Tom Thibodeau’s Chicago Bulls have always been known for their habitual effort and dominant defense. And on the national scale they still are, despite mounting evidence that the 2014-2015 Bulls have fallen victim to symptoms of past established contenders: a decided lack of overall energy that’s most manifesting itself on the defensive side of the ball. At least Chicago isn’t sugarcoating it anymore. After a dispiriting 105-99 home loss to the rival Washington Wizards last night, Derrick Rose and company admitted the issues plaguing them.
Via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:
“Last year, offensively we were struggling,” said Derrick Rose, who scored a season-high 32 points. “This year, it’s defense. We have to put two halves together on the defensive side and let them know that that presence is always going to be there. Right now, we’re not doing that. I think it’s just miscommunication, especially with the way Thibs’ defense is…”
“We’ll be fine,” [Taj] Gibson said. “We just have to change our whole mindset and get back hungry. We had a good few months and won some strong games against good opponents. We just have to get the ‘dawg’ mentality again.”
That Chicago is struggling to find the appetite it takes to play consistently effective defense shouldn’t be surprising. It’s a team full of veterans that knows the pitfalls of overextending itself during the regular season grind. The Bulls have integrated several new pieces this season, too, and been consistently bit by the injury bug.
But there remains a sense that Thibodeau’s brilliant scheme and relentless fervor should push Chicago to its typical heights of defensive dominance. The influence of coaching, though, still has limits – Bulls fans are finding that out the hard way now.
Unfortunately, it won’t get any easier for Chicago. The already hobbled Joakim Noah sprained his ankle in Wednesday’s loss and left the United Center in a walking boot. Considering that he quarterbacks the Bulls’ defense and needs to grow increasingly comfortable playing with Pau Gasol for the team to reach its considerable ceiling, his absence looms large – even if it’s just for a few games.
Chicago has the tenth best defensive rating in basketball. That would be enough for some teams, but not one consisting of players like Gibson, Noah, Jimmy Butler, and more. The Bulls should simply be better on that end, questions of motivation, injury, and continuity notwithstanding.
Now that the players are comfortable admitting so, perhaps they will be.
What do you think?
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