Blog a Bull, a Chicago Bulls community

Listen, it was a tough, close game with 95 possessions and 233 points scored between both teams. And Del Negro (who does have plenty of strengths, despite my constant complaining) coaches a young team. There's a lot to try and keep in order. But at some point you're going to have to trust the players to work it out on their own, running the plays you've been calling since October, and doing what 29 other coaches seem to be able to do quite effortlessly. Well, not "effortlessly," but consistently.

VDN's inability to save timeouts for the final seconds has been a sticking point all season, among many sticking points, and it's hard to understand how in game 84 (plus preseason) it still hasn't stuck. You have to keep one in your back pocket, and that doesn't mean you eschew calling the TO before the final TO. It's the TO before the TO before the final TO that you don't call. You have to learn to let it go, especially with the ball in your hands, up a point, and about two minutes to go.