The honeymoon portion of Jim Boylan’s Bulls head coaching tenure officially ended in the fourth quarter of Tuesday night’s loss to the Knicks. Things were kind of looking up for our Bulls before then, I suppose, but getting outscored by New York 27-12 in the final quarter of a home game they should have won means the Bulls have hit rock bottom. It’s almost hard to comprehend how few fourth quarter points the Bulls scored against a team that doesn’t even try on defense. I think Yahoo! Sports’ Kelly Dwyer summed up the Knicks best:
The Knicks, last in the NBA in defense, play like your stereotype, bad late-1970s defensive team. They might as well start wearing knee socks and doing horrible things in the bathroom of a disco, because this team just doesn't care. It's incredible to watch, because they stick out so much.
What’s even more damning is what that says about the Bulls. The Knicks are supposed to be bad, but no one expected the Bulls to be pulling such shenanigans this season.
While the season is certainly far from over, I have a hard time believing this team is making the playoffs in the suddenly improved Eastern Conference. It’s not an indictment on the coaching, but rather the players. An NBA coach can only do so much- all you can really ask is that he puts together a quality eight man rotation. What has happened so far this season falls on the shoulders of Deng, Nocioni, Gordon, Hinrich, and Wallace, as well as John Paxson for being too gun-shy to pull the trigger on a trade all these years.
If the Bulls can’t fight their way out of this funk soon- and it will be tough with the next four games on the road- then it may be time to give the kids some extended action, specifically the big man trio of Tyrus Thomas, Aaron Gray, and Joakim Noah.
Quick note to Boylan: while all three have played fantastic periodically this season, you can’t put them on the court together at the same time. Tyrus is my guy, but he simply can’t play small forward. Thomas does a lot of good things, but he can’t really handle the ball or shoot, so stick him solely at power forward and let him grow accustomed to it.
It appears Noah and Gray can play together, however, and complement each other similarly to Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler. Gray has shown that he can score in small spurts this season, as evident by his 12 points off 5 of 6 shooting in less then 10 minutes against the Knicks on Tuesday. I’m not sure how effective Gray would be if he played longer minutes, but the Bulls owe it to themselves to find out.
As for Noah, he’s quickly becoming everything that left when Chandler was traded. I think he needs to be on the floor as much as possible.
And therein lies a big problem: the Bulls actually have too many players. It’s kind of hard to play the young guys when Boylan has made a commitment to Wallace and Joe Smith has suddenly turned into Karl Malone the past few games. It seems like a tighter rotation would help everyone, but there simply are not enough minutes to go around. It’ll be impossible to judge Thomas, Gray, and Noah until they get solid minutes every night, and that isn’t really possible at this point.
The easy way to solve this problem would be via a trade (why not bring back The Love-a-Bulls and see if T-Mac is available), but I think we know that isn’t the route Paxson wants to go. Either way, Boylan better figure out this roster soon, because things are looking bleak. The 76ers should be a good test tonight for the Bulls, and they are certainly a team the Bulls should beat. I’ll be interested in the how well Smith plays again, and the matchup between Hinrich and Andre Miller. Hopefully we’ll get to see some Tyrus Thomas v. Thad Young action as well, because many cool dunks and blocks would follow.
Were a young team, hi-energy, characther players, this core will Gel soon, Deng is coming into his own, Heinrich is settling down, Duhon has been sober for at least 3 months now, got rid of Skiles, Pax is a genius, Pete Meyers as a coach hasnt been a total red flag for years, were not too white, Gordon plays bigger than he is, Noah and Thomas arent the same Guy, and......
NOT PULLING THAT KOBE TRADE WAS GENIUS!!!!!!!
Yes, it could get worse.
David Stern could decide to extend an already too long season to 90 games.
Again, what exactly is the appeal of the NBA?
KYP is the saying that Stacey King uses when the Bulls players misplay the the opposition on defense. KYP means Know Your Personell, and I want to give Boylan a pass for trying to mix up the lines-ups/substitutions, but it makes me wonder why don't the coaches know the Bulls Personell? They have had all summer and preseason to observe the players. Some of these losses are because the Bulls seem to be trying to find out what our own players are capable of instead of asking them to go out and do a specific task. Especially at HOME. Even I know what some of the players can do offensively and defensively.
Are the bulls still being televised?..CGI'ing fans in the stands?..nobody is attending the games, are they?....
one 5, thirteen 4's, eight 3's...and two midgets in the back court...and one of em is white? and his name's not Nash?
Nobody really goes to the United Center anymore...do they?
The Blackhawks are fragile(In Hockey?) and the Bulls blow
NOT PULLING TRADE IN OFF SEASON WILL GO DOWN AS BIGGEST BLUNDER EVER.
GIVES NEW MEANING TO THE PHRASE, LEFT HOLDING THE BAG.
YOU DONT HAVE TO KNOW MUCH TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE NO SUPERSTARS IN OUR PERSONELL.
MARRIOTTI IS DEAD ON WITH HIS ARTICLE TODAY.
Let's not fool ourselves. There is not a single all-star caliber player on this team. Gordon can do more than Paxson did as a player but that's not enough in the guard driven modern NBA.
This team is just spinning it's wheels stuck in the mud until a big all-star type guard arrives. Deng is not the guy. Paxson has chips to deal to try & get that player. I would say everyone's expendable but Gordon because he's an essential piece you need to win a championship.
I think anyone and everyone is expendable on this team. Pretty much a crap shoot as to who is going to be the best player in the bunch after a few more years pass by.. Gordon has been clutch at times, but not this season. Maybe the only one I would say is closest is Deng, but is he durable enough?
While there is no excuse for the Bulls losing that game Tuesday, I am not totally surprised they lost. With Lu and Noc out, Gordon puts too much weight on his forced shot prone shoulders. Add some costly turnovers to the fourth quarter fray, the much well known fact that the Knickerboys have every reason to get up for the Bulls, and the 24th seed versus the 28th seed in the N.B.A. and I really don't see the shock factor here. The thing that's eating me, that has been totally overlooked, is how poor the defense has been. Our defensive challenging on the court is pitiful. I actually was hoping the Bulls would play some zone against N.Y. in the fourth quarter because you could just see things were slipping away, and a switch may have forced the Knicks into some poor decisions. I'm not jumping off the Boylan ship just yet, because a new system coming in mid-season won't resolve anything, but there are way too many mediocre teams ahead of us to give up on the season this early. We're not the only team in the league with inconsistencies, and this group has the zest to save the season. As much as I would love to see the kids play, I want more to make something of THIS season. Last years memory still lingers so we all know it can be done, and as long as Paxson remains gun shy, there's not much more to look forward to. I just don't see us as being seventh worse team in the N.B.A. and I wish we'd start playing better than one, players and coaches.
Ricky, could you repeat that?
I dare you to write this many words about Christopher Bowman!!!
Listen, I just may have a Doctorate in Long Winded Thesis's, but this takes the cake.
Ricky responds: Bculz and Julie B are weak. Man up, kids. There' has been some comments that our twice as this post. And no Julie, I will not take you up on your challenge to write 800 words on that figure skating dudes.
By Ricky O'Donnell
The Knicks, last in the NBA in defense, play like your stereotype, bad late-1970s defensive team. They might as well start wearing knee socks and doing horrible things in the bathroom of a disco, because this team just doesn't care. It's incredible to watch, because they stick out so much.
Now that is a gem!!! Ricky, I don't care how many words you use, if you keep cranking those out.
back to the topic....well, I remember in Tim Floyd's second season, I did some pretty stupid things in Espn's inaugural NBA fantasy league. THAT was rock bottom.
Ricky responds: Uh, Dwyer wrote that, not me, but thanks anyways!
Can someone remind me of why they didn't trade for Pau Gasol? Something about Deng and Hinrich being so great or something........hmmmmmmm........or up and coming all stars.......
I watched the Philly vs Bulls game and I don't know if it was my imagination but I swear it seemed as if the starters were waiting for Gordon to come in and start shooting. They were completely flat and it was just sad to watch. People can criticize Gordon for not being a good defensive player all they want, but I see the same problem. Without Gordon in the lineup they can't score at all. They fall behind with him coming off the bench and expect him to come in and ignite the team........they start him and he goes out and they fall flat. Why does it seem that Deng and Hinrich can't score well with him on the bench, and can't score without Gordon being a "attention magnet" when he is in there with them?
Yes I know Deng didn't play......but that's becoming a bit too commonplace for such a young player.
For what ever reason the Bulls came out flat in the first quarter of last night's game. It wasn't until Aaron Gray came in with just 3:05 remaining in the quarter that the Bulls played any kind of defense and Gray's hook shot with 2:12 remaining ignited a 7-2 run to close the quarter but still trailed by 13. Gordon was scoreless in the first quarter. They continued playing defense in the 2nd and 3rd quarters only to all but blow a 12 point lead heading into the fourth. The 2 quarters they played defense they won 56-31, the 2 quarters they didn't olay defense they lost 66-44. The first four minutes of the 4th quarter they should have been pouring it on the sixers to put the game away but instead they seemed to be content to just maintain enough of a lead to win. Sloppy play by both Hinrich and Gordon in the last 4 minutes damn near cost them the game. I can still hear Red Kerr after a ball exchange between Hinrich and Gordon led to a traveling call saying...."they can't be making stupid mistakes like that this late in the game." One stat that caught my eye when going through the box score was the +/- stats. The Bulls were -22 with Wallace on the floor and + 21 with Gray.
Bryant excellent observation. I think its because when teams focus on Gordon, the others get amazingly open. Opposing coaches know if you stop Gordon on the perimeter you have a good chance to beat the Bulls. Gordon and Deng's games compliment eachother. Kirk is an enigma.
Anthony - Good Observation concerning the defense. I think if you are scoring 100 your offense is ok, but you cannot give up a 100. Boylan has said he wants to use our defensive players even more. Folks like Thabo and Tyrus the killer Ts. I believe those two guys alone would have stopped Portland. Boylan said that last night and that makes me feel better about his knowledge of our personell.
Did you just tell me to "man up?" I would but, ummm....... how? My name is JULIE - I'll woman up, and say whatever I want. WHERE'S ROMAN?????? I'm going to tell you right now, 800 words is way the hell to long and boring for this blog. And at least Roman's responses are actual sentences that make sense. Have you ever given birth to a 9-pound baby? I have. Wanna call me weak again? And until you are old enough to buy your own beer, don't call me a kid, kid.
Ricky responds: Tushay. But, to be fair, I doubt Modrowski ever delivered a nine pound baby either, though I certainly wouldn't put it past him.
I was just piling on actually.....
but..truth be told...i skim long posts..
and..im not sure....but...i dont think reading your long a** articles would necessarily qualify as manning up.
Ricky responds: Tushay.
I gaurentee Keith will ride to ROD's rescue...I can hear his key pad hammering away your defense right now.
Also KTLSS...did you hear?
The BULLS also assigned guard JamesOn Curry to the team’s D-League’s affiliate.
Huge Pick Up!!
The Bulls need to get bigger and more athletic players on the court. The last time I checked one of the requirements to play in the NBA was to be tall. We have 3 midget guards who can't guard anyone getting 40% of our minutes and a midget center who is an absolute black hole on offense. Wallace and at least 2 of the 3 midget guards if not all three need to go. Joe Smith while a nice player is not winning us a championship, all he is doing is trying to save Boylan's job and slowing the development of our young bigs. While I would trade Wallace for Gasol in a heartbeat(Memphis wouldn't) Gasol has no heart and would be booed out of the UC by the end of ther year. We should make a play for Jason Kidd, (Hinrich and Wallace). Thabo should be given some extended run as a starter. Nocioni is not a starter, he is a role player. Gordon should remain a sixth man. Hinrich and Duhon should split the point. I would like to see some time with Thabo and Gordon on the court together. Maybe Thabo can make up for Gordons pathetic defense. Wallace and Smith should play no more than 30 minutes and Gray, Noah and Thomas should get more run
Roman doesn't hang with chicks with kids. I imagine that's why he left. Nine pounds....really?? Ricky please tell us you have blue eyes so Julie will give you a free pass.
Um...Ricky...shouldn't it be 'touché'....otherwise i think you just called Julie and Bculz a**es. Nice tousch...er..touch.
Yup, nine pounds - my first baby. And 11-1/2 hours of labor, with no trace of the epidural by the time I was ready to push. Did you all just get really squirmy? GOOD!!!! Mention that to any woman who's had kids and notice her reaction. Anyway Stuck, Ricky's gonna need a lot more than blue eyes to get a free pass. Roman's never once insulted me in a response, and some kid stops by for a cup of coffee and maybe thinks he's being funny, but is sooooo not. Also, you're getting confused with "tushie," and I would've corrected The Ricker, but I wasn't able to get a cute little accent over my "e." Plus, I don't feel like babysitting today.
Ricky responds: Ok, ok, no more making fun of the commenters. I was only kidding. I just felt really owned by your Ricky Shroeder comment or whatever a week or so ago, so I had to fight back. I kept the last post short and I'll keep length in mind on the rest of my posts from now on.
Culzie you are a trip man. Jewels didn't need your help, but you piled on the youngster anyway. Wouldn't have anything to do with that rebuke you got on the other blog now would it??? I don't think any of this stuff would have happened with Roman on the shift. He would have put the pimp hand on it! I guess we aint gone talk sports without Roman??? Its going to be all of this soap opera stuff!
Yall like movies right... "I don't wanna win um outtie...now tell these people something they don't know about me".
Children must we fight like this? Julie you threw the first stone in this thing to begin with now if you can't take the hit don't dish it out. And hauling out the "did you give birth to a nine pound baby?..well I did" was so typical female. Take 2 midol's and maybe you'll feel better in the morning.
RO'D the only opinion that really matters about how you handle this blog is Roman's anyway so pay attention to the man behind the curtain not the tin man, cowardly lion, scarecrow and the little girl with the annoying dog.
Typical female PMS, Tim? That's what you come up with? Very creative. Talk about typical, male.
I think it just got worse...they have Ben Wallace (the biggest under-performer on a team of under-performers) and Adrian Griffin (yes, he of the 3 min and no points) call a players only team meeting after a win, and decide to suspend Noah who was already disciplined for yelling back at a coach.
oh yeah...and they lose by 20+ to the Hawks.
I think this is pretty close to rock bottom though. That's good news right?
What a great season so far!
How is that dumb move to keep your existing players like they were Jordan and Pippin and not sending some of them along with the 9th pick to Minnesota for Kevin Garnett coming along? Boston should send Pax a big thank you card every night that they win.
And who was that draft pick anyway? Oh right… Sanjaya Noah.
Pass on Kobe and Pau Gasol? No problem because the Bulls are loaded right?
All they needed to do was to gag on resigning the players that they themselves overrated and then let some 2nd rate bench coach guide them to glory!
Brilliant!
Dag Phil, that was more like pena-tration! Um cracking up and crying at the same time. That Hawks game was truly terrible. But they are going to have to get bad before they get good. Beating up on the Atlantas is not the key - beating the Detroits and Bostons is. Any team in the NBA can bring it. Last week Boston lost to that scrappy Charlotte team that the Bulls beat. This is the NBA folks - Nothing But Athletes. Even the little teams can bring it - and if you show them disrespect, they will hang a L on you and leave you to talk to the reporters like Atlanta did the Bulls.
I'm guessing there is more to the story of the players only meeting than what has been said to the press and aparently Noah has been late for practice on several occasions. Regardless of whether it was right or wrong for Boylan to extend the suspension at the request of the players the entire incident is just one more indicator that more changes need to be made before this team gets turned around. Mariotti blasted Boylan and Paxson in his column today for allowing the players to "dictate" policy but give them credit for listening to the players unlike what Isiah did when he asked the Knick's players if he should allow Marbury to play and they voted NO then Isiah turned around and started him.
Pax needs to pull the trigger on a trade before the February deadline. What is really needed is a true point guard with the ability to break down a defense and create easy shots for the rest of the team.
I will wear the pink sox Hat, but will everyone admit that not making the Kobe trade was a death sentance to this team?
Bculz - absolutely not! You don't have to wear the hat man - though I would love to see your mug in the Sun Times. But Kobe coming here would have been an F5 tornado! The only thing um sure he would have done that I would have liked - was Slap Skiles into unemployment. And probly in the very first practice. But Kobe is a CRYBABY. I know he is on a winning team now and is quiet, but wait until the playoffs when they need HIM to be special. He is going to be on TV with Charles and Kenny again giving out playstations and making excuses. Bulls need a few pieces, but not him. They need a star, but not him. And Paxson is better off working the free agents and the draft. The only trades he will have to make are the expiring contract trades - and those are Deng and Gordon's for right now. Pay one and trade the other. And it really don't matter which one to me. But do it and get something we need in the back court.
K, your whole point for Kobe not coming here for 10,000 years has been that him and Skiles would never have gotten along and maybe give up too much young talent. Well, the young talent is getting older and wants more money and still hasent blossomed, and SKILES GOT WACKED!
Geez....f5tornado.....huh....i guess...were much better off in this TSUNAMI...your totally right!
Culzie - I want a star here as much as anyone, but the right guy, not a self-absorbed accused rapist with a MJ complex. Even though I think she was a gold-digger. But to just be in that situation shows character - or lack of it. And I speak this knowing he just dropped 48 in victory. Anyone that can run Shaq away - is poison I tell you....poison. Including the unemployed general from full metal jacket. And I stand by that. Kobe is going to show his colors watch!
Someone mentioned Jason Kidd. I really like that idea. He is sure to draw a double team in the paint & his talent will find Gordon on the perimeter. That's a tough combination to defend for any team. Defensively Kidd's better than Duhon & Capt Kirk.
Ricky how old are you? What do you think of a trade for Kidd? What's his contract like?
Keith I love your purest innocence...but....can you really hold out for ALL character guys...and expect to win in the NBA?
Its like Allen Iverson said...
"Man ain't nobody squeeky clean"