Chicago Still Has A Bulls-Eye On The East Contenders
Derrick Rose (photo. adidas)
Before the season started, I wrote how I thought the Bulls were ready to make the leap. Let’s just say the readers didn’t really agree. The “leap” is the next step that good teams take to become great. Actors also make the leap. For instance, Mila Kunis just recently made the leap with her role in The Black Swan, along with Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network and The Rock in Faster. (Kidding about the last one.) Well, the Bulls officially made the leap. With Derrick Rose’s MVP-caliber season underway, as well as a front office all-in on the “our time is now” belief, the Bulls have elevated themselves into the elite.
I’d like to start with the front office because I don’t think enough has been said about the Bulls’ offseason acquisitions. Naturally, the signing of Carlos Boozer, the prize of their 2010 free agent class, was pushed under the rug with Amar’e going to New York and all the hoopla that took place down in Miami. But the signing of Boozer was more than just an upgrade at the power forward position.
Boozer improved the Bulls’ interior scoring with his versatile high/low post game, but also in the non statistical “toughness” category. He has helped transform the face of this franchise, morphing them into a more physical, imposing team. A lot like in The Mighty Ducks when Gordon Bombay convinced Fulton, the enforcer and slap shot specialist, to join the squad. Moves like this can have a lasting impression on a franchise, changing the face of the team, giving them an identity and newfound confidence. And don’t sleep on this “toughness” idea. Every championship team has been tough. No team that regularly got pushed around and beat up has ever won a title. It just doesn’t work that way.
Rose has been nothing short of spectacular this year, but that story has been beaten like a dead horse. I want to talk about the future. The playoffs. I don’t know about you, but if I’m Boston or Miami, I don’t want anything to do with Chicago come April. At 23-4, the Bulls have the second best home record in the NBA. This coupled with a rejuvenated fan base, and you have one hell of a place to play.
But what I like so much about the Bulls is their versatility. The Bulls are one of the few teams in the NBA that have the ability to play effectively in the halfcourt, as well as in the fast break. They can slow it down, grind out each possession and beat you in the 70s and 80s, or they can run with you and put up 100-plus. But that’s just on offense. The Bulls rank second, behind only Boston in terms of points allowed per game at 92.3. They’re also second in opponents’ field goal percentage, third in opponents’ three point percentage, and third in opponents’ field goals made. That’s four of the most prominent defensive categories in the game, and the Bulls are in the top three in each.
A lot of the defensive success comes from head coach Tom Thibodeau, who along with Boozer, has helped change the culture in the Windy City. But back to the playoffs. As we all know, the playoffs are about the bigs. The team who can control the paint, dominate the boards, and protect the basket is usually going to win. The Lakers last year with Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum did the best job of controlling the paint. As a result, they beat the Celtics in Game 7 and walked away with an NBA Championship.
I see the Bulls as a team built for the playoffs, built for rebounding, shot blocking and controlling the paint. At 36-16, the Bulls have managed the fifth best record in the NBA, and never once have they had a completely healthy roster. Boozer and Joakim Noah have yet to really play with each other and Taj Gibson has battled injuries all year. 36-16 with a combined 45 games missed between Noah and Boozer seems pretty impressive to me.
Come April, when everyone is healthy (hopefully), the Bulls are going to be a tough team to beat. Don’t be surprised if Chicago knocks off Miami or Boston and we see this storied franchise back in the NBA Finals.
What do you think?
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February 14th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
beiber newz says:
i wuld still take A.I. in his prime before d rose
February 14th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
lny says:
that’s still your problem
February 14th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
beiber newz says:
hahahaha cp3 is betta
February 14th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
dmitry of jersey says:
Dude those are terrible actor examples. Mila Kunis was good in Black Swan but the only reason anyone talks about that movie is Nat Portman. Kunis is hot an all, but she is clearly riding Portman’s coatttails.
And Eisenberg had the same retard facial expression throughout the entire damn facebook movie. I’m not sure at all why he is getting so much hype for that shit.
that said, bulls are legit just need to stay healthy.
February 14th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
NTstateOFmind says:
definitely legit contenders now, but they’re still a quality SG away from being a major problem for the other top teams
…why the F is keith bogans still starting?!?
February 14th, 2011 at 3:10 pm
beiber newz says:
rose didnt want to share the ball with lebron, yet we give heat to lebron for wanting to share the ball with wade.
February 14th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
beiber newz says:
i shouldnt even say WE. cuz i was curious to see a team like this. yall know everytimeyall play 2k or play(ed) Live, yall put a team like this 2gether.
February 14th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
beiber newz says:
^ “this” as in the Miami Cheat
February 14th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
beiber newz says:
i still wish the bulls kept BEN GORDON. omg that team took the celts to 7 games ones season.
ben gordons game does not mesh with detroits philosophy.
they had the money to keep him (seeing how they culdve signed bron bron even afta boozer, seein how boozer tried to recruit lbj)
February 14th, 2011 at 3:50 pm
neoy says:
what couldve been if Joe Johnson came to Chi-town with Boozer? I have that squad in my 2k right now haha
February 14th, 2011 at 4:56 pm
shiptar says:
boozer&toughness&defense in the same sentence??? hahaha
February 14th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
NTstateOFmind says:
Ben Gordon didn’t deserve what he was asking for (from the Bulls) …which is a lot considering that he was a streaky shooter that was a liability on defense due to his size (playing SG).
He got an offer from the Pistons (which was equal to what the Bulls counter-offered him), and he took it out of spite. I wonder if he has any regrets, lol.
February 14th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
HA says:
totally disagree with what dmitry of jersey your movie examples were spot on!
nice work. pullin for the Bulls!
February 14th, 2011 at 10:23 pm
sans says:
you invalidated your argument as soon as you mentioned Booz’s toughness….what’s so tough about him not playing defense, not rebounding offensively, and being straight owned by opposing bigs….?
February 15th, 2011 at 12:06 am
beiber newz says:
nuthin
February 15th, 2011 at 1:42 am
Tengis says:
BULLS GOIN ALL THE WAY TO THE FINALS!!!!!!
February 15th, 2011 at 9:53 am
Ape says:
The Bulls dont need Carmelo Anthony to make noise come April. Period. End of discussion. Change the channel.
February 15th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
Chicagorilla says:
I pinned everything on the Thibs before the season started. If Thibs was able to get the chemistry on Defense then the Bulls could actually get out of the second round.
From the looks of it, Thibs has thouroughly impressed me with his coaching ability. His decision making when it comes to personell may be his biggest flaw and ultimately the reason the Bulls won’t make it past rnd 2.
Best case scenario for the Bulls:
Trade for Rip Hamilton. He is going for cheap in Detroit.
Trade for Tayshun Prince this year or pick him up in the summer as a FA.
Get rid of Loul Deng. to make way for Tayshun.
Draft Tyler Honeycutt from UCLA. Trade up or whatever you have to do to make it happen. Dude will be a beast in the NBA especially on defense which Thibs should appreciate. Let him learn under Tayshun (the guy his game closely resembles) for a few years before placing him as a starter over Tayshun.
make a run at Dwight Howard in 2012. Give up whatever you have to. Sign and trade with Boozer or Noah. (I’d keep Noah because he can play PF next to Dwight and it cost less).
Lineup for the 2012-13 season:
PG Rose
SG Rip
SF T.Prince
PF Noah/Boozer
C Howard
6th Brewer
7th Honeycutt
8th Cj Watson
9th Asik
that team wins 3-4 chips with Thibs as the coach easy. And should put up some epic battles vs Mia in the playoffs over the next few years.
February 15th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Chicagorilla says:
@the Write Scott
you were doing fine with your arguments until you mention opposing bigs.
did you not just see the damage that LMA just put on our Bigs? 42pts.
Blake Griffin has also given us the biz. Dwight of course. and several other bigs. I think Kurt Thomas is the toughess SOB in the NBA along with Kenyon Martin and I think that’ll play a major role come playoff time. Kurt is our new school Oakley. I won’t let me daughter look at the screen when they zoom in on ole crazy eyes because he may give her nightmares.
February 15th, 2011 at 6:31 pm
ab40 says:
so how many games have the boston guys missed all healthy together. Your arguments are pretty weak you know. Kurt Thomas if he plays in the playoffs will be abused can you see him guarding josh smith or al horford? No? Me neither.
But on the other side of the spectrum Indiana, chicago, new york and philly are all probably going to the playoffs which is good for the nba. Before the lockout hits that is.
February 15th, 2011 at 11:21 pm
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February 16th, 2011 at 8:51 am
Jules says:
chicagorilla, how are you supposed to pay D-Howard while extending Rose and keeping the wildly overpaid Rip and Tayshaun (who is NOT any better than Deng)? AND get Honeycutt…All while trading none of your pieces? Think.
February 18th, 2011 at 6:45 pm
Chicagorilla says:
well Jules…allow me to retort
Tayshun is 30+ yrs old in the last year of his contract while a new CBA is going to began next season. So Tayshun will only be worth about $6-8 mill per year. and you only sign him to a short contract anyway. He may even take less just to be on a contender (he says he wants to play for a contender)
Rip is making anywhere between 11-14mil. Which is nearly equal to what Deng is making now. So the money owed to Deng will instead go to RIp.
Deng – in my scenario we would have used Deng in one of the trades, either to aquire Honeycutt, Rip, Tayshun, Howard. So his salary would have been dumped.
Dwight howard – on his 2nd contract (after the CBA is in place) will be making something like $20 mil per at the most which if the Bulls are smart they would have sent Boozer ($15mil) or Noah ($11mil) in the sign and trade for Howard to try and avoid luxary tax.
As for Rose: considering that this team would be champions, i’m sure management wont mind being in the luxary tax a couple years if need be. but with the CBA they may not have to. Rose will get around $15-17mil for his first extentsion.
So “if you think” you’d see that this could very easily work with the contracts of Noah/Boozer and deng sent along in trades.
As for Honeycutt (whom you probably know nothing about) he is vastly underrated. NBAdraftexpress has him listed as a #20 pick in 2012, ESPN doesn’t even have him in the top players, NBAdraft.net has him as the 15th pick in 2011. So i’m sure he’ll be an easy pick up for a GM who actually is paying attention to what he’s doing.
Honeycutt = Danny Granger when it comes to people sleeping on him.