Webber: Melo Run from the Bulls

[Rerisen]

And lastly, the bulls ball movement looked the best when they had korver, brewer, and boozer playing together.

Well Korver should have been starting from the get go and the offense would have been even better than 11th, with a lesser, but worth it, small sacrifice to defense.

But that was only one year. Then Brewer fell apart physically, Boozer not far behind, and we dumped Korver.

You have to adjust when personnel changes. But we never got proper replacements for the offense that was lost or declined.

This summer is the first chance to reinvent in a big way. Let's see what they do.

If we get a major offense injection and the offense is still mucked up, then we can condemn Thibs.

[jl342323]

He might have been thinking in real time right along with Pop on how to defeat the top dog.

Pop made the change back in 2010 and that is why his team looks fluid and crisp now. He rebuilt his team from a grueling defensive/methodical half court offensive team to a high paced, crisp ball/player movement offensive power house.

This read and react offense doesnt come together in months. It will take at least a couple years to begin looking like the spurs.

Offenses like the spurs or utah jazz under jerry sloan needs continuity. You cant change your philosophy on offense every year like thibs is doing right now.

[jl342323]

I have to agree with him about Thibs lack of offensive savvy. I have been saying that for 3 seasons now. Had the Bulls done what I suggested back then, and got an offensive minded assistant coach, they wouldn't have this concern.

You really think a control freak like thibs would delegate 50% of basketball to an assistant? No way dude. No way.

Back when Dantoni was the HC for the suns, he had an opportunity to hire thibs as one of his assistant. D antoni rejected it because he knew their difference in how they approached the game.

Its same with thibs.

[Chicago Brawls]

Everybody knows the NBA is a coaches league.

Don't worry guys, the players will be fired if the results aren't there.

[kodo]

Oh Chris, you were so talented but still so dumb.
Popovich has long been a huge fan of Noah & Thibs, even without Rose.

And most importantly, he says Chicago's guys have the same character as the Spurs and that's where it all starts.

“Well, I was stunned the other day — I didn’t realize it — I think it was the Miami game. When I was watching Miami and the Bulls, someone said that he had coached more games without Derrick than he had with him. That just threw me back in my chair. I couldn’t believe it.” Popovich explained. “I can’t imagine coaching more games without Tony and Tim and Manu [than with them]. But he’s sustained it. He’s a competitor of the highest degree. He demands it and he wins the battle with players. He’s consistent in what he’s going to do and practice week to week, and what he’s going to have as standards. That’s where it begins and then he’s fortunate to have character guys like I do, that allowed themselves to be coached and try to do what’s instilled each day.”

Popovich also praised Bulls’ All-Star center Joakim Noah. The coach believes Noah is a legitimate candidate for both league MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.

“When you look at MVP, I think most people that vote, they just look at points and that’s a valid entity, I guess. But with defensive players, I think for big guys, they usually just look at blocks, whether somebody blocked a shot or not. Some guys that block shots and can’t play a lick of defense get credit for blocking shots. When I look at the bigs, I look at somebody like Joakim. He can guard ones, twos, threes, fours and fives, and he can switch on to people and people can’t go by him,” Popvich said. “I mean, I watched him guard LeBron the other day. My gosh, it was pretty impressive. So a defender to me is somebody who can defend the ball, get rebounds and can react weak side to strong side, whether he’s small or whether he’s big, and so I think defensively, there are other aspects people can look to pick Defensive Players of the Year, [All-Defensive] first team or second team.”

[chifan1798]

*sigh* Chris is giving us Wolverines a bad name

I do have issues with Thibs, and offense does seem to be one of those issues, but at the same time, I have to keep telling myself that we don't really have the personnel to have a high octane offense. I think that any issues with offense are moreso with lack of creators and shooters than with him not coaching offense.

Now if we have someone like Melo on the team, in addition to Rose, and added some shooters, and we still were middling in the offensive department, then I would be a little suspect. But during Rose's healthy seasons, the bulls were the best passing team in the league, and they were decent in offensive rating. Melo should only help improve that. Heck, if Melo comes, then we'll get some ring chasing shooters.

I still like Chris though

[cubd8]

Webber "that's just not the place to go. When D-Rose was healthy, they had terrible offense. [Coach Tom] Thibodeau is a great, great coach, but offensively you have to have an offensive-minded coach as well, someone who can adapt like a [Spurs coach Gregg] Popovich".

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blog ... ty=chicago

I personally find it hard to argue that Thibs doesn't adapt or grow. I think he's the same coach we hired and he's less human and more machine. The great coaches appreciated the human aspect as much as the basketball side.

You need both offense and defense. Defense is here, and I would think adding a healthy Rose with Anthony would greatly improve the offense.

If Anthony goes to Houston, yes, they are formidable and probably have the highest scoring trio in the NBA, but they were already a high scoring team and they couldn't get out of the 2nd round because they couldn't play defense. Does that change if they add Anthony? Not so sure.

[Michael Jackson]

Thibs has run with the horses he has been given. He is an amazing defensive coach, that being said his offense has been good enough to still win. He doesn't have Skiles or Collins disease, by all reports Thibs is highly sought after and Melo likes the guy. Tom is not Pop. Pops might go down as the GOAT as a coach, but Thibs knows ball. Give him some non jimmy butlers and he will score. He let Nate and DJ play their game.

[dougthonus]

I generally like Chris Webber, but he seems a little off here on his reasoning if not his conclusion.

If you wanted to say "Run from Chicago because Derrick Rose might be healthy" then I'd get it. If you want to say "Run from Chicago because they don't have enough offensive pieces" then I'd get it. Run from Chicago because Tom Thibodeau can't coach, but go to Houston to play with Kevin McHale? That I don't get.

That said, ultimately, he's entirely correct even if his rationale is wrong. If Houston can get cap space and Chicago has to compare to Houston? I'd say it's over. I can't imagine why you'd choose Chicago over Houston if they can give you Howard, Harden, and Parsens as a core then fill in with role players. That's simply better than what chicago will have.

Only argument for Chicago is they're in the East and the East is pathetic.

[Axl Rose]

thibs hasn't even had any good offensive pieces to work with outside of Rose

but i dont think webber saying this really hurts anything because one of the reasons melo wants to come here in the first place is because of thibs

[Woody Allen]

I think the most idiotic part of his comment was when he said that Melo should play for someone like Popovich. Kind of like saying OKC Thunder should sign someone like Lebron James.

[Chitownbulls]

I think the most idiotic part of his comment was when he said that Melo should play for someone like Popovich. Kind of like saying OKC Thunder should sign someone like Lebron James.

Exactly lol Every player should be coached by Pop.

[Rerisen]

Offenses like the spurs or utah jazz under jerry sloan needs continuity. You cant change your philosophy on offense every year like thibs is doing right now.

We knew last year would have been a long shot to win even with Rose healthy. But if Derrick had been able to play, we would have had a whole year of integrating the new offense with Derrick, Gibson, Jo, and Butler, 4 guys likely to still be staples next year.

Kind of hard to progress the offense at all when your superstar and guy who runs the offense by far the most every game, isn't there for 2 years.

And again, you can't just look at the coach. Gar has been clearing the decks on the bench every year as well, Thibs has to teach all these new guys the defensive system first before he can even trust them on the floor, let alone to get them up to speed on offense.

[coldfish]

Thibs is a good offensive coach. He is just coaching to win the game though and he is willing to sacrifice offense for overall performance. As an example, the Bulls really tried to slow the pace down last year. That hurts your offensive total points and points per possession. However, the Bulls were a better halfcourt team than full court team so by slowing it down, they hurt the other team more.

Overall, I have seen the Bulls try just about every different type of offense imaginable. The number of different type of sets I have seen since Thibs has been here is incredible.

Probably the biggest knock on him that I can see is that he is just an offensive copycat. He isn't really innovative. Everything the Bulls have run is something I have seen somewhere else. He just tries different stuff until he finds something that works and sticks with it.

He also doesn't have much patience. If he tries something, he doesn't give it much time. He will switch away from an offense in a matter of weeks.

[Proven_Winner]

I generally like Chris Webber, but he seems a little off here on his reasoning if not his conclusion.

If you wanted to say "Run from Chicago because Derrick Rose might be healthy" then I'd get it. If you want to say "Run from Chicago because they don't have enough offensive pieces" then I'd get it. Run from Chicago because Tom Thibodeau can't coach, but go to Houston to play with Kevin McHale? That I don't get.

That said, ultimately, he's entirely correct even if his rationale is wrong. If Houston can get cap space and Chicago has to compare to Houston? I'd say it's over. I can't imagine why you'd choose Chicago over Houston if they can give you Howard, Harden, and Parsens as a core then fill in with role players. That's simply better than what chicago will have.

Only argument for Chicago is they're in the East and the East is pathetic.

Melo actually likes Thibs and Noah. Melo would just have to bring his offense because that's all we really need from him. Why does Houston need another scorer especially when scoring is not even their problem. Wouldn't you want to go to a team that can best utilize your abilities rather than a team that really doesn't need what you bring to a team.

[Rerisen]

Only argument for Chicago is they're in the East and the East is pathetic.

I think Harden and Melo's incompatibility is being undersold.

Likwewise touches for Howard, who has already been prickly about that on L.A. In this setup, he'd get the ball even less, and have games like Bosh in Miami, where somehow the ball might not find him 15 times in a game.

They might work better than LeBron and Wade initially because both can shoot, then again both those guys were 7 assist guys on their own teams, and neither Harden or Melo are passers on that level, they love to iso and Houston's offense is already far too mechanical, almost like watching a video game offense. Melo does nothing to grease the wheels or create fluidity in it.

They already had a great offense anyway, not sure how much more Melo can improve it. But their problem was on defense, esp on the perimeter, and Melo does nothing to help that.

[bearadonisdna]

Thibs made noah first team all nba! what is web talking about melo didnt even make an all nba team this year.
we saw melo with an offensive coach, d antoni and it didnt work out. mLEO HAS HIS OWN OFFENSIVE IDENTITY and thats what the bulls need. The bulls have a defensive coach that what melo needs.
Melo went ham when he got woodson, with an offensive coach like web suggests melo was stuck in mediocrity.
Would melo love pop? sure. but their aint no other pops out there. thibs is prolly the closet thing.
Mchale? who had problems just getting the ball to howard in the post? is that really a thing? yeah it was cuz they struggled with it all season.
And their defensive was so atrocious. going to houston melo should be prepared to give up 100 points per game.

[musiqsoulchild]

C-Webb needs help with his prepositions.

He meant "with", not "from".

[donaldtrump_00]

Webber "that's just not the place to go. When D-Rose was healthy, they had terrible offense. [Coach Tom] Thibodeau is a great, great coach, but offensively you have to have an offensive-minded coach as well, someone who can adapt like a [Spurs coach Gregg] Popovich".

I personally find it hard to argue that Thibs doesn't adapt or grow. I think he's the same coach we hired and he's less human and more machine. The great coaches appreciated the human aspect as much as the basketball side.

The Bulls had a terrible offense with a healthy Rose, eh?

webber is speaking from his neck but he's not looking at a number. his eyes are the factor. the truth is when chi did have the best record those two years in a row rose was a huge part of it. I think ppl forgot how good derrick rose really was. he carried them heavily and we cant deny that. and he had more then enough help with deng, boozer noah korver brewer even bogans. they all brought something to the table. just in the playoffs teams close in more. but where webber fails to see that if u have rose and melo together there wouldn't be bad offense. he also didn't mention where the role players would come in at for help. so he actually should be quite because chi is a championship team with him rose noah and if they can keep taj that is one hell of a team. the spurs would have trouble containing that offense. I can see rose being the leader as melo is the guy who comes off the pick n roll and noah if forced to become a jump shooter which I think he can do. clear the lane for rose and melo

[IcemanGervin]

Take a look at the offensive talent on the Bulls roster, Chris. It's not all coaching and to compare the Spurs and possibly the greatest coach of all time to the Bulls is absurd. True, that system and their front office is the best in the league and the reason why they are the benchmark for the rest of the league, but to just discard the Bulls success while having some of the worst offensive talent in the league is ridiculous. 3+ years of waiting for a player like Melo, coupled with shooters and capable creators is why the Bulls have been so awful on the offensive end of the basketball.