Chicago Bulls Thread

[air gordon]

i don't expect VDN to get it of course. i think he should at least get some votes since Doc Rivers won it one year. making the playoffs should guarantee VDN coming back next year

hey benji who's still saying the bulls have stars? Rose is a hall of famer fo sho! does dileo turn around the sixers if brand never gets hurt??

bulls presale playoff tickets went on sale today.... for the first time i'm hesitant in getting tickets

[Andrew]

What's the deal with that? Do you pay the full amount and get refunded if it turns out there are no games to sell tickets for or is it just a deposit?

[air gordon]

It’s refunded though that’s not the issue. I think they should make it. Maybe it’s the recession- I don’t want to drop the cash for overpriced tickets, beer, parking, and food for a 1st round exit

Or maybe it’s the growing feeling I have that the bulls are heading towards NBA purgatory- good enough to make the playoffs but not a contending team (which I don’t want to support/accept). As long as this team is counting on (or paying) Gordon, Deng, Hinrich as main contributors, this team isn’t going anywhere IMO. And Tyrus Thomas- even with the improvement, is he a franchise player?? If Bosh wanted out of Toronto, I would give up thomas, deng, and whatever else it takes (-Rose) to get the deal done. But hey maybe that’s the pessimist in me talking…

[George7]

I'm a fan of Bulls since many years and i believe something good is coming.If not this season(it's early) i believe the next one.
Bulls have good players, but they need 1 player who can take the team in tough occassions.The one taking the big shots.
Or a star in C or PF as they have players who can take a crucial shot (Gordon ,Salmons,Rose.)

Also Gordon can be the leader in this team.He is stable in his performance and taking big 3's.(Also my fav player)
Salmons after comming to CHI had 20 pts average in 10 games!
I believe Deng should be traded for a good C or Pf(along Noah or Miller?)
Tyrus Thomas is a good player for his position as he can improve.

I'm very satisfied with the 2nd half of the season!!

[diddy]

yeah, bulls came up great after that trade with Sac-town! Chi and Miami both has great bright future, Rose is amazing and bulls has very-very -VERY deep roster, almost like Heat in 2005-2006 season, but less talented and worse coached! but still, it seems to me, and i've told this already a number of times, next season gonna be full of surprices, such as rise of Heat, Bulls, Nets and probably Kniks!

[George7]

Heat made a great comeback from a bad season last year, as bulls.
I believe Del Negro has future,he hasn't got any experience yet, but he'll be improved IMO.
That trade with Sac was a great deal!
I believe that Bulls have talent , but it's not used well yet.If players and coach got used together ,we might do sth good next year.
This year is tough, Boston is a big team.Maybe we can pass over Phila and face Orlando.

Knicks con make a comeback,and Nets also.

[diddy]

you prefer orlando over boston? i think KG isn't in proper condition to make bug damage, and orlando will eat bulls under the basket with Howard and they have too many 3-pt shooters!but bulls has one answer to orlando - Rose, he will destroy Alston all the day!

[George7]

Orlando isn't an experienced squad like Boston.
Magic have a strong team but Celtics have players to take big matches (KG,Pierce,Allen)>(Howard, Lewis,-Turkoglou??)

[Andrew]

It’s refunded though that’s not the issue. I think they should make it. Maybe it’s the recession- I don’t want to drop the cash for overpriced tickets, beer, parking, and food for a 1st round exit

Or maybe it’s the growing feeling I have that the bulls are heading towards NBA purgatory- good enough to make the playoffs but not a contending team (which I don’t want to support/accept). As long as this team is counting on (or paying) Gordon, Deng, Hinrich as main contributors, this team isn’t going anywhere IMO. And Tyrus Thomas- even with the improvement, is he a franchise player?? If Bosh wanted out of Toronto, I would give up thomas, deng, and whatever else it takes (-Rose) to get the deal done. But hey maybe that’s the pessimist in me talking…

Fair enough, it's certainly one of those luxuries one might think twice about. As for the future of the team I'm a little more optimistic, I think Gordon for one can be a part of a better Bulls team though not the catalyst or the leader of that team. If anyone on the current squad could fulfil such a role I'd suggest it would be Rose but I would agree that such a player would most likely come from elsewhere, someone like a Chris Bosh jumping ship.

As for opponents...sixth, seventh or eighth, I don't think it really matters. I'd suggest there's a chance they could steal one in Chicago to avoid the sweep (and I suppose it'd be kind of cool for it to be Boston, since the Bulls have never won a single game against the Celtics in the postseason) but as far as their chances of doing better it's much of a muchness.

EDIT: Bobcats and Pacers are officially eliminated, so Chicago and Detroit are safe. Just a matter of seeding now.

[George7]

Andrew, I believe also that except Gordon and D-rose, Salmons and Thomas can be a part of this better Bulls team as they can be in the bench and make a big contribution if they are used well by the team.
I agree that a Bosh-type player is needed to give strength in the paint(Wallace was expected to do that when he got traded from Pistons,but with no success)

It will be a pretty tough battle for the 7th place in east for Pistons and Bulls as they're tied 0.494% and 39-40 both team

[George7]

Big win tonight!Bulls can also make it to the 6th spot!!!

Yesterday Gordon proved what i posted earlier.
he can be the leader of this team and he can make big performances like that with Charlotte!!
(39 pts, 7-12 from 3pt line!!)
He was on fire

[Andrew]

Andrew, I believe also that except Gordon and D-rose, Salmons and Thomas can be a part of this better Bulls team as they can be in the bench and make a big contribution if they are used well by the team.

Agreed, in lieu of being able to bring in a big name as pieces in a trade, Salmons and Thomas are a couple of other players I'd like to see stay in the rotation. I'm not so optimistic that I believe those four alone will be enough to build a much more successful team upon but of the current players, they're the ones I'd most like them to keep and players that I believe could be part of a better team (but again not necessarily the catalysts).

Timely win against the Bobcats to move to .500, it's a rather small thing to celebrate but nice to see all the same as it looked like that was going to be out of the question...not that they can't still finish under .500 on the season, of course. Much as I like Gordon I don't know about him being the leader (and one game definitely doesn't prove that) but I think his importance as a 20 ppg scorer and the benefits of having him around are somewhat underrated. We like to say "defense wins championships" and that's certainly important - and an area in which Gordon is lacking - but it doesn't really matter if you hold a team to 75 points if you can't score 76 yourself. Leadership wise, the Bulls will have to look elsewhere but if he leaves I believe they'll miss him on offense, even with Salmons around.

[air gordon]

Andrew- yeh maybe if I lived in Australia, I’d think twice about getting the tickets

For this current team- the problem isn’t scoring. The problem is defense. The bulls aren’t a defensive juggernaut like the Skiles-lead bulls… leading the league in defense fg%/consistently holding opponents under 100pts. VDN wants to run the ball up and down the court, put points on the board, and win big macs for the fans… while on the other end their defense & rebounding is pretty poor.

The problem with that is come playoff time- the bulls will be facing the big boys…not some mediocre defensive teams like the Wizards or Heat in the past. top tier defenses like the Cavs, Magic, and Celtics will give the offensive “juggernaut” known as the bulls problems. Nevermind the mismatches they present on offense

I agree Gordon and his benefits would be missed… as well as Hinrich’s/Deng’s benefits if they were to be traded. To be honest Hinrich has been the X factor for this team since he started coming off the bench (paradox lol). as i said before you can't be spending that much for that production while other holes in the teams exist. whether it be Gordon, Deng, or Hinrich getting traded/not resigned- the team would take a small step back but assuming they give up one of those for cap relief (and/or backup PG) which could lead them to being in better position to get a player like Bosh and still have cap space to sign another max player in the 2010 frenzy... you have to take that chance!

i

[Lamrock]

I think the Bulls are about to make it to the conference semifinals.

[puttincomputers]

if in case of a tie the seedings are done by points scored versus the tied opponent the bulls would have a mathematical chance at 5th.

[Lamrock]

Even if they don't, Orlando is playing like shit.

[NovU]

How unfortunate. Now the Bulls are likely to go against the Celtics.

Banged up Magic I think is an easier opponent than banged up celtics.

I don't think this will be a long series, but who knows what the Bulls have in mind.

[benji]

Bulls right now have the Magic, they're ahead of the Sixers. And the Sixers get Celtics and Cavaliers for their last two. Bulls get Toronto.

I think the Magic are fake banged-up. Sure they have wear and tear after missing almost no games for two years now. But they realized their shot at the second was too low, so they're giving some rest instead of it being actual serious injuries. I think the Celtics have been doing similar things despite having more severe wear and tear. Both teams know they need to be at full strength to bring down not just the Cavs but each other.

[Andrew]

For this current team- the problem isn’t scoring. The problem is defense. The bulls aren’t a defensive juggernaut like the Skiles-lead bulls… leading the league in defense fg%/consistently holding opponents under 100pts. VDN wants to run the ball up and down the court, put points on the board, and win big macs for the fans… while on the other end their defense & rebounding is pretty poor.

If only they could find the happy medium. I know I'm stating the obvious here but the best teams are the ones that are strong at both ends, holding down their opponents while managing to put up points on the board and outscore them. So long as the Bulls are one or the other - reasonly competent defensively or reasonly competent offensively - they're going to keep hitting that wall.

I agree Gordon and his benefits would be missed… as well as Hinrich’s/Deng’s benefits if they were to be traded. To be honest Hinrich has been the X factor for this team since he started coming off the bench (paradox lol). as i said before you can't be spending that much for that production while other holes in the teams exist. whether it be Gordon, Deng, or Hinrich getting traded/not resigned- the team would take a small step back but assuming they give up one of those for cap relief (and/or backup PG) which could lead them to being in better position to get a player like Bosh and still have cap space to sign another max player in the 2010 frenzy... you have to take that chance!i

True, but I'd still prefer they take their chances on Deng. I know, I know, he could be a fine third player depending on who else the Bulls can get to make up their roster but if paying Gordon big money is a concern because of the question of whether he's a starter quality player or not, then surely paying Deng the kind of money he's getting to possibly be the third player on the team, [i]if[/b] he can stay healthy...I don't know, with Salmons around, I'd prefer they look to take the risk on trading Deng. I know I'm biased in wanting Gordon to stay but with the way Salmons has slotted in nicely I do feel Deng has become more expendable as far as the player they have to forego to keep others.

Let the minor celebrations commence as the Bulls can officially finish no worse than .500 and have a shot at finishing in sixth place. As I said I don't think it matters much this time around though; I'm inclined to agree with Ben, the Celtics and Magic seem to be coasting at the moment to close out the regular season which is making the Bulls' chances appear better than they really are. I reckon they can take one in Chicago to avoid a sweep but as for an upset, I think we've got to give the Celtics and Magic a bit more credit than that.

[shadowgrin]

I think the Magic are fake banged-up.

Damn Paul Pierce and his theatrics!

[air gordon]

andrew- They probably won’t find a happy medium soon. VDN appears to be an offensive minded coach and he has limited healthy players.

At this point I doubt there will be takers on Deng & his contract. The bigger risk would be on the team trying to acquire him- he’s coming off another disappointing year and had a season ending injury. this would be the 2nd time the bulls will be in the playoffs and not have Deng. You almost have to keep him next year and pray he comes back next year with a jumpshot (preferably from 3) or go-to move.

I’m not against your idea of keeping Gordon instead of Deng (i prefer to to trade Hinrich anyway. Just consider this- a Rose-Salmons-Deng-Thomas-Noah lineup would be better defensively (finally no more size mismatches!) and still retain some offensive firepower.

To be honest (coming from a Gordon fan) Salmons skillset makes Gordon or Hinrich expendable. Think about it- Salmons can defend the perimeter well, score efficiently, and is a good ball handler. And somehow he’s made himself into a legit threat from 3pt land. He has both those players strengths but not their deficiencies and is on a good contract (lol sounds like an all star).


as far as playoff foes go- i prefer the magic even if they embarrassed the bulls twice already. maybe orlando gets cold from 3pt land. who knows. i just don't want to see a healthy, interested, and battle tested Celtic team come into the U.C

[Andrew]

Yeah, that is certainly the downfall of that plan, finding a taker for Deng's contract given the injuries and whatnot.

I suppose the Magic could be a better opponent but either way I'm not holding my breath for the miracle (and I'm guessing you're not either). I won't be upset if I'm wrong (though there goes the Eastern playoffs if I am) but with the embarrassing losses to the Magic I can't muster up too much fanboy enthusiasm, at least to the point of predicting anything miraculous.

Did you end up getting tickets?

[shadowgrin]

Sixers beat the Bulls for the 6th seed!*

*Just to continue the occasional pseudo-rivalry between me and Andrew when the Sixers and Bulls somehow directly affect each other's playoff hopes or standings.


The Bulls face a Garnett-less Celtics, damn it.

[Andrew]

Things look a little better for that token win at home to avoid the sweep.

[Dan's Brain]

Well that's that then. Certainly a much, MUCH better season than the last, not that it really had much of a choice. Obviously the mid-season trade was the turning point of the season, the Bulls became (arguably) a 50-win team after that deal. Doug Collins made a good point during the Game 7 call, that with Garnett's absence and the Bulls improvement, the series wasn't so much a 2nd vs 7th series, but probably more of a 4th vs 5th. In that case, the series going to 7 games was certainly more fitting.

The positives of this season are obvious: the play of Derrick Rose, the arrivals of Salmons and Brad Miller, and the steady improvements of Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah, and of course, the return to the playoffs.

Negatives are fewer than in years' past. I can really only point to Deng as a major negative aspect of the season. Hinrich missing 30-odd games was also disappointing, but he was so important to the team's success when he returned, and played well through much of the Celtics' series.

Sooooo..... Now what?

Is this when you make that big deal to bring in this low post superstar?

What do you do with Ben Gordon?

Keep the draft pick?