Full Court Press

Nope! It should've been Hinrich. He looks the most lost of all the players.

I think that change certainly is a place to start. Nocioni will be the better shooter and spacer from the outside and then Ben can be the defense guy. I would think looking at Noah would be another possibility. I think another way to go is start Tabo over Gordon and see how that group meshes. It would be a better defensive group. I always remember when Jordan sat and Scottie led a second group with 4 non-starters. Different energy. It seemed when Gordon didn't start he was so much fresher, was the first option and killed the opposition because the offense changed.

Can't hurt. Actually, Thomas is too much the yo-yo scorer right now. Talent galore but lacks the seasoning and drive to bring his potential to the court each and every night. May have more of an opportunity to flourish with the second team and Joe Smith may play better along side. Tyrus is his own worse enemy right now but he's young and will grow as time progresses. You can't teach will.

It really does not matter if Nacioni, Thomas or Noah starts, Bulls management i.e., coach and general manager are clueless. I do not think they would know talent if it hit them over the head. Want proof, look at Ben Wallace or Tyrus Thomas statistics and compare then to Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry. The Bulls say they need a low post presence…duh they traded it away.

Its a bad move because Thomas has been the best performer. You are supposed to reward the kind of Defense he has been playing, and trust me....defense is where the Bulls can make a difference.

I would start Duhon, Deng, Thomas, Smith and Krusty. They are playing Phoenix and will need Athletes. I bring in Gordon, and Gray in the 2nd and 4th and try to post Gray, Smith, Deng and kick to Gordon/Hinrich/Duhon. We need to run a more traditional Offense.

I don't think it will help beyond a game or two. The bulls need a superestar so why not revisit a trade for Kobe option? Despite what Paxton has said about finding the right combo to package to make the trade valid it really not that hard. Here's what I came up with in a three team deal involving the Bulls, Lakers and Kings. The Bull would get Kobe Bryant(from lakers) and Brad Miller(kings), the Lakers would get Ron Artest(Kings) and Ben Gordon(Bulls) and the Kings would get Ben Wallace, Chris Duhon and JamesOn Curry from the bulls. Then if the Bulls still needed a immediate boost at power forward you got Chris Webber at home sitting by the phone.

The Bulls need Kobe point blank. Get rid of Hinrich and Gordon!

No. Nocioni has not exactly been lighting up the league for the last year either.
Lets see if they can get ride of Thomas and cling to the wrong guy just like they did with Elton Brand.

Nocioni has played better as a starter, and the team has played better with him as a starter. However, I don't like sitting Thomas, he needs to play to develop. Lets face it, the worst player on the court is Wallace, followed by Gordon, and this year Hinrich. The Wallace trade made me puke the night it happened, and it is now clear that it is a disaster, and an albatros around our championship hopes. Sitting Gordon and moving Deng to 2 would allow Nocioni to start and keep Thomas in the starting line-up. Gordon needs to be sixth man, he does not have any skills to be a starter, he can't ball handle without tripping over his own shoelaces, and he cannot guard anyone in the NBA. I am not sure if Nocioni is more effective as a 3 or as a 4, probably on the opponent. Also, I would like to see more of Thabo, I like his length, defense and rebounding. Unfortunately Skiles seems to hate him just he did Chandler. Skiles seems to love midgets, gordon, hinrich and duhon.

At this point I would trade Wallace, Gordon and Hinrich for Kobe. I would rather keep our young bigs and let them develop. Any backcourt featuring Kobe will be better that one with Gordon and Hinrich. I don't see why anyone would want Wallace and his idiotic contract. Maybe the Kings are desperate to dump Artest, and maybe the Lakers really like Artest, but I doubt it. Perhaps the Suns might realize that they need an interior presence to replace Kurt Thomas and need to move Marion for chemistry purposes, so a three way with Marion going to the Lakers along Gordon and Hinrich might make some sense. Unfortunately, unless the Lakers tank, I don't see them moving Kobe this year unless they get a blockbuster in return, and the Bulls don't have a blockbuster offer on their roster.

So if Gordon is starting, and Duhon is playing we are not winning, period.

Breaking news, Bonds has been indicted on perjury and obstruction of justice. Terrific news! Yesterday O.J. is told his case will go to trial and now this! Definitely two reasons to go out and toast a few beers.

Actually, yes.

Energy people, can play with energy all the time, who plays the 4, Deng? Thomas will not be guarding starting PFs when he comes in. Instant energy off the bench, and Noce still keeps the energy on the floor(Now I just wish he would drive and stop settling for all the 3s).

Don't love the move, but I like it. Next, get Kobe.

O.K., let me get this straight. The Kings would give up Ron Artest and Brad Miller for Ben Wallace, Chris Duhon and JamesOn Curry. Major oversight Mr. Minor.

Moving Deng to the 2 and playing Nocioni alongside Thomas would have made more sense.

The fact is, skiles and paxson are benching the wrong guy. J. Smith should start at center over the overpaid, underachieving, overhyped, undersized, non-scoring Ben Wallace. Also, Hinrich should be benched in loo of anyone at this point. He is the only disappointment that is larger than the fore-mention Ben Wallace.

all I know is its a long season...and as a coach, sometimes...the starting lineup is the only POWER you can weild over some of the pre-madonna athletes and also as a teaching tool. The starting lineup also could have something to do with whats going on in practice...etc..etc...hes young, he shouldnt have a problem with it. Some would say, he was starting too soon...(not me though).

What matters is who is on the court for minutes 42-48. In Da Bulz case, it doesn`t rally matter because they aren`t going any farther than they did last year anyways.

What matters is who is on the court for minutes 42-48. In Da Bulz case, it doesn`t rally matter because they aren`t going any farther than they did last year anyways.

Paul sez: "Want proof, look at Ben Wallace or Tyrus Thomas statistics and compare then to Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry."
_______________________________________

It really doesn't make any difference what they're doing now, because the fact of the matter is that they didn't do squat while they were here.

Both of them were given a solid three years to develope, and they never extended themselves, or even attempted to buy into Skile's system. Curry was constantly out of shape, Chandler lacked NBA strength, and both of them were flat out lazy.

They also never thought they'd be traded, and I'm sure it came as a shock and a much needed wake-up call when they were sent packing without so much as an offer from the Bulls.

They finally decided to "strap it on" after it became apparent that the only way to get another huge contract was to actually produce.

Unfortunately, we're seeing this same scenario being played out with Cedric Benson and the Bears.

btw Roman,

if almost any other coach besides Phil Jackson called a game a 'brokeback mountain' game.... I remember someone(Guillen) calling someone else(Mariotti) a 'fag', and he was villified in the media. So bad, Ozzie had to attend a 'gay pride' parade to satisfy the media, and the homosexual community. How does Phil get away with it?

Wrong move.He should play T.Thomas C. Nocioni F Deng F. Duhon G
Gordon G. Sit Capt. Kirk and let him figure this thing out because he is having too many problems out there on the court running the show.Just as the Quarterback Duhon is not the long term solution,but he can hold it down for a while.
Its not his fault,but Gordon and Capt.Kirk are not on the same page
never was and never will be.

The BULLS need a superstar period!!!!!!!!!!
Every team has one except them.
Don`t let this trade deadline go by with out trying to get one.
The BULLS will not survive in the East without one maybe 2.

It's the right thing to do, but I think we need more. Joe Smith has been playing well and should start as well. I feel having Ben Gordon off the bench is also in order. The line-up will then be: Wallace, Smith, Nocioni, Deng (playing shooting guard) and Kirk.

It didnt help much against Phoenix.

Ok Doug Collins said just prior to the start of the game last night that he would have moved Deng to the 2 spot and brought Gordon in off the bench instead of Thomas. Any possibilty Doug can be lured out of the broadcast booth and back to the bench? Skiles said he hoped that Nocioni's outside presence would open up the spacing for the other jump shot shooters BUT the funny thing is it was Nocioni and Deng's driving to the rim that opened things up which also created room for Duhon and Tyrus to successfully run the pick and roll from the top of the key.
Even though Hinrich finally began making his shot one thing that jumped out at me was that when Tyrus set a screen for him at the top of the key Hinrich was either intent on looking for Gordon to be open at the arc or taking the ball in himself unlike Duhon who looked for Tyrus coming down lane. After the Bulls closed the gap and took the lead in the 4th quarter the ball never got into the painted area again. Why??? Dribble, dribble, dribble oh crap 7 left on the clock better take this 20 footer now......clang! Am I blaming Hinrich or Gordon? To a point yes, but the bigger share of blame needs to be given to Skiles. I have always like Skiles but I'm beginning to agree with Keith in that Skiles is a great coach to develope a team into a play off contender but he is not a closer. When you come back from 15 down and take a one point lead that is no time to pull in your horns and get conservative. That's when a good team sharpens it horns guts their opponent.

First of all i don't think Scott Skiles is the right coach for these players so i would start with him. Secondly i would have Ben Wallace coming off the bench and start Aaron Gray because he is the future. I also agree with Mr. Rogers when he said you reward your best performer and i would sit Hinrich since he is struggling and start Duhon. My starting five would be Duhon, Thabo, Deng, Thomas and Gray. and maybe with the others coming off the bench, they can bring some energy and get to see what's going on on the floor.

Stupid move, Nocioni sucks, he's the reason we lost last year in the playoffs. He came back to early, off of an injury, an stupid Sciles played that jerk instead of the young buck Tyrus. Kirk, Skiles and Nocioni should be traded to China's developing team. They all suck!! Paxton should also be evaluated as well.

did someone use Gordon and defense in the same sentence?

that has to be a first.

btw I LOVED Jackson's deadpan apology, especially in the end when he said..

"and of course, I'd also like to apologize to the children".

I've rarely laughed so hard.

cuz you know... we always have to PROTECT THE CHILDREN in this nanny society state, from the evangelical Puritan loons on the right and the liberal politically correct Hilary headmistress crowd on the left.

Phil Jackson - Man of the Year.

(btw. I didn't think the Brokeback Mountain comment was all that funny, but I thought his "apology" was hilarious. PRECISELY what the demanding "apologists" like certain groups and the NBA office deserved)

He actually apologized to any horses he may have offended too!!

Ok let's get it right. You posted my comment under Tim Little and my name under someone else's comment. The Bulls will continue to struggle if Scott Skiles can't see the problem starts with his favorite player Hinrich. He is the quarterback if he struggles the team struggles. Also the Bulls should use Gordon like Phoenix uses Barbosa. Skiles shows no patients with Thomas or any other player that he doesn't perform consistently and when Hinrich and Gordon struggle Skiles makes excuses when for they're bad play. In Gordon first year Skiles use him properly. He brought energy and scoring off the bench, go back to that. Start Thabo for his defense and take the pressure off Hinrich. Ben Wallace should come off the bench and start Aaron Gray and let him develope. Don't make the same mistake he made with Tyson Chandler.

Roman responds: Class, please explain to Mr. Walker how the posting system works.

I'd let the kid play, and start Nocioni, Smith, Deng and Hinrich. Let wallace and gordon sub for awhile until they can play on both ends of the court.

YOur name appEARs UndeR yoUr POSt.
BCULZ