Open Game Thread #19: Bulls vs Seattle SuperSonics
Bulls can get fat this week, facing Seattle, Indiana, and the Knicks.
And then we can all superficially correlate those wins with Tyrus' reduced playing time.
First up is the Sonics, and this basically says it all:
The legend, Kevin Pelton, outsourced his Bulls coverage to me today, so go there and check it out.
Here's wishing for a Ben Gordon night of hot handedness.
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I am hoping
by givepaxahug on Dec 11, 2007 5:08 PM CST reply actions
Bold prediction
Durant
by NBA Observer on Dec 11, 2007 5:38 PM CST up reply actions
I hope
Just do it Bulls!!!
The Sonics looked good losing to the Hornets
In a tough month
Durant is pretty good (no surprise!). His FG% is almost as low as Gordon's, though. Hopefully Skiles matches up better than Kirk or Du!!!
Deng's back
Doesn't Noc tend to
He's shooting 39%
But let's see Thabo!!!!!!!!!!!! (=:
Must force Sonics to play defense
Ways to win
- Make open shots
- Rebound the s*$t out of the ball
- Defense to offense transition, aka RUN RUN RUN
I haven't seen
You were totally right
About the +18 shot advantage
I'll check the shooting chart. I suspect we had a lot more shot makes from 10' and in due to the atrocious Sonic front court. I don't think any of their bigs approach average status as defenders.
by NBA Observer on Dec 12, 2007 10:40 AM CST up reply actions
keys met
95 attempts, 51 makes, ~54% from the field.
2. Rebound the s*$t out of the ball
Fewer misses on the night as both teams shot well. But Chicago closes the evening +10 DREB and +4 OREB.
3. Defense to offense transition, aka RUN RUN RUN
+11 fast break point advantage
The Sonics had 27 assists on 49% shooting and lost.
by NBA Observer on Dec 12, 2007 9:26 AM CST up reply actions
i'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack
BG fell down
Looks like matts wishing for a Gordon hot hand
free money
Tyrus looking active...
by bullsfaninbigapple on Dec 11, 2007 8:13 PM CST reply actions
See Tyrus made the block but he will get yanked
TT! Kirk!
Skiles will probably bench TT
Funny how the guy on the Sonics
Looks like
Nice to see TT get some play tonight. Seven rebounds already. Good for him.
Keep this up guys.
I think you'll see his contribution
Bulls are playing
I guess Noah will learn not to pick up
that was my only problem with the game
But yanking Noah in less than a minute just because of two fouls (or missed rebounds, or whatever the reason) seemed silly. He's not a starter, so he doesn't have to come out when having 2 fouls. It just seemed like Skiles playing the role of high-school disciplinarian in that case.
But, it did get Thomas in, so...
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 11, 2007 10:41 PM CST up reply actions
It was kind of funny hearing the crowd
by philosoball on Dec 11, 2007 10:51 PM CST up reply actions
yeah
It was interesting, because it seemed like the players reacted to it too
by ScottieCartwright on Dec 12, 2007 9:24 AM CST up reply actions
noah and TT
by fundamentallysound on Dec 11, 2007 9:20 PM CST reply actions
I just turned on the game late in the 3rd....
'Course, this Sonics team is a mere shell of what it was just three years ago....too bad for Seattle that they're gonna lose their team...
they
man, we look great
by bullsfaninbigapple on Dec 11, 2007 9:28 PM CST reply actions
we'll be ok
these ARE the pacers
Gray!
No way, that was all about my
I am glad to see
just had a sad though
saddest thing of the night
hey matt tomorrow wish for a bulls win
Seattle is loaded
interesting thought
OMG: Tyrus only 1 for 6!!!!
Made his free throws though
We
I think the black is cool
The jerseys always look better
GO BULLS!
Yea
by NBA Observer on Dec 11, 2007 11:53 PM CST up reply actions
Nice
That was
I know it was just the Sonics but hopefully this gives them that spark they need for the rest of the season.
Question
It's very unlikely, but we know that Joakim and Tyrus are good friends. Joakim entered the game and promptly mishandled not one, but two rebounds and on one of them hacked the Sonics player in what seemed like frustration. On the second blown rebound the Sonics player tried to put a shot up and Noah hacked him as well. This all happenned in about 90 seconds.
and today's alec award goes to...
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 12, 2007 9:08 AM CST up reply actions
we can share the nightly award
by NBA Observer on Dec 12, 2007 10:43 AM CST up reply actions
ya know, I saw it too
As far as the standing around in the offensive set, just call it 'spacing'.
And when he had the ball, he didn't finish but was getting fouled. On the times not near the basket, he clanked a jumpshot (and it wasn't taken exactly 'in rhythym'), and on another posession had a travel (could've been an offensive foul) when trying drive-pivot on Collison.
My point's always been even if Tyrus is taking a bad shot or two (amongst other mistakes) he still is a net positive overall when he's on the court, so might as well get the benefit of that plus whatever development comes with more minutes.
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 12, 2007 11:04 AM CST up reply actions
you're kidding right?
I guess I'm just not the pathological type that tries and dig deep into the mind-reading (or whatever) to come up with 'theories'. Especially ones that are so far-fetched.
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 12, 2007 11:08 AM CST up reply actions
I should clarify
like, 'heh, maybe Noah played poorly on purpose to get his new friend Tyrus on the court'.
that's a quip I can dig. But when it becomes 'wait, maybe that IS what happened??!? Have you ever really thought about it man???' Then I just think you're not very smart.
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 12, 2007 11:11 AM CST up reply actions
73 seconds Matt
I'll say this. It is just as likely that Noah tanked as the playoff chances were of Bears teams coached by "All the pieces are in place" Wannstedt.
by NBA Observer on Dec 12, 2007 11:28 AM CST up reply actions
Matt, if you're going to
Weird how
Anyway, it was nice to finally go up against another team with a defensive-minded, 6'9" center. This was also a team that went from small, shooting point guard to even smaller shooting point guard, so for once the Bulls weren't noticeably shorter than their opponents at every position. Great help that Seattle has no shotblockers (at least none who get a lot of minutes; Mouhamed "Albatross" Sene has a good blocks-per-minute ratio).
Lastly, I seemed to notice a number of shooting fouls where the Seattle defender clearly made a play on the shooter's body (undercutting Ben Gordon, pushing, etc.), not on the ball. A lot of these resulted in various Bulls players falling hard to the ground, but no flagrants. To me, this means that if this Seattle team had some heart then this game could've gotten out of hand quickly. But I guess two of the worst teams in the league, maybe the refs just wanted to get this one over with.
PJ and his subs
Durant is a SG btw. If he's been positioned at the 3 it's because his team had nobody else to start at the 3.
With the Sonics you wonder what if they had landed the #1 overall pick for the 2007 NBA draft. They would have drafted Oden I presume creating 4 consecutive seasons of drafting a center with their first round pick.
Johan Petro
Robert Swift
Saer Sene
Greg Oden
I still don't understand the selection of Sene in the lottery.
by NBA Observer on Dec 12, 2007 10:37 AM CST up reply actions
FTs
The easy answer is to say "well, the Bulls just need to hit more shots." Unfortunately, on nights when they can't, you need something else to rely on (e.g., getting to the line). Most of my posts on here deal with Tyrus and, as you can see, he led the team with 6 FTs last night (making them all).
The 'Law of Averages'
But this is how precious a commodity made jumpshots has become: during garbage time, I find myself wishing that instead of making that open jumper, Duhon saved it for next game. Does this make sense? Absolutely not. But that's how bad our shooting has been this season.
It would have been nice...
Screaming for a post player
One observation about TT. Even though his box score says 1-6, I noticed from the shot chart that he only took 1 jumper. The other attempts were blocked/missed layups or being fouled on the shot. Skiles needs to give him more time on the floor so he can learn how to finish in traffic. It's encouraging that he made all his free-throws though.
by Hiryu on Dec 12, 2007 11:51 AM CST up reply actions
The one team
The only thing that sparkled last night from Tyrus was his time at the FT line. Get there is one thing. Making them all is a great thing.
The Pistons aren't so much a threat to pound you on the low block. Sheed should live there, but he's married to the perimeter on their offense. But when they do go to the low block it's either getting buckets or getting to the line. Rip and Billups beat this position to death with the true goal of getting to the free throw line where they book 9 of 10 attempts.
by NBA Observer on Dec 12, 2007 12:04 PM CST up reply actions
More TT
My comments really have nothing to do with Tyrus individually but with the team as a whole. They have got to figure out a way to get to the line if they want to have any success with this jumpshot-heavy team.
Interestingly...
I didn't know Tyrus had trouble finishing. I didn't watch the game--my guess is they were hard fouls?
Nice to see Tyrus play well.
Not surprisingly, when Gordon plays well, the Bulls can compete. When he doesn't, the team is usually doomed. Gordon is the human metronome who sets the rhythm for the offense.

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