Open Game Thread #40: Bulls at Memphis Grizzlies
Nearing the half-way point of the season, suffice to say we're all disappointed with how the season's turned out so far, but I'm putting my 2-0 record of posting game threads on the line tonight against a team that's frequently cited as a potential trading partner with the Bulls.
Hopefully the Bulls (16-23) can put together a two-game win streak, and kickstart a playoff push tonight, with Matt in attendance in Memphis (11-29).
At the moment, the Bulls are two games out of the eighth playoff spot, and after playing the Grizzlies, the Bulls have a four-game homestand followed by a six-game road trip. Shortly after that road trip, we have the trade deadline, so we're entering a critical part of the season.
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Without Duhon
Deng & Duhon
Guard Chris Duhon is considered very doubtful, after bruising his knee during Saturday's game.
Can't get much more doubtful
I'm not sure that one will ever get old!
Interesting preview on the Memphis blog
the Pistons would have been a very scary team
by KT on Jan 21, 2008 1:30 PM CST up reply actions
In Defense of Tayshaun and Rip
They should have taken Bosh over Darko. I think within the Piston's style of play the difference between Bosh and McDyess is a lot bigger than the difference between Tayshaun and Carmelo.
Yeah,
this year without him than I would have guessed. But either way, when the wheels start to come off that thing up there finally Detroit fans will always be able to look at that draft and wonder about the years of domination that could've been.
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 3:37 PM CST up reply actions
So the Center position is basically
What I want to know
Rotation expectation.
From what I can see, Boylan has stuck by that plan to the letter. The injuries to Deng and Kirk somewhat altered the plan, but still, the players who have made a better showing with the minutes they were given have started to get regular rotation minutes, rather than game-by-game rotation minutes.
Noah, when given the minutes showed he warranted more. Same thing with Thabo. TT's play just hasn't warranted more minutes. Boylan is still sticking with his small minutes plan with TT. One of these games, TT will look like he's breaking out, and when he does, my guess is that almost immediately his minutes will increase.
All I
the veteran, win now Bulls
Best hope for extended rest is the all-star break
We can handle the NO and Miami small forwards with Deng in street clothes.
by NBA Observer on Jan 21, 2008 2:17 PM CST up reply actions
If he's in
Not to mention possibility of further injury
I have a similar injury
When it's bad I just limp around. When it is good, it responds to the RICE method and Bio-Freeze gel and the swelling subsides.
Has Luol been wearing a boot to isolate the foot after games? My podiatrist said I could wear a protective booty that isolates movement of your foot to limit the stretching of my achilles tendon.
by NBA Observer on Jan 21, 2008 2:55 PM CST up reply actions
My guess is
First game I've looked forward to in awhile....
On a Thabo note, I've been looking at what Ronnie Brewer has been doing, thinking "what if" (many, including ESPN's draft synopsis thought Brewer was the better pick there), but over the past 5 games, Thabo's gotten the minutes that Brewer has been getting, and he's posted equal numbers during that time. That's great to see, we need that guy on the court.
The Thabo/Carney switch was
Rodney Carney can't get into games
by NBA Observer on Jan 21, 2008 2:56 PM CST up reply actions
Yeah, it's surprising that it took an injury...
Hopefully, once everyone is healthy, they keep getting Thabo at least 25 minutes. I'm not a Duhon hater, it's just a matter of team chemistry.
Love the rebounding Thabo provides as well!
Thabo's D
In the GSW game
by NBA Observer on Jan 21, 2008 3:42 PM CST up reply actions
OT
Looks like we're not so crazy after all.
Hard to
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 3:41 PM CST up reply actions
Laker fans remember last season
The BW contract clearly throws off the plans to sign Bynum to an extension and stay under the cap, but with Kobe's contract going into the 20 mil category I don't know if they can avoid it anyway.
Ben's 28 mil remaining would be an issue in the long run.
by NBA Observer on Jan 21, 2008 3:45 PM CST up reply actions
This is why
Plus I think most of the league knows if you put Wallace next to a great post player like Bynum, it allows him to be a more dominant defender. Allows him to roam around and disrupt an offense.
Plus they hate Radmanovic's contact as much as we hate Wallace's.
. . . . . Well maybe not as much, but close
what I would love
by Freethefro on Jan 21, 2008 4:02 PM CST up reply actions
still 20 minutes till the game
Plus, give draft picks... Memphis still not doing it. Bulls be taking back a lot of Salary.
To sweeten the pot for Memphis
by Freethefro on Jan 21, 2008 4:16 PM CST up reply actions
I think this can work
Bulls send Wallace to the Lakers, Tyrus and Noc to the Grizz, and get back Gasol, Radmanovic, and Cardinal.
Salary cap wise, we'd actually still be in A-OK shape to re-sign Deng and Gordon. We'd have:
Gasol: $15M
Kirk: $11M
Cardinal: $6.3M
Radmanovic: $6M
Smith: $5M
Thabo: $1.9M
Noah: $1.9M
Griffin: $1.7M
Gray: 711k
Curry: 711k
Total: $49M
The luxury tax will be at about $70M, meaning there's about $21M available for signing up Deng, Gordon, and other guys to fill the roster.
That shouldn't be a problem. Hypothetically, even if we signed up both of them to 6/$68M contracts (which seams at the very upper end of reasonable to me), they'd make $9M each next year, so they could both be signed and there would be a bit of room left over to fill in the holes.
Projecting it out in the longer run, we're fine too. So as far as I can tell, the finances on such a deal would be a go.
Only problem...
BW Trade
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=885~981~1016&teams=13~4~4&te=& cash=
It goes...
Thats because Kwame Sucks, the fans
by Ibleedbullsred on Jan 21, 2008 4:36 PM CST up reply actions
I question
Two wrongs don't make a right.
I saw the
I know that
No,
by Freethefro on Jan 21, 2008 4:18 PM CST up reply actions
Am I really seeing
Holy cow batman
My picture quality is horrible
Looks more like a WNBA crowd....
Thabo & Deng
wow
'bout like the Bulls on D.....
Hope the grizzzz aren't 3 point shooting team...
Anybody else feel
yeah but in the HS games I've been to
one thing
I'll give Deng some slack on that one cause
by Ibleedbullsred on Jan 21, 2008 4:54 PM CST up reply actions
broadcast delay?
If Charles Barkley worked for your network . . .
Radio is delayed
But most networks doing live tv have a delay built in. The time varies.
by KT on Jan 21, 2008 8:11 PM CST up reply actions
Noce
Czar is right
WTF?
Wallace is out
Wow, those are some shooting percentages!
Man if we don't take over this game with all
Did I just see mighty mouse?
yeah he wants to get traded since they put him
by Ibleedbullsred on Jan 21, 2008 5:39 PM CST up reply actions
WTF Noc???
sad
I have to gamecast this
Sounds like both teams are playing sloppy.
by RogersPark Kris on Jan 21, 2008 5:16 PM CST reply actions
looked like BG hurt his wrist on that last foul
weird
TNT announcers
People complain about Red
Red sounded fine last game. Maybe the cold temp helped. And I HATE Czar.
I am disgusted at the 2nd quarater.
Bulls scored 18
I'm sure Matt is enjoying every minute of it at the game.
by RogersPark Kris on Jan 21, 2008 5:39 PM CST up reply actions
What a pathetic last couple of minutes!
Good (?) news is there is still a half to go - hopefully Boylan wakes 'em up at half time.
If we had a low post preasence
Shitty first
They've got to shoot better, right?
These are the games that make me want
35 points in one half against the lowly Grizzlies?
Deng still doesn't look healthy. He was getting abused by Miller during one stretch.
I rushed home from work
That's not a bad idea
I did rush home in a snow storm!
Whenever I watch Gasol,
He's like the anti-Tyrus.
How the hell do the Bulls miss so many
This may be one of the worst five NBA
Wow, our shooting percentage has dropped!
We need to stop playing detroit
They're like that really bad HS football team
Except that they're an NBA team where that does make the season a big, fat loss.
just beat the one big rival
this team makes me
by fundamentallysound on Jan 21, 2008 6:14 PM CST reply actions
Is there such a thing as negative chemistry?
by hhi on Jan 21, 2008 6:16 PM CST reply actions
gasol low post?
how about the bulls ask deng to put on 20-25lbs and learn a a few post moves? that i'd like to see.
If the Bulls can't come back and win this, they
This is sad.
Gasol just scored around Noah like
by hhi on Jan 21, 2008 6:20 PM CST reply actions
I honestly can't identify a single
On the other
The Bulls are lucky they play in the East
Personally, I feel that being blown out
Come back and win this game, Bulls.
Stil sub-.500 though.
Atl is not a bad team
I suppose next you'll be telling us that the Bulls are a GOOD team...
guh.
You really don't...
Hey, Noc joined the party!
Maybe they have a big 4th in them?
The only reason to keep watching this game...
Warrick's beard
tee tee
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 6:34 PM CST reply actions
if bjizz...
It was a good feed, IMO.
Deng, Hinrich, and Gordon (several times) have also missed point blank shots.
yes.
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 7:33 PM CST up reply actions
yes.
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 7:33 PM CST up reply actions
I have
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 6:49 PM CST up reply actions
Just once I'd like to see the Bulls
instead of getting blown out by that team.
I just came back into the room and watched SIX offensive rebounds / attempts, only to come away empty.
W-T-F?
after
I was referring to BEFORE the game...
Down 17 to the Grizzlies.
Damn
These guys are close but the final piece, or two, aren't here yet.
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 6:45 PM CST reply actions
close
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 7:08 PM CST up reply actions
Noah is the only one shooting at least 50%
Meanwhile, the Griz are shooting 50%
Bulls aren't going to win many games this way.
Thats
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 6:47 PM CST reply actions
now THAT would be a real trick
Pay for
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 6:51 PM CST up reply actions
Have Noah and Wallace ever
Careful
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 6:50 PM CST up reply actions
Alright you guys its been nice blogging with
Otherwise I'll be back blogging next year.
by Ibleedbullsred on Jan 21, 2008 6:53 PM CST up reply actions
I'm hanging around
The team doesn't look good together at all, but I can probably ride it out as long as they eventually shake things up with a trade, work developing the young guys, and actively try to get themselves a better situation for next year.
Mathew
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 6:55 PM CST reply actions
i hope he had 100 level seats
he better
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 7:02 PM CST up reply actions
heh
Nice drive by TT.
Pathetic.
It was a total team failure.
Bulls 7-7 under Boylan against a very easy schedule.
not aggressively going to the hoop
Thats an old issue
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 7:05 PM CST up reply actions
The thing that killed us against GS
How much
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 6:59 PM CST reply actions
Love it
Deng follows him with his head down...
and Noah follows with a PISSED look on his face...
Looks like disarray to me.
Never
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 7:04 PM CST up reply actions
Blow up this team
Memphis gives up the second most
I don't think it's as much Griz shut 'em down
Exactly, on any given night against
Now that the "youngsters" have
If they continue to get minutes it will be interesting to see if the productivity significantly improves since tonight they clearly were not effective enough.
Well, if we keep getting blown out
Pathetic because the only Grizzlies
Certainly an interior game couldn't hurt, but the Bulls (even Gordon) are not consistent with the open outside shot, so they need the D, the turnovers and transition.
Should've been an easy win, and they weren't even close.
play to lose
Bulls starters
by RogersPark Kris on Jan 21, 2008 7:22 PM CST reply actions
When
by Rusty LaRue on Jan 21, 2008 7:34 PM CST up reply actions
Actually, the Heat is playing
But Shaq did miss a couple of layups which reminded me of us.
by hhi on Jan 21, 2008 7:38 PM CST reply actions
Get on with it.
by messwiththebull on Jan 21, 2008 7:49 PM CST reply actions
Was it as bad
You got lucky
by NBA Observer on Jan 22, 2008 8:48 AM CST up reply actions
Thank your daughter
by hhi on Jan 21, 2008 7:51 PM CST reply actions
That is funny
This is
The transition from the "automatic win" mentality, to the "we are one of these teams."
Get rid of Kirk, Deng, and Big Ben,
Point guard, Thabo
Shooting Guard; Ben Gordon
Small Forward; Chase Budinger
Power Forward; Amare Stoudemire
Center; Joakim Noah
Bench; Tyrus, Duhon, Gray, Childress
you left out Noc
drive-by Budinger booster
How does this make you feel:
Why is it
Defensive scheme?
It's a defensive breakdown
- If you allow the slashing guard to get past you with nothing between them and the rim someone has to cheat down to help.
- That leaves someone wide open. The opponent just has to pass the ball around the perimeter until it arrives at the open shooter.
by NBA Observer on Jan 22, 2008 8:52 AM CST up reply actions
Hello Matt Duhcioni...
by GoldenThreePeat on Jan 21, 2008 10:07 PM CST reply actions
"em' help"...that was Colt 45 grammar
by GoldenThreePeat on Jan 21, 2008 10:22 PM CST up reply actions
I cant watch New Orleans
by bullsfaninla on Jan 22, 2008 1:51 AM CST reply actions
Expect the worse against NO
by NBA Observer on Jan 22, 2008 8:53 AM CST up reply actions
My first post on BaB
Have you not
Hinrich DID HE PRACTICE IN THE OFFSEASON AT ALL?
ahh
He sure didn't
by bullshooter on Jan 22, 2008 11:06 AM CST up reply actions

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