Chicago Bulls: What We've Learned

What we’ve learned about our Chicago Bulls.
1. Vinny From Black is still an average coach. He’s the case study example for the saying “Players win games, coaches lose them”. Del Negro's coaching acumen won’t win us games, but there’s a chance that it will lose us some.

2. Ben Gordon is a clutch shooter, but causes match up problems for the Bulls’ defense because of his size. Sure Ben Gordon gets on your nerves when he goes into to “dribble, dribble” crazy shot mode. But, at least he’ll make the clutch shots that no one else on the Bulls can make. It’s funny to think out of all the Bulls’ recent signings, Hinrich and Deng, that Gordon, the best player and biggest contributor of those three, may be the one the Bulls let go. I’d rather see Gordon on the Bulls than either Deng or Hinrich, but Gordon still comes with a catch: he causes us to have a poor defense. With a backcourt featuring Rose and Gordon, guys like Ray Allen aren’t afraid to shoot the ball. Gordon works hard, but he’s just too short. I’d love to see him in a Bulls’ uniform, but Scot Skiles might be right in that Gordon’s best position is 6th man.

3. Luol Deng cannot be relied upon.

4. Tyrus Thomas hasn’t gotten it done. I’m a big Tyrus Thomas fan, but even I have to admit that Thomas was outplayed by Glen Davis. Davis, the other LSU tiger, was just bigger, stronger and better than Ty. Davis’ great mid-range shot caused the Bulls a lot of problems during the series. To think that he got drafted later in the draft than Ty, but still managed to outplay him. Tyrus needs to get into the gym. Or else, we need to find a true low-post player.

5. Noah is who we think he is. A hustle player that plays with great emotion that can be a starting center. Like Tyrus, Noah needs to get into the gym. There was no reason that Perkins should have been playing like he did against the Bulls. But, I like the kid.

6. Derrick Rose will only get better.

7. We need a true low-post presence. It’s amazing to think that the Bulls’ too the Boston series to 7 games without the ability to just throw the ball down low and let a player bang on the inside.

8. I like everything about Salmons. What happens when Luol gets back? I could see moving Salmons to SG, with BG coming off the bench.

9. Defense wins championships and the Bulls are not a good defensive team.

10. Lastly, this has nothing to do with the Bulls, but I officially hate everyone on the Celtics (especially Jakie Moon, “angry face” Perkins, House, and Rondo), except Ray “He got game” Allen.

NBA, Where Amazing Flagrant Fouls Happen

I don't quite understand the logic of "well it's the playoffs" when it comes to flagrant fouls. Either something is a flagrant foul or it isn't. Just because it's the playoffs doesn't mean blows to the head should now become legal. But that's the NBA, Where amazingly poor officiating happens.

Tuesday Morning Thoughts: Let’s Play Who Did They Draft?

A lot of NFL Draft, some Bulls, and one Pulp Fiction.

1. You’re a team with credibility issues and a vast history of retaining players with “off-the-field” problems. In fact, the stripes on your uniform make the perfect analogy to the stripes on prison inmate’s uniforms. Current players include a head case (Chad Ocho Cinco), a wide receiver with a rap sheet longer than the SEC’s GAAP accounting rules (Chris Henry) and a player arrested for gun charges (Tank Johnson). So who do you draft? Of course, Andre Smith (OT Alabama) the biggest head case in the entire draft. Ladies and Gentleman your Cincinnati Bengals.

2. Like Paris Hilton in a Scorsese movie, you’re team is inept and lost. You have a history of paying veteran players tons of cash, only to see them underperform (Randy Moss/Joe Horn/Javon Walker). What do you do in the draft? Of course, select Darrius Heyward Bey instead of the proven and better Michael Crabtree. Well done. Oh wait, how can the Raiders mess up their draft even more? Taking what most people consider an undrafted free agent in the 2nd round (Michael Mitchell (sounds like the guy from Arrested Development). Ladies and Gentleman your Oakland Raiders.

3. Like the Bungles, your team has a history of players with “off-the-field” issues (think Randy Moss and the classic Vikings boating scandal). Who do you pick in the draft? Percey Harvin a player who smoked weed knowing that he would be tested for it at the Combine. Percey Harvin literally blazed up thousands of dollars my smoking up. Ladies and Gentleman your Minnesota Vikings.

4. You’re a team with a tragic history of drafting offensive players, especially wide receivers, only to see said players flame out or bust. Your team just went 0-16 and likely fielded the worst defensive unit in the history of the NFL. Who do you draft with your first round draft picks? Mat Stafford (QB) and Brandon Pettrigrew (TE). Again two offensive players. Ladies and Gentleman your Detroit Lions.

5. You’re a team with a history of having no balls, trading down, only to get players from Division 3 college or “Combine” stat players. Who do you draft/trade back for? Johhny Knox, from you guessed it, Abilene Christian. Ladies and Gentleman your Chicago Bears. (PS. I could actually care less, we have CUTLER!!!).

More random thoughts.

6. Do you realize that Marvin Lewis is still the coach of the Cincinnati Bungals? In six years, his team has gone 46 and 49. Six glorious seasons of mediocre to terrible performances. I guess the Bengals just need a little more time to see if Lewis is their man. There GM must be thinking, “Hmmm, well he’s only been here 6 years, but I am still not sure what to make of the guy. We need more time. Yeah, let’s see what he can do in year 7”.

7. 10 years from now we will look at this draft and likely conclude that it was not that great. The only star players are likely Crabtree and maybe Stafford (read huge bust potential), plus a couple of random guys we are overlooking at this point.

8. Del Negro saved his timeouts. Del Negro must be learning and growing as a coach. Great, Del Negro’s gone from JV high school coach to WAC college coach.

9. Ben Gordon.

10. If Phil Jackson was the Chicago Bulls’ head coach, I have no doubt in my mind that Rajon Rondo would be having a mediocre series. I could see Jackson putting a tall athletic player on Rando and force him to shot over him (think Pippen). Although, that player may not exist on the Bulls’ roster (Maybe Salmons, possibly Tyrus? Who is that guy we picked up the draft a few years ago. The Sudanese/Egyptian/British dude? Deng! yeah that's it. Whatever happened to him?)

11. DeeeeTROIT BASKETBAAALL…. Stinks.

12. I couldn’t stand the ABC commentators on Sunday. Van Gundy is almost as annoying as Bill Walton. I missed Stacey King.

13. I want to punch Perkins, Glen (I am a fat baby) Davis and Kevin Garnett in the face. Of yeah, and Doc Rivers annoys me too.

14. Oh yeah, Paul Pierce thinks he got fouled… on every play.

15. Why does Mel Kipper give that smug, weird nodding, squinty eyed facial expression every time he’s finished talking about an NFL prospect?

16. The Swine flu. Want some bacon? No man, I don't eat pork. Are you Jewish? Nah, I ain't Jewish, I just don't dig on swine, that's all. Why not? Pigs are filthy animals. I don't eat filthy animals. Bacon tastes gooood. Pork chops taste gooood. Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy motherfucker. Pigs sleep and root in shit. That's a filthy animal. I ain't eat nothin' that ain't got enough sense enough to disregard its own feces. How about a dog? Dogs eats its own feces. I don't eat dog either. Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. But, a dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way. Ah, so by that rationale, if a pig had a better personality, he would cease to be a filthy animal. Is that true? Well we'd have to be talkin' about one charming motherfuckin' pig. I mean he'd have to be ten times more charmin' than that Arnold on Green Acres, you know what I'm sayin'?

Chicago Bears' Jarron Gilbert Jumps out of Pools

I don't know if the Bears' first pick in the '09 draft is any good, but he can do this.

Chicago Bulls vs. Celtics: Are the Celtics over their KG Depression?

What’s it like to watch the Bulls get beaten like a high school nerd after accidentally bumping into the school bully? Well, I imagine it’s like getting stabbed in heart with a dull plastic knife. The Bulls managed to allow an old, mentally abused (still getting over the fact that their messiah KG won’t play) pierce them in the heart like one of those guys from the Last of the Mohicans. Not in my craziest nightmares did I ever see the Bulls losing Game 3. Worse than losing, they got abused and embarrassed. The drunk, naked, and dirty, (yet sexy girl) from Eastbound and Down even probably looked at the Bulls’ with disgust last night.

What happened? I don’t know. How can you explain a team playing like a bunch of guys from a Swedish health club pick-up game? Let’s forget about analyzing the Bulls. The Celtics on the other hand? Well, what if the Bulls only came close to going 2-0 in Boston because Boston was still hung-over from the loss of KG? They sure looked like it in Game 1. Ray Allen couldn't put a ball through a hula hoop, Perkins looked like Perkins and Glen Davis played like a baby in that first match. Paul Pierce didn’t start playing in the series until Game 3.

Unfortunately for us Bulls’ fans, the Celtics are getting over their KG depression and the Bulls are reverting back to every horrible habit they had prior to the Salmons/Miller era. The Celtics played like champions last night and the Bulls? Well the Bulls played like the Bulls: immature, selfish, no-defense, poor coaching and soft. When the going got tough, the simple fact is that the Bulls' packed it in.

I am done making my predictions on this Bulls’ team. They either wake up and realize that they are playing against Perkins and Glen "baby" Davis (players who actually suck), an old Pierce and past-his-prime Ray Allen or put their heads’ down, dribble, dribble and pretend they’re still playing KG, a young Pierce, and Jesus Shuttlesworth.

Chicago Sport's Center

I am too angry to write anything about the Bulls' performance in Game 3. So here is ESPN Chicago's SportsCenter highlights.

Chicago Bulls: Keys to Victory over Celtics.

I am not an NBA coach and never will be. I understand (and mostly hope) that Vinny Del Negro knows a whole lot more about basketball than I do. But I love basketball and especially my Bulls. And while purely from a fan’s perspective, I think the Bulls need to do the following (in classic Fanion bullet point style) to win the Celtics’ series.

1. I have always loved the triangle offense because it’s really a motion offense that forces players to think and react. There are really no set plays. Players move, cut and play off of each other without the need to look back at their coach for instructions on how to use their brain. The Bulls offense on the other hand, mainly consists of two plays: the high pick and roll with Derrick Rose and sideline screens to free up Gordon and Salmons. I’ve always been against the pick and roll or Stockton and Malone offense because it only allows two players to be involved in the offense, while the other three players sit around and watch. The pick and roll worked well during game 1 of the Celtics’ series, but Boston adapted and essentially stopped it from being effective in game 2. Namely, Brad Miller would set a high pick, Rose would feed him the ball, and Miller would start stumbling and eventual turn the ball over. The pick and roll should be used in some instances, but it shouldn’t be your offense 90% of the game. I submit that the Bulls need to diversify their offense to keep Boston on its back. A motion offense with guys cutting and screening would be beneficial, especially against a slower and older Boston team.

2. In addition, Derrick Rose doesn’t really need a pick to get passed his man. He’s faster and stronger than almost any NBA guard, including the now ankle-injured Rando. He doesn’t need a screen. Let him beat his man, one on one, forcing the defense to collapse and allowing for easy shots by the rest of the Bulls’ players.

3. To beat a dead horse in the ground, I suggest the Bulls’ stop using Brad Miller so much during games, and especially down the stretch. This isn’t the Brad Miller of 5 years ago. He is now slow, can’t jump and seems to lack confidence in his outside shot. I would only use Miller, at most, 20 minutes during the game. This would provide him enough time to make an impact and also keep his old-man legs fresh. Noah, Tyrus, and Tim Thomas (who for some reason hasn’t played in this series) should be more than enough to stop Glen Davis and Perkins.

4. Even I admit that this is not such a great idea. However, Salmons (who clearly looks like he is playing hurt), needs some help. Currently, we really have no other player that can play the 3-spot because Luol Deng is made of tin foil. I would suggest going big for brief periods of the game by either placing Tyrus Thomas or Tim Thomas on Paul Pierce. This would also solve our defensive rebounding problems as Tyrus or Tim could crash the boards. Placing foul-o-matic Kirk Hinrich on Pierce hasn’t been a viable option.

5. Lastly, even as a Tyrus Thomas fan, Del Negro needs to get on his ass for not snagging more defensive rebounds. Rebounding and defense are all about effort. Del Negro needs to sit Tyrus down and remind him of his main job to grab rebounds on both ends of the floor. Tyrus should be reminded that there is no reason why Glen Davis (the other LSU tiger) should be outplaying him. I realize that this recommendation appears overly simplistic. But sometimes a “keep it simple stupid” approach does work. Offering Tyrus the bargain that he’ll play 40 minutes a game only if he grabs 12 or more rebounds, would be encouragement enough. Plus, I am of the opinion (albeit a minority opinion) that Tyrus does care about winning (ever notice how he is always yelling, clapping, and pumping his fists while on the bench in support of his teammates). In the past, the media has oversimplified Tyrus and Noah as lazy and spoiled players. I am of the belief that they are neither, but are simply young, inexperienced and un-coached players. A great coach would get Tyrus to commit to rebounding. The guy blocked 6 shots in game 2, effort isn’t his problem.

Based on the way the series has gone so far, I think the Bulls win Game 3. The energy in the stadium and hopefully some reciprocal home court refereeing should give the Bulls the edge. Let’s just hope Del Negro knows what he is doing.