27 Comments
User's avatar
Thomas Leith's avatar

Wow, I had no idea Jimmy was having such a great season. Everything's basically the same but he's shooting so much better. Interesting. Is it just one of those years, or is he doing something different?

Expand full comment
Thomas Leith's avatar

Looking a little closer, seems like he's shooting more close shots (3-10 ft, particularly), but basically, everything inside of 3p he's shooting at career-high, or near career-high percentages. I don't know how that happens. The legend of Jimmy only grows.

Expand full comment
Book'em's avatar

It's the Coffee...

Expand full comment
Unreal City's avatar

I was pissed when they traded Jimmy for Zack and Chris done. And Jimmy has certainly had a better career. But I wonder if Jimmy wouldn’t have pushed for a trade some point anyway because the bulls suck so bad and never played up to his level. And Reinsdorf wasn’t letting them spend to get there anyway. And one thing Zach has going for him. He’s three years younger.

Expand full comment
Unreal City's avatar

Talk to text on the name, spellings, sorry

Expand full comment
Thomas Leith's avatar

I don't know, maybe Siri's on to something. "Chris done" seems about right.

Expand full comment
CE's avatar

He's been starting with the Jazz. Not the good Jazz with Lauri Markkanen killing it but the explicitly tanking Jazz that traded away their good PG and needed a competent filler PG.

Still, good to see him sticking in the league. That dunk where he face planted was rough and killed a surprise Mirotic post-punch fueled win streak.

Expand full comment
Book'em's avatar

Yeah, he had a 20 point double-double the other day; they lost - but he was nearly unstoppable on drives to the hoop, he only hit one jumper that I saw...

Expand full comment
THEKILLERWHALE's avatar

If Jimmy's career ended today, would he make the HOF?

Expand full comment
Unreal City's avatar

Yes

Expand full comment
Thomas Leith's avatar

I hated it when it happened, but in the end the trade doesn't seem so bad. Jimmy definitely would've pushed to get out at some point. The evidence shows he's not an easy guy to please (Minn, Philly). He needs a Heat-like environment, and with Thibs gone, there's no way the Bulls were creating that. Zach turned into about as good (and healthy) a player as you could've hoped for at the time.

Expand full comment
tyger1147's avatar

Both of those places are easily explainable if one wants to look at it from Butler’s point of view.

He played with some really merrr players in Minnesota. Their notoriously frugal owner (who gave Andrew Wiggins a max contract because he promised to try harder) and everyone knew they were going to max KAT, and that he wasn’t going to give out a third max. They chose Wiggins and Towns over Butler. Soo...

In Philly, Brett Brown had a hold on the young guys and didn’t like Butler coming in and challenging him. They chose Brown and Tobias Harris over Butler. Sooo....

Expand full comment
Jaina's avatar

Looking at that makes me wonder whose decline has hurt the heat the most. Lowry? His shooting has been super bad this year.

Expand full comment
kinbote's avatar

When I watch their offense, I feel it's dependent on Herro being a volume scorer and--consulting no stats whatsoever--it doesn't seem like he's that guy.

Expand full comment
your friendly BullsBlogger's avatar

Updated this post with this: I could've saved myself some time trying to find the 'real Miami Heat' and just used Dan Feldman's adjustments for 'playoff rotation only lineups', where he looked to remove scrubs from regular season lineup data to get a better picture of team performance.

Bulls look pretty similar to the PatBev era, which makes sense as they've been healthy.

Heat improved by a lot, from overall negative to being even with PatBev Bulls (statistically)

(Below compares to entire regular season)

Miami Heat

Offensive rating: 113.4 to 117.7

Defensive rating: 114.3 to 112.9

Net rating: -0.9 to +4.8

Chicago Bulls

Offensive rating: 114.3 to 118.0

Defensive rating: 112.8 to 113.4

Net rating: +1.5 to +4.6

Expand full comment
kinbote's avatar

Winner Take All*

*In which All stands for facing the #1 seed in a best of seven series

Expand full comment
kinbote's avatar

Can we at least agree if we win it all, this will be the greatest upset run in NBA history?

Expand full comment
kinbote's avatar

I got it. I'm gone.

Expand full comment
GeorgiaPeachy's avatar

Seems fitting that to make the playoffs, the bulls will have to win 4 games in row for the first time all season, and go 4-0 vs the Heat (no small feat). Like, this is as good a time as any for this iteration of the bulls to finally show if they're (relatively) good

Expand full comment
your friendly BullsBlogger's avatar

Those first two games were bogus, so it's a much more attainable 2 game streak

Expand full comment
Picklles's avatar

Let's go, Bulls.

Expand full comment
tyger1147's avatar

Patrick Beverley is the biggest punk-ass bitch in the league.

Expand full comment
your friendly BullsBlogger's avatar

Sorry I thought there would be 15 minutes of pregame

NEW THREAD: https://www.blogabull.com/p/bulls-vs-heat-play-in-live-open-thread

Expand full comment
SweetBeezus's avatar

Tied up late in the 3rd. I’d feel basically the same about a competitive win or loss.

Expand full comment
Irie Tees's avatar

Irie Vybez is a lifestyle apparel brand that represents the message and lifestyle of a movement that is spreading around the world.

reggae clothing

Expand full comment