There's this new theory in the media that the Heat have "finally come together" and are gelling as a team.  This is why they're being favored in Vegas and why the Bulls, apparently, have no shot.  I say that's bullshit.  I'd even go so far as to say their recent "good" play is a facade. 

Continue reading this post »

This is the worst I've ever felt about a team that's gone 16-2 in their previous 18 games.  We're getting these wins but they're masking some real issues with the squad, like that they don't want to play defense anymore.  And our second and third best players can't play effectively together.  And that the team is getting used to Rose bailing them out. 

I don't like the make-up of how we're getting our wins.  Slack off in the first quarter.  Play a little tougher in the second quarter cause Thibs yells at us.  Allow the other team to hang around in the third quarter.  Clear out the way and let Rose play 1 on 5 in the fourth quarter.

Don't get me wrong.  We're a good team.  But we've developed some terrible habits that are going to bite us in the ass unless we fix them in the next couple of weeks. Last time I checked, Minnesota and Detroit won't make the playoffs.

I understand that they're playing their starters less minutes, but Boston looks beyond terrible since their trade of Kendrick Perkins (does anyone actually understand that trade besides Danny Ainge?), losing every game under the sun.  The more I think about it, the more I think I'd much rather play them than Orlando, who has the Rose neutralizer on their team (Howard).  So why don't we allow the Heat to get the top seed and drop to second?  True it would mean no home court against the Heat in the Conf Finals, but home court wouldn't matter if we didn't make the Conf finals. 

I've thought about this a lot.  If Rose had never thrown his hat into the MVP ring at the beginning of the season, do you think he'd actually be in the conversation right now?  Or would the national media merely see this as a big step up in his superstar journey?  I'm convinced that if he hadn't said it, he'd have no shot at the MVP this year.  Sometimes people have to declare themselves capable of something before we believe they're worthy of it.

What?  Why the hell would a random game midway through the season for a team that many don't consider to be a real contender for the NBA title be considered "must-win?"

Continue reading this post »

I've noticed a trend recently with Derrick Rose.  Tons of shots, low field goal percentage, too much sloppy play.  He gets his numbers, but by no means efficiently.  This brought back memories of Allen Iverson.  Now for a 4-5 year stretch, Iverson was one of the top 3 players in the league, but there was always something...lacking in him, which may be the reason why he never won a championship.  Now I know Rose isn't as selfish as Iverson, but man do they have similar games with similar deficiencies.  So my question is, is Rose the next Iverson?  And is that a good thing or a bad thing? 

I'm so sick of this mysterious variable that seems to not only be the reason the Bulls lose, but that every team loses.  In a sport where everything is quantifiable via a meticulously logged wealth of statistical data, the elephant in the room is always "a lack of energy.'  When a team loses - especially when the Bulls lose - 99% of the time it's because there was a "lack of energy."

Well here's my beef.  Nobody ever calls the coach out on this!  It's like their "get out of jail free" card.  Lost in a blowout?  It was a "lack of energy."  Lost in a close game?  "Lack of energy early on."  As soon as the excuse is given reporters and fans nod their head.  "Yeah, it did kind of seem like that.  Okay, you're right." 

And yet something like 30-40 games a year are explained away through this ridiculous excuse!

If energy affects the NBA arena that much, then why the hell isn't someone doing something about it???  Why aren't they studying when it happens, why it happens, what leads to it, why it leads to it?  Because it doesn't only happen on the end of a back to back.  It happens with 5 days off (as it did against Orlando). If someone could solve this seemingly mystical "random" problem, they'd probably be able to win 10-15 more games a year. 

Can we finally figure this damn thing out?  Cause I'm tired of coaches being able to use it as an excuse!

I love this Bulls team.  Best team since the Jordan years.  Saw that they are now ranked 4th at the ESPN power rankings (probably because of their ridiculous strength of schedule.  We're like the anti- Boise State!).  But as Boozer's return approaches, I keep asking the same question.  Will he really make much of a difference?

Continue reading this post »

This baffles me.  Rose is considered to be one of the top 3 or 4 fastest players in the league.  Maybe even the fastest.  So why is he so G*&^%*&d slow on defense?  A point guard will move left or right, and Rose is always almost an ENTIRE SECOND behind.  We know Rose cares about defense.  We hear him talk about it.  His coach is one of the best defensive teachers in the league.......So why is Rose so damn slow on defense???  His mind is quick enough to make last second adjustments dribbling around moving players in the lane.  Is defending someone that different?

Recently moved back to Chicago.  One of the things I was most excited about was always being able to watch the Bulls.  Except...uhhh...I can't watch the Bulls, BECAUSE THEY'RE ON TOO MANY FREAKING CHANNELS.  Between WGN and WCIU and TNT and NBA CHANNEL and ESPN and COMCAST SPORTS (which, as far as I can tell, plays the Bulls on different channels every time), it doesn't matter what the papers say, whatever I Tivo turns out to NOT be the Bulls game.  It's kind of ridiculous and inexcusable as far as I'm concerned.  Every game is now a mad dash to simply find out which channel they're on.  And don't even think about using Tivo's search function.  It likes to tell me when the Blazers or Bucks or Knicks are playing, but doesn't seem to be able to pull up any Bulls games.

So...any tips?

Let's be honest with ourselves.  Are we just a bunch of complainers no matter what the circumstances?

Continue reading this post »

I think it's pretty clear to everyone that Miami tampered.  The question is now: What is the NBA going to do about it?

Continue reading this post »

We know there's a ton of behind the scenes unofficial official chatter that goes on before free agency begins.  It's talked about by all the big TV personalities and although I know nothing about it myself, I assume that  if these guys say it's happening, then it's happening.  So my question is, if the Bulls get LeBosh, as they are expected to do, how soon after do you think the other teams will try to sabotage us?  Bring out proof that we communicated before July 1st?  You know it's going to happen.  There's too much on the line for them not to at least try.  I wonder how serious it has to be, though, for the NBA to not allow the signing to happen.  Anybody know?

[Note by your friendly BullsBlogger: Had to get a new thread up this morning, the game 7 one is pretty darn big. So I'm commandeering this one. So let's discuss: Does watching that game make you long even harder for LeBron? I see two great teams and see how far away the Bulls are, and I can't see any real reason to not crave the best player available, even if it is a 'shortcut' to title contention. The championship journey will be amazing whether it's done by mercenaries or by homegrown talent. And the Bulls could have both. -ed.]

original fanpost after the jump...

Continue reading this post »

A lot has happened over the past few days.  Here are my thoughts on all the issues...

Continue reading this post »

I don't know if Towes and Kane are choking on Philly Cheese steak or what.  But they're choking on something. 

Continue reading this post »

[Note by your friendly BullsBlogger: Commandeered from the FanPosts (original FanPost after the jump), here are my thoughts:

Wade is obviously incorrect about this. ChicagoNow does a nice breakdown of the many ways the Bulls are loyal to their ex-players, including Pippen. If anything, and this has been a frequent complaint of mine over the years, the Bulls are too loyal, seemingly valuing it over performance.

 This is also a reason why I've never been a fan of genuflecting to Michael Jordan in his post-playing career. His legacy in terms of this current team (you know, the one we root for, not the '98 team) is his efforts to ruin the perception of it, and apparently guys like Wade still believe his version of the dynasty breakup. Not that the Org. hasn't created poor perception on their own, but I never appreciated the outside help from someone not part of the team. 

And, I guess Wade isn't coming here, huh? -ed.]

Continue reading this post »

You'll have to excuse me because my memory fails me often, but wasn't Paxson's brother the GM at Cleveland?  And wasn't he there when they got LeBron?  If so, this seems to me to be a pretty important relationship that isn't being discussed.

Did Paxson's bro and LeBron get along?  Not get along?  If they got along, I'd say that was a huge advantage in the Bulls' corner, no?  Couldn't it possibly lead to some back-channel chatter, the kind of chatter that all the NBA teams says goes on all the time in these situations?

Can someone who understands cap room and salaries explain this to me?  Cause here's how I see it.

a) Lebron could've signed an extension for max salary with Cleveland at any time over the last 3 years.  He didn't.

b) Lebron knows EXACTLY how much money every other team can offer him.  So no teams can outbid each other.

Taking into account a and b, how does it make sense that LeBron became a free agent for any other reason than that he wanted to join another team?  He knows exactly how much he'd make going to another team (the max), and he knows exactly how much he'd make if he stayed with Cleveland (the max). 

It would make sense to me if, say, he became a free agent to get Cleveland to up their offer.  But the offer can't go any higher.   So I don't understand why he would opt out unless he was going to another team.  Unless, UNLESS, he was just doing it to be wooed for a couple of weeks. 

But I don't think he would've risked getting injured (a la Grant Hill) under a short term contract just to get wooed.  That would've been dumb.  He had to have decided he's leaving.

What is the benefit of staying in Cleveland for LeBron?  It seems to only be money.  And if it is, why didn't he just extend his contract earlier?