Hawks 103, Bulls 95: Apparently a real opponent, and series, as Hawks convincingly take game one
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 2, 2011 11:48 PM CDT
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Print| Pace | Eff | eFG | FT/FG | OREB% | TOr | |
| Atlanta | 87.0 | 118.4 | 55.8% | 20.5 | 25.0 | 11.5 |
| Chicago | 109.2 | 49.4% | 15.7 | 25.6 | 12.6 |
Ok, so that just happened. The game situation never was comfortable for the Bulls, even in the rare times they actually had the lead. As Sam Smith noted before the series, as much as the Hawks have earned a reputation for being quitters, it's hard to have a team roll over dead when you never put them down in the first place. The Bulls found themselves in a quick 9-0 hole to start the game, and never put Atlanta in a position to where their purported lack of effort when discouraged would be an issue.
But maybe that needs to be reevaluated as we're in a new season. The Hawks may have had some embarrassing home losses in the regular season, but these are realer stakes, especially for a group that's lost in this round each of the past two seasons. I don't think we can expect them to just quit, especially if never given the proper opportunity.
Another thing we did expect from them, though pretty much received, was terrible shot selection. Marvin Williams, Jamal Crawford, and Josh Smith were especially notable culprits, and Smith's propensity for jumpshots are what got the the Bulls the lead in the 3rd quarter as they were able to run off of the rebounds. But again, the Bulls weren't able to pull comfortably away (finishing that quarter even), and while a team like the Pacers can be more easily clamped down upon with their lack of shot-creators, the Hawks are used to playing every possession like their structured offense has been taken away. Joe Johnson was spectacular on any defender the Bulls threw at him (Bogans did alright, but he's Bogans. JJ finished with 34 points on 18 shots, 5-5 from three), Crawford's eyes lit up whenever he saw Kyle Korver guarding him, and when even Smith hit a baseline jumper late in the 4th, it looked like it was the Hawks night.
And some of it was just it being their night. They were nearly 54% from 3, and while there were an uncharacteristic amount of inside rotation breakdowns, the Bulls defense looked solid on an abundance of outside attempts that were well contested. But that's sort of what the Hawks do. These nights can happen, the key for the Bulls is to get a lead such that it won't matter.
So why couldn't they? The Bulls dominated the Hawks in their season series on the offensive glass. They were able to overcome bad shooting in round one because they lived at the line. Tonight they played even on the boards, and the Bulls were actually surpassed at getting to the line, with the most amazing part being Derrick Rose finishing with zero free throw attempts. Postgame it felt like he wasn't there often, but I figured he only went around 4 times (this is why stats are good, friends)....ZERO seems unfathomable, and now it makes sense when in the 3rd quarter why he tried to take Ronnie Brewer's flagrant FTs: Maybe just wanted to hear the chants?
The ankle seems like an easy excuse, but if it was bothering him to the point where he wasn't driving as much by design, then the fact that he reaggravated it in the game's final play makes things pretty scary. It's not even as much how Rose and the team downplays the significance of this latest tweak, it's that after nearly a week of rest it was so easily re-injured. Makes it more likely to be something that will last all playoffs, and especially in a series where there is only one day off between each game. During game one, there were enough wow moments from Rose in transition to where it's hard to say the ankle was bothering him that much, but I won't dismiss some physical confidence issue that made him so likely to settle on the outside. To the Hawks credit, especially Jeff Teague (who played 44 minutes), the result of Rose staying on the outside and not getting fouled was their design as well. But usually Derrick Rose lays waste to the best laid plans of defenders, so it's possibly something more.
Rose finished with a quality line but not a superlative one, which put pressure on the non-Roses...with mixed results. Luol Deng had an amazing first half, Carlos Boozer had a solid 3rd quarter (a post-up! a dunk!) , and Noah's productive stints were not long or often enough (finished with 1 offensive rebound, which is the backbone to his productivity). Korver went 3-4 from three. Overall, the Bulls did not have a bad offensive game (for reference, an offensive rating at 109 is top-10 in this regular season), they just weren't enough considering what the Hawks were able to manage against them.
On the positive side, the bench mob made had its first real effective stint in these playoffs, with old friends like Omer Asik giving real quality minutes in a 2nd quarter stretch that dug the Bulls out of their early deficit. Thibs tried the strategy again to start the 4th (lately he had been leaving Rose in at that time in games) but quickly abandoned it after 5 straight Atlanta points. Maybe such a hook could be considered too hasty, but as we need to recognize that maybe this playoff series won't go as expected when it comes to the Hawks attitude, it also won't be comparable to the regular season in the massive difference in depth. The bench matters less when the other team won't play theirs, though even truly scrubby Hawks like Zaza Pachulia, Jason Collins, and Damien Wilkins provided productive minutes.
So maybe it was their night. But as Orlando fans were quick to remind me, the Hawks had 4 such nights against their team. The Bulls may have been able to overcome poor play in round one, but the expected beatdown of Atlanta was based on the assumption that the Bulls would play at a higher level than they did in that round. Tonight wasn't really it, and the Hawks are better than the Pacers. And now we have a series.
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I would be shocked if we lost the series.
However, I don’t see us making past the ECF. I didn’t want to believe that becoming a true contender was a process, but I see that it is. This is all going to build this team into what they one day want to become. Champions.
"Shit just got real" - anorexorcist.
bogans was fucking awesome today
he had absolutely no issue roughing jj up all game. i dont know why thibs insists on never changing his rotations
The quest for seven is on.
I thought so too
Bogans was awesome and he seemed to be the guy who could at least slow JJ. But then he sat….
Yesterday was one of the 7-8 games I liked seeing Bogans out there, he earned it yesterday.
Oh and it was nice to see some real Boozer finally in that second half. His D was pretty solid much of the game too. We lost yesterday because our wings couldn’t defend consistently (Derrick had some nice plays and Bogans could but was sitting).
The kid's out of this world. He's got Allen Iverson speed, Jason Kidd's vision, Chauncey Billups' shooting ability and Michael Jordan's athleticism. How do you guard that? - Pacers coach Frank Vogel.
Bogans played JJ physically
While Deng played good D but he wasnt physical
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
Has our MAGIC run out?
I think that would be a quick recap of YFBB’s recap.
Did you guys hear about the new Lebron James Iphone?
You have to keep it on vibrate because it has no rings.
GOB Bluth
one of the best tv characters of all time
by chitownsports25 on May 3, 2011 12:56 AM CDT up reply actions
Tricks?
Tricks are what whores do for money, Michael
by NittanyCub on May 3, 2011 7:52 AM CDT up reply actions 5 recs
But still... where did the lighter fluid come from???
Guilty Simpson should be our starting SG
by Rose Colored Goggles on May 3, 2011 9:19 AM CDT up reply actions
We did not play a Hawks team
struggling with low self esteem. :(
I can predict the future using Norm Van Lier's crystal balls.
"Sam has a tendency to denigrate reports coming from any reporter who didn’t also cover the day Naismith first put up the peach baskets." - snley
by NBA Observer on May 3, 2011 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions
It ain't easy being whhiitteee
You always were second best! And in this business, Bub, second best don't *cut* it!
by Yibs on May 3, 2011 11:13 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Well after watching both of todays games
I was quick to think I would rather have Rose over Kobe. Gotta give the kid some time though, only his third year.
Did you guys hear about the new Lebron James Iphone?
You have to keep it on vibrate because it has no rings.
i still refuse to believe this is actually a series
we came out like shit.
i still think we win the next 4
The quest for seven is on.
ATL played an abnormal game
(suprising is them playing some D) But hitting all sorts of tough shots in a high % and still won by only 9, i cant see 7 either
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
by T.Moore on May 3, 2011 12:45 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
yea they beat us by hitting contested jumpshots
i dont see them shooting 50% of their contested jumpshots in many more games. Maybe they can do it once more, but i dont see it happening enough to warrant a 7 game series
I dont care what the D.N.A. Says, the Guy wearing number 12 Cannot be Kirk Hinrich, he is definetly Kurt. Kirk can actually play basketball!
Yeah I would buy that if it weren't for the fact that we're talking about Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson here
Hitting contested jumpers is kind of their thing.
Pat Riley is the devil.
jj isn't gonna be
5-5 from three again.
Look
I didn’t want to offend anyone by saying the "f" word or generalizing my statement to any particular sex by saying "gays" or lesbians" or "bi’s" so "homos" is the most "politically correct" term. I’m just trying to be more tact in a tactless blog.
by Hindut Patrol on Feb 15, 2011 2:51 PM EST
sure but jamal crawford shot 50%
and joe johnson….67%
Sure hitting contested jumpers is their thing…and they might be better than most, but if they could hit 50%+ of their contested jumpers regularly, they would have kobe-esque rep in the league.
They werent just hitting SOME contested jumpers, the bulls did a great job of contesting MOST of their jumpers…and they just hit.
A jump shooting team is a jump shooting team. even ben gordon, ray allen, and steve kerr had their off nights.
The bulls have to come out with energy, they came out flat las night. It was an uphill battle and against atlanta u really cant win like that. Bulls gotta keep atlanta from setting their feet early on, let atlanta shoot themselves into a slump. If we can get a big lead early on, we should be able to weather their ‘hit contested jumper’ storm. But if they get the jump on us early on, were in for another loss
I dont care what the D.N.A. Says, the Guy wearing number 12 Cannot be Kirk Hinrich, he is definetly Kurt. Kirk can actually play basketball!
Well yeah I get that
They’re going to have night where they shoot 6-21 to balance things out and those games will be blowout wins for us, but 2 more hot games out of 5 isn’t that unlikely.
Pat Riley is the devil.
Oh and if Josh Smith pulls his head out of his ass, they won't need to get that hot.
Pat Riley is the devil.
That they did so while Josh Smith
Was showing off just how dumb a player he is, is what has me scared.
Seriously yesterday’s game made me realize what we looked like with Tyrus Thomas on our floor to the opposing team…….
But Joe Johnson wasn’t just the overpaid player yesterday, he damn well played like the best guy on the court, and I don’t think that’ll happen throughout the series (Rose only had glimpses of the Rose we know).
The kid's out of this world. He's got Allen Iverson speed, Jason Kidd's vision, Chauncey Billups' shooting ability and Michael Jordan's athleticism. How do you guard that? - Pacers coach Frank Vogel.
5
no more than 6, but im positive it will be over by 5.
I dont care what the D.N.A. Says, the Guy wearing number 12 Cannot be Kirk Hinrich, he is definetly Kurt. Kirk can actually play basketball!
I agree
When this team is actually scared that they can lose, they play with a different level of energy. I would anticipate that they would come out on fire on Wednesday and not let down at all. I’d be surprised if that game was close. The question is, will they just fall right back into feeling comfortable and lay another couple eggs? I really hope not, but I think this game was enough to scare them straight.
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 2:55 AM CDT up reply actions
Boozer played well (enough), Lu had a great game, Korver was his awesome self (except when defending Jamal)
Everything you would think needed to go our way did go our way. The Hawks just made some really tough shots.
We’re gonna need some Asik in this series ASAP btw
In the first half
Lu had a great game
The Chicago Bulls....have a young star, Derrick Rose, who must learn to live with the tearing down of his MVP candidacy as rapidly as he constructed it. - Woj
i swear
i dont care how big the cult following for kurt thomas is, i think he wasnt needed in this game. I think putting him in hurt us more than helped us this game. We didnt need the hard fouls, cheap tricks, or veteran leadership…we just needed energy, and kurt provides anything but energy. I think the language barrier might be the biggest reason thibs doesnt play asik much in games.
Also if we didnt have that abysmal start, i think we wouldve won this game,
I dont care what the D.N.A. Says, the Guy wearing number 12 Cannot be Kirk Hinrich, he is definetly Kurt. Kirk can actually play basketball!
I agree
Asik can be a game changer. Sadly, it doesn’t look like Thibs is learning his lesson at all with these rotations.
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 2:58 AM CDT up reply actions
eh i dont think its anything like thibs doesnt get it
i think its simply asik cant understand the right orders. Asik comes out and always does kind of teh basic big man stuff. Sets screens and rolls, theres no complex play hes a part of, doesnt seem to set many offball screens in plays, on the defensive end he always plays near the paint, hedges, but nothing too specific. So i think its the language barrier, i know asik has a translator but i suppose the translator isnt with him during games. It seems reasonable that thibs doesnt trust playing a guy he cant specifically direct during games.
I dont care what the D.N.A. Says, the Guy wearing number 12 Cannot be Kirk Hinrich, he is definetly Kurt. Kirk can actually play basketball!
asik understands English
I get clients down to 5% body fat with ease you fucking idiot. - dakoose
Everything you would think needed to go our way did go our way.
I didn’t think the MVP would need 27 shots to get 4 points. File that under “unexpected”.
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 2:56 AM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
Kyle was not awesome
He played like shit in the first quarter. Missed his defensive duties and turned the ball over. Wasn’t a bad game but not awesome at all
Did Kyle Korver just dunked? And what? Bogans made 15 points?! No, no... This can't be real
by JustAnotherFan on May 3, 2011 8:14 AM CDT up reply actions
he played 7 seconds in the first quarter?
And if you mean the 2nd quarter, well, he had a turn over, but he also had 2 steals, an assist and made 2 of 3 3’s. That’s pretty awesome for nine minutes of work.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
yeah I meant half
Did Kyle Korver just dunked? And what? Bogans made 15 points?! No, no... This can't be real
by JustAnotherFan on May 3, 2011 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions
What's gotten into Jamal Crawford,
His playoff PER is almost 24, with 7 games in….
He’s a career 15.3, and was a 14.2 in the reg season….
The kid's out of this world. He's got Allen Iverson speed, Jason Kidd's vision, Chauncey Billups' shooting ability and Michael Jordan's athleticism. How do you guard that? - Pacers coach Frank Vogel.
I know, this sucks
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 12:39 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah but he's never been this good for 7 games...
The kid's out of this world. He's got Allen Iverson speed, Jason Kidd's vision, Chauncey Billups' shooting ability and Michael Jordan's athleticism. How do you guard that? - Pacers coach Frank Vogel.
You can file this under "why the Bulls will win in five"
it is so frustrating that the best place to chat about the bulls is dominated by a whiny drama queen moderator with a man crush on an average SG......6 recs
by BigforkBullsFan on May 3, 2011 2:47 PM CDT up reply actions
some points:
- too much reckless/weak passes
- passive Rose (drive more please), we cannot afford 0 FTs from you
- Thibs benching Rose at the start of 4th q was a mistake
- rebounding is almost(?) equal, should not be that way
Boozer singing: My toes, my knees, my shoulder, my beard.
- also a step slow in defense
Walk the talk, Bulls.
Thibs always benches Rose to start the 4th
One thing that’s annoying about Thibs is that he’s almost like a dog in sticking to his routines….
The kid's out of this world. He's got Allen Iverson speed, Jason Kidd's vision, Chauncey Billups' shooting ability and Michael Jordan's athleticism. How do you guard that? - Pacers coach Frank Vogel.
its cool though
we’ll probably have a louder crowd in atl cheering for us than the sorry shit we saw tonight
The quest for seven is on.
Agreed.
The crowd tonight was primed and ready for something…anything, to get really excited about…hell, we even chanted M.V.P. when Rose stepped up to shoot Brewer’s free throws…
Speaking of Rose’s free throws, how did he not get fouled once during the game…?
12 for 7.
Give me a fucking break
The crowd was plenty loud tonight. Loud during the national anthem, loud during the game.
by JSB on May 3, 2011 8:01 AM CDT up reply actions
For the most part they were quiet
Maybe because TNT mute the crowd noise who knows
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
Maybe on TV, the crowd was fine in person.
Especially considering the game wasn’t great from the Bulls fan’s point of view.
by Grinder in Training on May 3, 2011 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions
I think it's TV partly.
The crowd got amped for the National Anthem but it felt kinda rushed a bit. A lot of empty seats on TV still. Then you know it kinda dyed down after Rose blanked so much to completely silent.
Kurt Hamstring
yeah, it was a very good crowd
and again, tough to maintain even USASUPEROK intensity when Bulls spend the first 5 minutes not scoring the basketball thing into that other thing.
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions
was there too
anything to cheer about, the crowd did. Problem was, Joe/Jamal would iso and make a 3 right after anything went the Bulls’ way….
You're my assistant! You're supposed to back me up and go get me juiceboxes whenever I want. Now go get me a juicebox!
by chibullsfan03 on May 3, 2011 2:52 PM CDT up reply actions
this seems bogus to me
the Bulls were down by 1 points at halftime and it sounded like a morgue. I’m willing to accept its different in person and that TNT may be downplaying the crowd noise. But I don’t accept there was nothing to cheer for. I watched the entire Memphis-OKC game and those fans were loud and into it even though Memphis pretty much controlled the game exactly like the Hawks did to us.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 3:44 PM CDT up reply actions
newsflash: this isn't cowtown Oklahoma tumbleweedville
I think the TNT mix had something to do with it. The crowd was fine, as someone who was there. It was a playoff crowd. It wasn’t cameron indoor stadium and never will be.
Maybe if like Oklahoma City they gave us matching TShirts, damnit.
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions
obviously not
apparently Chicago is a watch me tweet and text message type crowd.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions
That's why yfBB fits in so well and likes the crowd.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
ha
maybe i’m just upset because Bill Simmons always saying such nice things about other stadium crowds. I want some of that love.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 3:57 PM CDT up reply actions
it's full and it's loud
I don’t think it’ll ever be a ‘special’ simmons crowd.
And from what I saw of the humanity who wore Bulls gear down in Indiana, I’ll take what’s currently at the UC even if it means we can’t will Derrick Rose to the rim.
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 3:58 PM CDT up reply actions
I've noticed that there is a pretty big dichotomy in opinion of the crowd
People that go to the games regularly think the crowd is fine. People who don’t think the crowd sucks.
by JSB on May 3, 2011 4:54 PM CDT up reply actions
WOULD YOU RATHER NOT SEE THE TWEETS?
for serious, I tweet during stoppages. Mostly.
Speaking of, the entertainment has been sucking eggs. Reinsdorf is pocketing all entertainment money for Jake Peavy’s doctors appointments.
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 4:02 PM CDT up reply actions
I've never read one of your tweets other than those you've re-posted on here.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
The crowd noise does not come
through on games televised on TNT. If that game had been on CSN you would have heard how loud the crowd really was.
I don't always block shots, but when I do....I block yours.
Kyle Korver is open as soon as he gets out of his car at the UC. -
Stacey King
I'm trying to look on the bright side
but maybe that’s what the Bulls need. They a nice stretch of “must win” games to close out the regular season and capture the top seed, so maybe this loss provides similar motivation.
"If the Bulls are healthy it could get ugly." - Joakim Noah
hey guys apparently this isn't a shooting foul. lol
See the most important parts are the ones that are unseen
See the wings don't make you fly and the crown don't make you king
by panduh on May 3, 2011 12:07 AM CDT reply actions 6 recs
There is no reason at all
why D Rose is the only top player that refs miss obvious shit. I wouldnt be mad if they do this to Wade or anyone else
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
rose really does get more non-calls on strips
than any player i can remember. If you put your hand near Wade while he is going up for a shot, its a foul. Rose, not so lucky.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 2:36 AM CDT up reply actions
Thoughts on a scary game...
1) I came in thinking there was no way the Hawks won a game. I left wondering if the Bulls would win 2.
2) We will never be a good team with 3 starters who can’t score (Booze, Noah, Bogans). The margin for error with that lineup is so tiny, that if Rose has even a subpar game, we’re toast (and we’re really screwed if, like tonight, he has a terrible game).
3) Rose hasn’t played well for 4 straight games now. And that sucks. Cause I was ready to jump on the whole “Rose is one of those special players with a killer instinct” train. 4 bad playoff performances in a row seriously changes that.
4) Rose doesn’t go to the hoop early anymore. You go to the hoop early, it forces the defense to change, which in turn gives more players open shots, which in turn means we score more than you. For some reason, Rose just waits it out these days.
5) Boozer is worthless.
Booz actualy woke up the 2nd half
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
Booozer's D was pretty solid too
I think he had a godawful first quarter, but seemed to get his rythm in Q2, and then the O came. Solid game I’d say, perhaps the start of a rut killing game for game 2.
I guess he was limping off the court though….
The kid's out of this world. He's got Allen Iverson speed, Jason Kidd's vision, Chauncey Billups' shooting ability and Michael Jordan's athleticism. How do you guard that? - Pacers coach Frank Vogel.
Some more dumb play at the end of a half
This time lakers guilty
Derrick Rose will be suspended by the NBA because he has broken too many ankles.
damn you Sam Smith!!!!!
We should have spent that money on Joe Johnson and say fuck boozer
Boozer plays like an old Taj and Arenas plays like an old James Harden
I love the playoffs
Still want nothing to so with Joe Johnson
Most of the writers that follow Atlanta regularly are saying this was his best game ever as a Hawk. Which pretty much tells you how repeatable that performance is (or one close to it)
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 3:03 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Well he had a few of those 40 some point games against us in the past
I think JJ is a solid all star, just not a superstar, he’s paid to be a superstar, but he doesn’t have these nights that often….that’s why he’s an all star.
I’d expect 1 more night like that night if this series goes 5 games, and 2 more if it goes 7 games.
The kid's out of this world. He's got Allen Iverson speed, Jason Kidd's vision, Chauncey Billups' shooting ability and Michael Jordan's athleticism. How do you guard that? - Pacers coach Frank Vogel.
yeah something like 2 of his last 40 pt performances were against the bulls
he scored 40 in their one loss to the bulls. he scored less than 20 in the other three and the hawks won.
Look
I didn’t want to offend anyone by saying the "f" word or generalizing my statement to any particular sex by saying "gays" or lesbians" or "bi’s" so "homos" is the most "politically correct" term. I’m just trying to be more tact in a tactless blog.
by Hindut Patrol on Feb 15, 2011 2:51 PM EST
(last season)
Look
I didn’t want to offend anyone by saying the "f" word or generalizing my statement to any particular sex by saying "gays" or lesbians" or "bi’s" so "homos" is the most "politically correct" term. I’m just trying to be more tact in a tactless blog.
by Hindut Patrol on Feb 15, 2011 2:51 PM EST
true
i just saw him play last night and make shots that fit the way drose plays..really, kid would have fit nice next to rose. Granted, we’d be f*ked in the next yr or two when he declines
Boozer plays like an old Taj and Arenas plays like an old James Harden
I love the playoffs
I was at the game, and haven't had the chance to watch the DVR.
But, it seemed to me that the Bulls got the Hawks to take the contested jumpers that they wanted the Hawks to take, and the Hawks (Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford) made some tough shots…
The Bulls, on the other hand, didn’t make the tough shots, and missed some of the easy ones.
In a sense, I agree with the sentiment that it was their night…but…
The Bulls cannot allow them to “their night” again, or this series may be over…
12 for 7.
at least LA lost too :)
made me feel better somehow
Walk the talk, Bulls.
well i feel better
Boozer plays like an old Taj and Arenas plays like an old James Harden
I love the playoffs
Mavs!
This is going to be a crazy series
Derrick Rose will be suspended by the NBA because he has broken too many ankles.
A disorganized team that takes and make dumb shots
But a real team.
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
Fuck
Thunder lost, Bulls lost, Lakers lost, Spurs are already out.
Don’t feel so bad after all
Oh wait, the Heat looked amazing
: (
by Option27 on May 3, 2011 12:18 AM CDT reply actions 4 recs
so did the refs
The quest for seven is on.
by sin on May 3, 2011 12:18 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
dallas fouls 17 FTA10
lakers fouls 12 FTA 20
lol.
See the most important parts are the ones that are unseen
See the wings don't make you fly and the crown don't make you king
Z-Bo dominated them
JJ did the same, when Bogans was out…can’t believe i said that
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
Well and Richard Jefferson totally blows
He’s been bad for a while, but he just flat out sucks. He should be paying Jason Kidd 80% of his contract(s). I remember someone on ESPN had him in their comeback player of the year reports as late as March….he did have a nice first 2 weeks of the season this year….
The kid's out of this world. He's got Allen Iverson speed, Jason Kidd's vision, Chauncey Billups' shooting ability and Michael Jordan's athleticism. How do you guard that? - Pacers coach Frank Vogel.
(consternation remains)
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 3:09 AM CDT up reply actions
The scary thing is - we have no idea if we'll bounce back.
We just don’t know with this team. They’ve been underwhelming all playoffs. Have not given us even a hint that they’re true title contenders. They’ve never been in this situation before so who knows if they’ll bounce back.
I will say this though. If there is any team in the playoffs that you can go down 0-2 to and still have a legitimate shot at winning the series, it’s the Atlanta Hawks.
I say the Bulls bounce back.
1. They won’t play this poorly. 2. ATL won’t play this well. 3. Drose won’t let us down.
Kurt Hamstring
You don't remember how the Bulls play after a loss?
Besides they had a horrible start, but didnt play as bad as they did vs Indy. ATL’s bullshit shots were falling and JJ wont score over 30 all series.
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
Well we won those games
after the loss…blowout. Not saying we’ll blowout ATL but those shots they were hitting wont go in all series
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
If the hawks shoot 60 percent taking shots like those god couldn't beat them
We’ll get it turned around.
It’s just that people are scared of the unknown. What I have seen of him is exactly what we need and I can’t believe he isn’t being at least gotten some burn after all we’ve seen. -SoulEater7
by Prevenge on May 3, 2011 2:31 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Is it possible w/ D. Rose's usage he is worn down mentally & physically? Fans have noted all of your guys injuries.
We’ve seen it w/ Joe Johnson in seasons past. He plays 80 games, logs alot of minutes at a high level and then his play is up and down in the postseason. I think D. Rose bounces back game 2 but in game 3 can he sustain it?
hes fucking 22
theres no way hes worn out physically.
he needs some fucking help. hes being trapped so often and teams are learning not to give him any driving lanes
The quest for seven is on.
by sin on May 3, 2011 1:23 AM CDT up reply actions
Could be worn down a bit, but it would take more than this game, and a couple Pacers clunkers, for me to say that
If he doesn’t play as amazing as I think he will on Wednesday, than you may be on to something
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 3:12 AM CDT up reply actions
i think he can sustain it
if he stops relying on his jumper and starts driving to the hole. Rose is basically at D-Wade 06 levels right now (not in these playoffs, but go with me). He is super effective when he drives and can draw fouls, but is streaky as hell from the perimeter. Wade realized this and attacked aggressively every play. It didn’t hurt that he was getting almost every call either. Two big differences between Wade and Rose though – say what you will about Shaq, but he was a reliable half court option that year, still capable of drawing a double team. The Bulls don’t have that. And second, Wade is simply bigger and stronger than Rose. He could take the punishment – that year. His body has broke down some since. Rose is starting to get a lot of dings and knocks. Comes from your body just being tired in my opinion (call me Dr. Smurf).
But more importantly than Rose bouncing back, the Bulls need to up their effort. I know that sounds cliche, i’ve accused of people of being cliche when they said it, but if you look during the regular season, the Bulls killed the Hawks in the hustle stats. This game? Hawks had more blocks, rebounds, steals, less turnovers, more free throws and shot over 50% from the field and from 3. That shit doesn’t happen to the Bulls. Of course Johnson, Crawford and Teague had good shooting nights, but the Bulls have been able to withstand those efforts in the past because they out-rebounded and out worked their opponents.
You can’t let every Hawk besides Marvin Williams and Josh Smith shoot 50% or higher and tell me you are playing good defense. In a combined 22 minutes, Zaza, Collins and Wilkins had 6 offensive rebounds; in a combined 96 minutes Taj, Noah, Boozer, Asik and Thomas had 4. That is the entire Bulls front line! That just can’t happen if you expect to win. The Bulls have to play tougher. Its not just about Rose, its about the entire team playing soft and expecting the other team to roll over. Not in the playoffs.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 3:13 AM CDT up reply actions
I watched this game
The definition of a fluke. And we lost by 9 and were still in the game the entire time.
I really doubt Atlanta shoots 60 percent again. Sticking with bulls in 6.
It’s just that people are scared of the unknown. What I have seen of him is exactly what we need and I can’t believe he isn’t being at least gotten some burn after all we’ve seen. -SoulEater7
The biggest problem is that everyone thought this wouldn't be a series
Always assume a series will go 6 games.
Korver was +17 and our only guy in the positive.
by Uncle Stanley McGoober on May 3, 2011 2:57 AM CDT reply actions
If Deng will keep playing JJ
might as well play Korver…
Hmm maybe not
I thought Marvin was on the court longer in the 2nd. This would be so much easier if Brewer was playing at a healthy level.
I thought yesterday was as good as Brewer has looked since the playoffs started.
He definitely injected some energy into the Bulls with his first stint in the game, had a few nice drives (one blocked by Smith from behind), and even hit a 3. He wasn’t as active as usual on defense, but his play was definitely encouraging after the way he played against the Pacers.
He defintely should have played more than 16 minutes
I think he should take most of the minutes at the 2 because with him on the court, it’s pretty much suicide for them to double anyone and risk a wide open three from the best shooter in the playoffs
The one thing that really pisses me off about this game
is that it kinda takes away from all the good vibes surrounding Rose’s MVP ceremony. Instead of a celebratory feel, it will be more one of nervous happiness, with all of his detractors laughing, and pointing at his playoff performance as another reason why he wasn’t deserving.
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
at least rose will have a reason to have a crappy press conference
every response will be
“im just focused on game 2”
The quest for seven is on.
by sin on May 3, 2011 4:34 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Yup. Agreed.
I was so looking forward to it. Now, we will still enjoy it…but there will be more of a nervous energy in the air.
booz's 14 and 8 felt more impressive than his 17 and 16 in game 2 against indy
maybe it’s because he posterized somebody
by pb&j on May 3, 2011 5:56 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Boozer played awesome
They’re just not going to him with any kind of consistency.
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 6:12 AM CDT up reply actions
If that was 'awesome' boozer tonight, I'm so sad for the next 4 years.
LeBron is an Asshole
by leeac on May 3, 2011 6:37 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
He wasn't awesome
He was crap the 1st half and woke up the 2nd half, he was ok that game.
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
by T.Moore on May 3, 2011 10:17 AM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
yeah, it was one nice stretch
He was worst-yet in that first half. And according to him, his Toe loosened up (or whatever) mid game but post-game hurts like hell again. So that’s great.
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"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions
i quickly rewatched a lot of this game
and I’ve gotta say, this one is almost entirely on Rose. This was not a typical game where we NEEDED his offense. His teammates, notably Deng and Boozer, were playing fantastic. Why not make more of an effort to get them the ball? I can understand taking over when you’re the only person that can, but use your teammates.
People like to act like this is a one man show, and it’s simply not true. There’s talented players, and they showed that tonight. I’m beginning to think that their poor performance has more to do with lack of rhythm from having to watch D Rose all game, rather than their own issues.
And this doesn’t even mention the fact that he took 27 shots, with a majority of them being stupid ass jumpers. Once again he was looking for the jumper. It’s a terrible thing to see. Also, he looked scared as hell of contact. This is November/December Derrick in these last few playoff games. I have complete faith that he’ll be a beast next game, but I’m not sure why it takes poor performances like this to coax that out.
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
He was pretty bad.
Making poor choices with the ball. It was frustrating really. He had like on good pass to Noah for a dunk but if he didn’t score he didn’t bring much else to the table.
Kurt Hamstring
and then he threw a pass over noahs head
and another one behind noah and into the stands
those are what piss me off
too often on the break, we’re trying to make the most spectacular play ever. just take care of the fucking ball and run the offense. Rose loves to throw the ball up ahead, but it almost never results in anything, so why even risk it? those are the turnovers i just can’t stand. especially because they lead to easy baskets off the steal.
The Derrick forced 3's still piss me off
He’s averaging more than 7 3’s a game in the playoffs. That’s a good 3-4 too many. I nkow a few are end of qtr heaves, but all guys have htose.
Rose Stop shooting teh 3 incessantly. He forces 3 a game and I’d bet of those he forces his % is about 10%. He’s shootin 22.7% for the playoffs right now, back at his rookie level, except that he’s shooting 7 times the amount of 3 shots.
Derrick, unless you’re incredibly hot from the outside shot, keep it to 3-4. You are Antoine Walkering us out of the series.
I get it he’s the MVP, yes and he deserved that, but long term this 3 habit might break him.
The kid's out of this world. He's got Allen Iverson speed, Jason Kidd's vision, Chauncey Billups' shooting ability and Michael Jordan's athleticism. How do you guard that? - Pacers coach Frank Vogel.
I was struggling who to blame about the FTs for Derrick all game.
Mid 3rd quarter when I realized he hadn’t been to the line my first reaction was why has the named-within-mins MVP of your league not been to the line. I watch Westbrook play awful on Sunday and he got to the line like 10 times with completely reckless drives and bailed out calls at the rim. I’d like to know how many playoff nights Wade and LBJ didn’t shoot a Ft. I’m not counting the quit game 5 last year in Boston.
Looking inward( at the Bulls) I was mad at Derrick for not going harder to the rim. They only have one shot blocker at the rim and its Josh Smith. Derrick should have gotten blocked 4 times before not taking a ft. I guess he ( and the offense) were just out of rhythm or something but I’d like to see him at least blocked twice ( and if he gets blocked twice without a call on MVP Night at the UC …..) before he takes a jumper or soft floater then it’s time for Jerry & son to get on the phone with David Stern.
I never thought I'd say this but, he's still really young
I know it’s easy to overlook the fact because of what he’s already done on the NBA stage, but he’s still got some fragility.
I think whenever he starts off games as cold as he started last night, it fucks with him a little. It gets in his head until the game goes along long enough to ease back into things. He’s human and the kinda pressure on him now especially (1st seed, MVP, etc) takes time getting used to. We need to ease off him a bit. It’s unfair
Yeah, but I don't mind that he's missing shots
My problem is that he continues jacking no matter what. 27 shots, with most of them being bad jumpers, is just unacceptable. He’s either gotta attack, or let someone like Kyle do the shooting
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 2:25 PM CDT up reply actions
To be fair, If I had the abilities he has . .
I’d be jacking up shots all the friggin time if I saw Bogans to my right, Boozer down low and Noah setting screens for me 18ft away from the basket
I think you're underselling the talent a little
Not to rag on Rose too hard, but we just saw Chris Paul take a much worse cast and give the Lakers a good scare. Rose has more than enough help to get the job done, or to not feel as though he has to shoot. Lu was awesome last night, and Boozer played well too. I’m not saying he should’ve only taken 10 shots, but that many bad jump shots by one guy is just not good for any team
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions
He's so much different than Paul, it's unfair to compare them just because of the PG tag
Rose wants to get his teammates involved, which is why he’s so hesitant to take over early in games but he knows what’s best for this team is for him to score. So he immaturely takes some stupid shots to see what kinda rhythm he’s gonna be in.
For the record, I'm not a fan of the comparison either
but I was making it because you were talking like Rose’s teammates are inadequate. I think they’re plenty good enough to where he shouldn’t feel like he HAS TO shoot that much.
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 3:56 PM CDT up reply actions
considering rose started 0-7
finishing 11-20 is fine. it was the first seven shots.
he did take some dumbass shots. his decision making is definitely still a work in progress.
jj and jamal were absolutely on fire, hard to overcome that. it’s why i’m not THAT concerned… josh smith still managed to almost shoot them out of the game and will continue to do that stupid shit. and taj and cj’s last stint was the bad one. they were absolutely unproductive and needed to get the fuck out of there and that’s when we blew the game.
i still think the bulls will win.
Look
I didn’t want to offend anyone by saying the "f" word or generalizing my statement to any particular sex by saying "gays" or lesbians" or "bi’s" so "homos" is the most "politically correct" term. I’m just trying to be more tact in a tactless blog.
by Hindut Patrol on Feb 15, 2011 2:51 PM EST
Slow Starts / Bogans Are Killing Us
The Bulls have been prone to getting into a hole early, which is leading to close games and losses. Keith Bogans has given us nothing on the offensive end in the playoffs. This 4 on 5 offense is directly contributing to the slow starts. The one game where Bogans played well was the one blowout (Game 5 of the Pacers series). This isn’t a coincidence. When you get at least SOME scoring from your 2 guard, you space the floor and make the game a lot easier for everyone else. I know he plays only around 17 minutes a game, but when he’s on the floor in the first quarter, the Bulls are getting outscored with some regularity, leaving the Bulls with a deficit or narrow lead when he leaves the game. There is no reason why Korver should not get at least 25 minutes a night (and I’d prefer at least 30). The Bulls’ offensive numbers are up significantly when he’s in. I’m not blaming Monday’s loss on Bogans, but his play is a major reason why the Bulls found themselves down.
only thing i give credit for Bogans was his Defense on Joe Johnson....
But i hate it when our Starting SG doesnt score in DOUBLE DIGITS.Its really annoying.
I disagree with this
You can’t blame Bogans for the slow start. He made a 3 in the first half and the Hawks were actually playing him tighter than I’ve seen anybody else play them. In all honesty, Brewer has played worse than Bogans in the playoffs. Bogans was also the only guy that played decent defense on Johnson tonight.
I don’t know if you can get away with Korver playing 30+ minutes against the likes of Crawford and Joe Johnson. He is going to give up as much as he scores.
by JSB on May 3, 2011 8:09 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
agree... and Bogans had one of their early drives to the basket ( it was an ugly looking scoop) but Noah got an easy putback.
I am not getting close to saying Deng is a bad defender… it was just one of those nights where Bogans was playing Johnson better than Deng.
My comments were not aimed just at last night but the Pacers series too
Yes, Bogans usually plays good D, but his offensive deficiencies make things much harder for the whole team on the other end. Bear in mind that Bogans isn’t just bad on offense, he is epically bad (e.g., 25% shooting for 3 points last night). He probably has the worst offensive numbers of any starting 2 in the league. I do not see how his defense offsets that. For all of his “great D” on Johnson, JJ shot 66% and 100% from 3. So what positive contributions did Bogans make last night? Making a single basket in 4 tries is not starter-level production by anyone’s definition regardless of what kind of D he plays. Even Thabo (who was regarded as a total joke offensively on this board) routinely outscores Bogans.
Also, Korver played at least adequate defense last night. I’m not going to say he’s a DPOY candidate, but he is not garbage. Plus, Rose and Deng can guard Crawford and Johnson, so I don’t view those guys as reasons not to play Korver.
He was 1-4 last night, that' s not "epically bad"
You also can’t throw out Johnson’s production in 45 minutes, when Bogans only played 17 minutes and conclude that his defense had any effect on Johnson.
The problem is that the Hawks were playing a 3 guard lineup with Teague, Johnson and Crawford for a lot of the game. Korver is going to get exposed against any of those 3.
I think we might need more Bogans than usual in this series if the Hawks are going to play that lineup heavy minutes. The difference between Bogans being “epically bad” by your definition and good is usually one shot because he only takes 3-4 shots a game.
by JSB on May 3, 2011 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions
good job
you are burnishing your rep as chief bogans defender.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 3:26 PM CDT up reply actions
Why?
Because I don’t blame losses on him? Because I notice when he doesn’t play like complete shit?
by JSB on May 3, 2011 4:27 PM CDT up reply actions
because you don't think
3pts on 1-4 shooting with 1 steal in 17 minutes is in fact playing like shit. You’ve accepted that as the norm when I think most people believe we need more from that position.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions
Bogan's isn't in the game to score
I think it is hard to evaluate Bogans on a game to game basis because 1 missed shot is often the difference between people perceiving him playing well or poorly.
Bogans played good tough and physical defense last night (he doesn’t always). The Hawks also didn’t ignore him like other teams have done. Johnson didn’t leave him at all during the game. He wasn’t killing us on offense.
by JSB on May 3, 2011 5:08 PM CDT up reply actions
It is especially easy to evaluate him...
since he isn’t’ ++ on D and is a complete non factor on Offense that, as you said, “1 missed shot is often the difference” in his perception. If he isn’t a really great defender out there, he is essentially sucking.
Korver got beat off the dribble by Crawford a few times
But when Crawford beats guys off the dribble, he likes to take tough midrange runners and pullups instead of going all the way to the rim and drawing the defense to him. So that’s no as big of a liability as it could be. I mean, there’s a reason why Korver was +17 last night while everyone else on the team was a negative (or 0 in Noah’s case).
Pat Riley is the devil.
"He made a 3 in the first half and the Hawks were actually playing him tighter than I’ve seen anybody else play them"
Oooooh a 3. Is that what it’s really come to? Really? Stay Chisel is right. We have one ball handler and he is the only one that can get his own shot. Then the fact that we have to stop everything we’re doing to get Mr. And 1! a shot adds to the slow starts. Korver defense sucks but in a game like yesterday, his offense was more important, seeing how Crawford and Joe Johnson was scoring anyway.
Hey Rose. I don't see the appeal!
by Dils on May 3, 2011 2:25 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Korver is a terrible ball-handler too
The only other ball-handler on the team is CJ Watson.
Bogans had nothing to do with why the team lost yesterday. He played fine.
by JSB on May 3, 2011 2:48 PM CDT up reply actions
fine relative to how he usually plays. he'll always be a weak link
whether that’s still worth harping on now I guess has merit. But never forget Bogans sucks. Never.
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"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 3:43 PM CDT up reply actions
thank you
him playing fine means 1-4 shooting, 3 pts in 17 minutes with no rebounds, assists or blocks and only 1 steal. What are we grading on a curve? He played fine relative to what he typically does, but not relative to the standard we hold Brewer, Korver or any other player playing the 2 guard position in the NBA.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions
Brewer's standard is another subject
I’m worried he won’t be able to shoot until next september.
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"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 3:48 PM CDT up reply actions
That three he hit yesterday was a huge shock
Actually his whole performance was. He finally looked alive again
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 3:57 PM CDT up reply actions
That's true
We need either Brewer or Bogans to be effective in this series. I just don’t buy that Kyle Korver can play 30+ minutes against the Hawks. Too many tough match-ups for him.
by JSB on May 3, 2011 4:31 PM CDT up reply actions
Starting SG Bogan played fine????
3 pts. no assists is acceptable for a starting SG in the semi-finals???
And some of you think Gar/Paxson deserve NBA executive of the year for standing pat with Bogan before trade deadline.
Unbelievable logic.
He played solid defense and only got 17 mins
He had a rare solid game. Numbers don’t show all.
The kid's out of this world. He's got Allen Iverson speed, Jason Kidd's vision, Chauncey Billups' shooting ability and Michael Jordan's athleticism. How do you guard that? - Pacers coach Frank Vogel.
Put Bogans back on JJ
he was shutting him down at some points of the game
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
yeah and then Crawford got subbed in for someone,
and bogans was put on him instead of staying on JJ… makes 0 sense.
You're my assistant! You're supposed to back me up and go get me juiceboxes whenever I want. Now go get me a juicebox!
by chibullsfan03 on May 3, 2011 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions
Bogans was helping us yesterday
He was the only guy who seemed to do anything on JJ.
Rose started off the game off, and we should try to run the pick and roll a bit more early to get Boozer involved, which only will open up things for Rose as Boozer takes his man out to the paint.
The kid's out of this world. He's got Allen Iverson speed, Jason Kidd's vision, Chauncey Billups' shooting ability and Michael Jordan's athleticism. How do you guard that? - Pacers coach Frank Vogel.
Bogans was physical
Deng was in front of JJ but he wasnt physical
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
My view on this:
Why we lost:
1) Not enough energy: was slow and soft from beggining to end. Everyone not called Luol Deng was half speed there.
2) Joe Johnson: The guy was amazing. He made some tough shots agains very good D.
What worries me:
1) That’s the 3rd straight ‘meh’ game for Rose. He wasn’t bad but wasn’t MVP. And if JJ keeps playing like this Rose will have to bring his A+ game all game
2) Al Horford didn’t play most of the game in foul troube and they still win. Of course it doesn’t matter that much when you let Zaza and Collins score and they did.
3) Losing minds: we got 2 technical fouls for complaining and that was not a Pacers-like game. Refs were bad but not terrible and Atlanta didn’t play a dirty game.
The bright side
1) A lot of room for Rose to play better. Specially because he didn’t take advantage of playing teague most of the time and didn’t go to the line
2) That was not even close and may erase the idea we can just turn it on anytime we want and win a game
3) Taj played so poorly he can only go up… (or start of one his bad Taj streaks)
4) CJ played well and he is a better player than teague.
Did Kyle Korver just dunked? And what? Bogans made 15 points?! No, no... This can't be real
Another reason: Dick Stockton
I don’t know if I’m just going crazy, but it seems like we always lose when that fucker calls a game. Whether it be the Bulls, Cubs, Bears… he’s just bad news for Chicago teams.
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 8:56 AM CDT up reply actions
Lol...
I said the same thing last night. I cringe when I hear his voice.
Someday we'll go all the way...
by CubsBullsBears on May 3, 2011 9:06 AM CDT up reply actions
so if bogans didn't help hold jj to 34 would he have scored 50,60pts
That is rubbish, get korver on the court early and often. If they hit a 2, fuck it kk will come down and hit a 3. He has been our most consistent shooter! Bogans sucks, he just does. I hate that he uses those scandalous pics of thibs at the swingers set for playingtime leverage.
by #1humblebot on May 3, 2011 8:32 AM CDT via mobile reply actions 2 recs
first off your comma is in the wrong place
Bogans does not suck. He’s in the NBA and therefore does not suck. When you have Deng, Boozer, and Rose scoring your buckets you need to put people in there who are stoppers (or slowers for JJ). I see Bogans as a Bruce Bowen for the Bulls.
#10 You will be missed.
by Bricks and Ivy on May 3, 2011 10:00 AM CDT up reply actions
joking about the comma
i know it looks smart assy
#10 You will be missed.
by Bricks and Ivy on May 3, 2011 10:07 AM CDT up reply actions
too late
Did Kyle Korver just dunked? And what? Bogans made 15 points?! No, no... This can't be real
by JustAnotherFan on May 3, 2011 12:43 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
2 cents...
-I had issues with the rotation twice in that game: during the 2nd qtr when the bench mob cut the deficit, I felt Thibs stayed with them too long. I mean, it was 5:30 left in the half and no starters back out there yet. who knows, maybe he’s saving them for heavier minutes in the 2nd half, but I felt the mob had done it’s job cutting the lead down and it was time to go with your best players.
the second time was beginning the 4th with Rose on the bench. though short lived, it almost gave ATL the impetus to make a run while our best player is sitting. and the Kurt sub didn’t help either. on the first play on D, he already looked out of position.
-there might be something to “teams laying down”. I get a sense that though games were close at the end of the season, they never felt in doubt. a lot of that has to do with effort and the fact we played a lot of teams already locked into the standings, whether it’s their seed or not making it or whatever. so I’m not sure the Bulls got teams’ best punch and maybe that made them ease up on the intensity a bit and are now having trouble getting back in gear. it’s the only thing I can think of to explain their play in the playoffs so far. the season ended so easily for them, maybe they lost the edge. it’s either that or they’re tired and peaked too early.
From the slums of Thibs, Lu-Deng Clan strikes again. We got the Brewza, the Booza, Ol' Dirty Bogans, InspektAsik, Watson the Chef, U-Taj, Jo-Face Killah, and D-E-R(R)-I-C-K Rose!
by BULLieving in Miami on May 3, 2011 8:45 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
People keep talking about how the Bulls "Didn't get other team's best efforts"
or that “we don’t have another gear”. Sorry, but I think that’s complete bullshit. You don’t win 62 games unless you’re really good. It’s not like the entire league decided they weren’t gonna play hard against us. And it’s also not like we beat up on all miserable teams. I think there was a stat where we haven’t lost to an elite opponent since December. We’re really good.
This is just a case of us getting out of a lot of those good habits. We’re relying too heavily on winning games in the second half. And we’re relying too heavily on Derrick Rose (and more specifically lately: Derrick Rose jump shots). Once we start playing with some cohesion, and some gd urgency, we should handle teams like Atlanta a lot easier.
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 9:01 AM CDT up reply actions
I never said teams rolled
From the slums of Thibs, Lu-Deng Clan strikes again. We got the Brewza, the Booza, Ol' Dirty Bogans, InspektAsik, Watson the Chef, U-Taj, Jo-Face Killah, and D-E-R(R)-I-C-K Rose!
by BULLieving in Miami on May 3, 2011 9:27 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
I never said teams rolled over all season
i’m talking more towards the end, probably the last 2-3 weeks of the season. it’s undeniable teams let up at that point if they aren’t making it to the playoffs, or if they’re already locked into their seed.
I agree the Bulls are a good team. no doubt they won 62 games by being a good team, but just like you said at the end, and which was my initial point, they might’ve lost that sense of urgency while teams weren’t giving their best shot. now suddenly we ARE getting their best show and our team hasn’t figured out how to react yet.
From the slums of Thibs, Lu-Deng Clan strikes again. We got the Brewza, the Booza, Ol' Dirty Bogans, InspektAsik, Watson the Chef, U-Taj, Jo-Face Killah, and D-E-R(R)-I-C-K Rose!
by BULLieving in Miami on May 3, 2011 9:31 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Yeah, they just look like they want to respond, they don't want to initiate
At the start of all these games, it’s like they’re feeling the other team out to see how hard they wanna play, and letting that dictate how they play themselves. They need to just set the tone from the jump. If they play like they’re capable, they could beat the Hawks four in a row.
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions
yeah, I'd like to see them come out and be the aggressor for once
impose their own will. like for one, no reason they should be outrebounding us when we have elite rebounders at 3 positions.
From the slums of Thibs, Lu-Deng Clan strikes again. We got the Brewza, the Booza, Ol' Dirty Bogans, InspektAsik, Watson the Chef, U-Taj, Jo-Face Killah, and D-E-R(R)-I-C-K Rose!
by BULLieving in Miami on May 3, 2011 10:10 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Maybe instead of Thibs constantly stressing that the defense isn't good enough
he has to just recognize that this Hawks team has been shooting their asses off in the Playoffs, and making all of their retarded shots. Then, instead of just harping on defense, counter with your best offensive unit, meaning more fucking hot sauce.
I think even if the hawks are shooting well, we could still outscore those guys if Korver was on the floor. When Kyle is playing, the offense hums. Instead, we’re left trying to defend a team that is, for the most part, unguardable right now
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 8:54 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I agree Kyle should play a little more
but I completely disagree that Thibs shouldn’t kick the Bulls ass for their defense. The Hawks shot 52% from the floor against the Bulls. The best they shot against the Magic was 46%. They shot under 40% in 4 out of 6 games they played against the Magic. Joe Johnson in particular was awful. He only shot over 40% in 1 game – the first game of that series. The Hawks never scored over 90 pts in a single game against the Magic. Against us they put up 103. The Bulls defense sucked yesterday. And to have a chance, they need to be the best defensive team in the playoffs. So far, they have not been.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions
I think they shot over 50% in game 1 vs the Magic
The best they shot against the Magic was 46%
The Chicago Bulls....have a young star, Derrick Rose, who must learn to live with the tearing down of his MVP candidacy as rapidly as he constructed it. - Woj
you're right
they had a similar performance in game 1 vs. the Magic. Still, in 4 out of 6 games they weren’t very good from the field. The Bulls need to up their defense – they can’t beat a good team if they allow 51% from the floor.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions
Hmm, you make good points
But, is it just me, or did it feel like our defense wasn’t that bad? I mean, I was never sitting there muttering to myself about it during the game, which I tend to do if it blows. Actually, there were certain stretches where I though they looked awesome, but Atlanta would just continually hit a stupid ass jump shot
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 11:17 AM CDT up reply actions
i thought it was bad because it didn't force Atl out of its comfort spots
For example (not singling anyone out) Deng always managed to get a hand in Johnson’s face when he shot, but he kept letting Johnson just dribble to his spot on the court. And when Johnson got hot, it took to the final 3 minutes to run an extra defender at him. Korver was very active against Crawford, but he let him into the lane a couple of times and the help was late. Rose kept letting Teague drive and the help was always late. Every Hawk who played, besides Josh Smith, shot well from the field. That tells me the Bulls aren’t making them work hard enough. I thought Joe Johnson played incredibly. I thought all the other Hawks got a lot of easy looks.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 11:24 AM CDT up reply actions
bulls defense wasn't as good as it could have been, of course
but joe and jamal both hit some tough shots. they won’t go in every time.
Look
I didn’t want to offend anyone by saying the "f" word or generalizing my statement to any particular sex by saying "gays" or lesbians" or "bi’s" so "homos" is the most "politically correct" term. I’m just trying to be more tact in a tactless blog.
by Hindut Patrol on Feb 15, 2011 2:51 PM EST
i feel like that is going to be the Bulls epitath
the Bulls should have been doubling Joe Johnson sooner than the last 2 or 3 minutes. There is more stuff that could have been done to slow him down.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions
yes, i mean i agree with that
i’m not excusing them by any means. bulls didn’t play their best… they didn’t play their worst, though. jj deserves as much credit as bulls deserve discredit, is all. he had a great game.
but i also find it unlikely that both he and crawford are both going to catch fire again during the same game. guess we’ll see! bulls bounce back pretty damn well, so i’m expecting they do again tomorrow.
Look
I didn’t want to offend anyone by saying the "f" word or generalizing my statement to any particular sex by saying "gays" or lesbians" or "bi’s" so "homos" is the most "politically correct" term. I’m just trying to be more tact in a tactless blog.
by Hindut Patrol on Feb 15, 2011 2:51 PM EST
While I agree
I’m kind of worried, after Hawks game 1 and the Pacers series, that we’re kind of relying on inferior teams to regress to the mean, rather than asserting our own dominance. Yes, we’ve had some bad luck in that guys have shot very well against us, but we should be good enough that we can beat those teams even when they’re pulling things out of their asses.
as i said
i’m certainly not absolving them of fault…
Look
I didn’t want to offend anyone by saying the "f" word or generalizing my statement to any particular sex by saying "gays" or lesbians" or "bi’s" so "homos" is the most "politically correct" term. I’m just trying to be more tact in a tactless blog.
by Hindut Patrol on Feb 15, 2011 2:51 PM EST
ATL in imo
have NO confort spots
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
makes sense but this must come with better rebounding
KK means a lot of shooting
And the bulls were outrebounded by ATL
Did Kyle Korver just dunked? And what? Bogans made 15 points?! No, no... This can't be real
by JustAnotherFan on May 3, 2011 12:47 PM CDT up reply actions
if bogans is good enough to start the game why is he not good enough to play at the end
Is his all world Dr. Ramsey defense not important at the end of games? Korver should start the rest of the playoffs. Thibs your rotations suck! That is all.
by #1humblebot on May 3, 2011 9:04 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
His rotation won 62 games this year.
#10 You will be missed.
by Bricks and Ivy on May 3, 2011 9:55 AM CDT reply actions 2 recs
Yes.. he had a good season
That doesn’t mean he’s infallible.
by Grinder in Training on May 3, 2011 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions
Game 2 will be a blow out win for the Bulls.
Johnson can’t keep that up all series — and he didn’t play that way during the series with Orlando.
We knew coming in that Atlanta was capable of getting hot for a game or two. But over a seven game series, they can’t keep hitting those shots.
We need everyone healthy and playing well for the next series, though.
Next series?
The way we’re playing, we clearly need to stop looking past the Hawks. They’re a bunch of chuckers who can flat out hit shots. We disrupt game plans, but they don’t have one, so our defense is mitigated somewhat. We need better energy on offense, and better discipline on defense, in addition to Drose attacking.
by cubbybear on May 3, 2011 10:10 AM CDT up reply actions 7 recs
We disrupt game plans, but they don’t have one
haha, well said. I think that sums up this matchup nicely
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions
You my friend gave me an erection with such spot on analysis!
make this green.
Kurt Hamstring
by SoulEater7 on May 3, 2011 10:39 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Why is this making me laugh so hard
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions
it's certainly a problem when the team's two best offensive players are playing well below usual level
Rose has 11 FTAs in 3 games since injuring his ankle.
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 10:52 AM CDT up reply actions
BUT IT'S THE REFS FAULT!!!
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
Is it totally sacriligious
to even suggest that Bulls try sitting Rose in the second game?
He simply hasn’t looked the same since the ankle roll and definitely hasn’t driven with nearly the same frequency. Even last night when he had that steal and a break-away, he didn’t seem to have his usual explosive bounce on the dunk.
Plus I really think the team is capable of beating the Hawks without Rose. Even in the worst scenario Bulls get down 2-0, Bulls with healthy (i.e., explosive) Rose could easily beat them four in a row.
Or am I just totally high?
But he just took nearly a week off, didn't he?
If they sit him again, what’s that really gain? And if they lose a second game at home, I wouldn’t say it was over, but it would be really hard to comeback. If there were any doubts about the health of the ankle, Game 1 would have been the one to sit him.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
Yes, it is.
Well, no, it isn’t. It’s not “sacrilegious,” it’s against all rationality and common sense.
so, merely 'religious'
TOTAL MINDFUCK ZING BY ME
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Ho... leee... shiiiiiT.
I’m blown.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
I'll take "best phrases to end a date" for $200
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I am really really worried about the ankle injury
And with Rose re-injuring it last night, there’s really no time for it to heal mid-series. I just hope Deng, Boozer, and Korver can shoulder the scoring load long enough to buy Rose some time.
"If the Bulls are healthy it could get ugly." - Joakim Noah
Shouldn't they have announced the time for the MVP press conference by now?
It’s gotta be today, right?
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
I don't know but I really want this to get over with.
This is such a distraction to a team like the Bulls who have a hard time with these award games. Bulls were blown out when Rose got rookie of the year. Bulls lose the Hawks when Thibs got COY. One more too go and we can put the regular season behind us.
Kurt Hamstring
think that's a bit of a stretch
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 10:52 AM CDT up reply actions
twitter sez 2pm today
It’s been ruined regardless, heh.
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions
Dammit, it really does suck that all this MVP stuff had to be preempted by such a shitty loss, and Rose performance
As silly as it is, it really kills a lot of the joy
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 10:59 AM CDT up reply actions
Yea it kind of sucks.
Now, all I keep saying in my head is; “I just wanna wee-un.”
The Chicago Bulls....have a young star, Derrick Rose, who must learn to live with the tearing down of his MVP candidacy as rapidly as he constructed it. - Woj
Get this over with.
chicagobulls Chicago Bulls
Another NBA/Bulls major announcement set for 4 p.m. this afternoon (live video at Bulls.com). Any guesses as to what it might be?
The Chicago Bulls....have a young star, Derrick Rose, who must learn to live with the tearing down of his MVP candidacy as rapidly as he constructed it. - Woj
ok, so maybe it's 4, not 2?
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions
I suppose.
Bulls and KC are reporting 4pm. Who was tweeting 2pm?
The Chicago Bulls....have a young star, Derrick Rose, who must learn to live with the tearing down of his MVP candidacy as rapidly as he constructed it. - Woj
stupid Alex Kennedy from stupid poopsworld
http://twitter.com/#!/AlexKennedyNBA/status/65446893559353344
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
yeah, he had me confused too
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions
Also shows that it will be on CSN also.
http://www.csnchicago.com/pages/main
I don't always block shots, but when I do....I block yours.
Kyle Korver is open as soon as he gets out of his car at the UC. -
Stacey King
I'd like to see more Asik on Zaza..
less Kurt Thomas maybe. That was a pretty bad foul at the end of the half.
Kurt Hamstring
awful, and I thought it could've been a flagrant
he was directly behind him and just swatted at his head. No need to give Zaza FTs with 1 second left on the shot clock.
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on May 3, 2011 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions
Yeah that wasn't a very vet move. Why does Thomas swat like that?
You know they’ll call that every time winding up like that.
Kurt Hamstring
Lu deserves some love these playoffs.
Hes the only one out there playing with any sense of urgency whatsoever. Lets get this mvp thing taken care of and hope for an mvp performance tomorrow. I figured we would lose at least 1, but game 1 is the WORST to lose. It puts major pressure on a team to win the next 2 games. Seriously, how long until these guys get their heads out of their asses?
never forget...
1.7%
anything is possible...
by wrigleyrocker12 on May 3, 2011 11:11 AM CDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs
I really missed Lu in the 2nd half...
on offense.
The Chicago Bulls....have a young star, Derrick Rose, who must learn to live with the tearing down of his MVP candidacy as rapidly as he constructed it. - Woj
Lu and Noah we great in the first half I thought.
Noah looked gassed in the 4th quarter.
Kurt Hamstring
For the first time, I'm getting sick of Thibs' coaching
He’s not as bad as Skiles, but I don’t like how he just reels off 15 reasons why the Bulls lost (didn’t play defense, didn’t move the ball, didn’t play with energy) but doesn’t take any of the blame himself.
Who the f*ck is responsible for your offense and your defense working? I’m pretty sure it’s the coach. So stop talking about it and do something about it. We’ve had six playoff games so far and I’m still waiting for the first one where we outcoach the other team. When the hell does this guy start receiving some blame?
He hasn't had a good playoffs.
What he did with Rose in the 3 quarter was questionable.
Kurt Hamstring
i agree with Thibs
i don’t know how pointing out the problems is not taking blame. Its obviously his job to correct the errors.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions
Not if he's talking about execution. (I didn't read the comments).
And that’s what it sounds like. He can do the exact same preparation in terms of game planning on defense and offense and motivating the team, but if they don’t come out and “play defense, move the ball, play with energy”, then that’s saying the players didn’t execute. It’s a huge pet peeve of mine. He didn’t say we didn’t have a good game plan or I didn’t prepare the guys well.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
Sure, Thibs could do some things differently,
but I think our problem(s) have mostly been about execution. The guys have not been playing as well as they could be. Could Thibs say in the huddle or in pre-game prep to be more aggressive? Sure. Do we doubt that he has been? I don’t. I don’t think our problems have been that we’ve been “out coached,” and I don’t think Thibs has been making any debilitating mistakes (like sometimes VDN did). Guys just have to play better.
I disagree.
Thibs’s offensive gameplan isn’t up to snuff. Also, the best impact any coach can have is to play his best players and sit his worst players. He’s simply not doing that. The offense is bad. Rose is hurt and that makes it worse. But Thibs still plays a defensive player in Bogans over an offensive one. That’s bad coaching.
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
This seems to be a matter of opinion, not some objective mistake. Obviously, I disagree with you on these points.
For instance, I thought Bogans was great last night. He was one of the few players in the first half to actually be aggresive on offense, and his defense on JJ was very good. We didn’t lose last night because Thibs played Bogans. We also didn’t lose because he refused to play our “best players.” I thought his decision to ride the Bench Mob was the right move, as we needed energy more than anything at that point. The bench got us back into the game.
I also think that our offensive sets are not the problem; the problem is people not being aggressive within the offense. We seem to be slavishly trying to run the plays, rather than looking for opportunities within the plays. Now, that could be coaching (i.e., Thibs demanding that we make certain passes, and to wait for that to develop rather than taking what the defense is offering), but I doubt it. Remember in games 4 and 5 against the Pacers when Noah actually started to drive from the high post and it energized everyone else, and led to some good looks? And Thibs praised him for it after the game? He didn’t really do that last night. Deng and Bogans were the only ones taking initiative until Boozer started doing some things in the third quarter. The guys seem tentative, and I don’t think that’s at coach’s direction.
(Although I will say I hate when we run the Korver-centric offense. It takes so long to wait for him to try to run his guys off those screens, and it’s the only option, and the defense knows it. While Kyle is good enough to make those quick-release contested shots, I wish we wouldn’t run that so dogmatically when he’s in the game. To that extent, I agree with you about the sets.)
Offense actually wasn't the problem last night
Bulls had a better offensive game than their season average against a pretty good defensive team.
They had a poor defensive game (how much of that was bad defense and how much was hot shooting) against a below average offensive team.
by JSB on May 3, 2011 4:43 PM CDT up reply actions
next game we will see the kind of player Derrick is
and what kind of team we really are.
Are we contenders? or pretenders?
Walk the talk, Bulls.
I wanna see if Thibs does anything different defensively.
I liked when he doubled Jeff Teague. But some other things he did… meh. Rose and Watson backcourt sucked. I kinda liked doubling JJ when Crawford was on the bench. So I’d love to see me doubles to make those guys uncomfortable.
Kurt Hamstring
we need more DEBO on JJ and more hot sauce as well, because really he is our one legitimate three point shooter
See the most important parts are the ones that are unseen
See the wings don't make you fly and the crown don't make you king
Last night's game made me miserable, absolutely miserable.
Still, I’m glad that games two, three and four will come rather quickly. If the Bulls are the team we think they are, they’ll be up 3-1 by then. If not, this thing’s going seven, unless the Hawks themselves are up 3-1 themselves by that point.
"Smith stripped. Smith stopped! Smith stopped again by Pippen!"
by ColonelFatheart on May 3, 2011 11:41 AM CDT reply actions
Hmm I'm hoping for 2 and 2 by Sunday.
I doubt this team can win three games in a row, two of which are road games. I’d settle for 2-2 coming home to the UC.
Kurt Hamstring
me too! but it's important to win 2 straight games
better lead 2-1 heading to game 4..
Walk the talk, Bulls.
The Hawks don't have the type of "home court" that other teams do.
It’ll be better now that it’s the playoffs, but I’m not afraid of road games against Atlanta like I would be against, e.g., the Celtics.
Teams that have a similar home record to the Hawks (24-17)
Clippers (23-18), Warriors (26-15), Rockets (25-16), Suns (23-18), 76ers (26-15), NY (23-18), Pacers (24-17), Bucks (22-19), Pistons (21-20), Charlotte (21-20).
Hawks are a pretty average home team and the 9th best road team. Bulls shouldn’t be worried that they lost home-court advantage last night.
by JSB on May 3, 2011 4:51 PM CDT up reply actions
We MUST win Game 2 and either 3 or 4
or take all 3 because if we don’t, then the media starts thinking upset, the Hawks play out of their minds, and we lose it all. Going to Atlanta down 0-2 doesn’t sound too dandy either…
FUCK the media
"You control the rebounds, You control the game"- Hanamichi Sakuragi
by T.Moore on May 3, 2011 12:28 PM CDT up reply actions 6 recs
Man, i just want to get the taste of this game out of my mouth
Can’t wait til tomorrow. Even if we lose, at least I can start the grieving process. Whereas right now I’m still not sure if what I saw was real, or just an insane shooting night by a pretty good player.
Personally, I’m banking on the Bulls coming out like a pick of wild dogs and ripping Atlanta apart, then following that up with a similar performance in Atlanta on Friday. But until I actually see it, I’m gonna be nervous as fuck.
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 12:46 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Anyone else read Simmons' Playoff column yet?
I thought this was pretty funny:
I was talking to Someone Who Knows Kobe recently and this person was telling me, adamantly, that Kobe only cares about passing Jordan’s six titles. The all-time scoring record? Blah. Being the best Laker ever? Blah. He measures himself by rings. Or so this person claimed. Well, if that’s true, and Kobe can sense the changing of the guard that’s happening right now, with the Dirk/Kobe/Garnett/Duncan/Pierce/Kidd generation doing everything it can to fend off the Rose/Durant/LeBron/Rondo/Paul/Howard generation
Simmons is insanely delusional when it comes to Rondo. I can’t believe he lumped him in that group.
Here’s some more (Btw, there’s a “Wire” theme to the column, so a lot of this won’t make sense unless you read it in context (and even then I don’t know how much sense it makes)):
To Ray Allen, who nailed so many big shots for Boston in four years that it’s reached “even if you know we’re running this double-screen for him, we’re doing it anyway,” status and he’s still as reliable as anyone. If Chicago doesn’t win the 2011 title, it will be because they didn’t overwhelm Allen with a three-year, $40 million offer last summer. In their defense, I think they thought they were a year away — they never expected Rose to make The Leap that soon. But why pursue a J.J. Redick/Kyle Korver tandem for the same money that it would have taken to get Ray?
I think I agree with him in his assessment of the Bulls here:
For the record, I’m not willing to give up on the Bulls — they remind me of the 2008 Celtics in that they played the regular season in fifth gear, now they’re trying to find that Fast and Furious NOS button for an extra burst. If you remember, it took the 2008 Celts two and a half rounds to find the NOS. I bet the Bulls find it. You wait. And yes, I’m making that prediction while being fully aware that their only crunch-time play right now is “Get out of Derrick’s way.”
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 12:56 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
did we really have ray allen as a target during last offseason?
cause last i read was that he only wanted to stay in boston.
See the most important parts are the ones that are unseen
See the wings don't make you fly and the crown don't make you king
Yeah. that's what I thought too
Probably just Simmons taking some liberties for dramatic effect. It would be a lot harder to write that paragraph if Ray Allen simply had no intention of ever leaving Boston
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions
agree
i think its just something, with the aid of hindsight, that looks like it would have been a solid acquisition. allen’s made a ton of money in his career, has been in boston and probably wanted to take a shot at another ring. no one had the bulls higher than 4th in the East (or at least almost no one).
Doesn’t seem very moral to me. Might as well take Satan’s autograph while you’re at it. - N.C.
I remember the rumors but the Celtics decided to go for one more run.
So he resigned with them or something like that.
Kurt Hamstring
just like Rose said:
“I hope we don’t wake up too late”
hopes so too.
Walk the talk, Bulls.
Looking through lineups
- The Bulls did fine when Atlanta played their key players. In 14minutes, the Teague/Crawford/JJ/Smith/Horford lineup was +0.
- Jason Collins was -9 in 7.5 minutes yesterday. He has no business being on the floor, and I’d expect those minutes to decline as the series goes on.
- With Korver in the game, the Bulls were +17 in 16 minutes, with a 153 ORating and 110 Drating. Even by removing Collins’ minutes, the Bulls were +9 in 11 minutes, with a 146 ORating and 121 DRating with Korver.
- When Collins and Korver were both off the floor, the Bulls were -26 in 30 minutes. 82 ORating, 126 DRating.
Obviously none of this means much given one game, but it does support what we saw in the Pacers series. I had hoped Brewer and Rose could be healthy for this series. Rose/Brewer/Deng is the logical matchup against Teague/Crawford/JJ. Korver, I thought, wouldn’t fit well in this series. But with Rose’s ankle retweaked, Ronnie ineffective last night, and the Bulls having just a 98.7 ORating in the playoffs with Korver on the bench, I think you gotta consider giving him a minutes boost even with a bad defensive matchup. Gonna re-watch some of his stints again, but first impression last night was the Bulls still don’t have an answer for the PnR Rose doubleteam with Kyle off the floor.
by YaoPau on May 3, 2011 1:32 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I thought Korver's defense was fine, too
it’s just, like, if Crawford is hitting wild fadeaway 21-foot jumpers with a hand in his face, what can you do?
It’s just that people are scared of the unknown. What I have seen of him is exactly what we need and I can’t believe he isn’t being at least gotten some burn after all we’ve seen. -SoulEater7
you send Bogans in there to slap him around a little bit
Cutler and Rose are bringing back Chicago sports.
I totally agree Korver needs to play more
I think people tend to just focus on his shooting when comparing him to Bogans and thus they will say things like “Bogans was only 1-4 last night” or “he hit 2 3’s in his 16 minutes, he did his job.” I think that is a narrow sighted view. Korver opens things up for the Bulls not just with his shooting, but with his movement and passing as well. When Korver comes into the game he is constantly moving. Add Deng to that and now both wing defenders are pre occupied with quality offensive players. It allows Boozer, Rose and Noah that much more room to operate. Plus Korver draws defenders and kicks to guys like Boozer for easy buckets.
Its been pretty obvious for awhile that Korver is our best option at the 2. This is a tough series to try it out in because of the matchup with Crawford – in truth, we should have been experimenting with playing Korver more before. I blame that on Thibs stubborn reliance on his rotations. To this day I’ve yet to hear a solid reason for starting Bogans over Korver. Now, as it gets down to the end, the Bulls need to play Korver as much as possible.
When Atl is playing their Teague/Crawford/Johnson line-up, what do you think of Korver on Teague and Rose on Crawford? Teague will get into the lane no doubt, but he hasn’t proven he can finish contensted shots inside. Plus, its likely Atl will just continue to go to Crawford and Johnson anyway.
by Basketball Smurf on May 3, 2011 3:38 PM CDT up reply actions
I posted this in the post game thread.
what do you think of Korver on Teague and Rose on Crawford?
I would have rather seen Rose guarding Crawford in the 4th qtr.
The Chicago Bulls....have a young star, Derrick Rose, who must learn to live with the tearing down of his MVP candidacy as rapidly as he constructed it. - Woj
Seriously. People will say how this has to be a wake-up call for the players.
But it really needs to be a wake-up call for the coach. he won’t change, of course, because it’s “what got them here” and that’s what coaches do. But he really should just start Korver.
(I’d still rather have Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Tyrus Thomas. Draft-a-Bulls FTW!!!)
In the past 10 years, just four team owners have not paid a luxury tax and are not on pace to pay one this year: Donald Sterling, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chris Cohen (Golden State), Bob Johnson (Charlotte).
Two owners’ teams averaged an operating income of over +$10 million per year while their teams have lost over 60% of their games: Donald Sterling and Jerry Reinsdorf.
You would've had a real winner on your hands if you shopped Boozer's head in there
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 2:26 PM CDT up reply actions
haha, well done
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 2:52 PM CDT up reply actions
Well, don’t celebrate just yet
The Playoffs: That magical time of year when I become a fan of every team that Lebron James isn't playing for.
by Juiceboxjerry on May 3, 2011 2:27 PM CDT up reply actions
Kaplan always has to be right
whether he is or not and has to have the last word. I love it when guests on CTL prove him wrong…he does not handle it well.
The fact the Derrick practiced the whole practice says a lot to me.
I don't always block shots, but when I do....I block yours.
Kyle Korver is open as soon as he gets out of his car at the UC. -
Stacey King
I mean, the no swelling thing AND the practice thing says a lot for me as well
You would think as a precautionary, they’d hold him out if they were concerned but they didn’t. So you’d have to assume things are ok
I have no doubt that the Bulls defense will get better and Joe Johnson will not continue his torrid shooting, but in order for the Bulls to win this series and more, Rose needs to be more aggressive.
Rose needs to be more aggressive in order to get past Atlanta and win more series. Rose has an inconsistent form on this 3pt shot and should’nt be shooting more than 4 3’s a game. In order to beat better competition in the playoffs, Rose needs to be more dominant and needs to put more pressure on the opposition’s defense by driving more, taking closer shots, and using the backboard. I thought that Rose would go to the rim more and shoot less 3’s when the playoffs start. This is not the case. He is settling for shots beyond the arch and when Rose struggles on offense the whole team struggles leading to closer games and losses. I could be wrong, but Rose’s shot beyond the arch isnt going to win the Bulls a NBA title. Its his ability to get past defenders and finishing at the rim that’s going to lead the Bulls to the promised land.
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