Is this year just a fluke?

[eNgIeS]

Teams have definitely figured us out. That's why Pax's biggest task between now and the summer is to identify a head coach who can bring a whole new system to this team. (Pax's next biggest task, of course, is to balance the roster with better backcourt size and more scorers).

It's been said already, but warrants repeating: Bulls need a coach who can put together an imaginative system that plays to the strengths of the roster. The current road has reached a dead end.

I've been bashing retread coaches, but it just may be that we need a veteran experienced coach to put this team on a new direction.

i agree. I think Boylan has mixed things up a bit on offense and defense but not enuff....yet anyway.....willing to give him a lil more time coz things have got slightly better it seems at least we are .500 and not below with him

[SensiBull]

I really do think that the problem comes down to size.

I think we've built our team around the idea that rebounding, defense and hustle, especially hustle. Yet, at so many positions, we play undersized and pride ourselves on our ability to overcome these obvious mismatches with effort and pride. Effectively, we're treating the steeplechase like it was a sprint, and the players are wearing down. I think that's why they tuned out Skiles. I think that's why it seems that 'lack of effort' is the culprate in so many of our poor showings.

I think everyone is just tired.

[JeremyB0001]

I really do think that the problem comes down to size.

I think we've built our team around the idea that rebounding, defense and hustle, especially hustle. Yet, at so many positions, we play undersized and pride ourselves on our ability to overcome these obvious mismatches with effort and pride.

We play small, but I don't think the roster is built that way, other than at SG.

[Johnston797]

Very good thread....

It's not a fluke in my mind. Sure, there is some underachieving going on, but I think the reality is the core is not good enough to be a top-3 team in the conference every year and a threat to make it into the Finals.

If it was a fluke, you could write the year off and start new with a new coach. As it is NOT a fluke, Pax has some hard decisions and some deals are going to have to be made.

[sco]

Good read!

Trying not to repeat the points already made, a few additional comments:

1) Ref's are calling the game closer this year, especially ticky-tac fouls and not crediting flops as much. I think that Kirk's defense has been impacted more than others in the league, Noc too, but not as much. Unfortunately, I don't see this changing.

2) Deng's definitely not been 100% for most, if not all, of the year. He was MUCH quicker laterally last year and hasn't been nearly as lively. Hopefully he can recover in the off-season.

Combine these with the key points about East being tougher and the fact that teams have figured out the Bull's scheme, and here you are.

Lastly, I am not an advocate of trading anyone other than Noc right now, because IMO his trade value is actually pretty high. The Bull's biggest problem is that Pax suffers from pre-mature evacuation, and sells low instead of high. I would trade Wallace, but he has negative value right now (i.e. you need to take back a problem guy and/or a worse contract) in a year, his value will be higher as his contract gets closer to expiring.