Yes, this is a Bulls blog, but we have two good semi-final series going, so I thought I'd toss in two cents. I think the Lakers match up very evenly with Denver, and ditto for Cleveland and Orlando. However, I think LA would fair better against Cleveland, and Denver would do better against Orlando.
Lebron and Kobe definitely get the all-star calls and are the league's marquee players. However, if they took all the players in the NBA and drafted them off, Lebron would be taken first, Dwight Howard would be taken second, and Kobe would be third. All three are having good series so far.
Speaking of drafts, I'll address the Bulls NBA draft opportunities in a different post. Overall, Griffin is a lock to go number one, with Rubio and Thabeet 2-3, not necessarily in that order. After that, it is a complete toss-up, although the Knicks are said to be zeroed in to Curry. Maybe I'll do a mini-mock later. The Bulls won't get much with that 16 pick though.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Boston game seven and offseason
Bulls could never quite recover from a hideous second quarter wherein they seemed determined to make as many turnovers as possible. Still, they had opportunities to make a run in the fourth quarter, but couldn't knock down the shots. They were particularly cold from the 3 point line and Boston shot over 50% from behind the arc. That's the difference in the game right there.
OK, well, a better season than could be hoped from this team. And a promising future as well. So far Paxson has proven to be a poor GM, but let's see if he can turn that around. Here's what I think he should do:
Trade Tyrus and Deng!! Should have done this two years ago when both had much more value but better now than next year when they will be worth even less. Tyrus will always be stupid and Deng will always be a wimp. Nothing the Bulls coaches can do will turn that around. Trading them for something worthy will not be easy but should be possible.
Resign Ben Gordon. He should have gotten Deng's money. Now give it to him. Guy had a great year. Yes, he has flaws in his game, and he's a midget, but he's our best player.
Salmons, Rose, and Gordon are the only players who shouldn't be considered for trades. I like Hinrich, but he makes too much money for what the Bulls use him for. Noah is a guy I've turned around on and would now like to keep, but if the right offer came around.... Same for everyone else.
Chris Bosh has got to be a guy the Bulls have their sights on. He's not a great defensive player though and not a particularly tough one either. I'd love to get him, but we also need a rough-neck to do the dirty work. We lost a lot of toughness when we traded Noc and could use that again. A Reggie Evans or Anderson Varejao type player would do.
In other words, we need two big guys. One who can score and one who is mean. Put an ad out!
Get your best trainers to work with Rose during the off-season. Last year, they were lucky enough to have the Olympic team to send him off to for a bit. Don't want to waste him in the Summer leagues, but he needs some good practice time.
And speaking of training, don't let Noah go to Florida! Or Monte Carlo, or anywhere where the Courvoisier flows like water.
We almost certainly won't get any help in the draft, so it's trade now or accept mediocrity.
OK, well, a better season than could be hoped from this team. And a promising future as well. So far Paxson has proven to be a poor GM, but let's see if he can turn that around. Here's what I think he should do:
Trade Tyrus and Deng!! Should have done this two years ago when both had much more value but better now than next year when they will be worth even less. Tyrus will always be stupid and Deng will always be a wimp. Nothing the Bulls coaches can do will turn that around. Trading them for something worthy will not be easy but should be possible.
Resign Ben Gordon. He should have gotten Deng's money. Now give it to him. Guy had a great year. Yes, he has flaws in his game, and he's a midget, but he's our best player.
Salmons, Rose, and Gordon are the only players who shouldn't be considered for trades. I like Hinrich, but he makes too much money for what the Bulls use him for. Noah is a guy I've turned around on and would now like to keep, but if the right offer came around.... Same for everyone else.
Chris Bosh has got to be a guy the Bulls have their sights on. He's not a great defensive player though and not a particularly tough one either. I'd love to get him, but we also need a rough-neck to do the dirty work. We lost a lot of toughness when we traded Noc and could use that again. A Reggie Evans or Anderson Varejao type player would do.
In other words, we need two big guys. One who can score and one who is mean. Put an ad out!
Get your best trainers to work with Rose during the off-season. Last year, they were lucky enough to have the Olympic team to send him off to for a bit. Don't want to waste him in the Summer leagues, but he needs some good practice time.
And speaking of training, don't let Noah go to Florida! Or Monte Carlo, or anywhere where the Courvoisier flows like water.
We almost certainly won't get any help in the draft, so it's trade now or accept mediocrity.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Boston game six
Wow, just when you thought this series couldn't get any wilder - 3OT! It was an epic battle, one of the longest games I can remember watching.
It was an improbable victory for the Bulls because Gordon had a bad game and then fouled out, and Rose, despite scoring 28, did not have a great game either (turnovers). Fortunately our Sacramento imports picked it up as both Miller and Salmons played well. Noah had the play of the game with a steal and dunk in the third OT. And just how slow is Paul Pierce when he can't catch Noah on the dribble? I think he did a little too much celebrating last year.
Rondo, who had his first bad game of the series, had yet another cheap shot, this time on Hinrich, who should have emulated Big Baby and flopped over the table instead of coming right back at Rondo and getting a T. Speaking of Big Baby, he had a heck of a game and Bulls are fortunate he fouled out. And speaking of fouling out, Pierce and Perkins joined him, and that had to help at the end.
And speaking of heck of a game - Ray Allen! This guy defines the term "streak shooter" and he was definitely on a streak. I have no idea why the Celtics didn't go to him for the final shot, but I'm glad they didn't.
Vinny played Tyrus too much, actually giving him more minutes than Miller who was far, far superior on the court. Maybe he was hoping that Tyrus would scratch up the inside of Pierce's nose again. Ouch, that had to have hurt!
Winning washes away memories of bad play, such as the Bulls blowing another ten point lead in the fourth quarter or muffing several chances to finish this game off earlier. The Bulls really needed this one as that would have been a terrible loss to end the season on. Clearly these teams (as they lineup at present) are about as evenly matched as you can get. Since all the pundits were picking the Celtics to win in 5 or 6, the Bulls have done well.
It was an improbable victory for the Bulls because Gordon had a bad game and then fouled out, and Rose, despite scoring 28, did not have a great game either (turnovers). Fortunately our Sacramento imports picked it up as both Miller and Salmons played well. Noah had the play of the game with a steal and dunk in the third OT. And just how slow is Paul Pierce when he can't catch Noah on the dribble? I think he did a little too much celebrating last year.
Rondo, who had his first bad game of the series, had yet another cheap shot, this time on Hinrich, who should have emulated Big Baby and flopped over the table instead of coming right back at Rondo and getting a T. Speaking of Big Baby, he had a heck of a game and Bulls are fortunate he fouled out. And speaking of fouling out, Pierce and Perkins joined him, and that had to help at the end.
And speaking of heck of a game - Ray Allen! This guy defines the term "streak shooter" and he was definitely on a streak. I have no idea why the Celtics didn't go to him for the final shot, but I'm glad they didn't.
Vinny played Tyrus too much, actually giving him more minutes than Miller who was far, far superior on the court. Maybe he was hoping that Tyrus would scratch up the inside of Pierce's nose again. Ouch, that had to have hurt!
Winning washes away memories of bad play, such as the Bulls blowing another ten point lead in the fourth quarter or muffing several chances to finish this game off earlier. The Bulls really needed this one as that would have been a terrible loss to end the season on. Clearly these teams (as they lineup at present) are about as evenly matched as you can get. Since all the pundits were picking the Celtics to win in 5 or 6, the Bulls have done well.
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