulls' water boy during the 80's and 90's?
I am nobody, so this is what I am
by IamClassic on Sep 28, 2009 9:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Are you old enough to know anything about the Bulls in the 80s and 90s?
by Scotter on Sep 28, 2009 9:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
yes
I am nobody, so this is what I am
by IamClassic on Sep 28, 2009 9:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Then you should be familar with the history. It's not like the evolution of that period
hasn’t been written about and discussed. Nearly twenty years later there are enough sources and resources to have a fairly accurate historical record.
by Scotter on Sep 28, 2009 9:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Indeed
If i got it right, jacksons/winter’s triangle offense demanded a system that allowed the ball to swing through the post…so if jordan hogged the ball the offense simply wouldnt work and…yea im sure some credit for thos championships goes to that offense
On Behalf of Sue, Wjb, majoyenrac, Bullshooter and all the other Hinrich fans...Ill keep the Hinrich Hope coming...There will be light!
by piccolomair on Sep 28, 2009 10:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The triangle requires quick ball movement, the ball can't stick.
The triangle will isolate players 1 on 1, but there’s no place for jab stepping outside the 3-point line. But, the triangle was a way of forcing Phil’s offensive philosophy on the team because it required that type of ball of ball movement, trust of teammates, and thinking on the court. Phil’s belief was that if trust and confidence wasn’t instilled in the lesser talented players then those players would never come through for Michael in the critical situations. MJ continuing to blame his teammates for the playoff failures, rightly or wrongly, was never going to get the team anywhere. The triangle offense and moving Jordan off the ball enforced a structure that gave space to the other players. That’s a philosophy I agree with. Jordan dominating the ball could get a team to the conference finals, but winning championships required the other players getting space to play and build confidence. If you let the smart kid in the group do all the work, the group’s grades will be pretty good. But, it usually won’t be as good or as enjoyable as when everyone in the group is actually working together and contributing.
by Scotter on Sep 28, 2009 10:44 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
Nice
arent u a coach or something ureself (i really dont know why i believe this to be true) at any rate i like reading/listening to people explain the/their take on some basketball scheme or philosophy…but yea that was fun to read…
On Behalf of Sue, Wjb, majoyenrac, Bullshooter and all the other Hinrich fans...Ill keep the Hinrich Hope coming...There will be light!
by piccolomair on Sep 28, 2009 11:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's well known dude
It’s one of the first things Phil and Tex did when Phil became coach.
"I'm in the Hall already, on the wall already, I'm a work of art I'm a Warhol already"-Jay Z
by bigballa10 on Sep 29, 2009 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is right on with the logic that working hard isn't a skill.
The 2009 White Sox....like a 40 degree day.
by Ozzie Montana on Sep 28, 2009 10:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know
I like Salmons, but he is far more a ball stopper than BG was even on BG’s worst ball stopping days…
But I hope you’re right, because athletically we’re tough and if we move the ball, I’d love to see more easy opps for Noah and TYrus to perform well.
I mean Rose is a top 1-5 athlete at his position; Tyrus is a top 1-5 athlete at his position, and well Noah is probably a top 4-8 at his position….and the rest are middle of the pack athletically….skill wise perhaps not all where they can be yet, but if Rose takes the step and the others pass the ball, we should be a playoff lock.
Thurston Moore is a rock god
by majoyenrac on Sep 29, 2009 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
5-8
Philly- With Andre Miller gone they don’t have a good point guard unless Lou Williams comes along. AI is a good player but I think he’s reached his peak. Who know whats condition Brand comes back in and they were having major trouble playing with him before he got hurt. I won’t be surprised if Philly slides.
Wizards- As along as Arenas stays healthy I think they’ll be legit.
Heat- Speaking of healthy, if Wade misses 15 games this team doesn’t make the playoffs. Does anyone have faith in a rejuvenated Jermaine O’neal or real improvement from Beasely after all his summer troubles? If the heat miss the playoffs Wade is gone (unless bosh signs)
Pistons- Kwame Brown and Ben Wallace. Kwame Brown and Ben Wallace. Ben Gordon possibly playing point guard. Unless Dumars can unload Rip Hamilton they are going to have a disaster between rip, BG, and stuckey. Your point guard at the end of the games is either Stuckey meaning Rip or Ben is unhappy on the bench. OR…Ben Gordon is your point guard.
= Bulls make playoffs
by The90sBullsRevival on Sep 28, 2009 7:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Noah beasting on Jermaine O'Neal is Chicago pickup ball
wasn’t good for the O’Neal reputation. He probably struggles for the entire season as he begins to hang it up.
12/31: Fire Vinny Del Negro.
by NBA Observer on Sep 28, 2009 11:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Raptors?
USE THE SOFTWARE. Actions-> Rec/Flag. Reply to comments with the reply button. Rec good fanposts/fanshots so the crud gets pushed down.
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Sep 28, 2009 11:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Honestly I think Raptors will make the playoffs
I don’t know why people like Hollinger underestimates the Raptors so much in these season previews I read and ranks the Philly so (relative) high. Their point guard position is taken up by Lou Williams…. and Lou Williams. Without Andre Miller I think that team will fall apart.
Are we there yet?
by Teri on Sep 29, 2009 2:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I see why Hollinger does
Because he relies too much on last year stats to project future year….Raptors had a distracting year and injuries.
Adding Turk to the mix, presuming the 2nd half Bargnani wasn’t a mirage adding a healthy Calderon and Bosh of course, they could be quite good….they’ll be softies, but they could be dynamic offensively….and while it’s great to say D wins the titles, a dynamic O can outmuster D.
I don’t see them as 1-3 East threats, but Toronto could be good….as I presume teh O’Neal distraction cost them the start of the year, and Hedo’s a better fit than Marion was for them post trade.
Thurston Moore is a rock god
by majoyenrac on Sep 29, 2009 12:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Calderon and Bosh are very good and Turk has become incredibly overrated
Who else do they have to play on the wings though? This team looks good at first glance, but dig a little deeper in that roster and I have a hard time seeing them doing any better than fighting for the last playoff spot.
We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.
Ronald Reagan
by snley on Sep 29, 2009 2:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Jack and Derozan ain't a bad duo
They added some toughness with Evans off the bench and got Rasho back who worked well with them in the past.
Turkoglu ain’t a superstar, but he’s very good and has been for 2 straight years (though was it the system? we’re about to find out, that’s the big risk they have)….but if it wasn’t the system, they’re a matchup nightmare, with a greatly skilled passing PG, 2 how do you guard tall versatile players in Bargnani and Turkoglu, and of course superstar Bosh…
And a mix of nice role players around them.
They might be softies, too soft too, but if they can stay healthy, I think they’ll be matchup issues much like Orlando had been in the past and that’s why I wouldn’t sleep on them. I see them 4th-9th (course i’ve been high on Toronto for a few years and have been disappointed).
Thurston Moore is a rock god
by majoyenrac on Sep 29, 2009 3:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
agreed
I see them as 5th-8th barring any major injuries. I think Jay Triano is a legit competent coach and Turkoglu can complement the team well.
Then again I might be overestimating them from the fact that Bulls never do well against them last season.
Are we there yet?
by Teri on Sep 29, 2009 4:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm starting to think that way as well
Philly has no floor leader. I don’t think a Lou Williams can handle the point full time and Jrue Holiday is not ready either.
"I'm in the Hall already, on the wall already, I'm a work of art I'm a Warhol already"-Jay Z
by bigballa10 on Sep 29, 2009 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
In Eddie’s Jordan’s offense, you don’t need a real PG. Williams just has to bring the ball up court and pass it. I think Holiday is the point of the future anyway and will be pretty decent….a potential Westbrook…many similarities…good defenders, strong and tall for PGs , poor shooters…
by C Smoove on Oct 2, 2009 4:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Speaking of healthy, if Wade misses 15 games this team doesn’t make the playoffs."
If Rose misses 15 games, neither do the Bulls.
by Big D on Sep 28, 2009 7:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
True,
but Wade has an injury history…not quite the same risk.
The poster formerly known as Freethefro.
by MPG on Sep 28, 2009 8:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No worse than Deng.
And Deng is penciled in for an injury free, best season ever I’ve been told.
Everything I post is speculation. I have no insider information nor ideas deemed concrete enough by those who are self-elected to regulate post content.
by cranscape on Sep 28, 2009 8:58 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
he does have an injury history
but he’s been looking pretty damn healthy for more than a year now, going back to the Olympics. he’s not taking as many spills as he used to.
we went out for pizza after the game. -dave wannstedt
by BULLieving in Miami on Sep 29, 2009 11:00 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
He's been shooting more jumpers
"I'm in the Hall already, on the wall already, I'm a work of art I'm a Warhol already"-Jay Z
by bigballa10 on Sep 29, 2009 4:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Where hollinger thinks he is god happens.....
D ROSE D WADE DESTINY DYNASTY
by Juan dela Cruz on Sep 28, 2009 7:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
i like hollinger
when he does chats and spur of the moment articles….i fear he is the kind of person that if you give him too much time to think, he’ll tie in his past works with current happenings and come up wiht something more designed to make him look like a genius as opposed to being accurate….
On Behalf of Sue, Wjb, majoyenrac, Bullshooter and all the other Hinrich fans...Ill keep the Hinrich Hope coming...There will be light!
by piccolomair on Sep 28, 2009 10:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pretty accurate there
all his projections are about proving his statistics like PER are great, no matter if they leave off defense entirely. I listened to a podcast with Simmons and he was adamant about some average NBA player being one of the best in the league, because PER said so and it couldn’t be wrong.
by runningman on Sep 28, 2009 10:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
2009-10 Chicago Bulls
73-9
I am nobody, so this is what I am
by IamClassic on Sep 28, 2009 9:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
The Raptors prediction makes no sense to me
by Option27 on Sep 28, 2009 10:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
The Bobcats too (just 29 wins?)
Remember how hot the Bobcats were down the stretch last year? Larry Brown teams always do better in their second years, and now they have a legit post defender in Chandler.
by YaoPau on Sep 29, 2009 8:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Okafor
was a legit post defender. But I agree they’ll get much better than 29 wins.
by runningman on Sep 29, 2009 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
A healthy Chandler
Is a better defender than Okafor (if Tyson can get healthy again). Sure he won’t score as much, but he won’t ball stop nearly as much, and that should give the ball to better talented O players (Diaw, Wallace, Augustin) to do more of the scoring—which is probably what Okafor should have done anyway…..
Tyson doesn’t have a true O game, but is better around the glass for easy buckets that he won’t force….
Thurston Moore is a rock god
by majoyenrac on Sep 29, 2009 12:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The problem
Is that Diaw, Wallace, and Augustin aren’t horribly efficient scorers, nor are they legitimate options to dump the ball to and ask them to create. Okafor was really the only legitimate source of post scoring on that team, and with Chandler, they might post the worst mark in the league in terms of offensive efficiency. The only thing going for them them is that they signed Flip Murray, who is a legitimately good gunner, but past that, there’s barely any offensive talent on this team.
They’ll definitely post at least a top 10-12 defensive mark, but that offense is going to be absolutely horrid.
To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
by Ben R on Sep 29, 2009 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Okafor
Was a ball stop and blocked shot guy….
I don’t think he was terribly efficient offensively either and I think his game might have muddled the others a bit….
Of course Felton isn’t the most efficient O player either.
I do think the team was different post trade and could surprise (be like the early 2000’s Grizzlies)—not a sexy bunch, but very much underrated…
Thurston Moore is a rock god
by majoyenrac on Sep 29, 2009 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Especially with Larry Brown
A coach known for getting his team to improve and “play the right way”
Why isn't your friendly Bulls Blogger friendly?
by Dionysus2.0 on Sep 29, 2009 2:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Which means play well on the defensive end
Practically all of his teams have had stellar defensive ratings and poor offensive ratings. To put this in perspective, the two Detroit teams he took to the Finals ranked 18th and 17th respectively in offensive efficiency while posting top five defensive marks (and then Flip Saunders gave Detroit a top ten offense and a top ten defense and he was unceremoniously fired despite an otherwise fantastic line of work, but I digress).
The only outfit he’s had in the last decade that posted an offensive rating above the league average was the ‘00-’01 Philadelphia team, and that was in Iverson’s MVP year. And despite that, Philly’s offensive rating was only 13th in the league.
This current team in Charlotte can certainly post a top ten defense with the players they have (I’d argue Chandler is an upgrade at that end if he can stay healthy), but they have literally no consistent offensive options whatsoever. Okafor’s offensive game certainly isn’t well-developed or rounded, but it’s no argument as to who has the better offensive game between him and Chandler. No signing this summer outside of Murray was a shot in the arm for the offensive end, and they arguably could post the worst offensive efficiency mark in the league.
To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
by Ben R on Sep 30, 2009 1:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
wow the Sixers, Wizards and Pistons are better than the Bulls?
hmm. I think the Raptors and Pacers will improve this season.
Derreck Rose, you’ve gotta be flat-out kidding me. Double overtime! Triple overtime!- Chuck wack on crack
by SoulEater7 on Sep 28, 2009 10:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think the Wizards have a very good chance (assuming good health - a BIG assumption)
to be much, much better this year. I don’t think the Sixers end up better than the Bulls, but a lot depends on Brand. If Brand comes back as the near MVP candidate he was 2 years ago? Then yeah, they can be better than the Bulls. I, however, see no scenario where the Pistons are better than the Bulls, assuming good health for the Bullies. Well, outside of Kuester being a coaching genius.
1. Cut a hole in a box
2. Put your Kirk in that box
3. Make some team open that box
by fundamentallysound on Sep 28, 2009 11:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Wizards have never been that good.
by Super-Structure on Sep 29, 2009 12:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
adding Mike Miller and Randy Foye (two solid, if unspectacular players)
to a team that won 45-ish games consistently, gives them a very good chance at being better than the Bulls.
1. Cut a hole in a box
2. Put your Kirk in that box
3. Make some team open that box
by fundamentallysound on Sep 29, 2009 12:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wizards, yes, 76ers maybe not
Arenas will be back. Miller and Foye along with Butler and Jamison will make this a tough team to out score.
For 76ers, Brand did not seem to fit well into the 76ers team when they brought him in and may have permanent shoulder problems.
Question: Would the Bulls have been better off drafting 76ers’ Andre Iguodala at #3 or would you stick with drafting Ben Gordon?
by Noe_Valley on Sep 29, 2009 1:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
In hindsight, I think it's obvious (especially given the Org.'s preference for size)
that you draft Iggy. He’s simply a better player than BG. An Iggy + Deng combo on the wings would be terrors for opposing wings trying to score. Alternatively, if you don’t like Iggy at the two (lack of shooting), then you could have gone AI and Kevin Martin in that draft and still done better than Deng and Gordon. I think, though, that AI and Deng could have worked, as Deng doesn’t need the ball to be successful and Iguodala could have provided his scoring punch + defensive awesomeness from the two guard slot, too.
1. Cut a hole in a box
2. Put your Kirk in that box
3. Make some team open that box
by fundamentallysound on Sep 29, 2009 1:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hindsight for 200
Martin’s not known to be a defender (his team sucks so it’s hard to say) so I’d go with the hard working 6’9" Deng and Iggy in that draft.
Their size would let Chicago take a chance playing a smallish PG provided he can shoot. With Gorden’s size, that’s less of an option. You’d need a stronger or taller PG so there are fewer options with him on the floor.
I have high hopes (a bias) for Deng in 2009-10. He’s had injuries and the lack of ball movement hurt his game.
Party boy Chris Duhon was another good value for a round 2 in that draft.
by Noe_Valley on Oct 1, 2009 1:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
45, 42, 41, 43
With no more Eddie Jordan and relying on Gilbert Arenas (and Butler and Haywood for that matter), I don’t kno-ow…
Also, if they are healthy, where do Foye and Miller plan on getting minutes?
The Wizards may be a decent team, but strong is a huge stretch.
by Super-Structure on Sep 29, 2009 11:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
them getting minutes?
the too-many-good-players problem?
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Sep 29, 2009 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pacers definitely aren't improving
They lost Jack, Daniels and Nesterovic and replaced them with Watson, Solomon Jones, and Dahntay Jones. That’s a huge downgrade, even if Dunleavy returns. They might get a few wins from O’Brien’s unorthodox offense, but past that, they aren’t going anywhere.
To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
by Ben R on Sep 29, 2009 12:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't see how Philly and Detroit are better than Chicago and Toronto.
All 4 teams have a ton of talented pieces, and frankly the Bulls are the franchise with the most continuity from last season. Seems like a bunch of teams are going to be learning on new systems and playing with new teammates on the fly.
The 2009 White Sox....like a 40 degree day.
by Ozzie Montana on Sep 28, 2009 11:43 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I have a dumb question.
Do you think Lindsey Hunter would be a good head coach after Vinny? I’m trying to think why he’s on the team. You don’t think they would keep him around as a coach do you? Maybe start off as an assistant and then move up? I have this weird feeling they are going to offer his an assistant position after his playing career which should be after this season.
I could see him being a decent head coach.
Derreck Rose, you’ve gotta be flat-out kidding me. Double overtime! Triple overtime!- Chuck wack on crack
by SoulEater7 on Sep 29, 2009 12:35 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
assistant possibly
but i dont know about being a head coach…
On Behalf of Sue, Wjb, majoyenrac, Bullshooter and all the other Hinrich fans...Ill keep the Hinrich Hope coming...There will be light!
by piccolomair on Sep 29, 2009 12:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
well, considering the Dolphins are 0-3 with our QB lost for the year...
i think i’m damn ready for some basketball. i’m glad the lockout is only referree related.
i basically have no expectations for this team, not meaning i expect them to be horrible, but i just don’t have an opinion formulated right now. i like that feeling. tempers expectations. if they exceed, then i’m happier for it, and if they struggle, it won’t disappoint me as much.
as bitter as i was about BG right when it happened, mainly because it was for nothing and i just enjoyed shooting, i think we’ll be alright without him. i’m high on Noah, i hope he put in the time in the gym this summer. DRose is awesome, though he dropped off a bit after that monster first game of the playoffs. Salmons, from The U. i say we get this thing going. THANK GOD FOR BASKETBALL!!!!
we went out for pizza after the game. -dave wannstedt
by BULLieving in Miami on Sep 29, 2009 1:47 AM CDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
I like your attitude man
I too am tempering my expectations. I have a general idea of what I want/expect from this team, but it’s broad. Like, I expect anywhere from 38-46 wins and anywhere from a 5 seed to missing the playoffs. I just want the damn PRE-season to start already! Anything!!!
"This is not Vietnam, Smokey, there are rules here." - Walter Sobchak
by Rose Colored Goggles on Sep 29, 2009 10:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wonder
What his ratings were last year for the Hawks preseason, or the Wizards, or the Heat, or the 76ers, or the Raptors, etc…
I think Hollinger’s too into his stats…and doesn’t watch enough.
Still there’s a risk to be this low (I mean heck we lost our best player and all—though Rose should have taken that mantle at some point in this upcomign year)…
But a healthy Hinrich is important to the team and was a spark for us in the last 2 months reg season and mini playoffs when he was healthy…
Thurston Moore is a rock god
by majoyenrac on Sep 29, 2009 11:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
The fact is the conference improved
The top 3 teams all got better.
The Hawks were 4th and got deeper on the bench.
The Bulls basically took either Toronto or Washington’s playoff spot. Washington is getting Arenas back, Toronto is adding Turkoglu to the mix.
The Bulls lost Gordon and replaced him with Jannero Pargo. Were you expecting this to be a playoff team? Winning as many games as last season would be a major accomplishment.
by Real 2K Insider on Sep 29, 2009 12:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice summary!
"I tried being reasonable, I didn't like it."
"Go ahead, make my day"
"We boil at different degrees"
"A good man always knows his limitations"
"You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?"
by exult463 on Sep 29, 2009 12:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
Cavaliers 63-19 – Were better and still will be +
Magic 62-20 – Were better and still will be +
Celtics 54-28 – Were better and still will be +
Hawks 44-38 – Added talent and didn’t lose any +
76ers 42-40 – Adding talent if Brand is healthy. Better coach +
Wizards 41-41 – Getting back lots of talent they missed last year +
Heat 40-42 – Didn’t do much. But were better than us before, and probably will be again. =
Pistons 39-43 – Adding several talented players, lost one talented player. +
Bulls 38-44 – Lost a talented player. -
Raptors 35-47 – Added several players. +
Pacers 31-51 – Meh. Get a talented player back if Dunleavy is healthy +. Maybe. =
Bobcats 29-53 – Meh. No real changes. =
Knicks 26-56 – Meh. No real changes. =
Bucks 25-57 – Get talented players back from injury (Redd, Bogut), lose talented player in salary dump (RJeff). = to -
Nets 24-58 – Lost very talented asshat (Carter), get younger (Lee). -
I generally think a lot of it comes down to players.
And in the Eastern Conference, we can look and see that 9 of the 15 teams have legitimate reason to expect they’re better. Just because they had pretty much the same team and then added a significant player to it, whether getting someone back from injury or a new acquisition.
Several teams basically treaded water. The Heat, Bobcats, Knicks, and maybe the Bucks, and Pacers all look more or less the same.
The Bulls and Nets are really the only teams in the East to lose a big minute player and not get and obviously similar or better replacement. So from any sort of analysis, this has to be a negative.
So anyway, wins will become harder to come by because even if we get better, most of the teams we’ll play have gotten more obviously better.
by Sports2 on Sep 29, 2009 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wizards also got a better coach.
USE THE SOFTWARE. Actions-> Rec/Flag. Reply to comments with the reply button. Rec good fanposts/fanshots so the crud gets pushed down.
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Sep 29, 2009 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Way better coach
Saunders is criminally underrated.
To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
by Ben R on Sep 30, 2009 1:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Besides Phil Jackson
Mike D’Antoni and maybe Rick Adelman, I think Saunders is the best coach in the NBA.
"This is not Vietnam, Smokey, there are rules here." - Walter Sobchak
by Rose Colored Goggles on Sep 30, 2009 1:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well,
I gotta ammend that list to include Stan Van Gundy and Larry Brown (although his best days are behind him and he never sticks around long enough).
"This is not Vietnam, Smokey, there are rules here." - Walter Sobchak
by Rose Colored Goggles on Sep 30, 2009 1:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't see...
How either the Sixers or Pistons are better than last season…
Philly lost Andre Miller and didn’t replace him…I guess they got a better coach, and Brand will still get his numbers…maybe they are even from last year.
Detroit lost Sheed, McDyess and AI and replaced them with Villanueva, Wallace and Gordon…looks like a wash to me, and they added another new coach to the mix…any team with Kwame Brown and Ben Wallace as its Center rotation is in trouble…
I think Toronto and Washington will both be better this season, especially Washington, as they get back not only Arenas, but the underrated Haywood as well…with the additions of Foye and Miller, they have depth…Toronto will be good if Bargnani shows up like he did late last season and Hedo can keep his Orlando mojo going in Canada…
Why isn't your friendly Bulls Blogger friendly?
by Dionysus2.0 on Sep 29, 2009 2:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You can look at Deng as a FA pickup.
Yeah, we lost Gordon, but we would then slide Salmons/Hinrich/Pargo over to the 2 and Deng to the 3. If a couple of things go the Bulls’ way I can see how the team could be better this year. That being said, I think the best way for this team to improve is to play defense, but I doubt that this staff could put together anything more than a mediocre defensive scheme.
by dakoose on Sep 29, 2009 3:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
There's no guarantee Deng stays healthy this year. It's just as likely that he gets hurt again as he stays healthy all year.
1. Cut a hole in a box
2. Put your Kirk in that box
3. Make some team open that box
by fundamentallysound on Sep 29, 2009 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
it's also very likely
Salmons misses 5-10 and Miller misses 10-15 games.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Sep 29, 2009 3:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No guarentee anyone stays healthy.
You can’t fault Deng’s conditioning so chalk it up to bad luck. Stuff happens.
Deng’s like a FA pickup and Salmons / Miller have yet to play a season with this team. Rose has a year under his belt and Kirk is one of the best backup PG/SG combo’s in the NBA. Noah woke up mid season ad Tyrus is playing for a contract.
I expect more points will come from high % shots taken closer to the basket. More wins with the vets closing out games and the youth keeping their minutes down.
by Noe_Valley on Oct 1, 2009 1:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Bulls lost BG, Noc, and Gooden
and replaced them with Miller and Salmons, a definite improvement.
by hlac on Sep 29, 2009 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Washington will bounce back and be a higher seed than us. We are better than the Raptors, Sixers and Pistons though.
5th seed or 6th seed is what I’m thinkin.
by C Smoove on Sep 29, 2009 1:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
It’s official: Hollinger doesn’t like the Bulls
Remember the Brook Lopez for ROY campaign because of his stupid PER? He doesn’t like the Bulls and I don’t like him, period. We will definitely miss Ben Gordon, but how the hell can we be worse than the Sixers, the Wizards and the Pistons. With a little bit of luck, we will end in front of all those teams and prove that Hollinger his wrong about us…
by bull83 on Sep 29, 2009 5:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Too bad we don't have a player like MJ
who’d put that up in his locker and prove Hollinger wrong on the court. I am hoping that Rose gets cold blooded this season. Way too many blah players on the team otherwise.
Everything I post is speculation. I have no insider information nor ideas deemed concrete enough by those who are self-elected to regulate post content.
by cranscape on Sep 29, 2009 9:38 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
uh...
Jordan had the highest PERs ever.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Sep 30, 2009 9:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wasn't talking about the PERs.
I was talking about the “prove that Hollinger is wrong about us” bit.
Everything I post is speculation. I have no insider information nor ideas deemed concrete enough by those who are self-elected to regulate post content.
by cranscape on Sep 30, 2009 12:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
THE FIRE, THE PASSION.
THE DAWGGG.
The 2009 White Sox....like a 40 degree day.
by Ozzie Montana on Sep 30, 2009 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Exactly.
And then Rose could mention in his HOF speech how it motivated him to because the greatest PG ever. Although he would probably be labeled as petty and bitter :(
by Stacey_Is_King on Sep 30, 2009 7:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd take him being both.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Oct 1, 2009 9:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rose should be better on defense this year. Noah should improve defensively if he’s really bulked up. He’ll also get more minutes if this happens, since Miller is getting older and really doesn’t strike me as a particularly good defender (correct me if I’m wrong).
Besides that our 2 guard spot is better defensively, having Deng healthy will help matters and having Tyrus in a semi contract year should keep him more mentally focused this year.
Throw in the coaches preaching nothing but defense and I think it’s realistic to assume we should improve defensively this year.
Offense is another story, but based on Hollinger’s assumptions you guys are saying it should be closer to 45 wins than 38, so if we get better defensively I agree and do not see how he came up with 38.
by RyPac13 on Oct 1, 2009 10:03 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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