Open Game Thread #21: Bulls vs New York Knicks
[UPDATE: Tyrus Thomas is suspended for tonight's game. -Matt]
[Thanks to prashantrao for the game preview. Important game-time strategy update: Isiah is going to try zone. Skiles is telling the fellas to try harder. -Matt]
Since a disastrous start, it appears the Bulls have at least started beating the teams they're "supposed" to beat, so tonight's game against New York is a reasonable test of whether the team has truly turned a corner, or whether the last few wins have just masked continuing problems. Having already played New York once this season, and turned in an absolute stinker, it will be interesting to see if the Bulls have made tangible improvements.
The Bulls and Knicks both last played Wednesday night, both having lost (the Knicks to the Sonics 117-110, the Bulls to the Pacers 117-102).
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Please play like
by sue369 on Dec 14, 2007 3:29 PM CST 0 recs
Zone, man, does it even matter
I can only hope that Duhon gets major, major minutes in the event of a zone, since he apparently is the only guard who takes it to the hole anymore.
Driving it to the hole should also prove interesting with those two big, earthbound beasts in there for the Knicks.
by bullhockey on Dec 14, 2007 3:45 PM CST 0 recs
Where'd you learn your hoops strategy
by bullshooter on
Dec 14, 2007 6:30 PM CST
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Right.
by tyger1147 on
Dec 14, 2007 8:58 PM CST
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Right. Unless you can't shoot from the outside.
The solution is to generate movement in the defending team. This is done by driving the ball in to the teeth of the defense or by forcefeeding it down low.
Either one of these gets the defensive players moving, and ideally results in enough passing for a relatively uncontested layup. Or, you guessed it, an open jumper in rhythm.
Although theoretically any NBA team should have a bunch of guys who can just show up on the offensive end of the court and start canning jumpers, it's generally accepted that even decent outside shooters need to get into a rhythm in an offensive set before they can shoot well, or before they can take a "good shot". This is why, for example, in the triangle offense, Phil Jackson used to call out from the bench that he wanted at least 3 passes before a shot was taken.
Of course, there are teams that are talented enough to kill you from the outside once you go to a zone--think what would happen if the Knicks packed their defenders into the lane and dared the Suns to shoot the long ball.
However, especially with a poor shooting team like the Bulls, taking the first jumper available because the Knicks are laying off of the perimeter guys could result in long rebounds, fast breaks, and a deficit. Which would be fine, if these Bulls could score in bunches to overcome quick deficits.
But as we've seen, they need to play hard on both ends of the floor literally every possession to have a chance to win, unlike more talented teams like the Spurs or (again) the Suns.
So yeah, I definitely see what you're saying, but the Bulls have shown themselves to be incapable of just instantly punishing teams from the outside the moment defenders lay off of them at the perimeter.
by bullhockey on
Dec 15, 2007 12:29 AM CST
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nice preview, Prash
Amazing that the Knicks play Randolph and Curry at the same time. It totally limits what they can do on offense. It's almost like their going for a Spurs-in-the-late-90s kind of thing (with Duncan and Robinson), only much fatter and dumber.
At any rate, Bulls usually play well against NYK, that last clunker notwithstanding. I've got a feeling Hinrich and Ben Wallace are going to show up and play great tonight ... just a hunch.
by Bayern Munich on Dec 14, 2007 4:16 PM CST 0 recs
Big Ben's shot selection
by T Maple on
Dec 14, 2007 5:25 PM CST
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My problem
by bleargh on
Dec 14, 2007 7:36 PM CST
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Prashantrao
So,todays win(they must(!)blow them badly) over terrible team,woudn't mean
anything except 1W.
We're pretty far from the "corner".
Our next 4 opponents are LA,WAS,BOS,HOU.Those teams are good examinners.
by Azabullsfan on Dec 14, 2007 5:47 PM CST 0 recs
This team has disappointed me most of the season.
by chgobr on Dec 14, 2007 6:12 PM CST 0 recs
Well, those opening seconds...
by cranscape on Dec 14, 2007 7:43 PM CST 0 recs
At least we are
by cranscape on
Dec 14, 2007 7:50 PM CST
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They are
Give them some time.
by Azabullsfan on
Dec 14, 2007 7:53 PM CST
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I noticed that too.
by cranscape on
Dec 14, 2007 7:58 PM CST
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Before the game
about Noah's great game today.
So far,so good.
by Azabullsfan on Dec 14, 2007 8:09 PM CST 0 recs
Deng with the block on Curry
by Ibleedbullsred on Dec 14, 2007 8:10 PM CST 0 recs
Noce with the block & the tre. Noah is active
by Ibleedbullsred on
Dec 14, 2007 8:13 PM CST
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Yeah, you can see why he's getting minutes
by wjb1492 on
Dec 14, 2007 8:23 PM CST
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Quiet around here tonight!
by wjb1492 on Dec 14, 2007 8:43 PM CST 0 recs
Troy Murphy shot 1 for 9 tonight
by philosoball on Dec 14, 2007 8:48 PM CST 0 recs
Noah and Thomas.
by tyger1147 on Dec 14, 2007 8:57 PM CST 0 recs
Um, I missed
by sue369 on Dec 14, 2007 9:16 PM CST 0 recs
Do you really need a reason?
by wjb1492 on
Dec 14, 2007 9:20 PM CST
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Well I didn't
Thanks for letting me know. Cool that he has a triple double.
by sue369 on
Dec 14, 2007 9:38 PM CST
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Blood.
by cranscape on
Dec 14, 2007 9:20 PM CST
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Hey, I didn't know we had another one!
by wjb1492 on
Dec 14, 2007 9:33 PM CST
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Yes!
by KT on
Dec 14, 2007 9:37 PM CST
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I'm recording it
by sue369 on
Dec 14, 2007 9:40 PM CST
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A whole four now?
by cranscape on
Dec 14, 2007 9:54 PM CST
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5?
by Jaina on
Dec 14, 2007 10:21 PM CST
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I didn't know
by sue369 on
Dec 14, 2007 9:41 PM CST
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All girls together, as they say.
by cranscape on
Dec 14, 2007 9:51 PM CST
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Hey Noah has 10 points but only 1 board??
by Ibleedbullsred on Dec 14, 2007 9:19 PM CST 0 recs
Groan...
by wjb1492 on Dec 14, 2007 9:45 PM CST 0 recs
Eddie Currys got a gooseegg in the points column
by Ibleedbullsred on Dec 14, 2007 9:49 PM CST 0 recs
Bucks, Pacers and Cavs all lost
by wjb1492 on Dec 14, 2007 9:53 PM CST 0 recs
And Captain Kirk
by sue369 on Dec 14, 2007 9:56 PM CST 0 recs
I'm so glad he's playing well now!
by wjb1492 on
Dec 14, 2007 10:03 PM CST
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Me too.
by sue369 on
Dec 14, 2007 10:09 PM CST
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21 games later
by chicago-homesick-blues on Dec 14, 2007 10:19 PM CST 0 recs
I'm sure there's room for you on the bandwagon
by wjb1492 on
Dec 14, 2007 10:36 PM CST
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My favorite stat:
by Jaina on Dec 14, 2007 10:24 PM CST 0 recs
wow
by KT on
Dec 14, 2007 10:28 PM CST
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Hell yeah
by Jaina on
Dec 14, 2007 10:33 PM CST
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Very nice win
Deng was strong to take it to the basket.
Hinrichs' first triple-double since 2004 raises
some hope.
Noah played very well.
And we can block shots!
by Azabullsfan on Dec 15, 2007 12:04 AM CST 0 recs
Did you watch the game?
by RedKerrsWrapper47 on
Dec 15, 2007 12:41 AM CST
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We all know that
some bright spots I mentioned above.
by Azabullsfan on Dec 15, 2007 12:54 AM CST 0 recs
I discount every bright spot when playing your
by RedKerrsWrapper47 on
Dec 15, 2007 3:53 AM CST
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Kirk
by eross226 on Dec 15, 2007 1:21 AM CST 0 recs
Turn the corner?
by RedKerrsWrapper47 on
Dec 15, 2007 3:58 AM CST
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think eros was referring to...
by T Maple on
Dec 15, 2007 5:34 AM CST
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bye joejoe
by your friendly BullsBlogger on
Dec 15, 2007 10:58 AM CST
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I hope he has...
by cranscape on
Dec 15, 2007 9:26 AM CST
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Why the bulls are bad
We're the only team with two players on any one list. And it's not the good one.
The term "star" has lost all meaning.
by Seth on Dec 15, 2007 5:53 AM CST 0 recs
the article is about scoring efficiency
by bullshooter on
Dec 15, 2007 1:23 PM CST
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