PG: You reach, I Miroti?

[mj234eva]

I thought he'd play about 30 MPG, and had him at 15 ppg, 10 boards, & a TS% of at least 53%.

What happened to the 90% of this board that thought he would barely play, while Doug and Mike split the #3 spot?

Pau?

[DanTown8587]

And every tweet Kc/Nick has posted has been about Noah supporting the minutes restriction to protect him, so you can't have it both ways,so I think he is implying the way Thibs handles the 32 mins

Nick added more to this on the radio. Noah doesn't want to make waves picking between Thibs or the FO. But he wants to play and has hinted that if his minute limit is not lifted for the playoffs, Jo himself might initiate a sit down with the Gar, Pax and Thibs and discuss his minutes situation.

So Noah and Gasol have both publicly backed Thibs and the minutes they play. Pau said he's fine between 30 and 35 MPG, he's averaging 34. Jo wants his restriction lifted but doesn't want to make any waves either.

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/20/taj-gibson-says-getting-healthy-more-important-than-playoff-seed/

Gibson doesn’t see the value in returning just to win a couple extra games and putting the team in position of jeopardizing it’s long-term playoff prospects with diminishing health.

“Right now you never really know in the east,” Gibson said. “It’s about playing in the east getting a nice rhythm going, try to get as many wins as possible and whatever the chips fall, they fall. Just gotta know you have the team fully healthy.

[BeatDaCavs420]

Nick added more to this on the radio. Noah doesn't want to make waves picking between Thibs or the FO. But he wants to play and has hinted that if his minute limit is not lifted for the playoffs, Jo himself might initiate a sit down with the Gar, Pax and Thibs and discuss his minutes situation.

So Noah and Gasol have both publicly backed Thibs and the minutes they play. Pau said he's fine between 30 and 35 MPG, he's averaging 34. Jo wants his restriction lifted but doesn't want to make any waves either.

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/20/taj-gibson-says-getting-healthy-more-important-than-playoff-seed/

Gibson doesn’t see the value in returning just to win a couple extra games and putting the team in position of jeopardizing it’s long-term playoff prospects with diminishing health.

“Right now you never really know in the east,” Gibson said. “It’s about playing in the east getting a nice rhythm going, try to get as many wins as possible and whatever the chips fall, they fall. Just gotta know you have the team fully healthy.

Bet your ass Rose feels the same

[MC3]

Taj already tried to be warrior this season, didnt work averaging one ankle roll every 12 games. And this only diminish him and his value and production. I would be glad if he could get back sooner than later so Gasol can get some rest and skip a few games before playoff starts. Butler also tried to be warrior playing with 2 injuries, got a third. So he also took that approach. And I think Rose is thinking the same and it's why he didnt give any answer when he is coming back. I dont want to see warriors, I want to see athletes 100% ready for most important part of the season.

[DanTown8587]

I don't think the Pau thing is that surprising. He's getting his points while shooting WAY worse around the rim (a huge red flag for next year) and improving his efficiency because of the number of open shots he gets in the midrange. Last year, Pau was the first option on a very bad LA team so it was much easier to stop what he was going to do. With Rose and Jimmy, you're looking at two players WAY better than Pau played with last year. So Pau's midrange shooting numbers are back up to his ability because he's open. He's shooting a very good percentage (47% or so) on wide open jump shots but when he's guarded, that number drops to his LA numbers (35ish%).

Pau has been great and the Bulls/Thibs get credit for still seeing the value he could bring. But I wouldn't say his game has changed much but the role he's being asked to play versus LA is huge.

[mj234eva]

I don't think the Pau thing is that surprising. He's getting his points while shooting WAY worse around the rim (a huge red flag for next year)

Eh, not THAT bad, considering he's also assisted less at the rim, this year, vs last. 52% assisted at the rim, this year. Last year, 62%.

Also, last season Pau attempted fewer than 4 shots per game at the rim. This year, over 4.6. A good sign.

[kyrv]

Nick added more to this on the radio. Noah doesn't want to make waves picking between Thibs or the FO. But he wants to play and has hinted that if his minute limit is not lifted for the playoffs, Jo himself might initiate a sit down with the Gar, Pax and Thibs and discuss his minutes situation.

So Noah and Gasol have both publicly backed Thibs and the minutes they play. Pau said he's fine between 30 and 35 MPG, he's averaging 34. Jo wants his restriction lifted but doesn't want to make any waves either.

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/20/taj-gibson-says-getting-healthy-more-important-than-playoff-seed/

Gibson doesn’t see the value in returning just to win a couple extra games and putting the team in position of jeopardizing it’s long-term playoff prospects with diminishing health.

“Right now you never really know in the east,” Gibson said. “It’s about playing in the east getting a nice rhythm going, try to get as many wins as possible and whatever the chips fall, they fall. Just gotta know you have the team fully healthy.

And boom goes the dynamite. Dat hard hat lunch pail powder puff Gibson.

[kyrv]

Pau had a great World Championships, and I agree he was far from done. But if it was so obvious then why weren't the offers rolling in for more than the MLE? And by great year you surely don't mean you expected Pau to lead the league in double doubles and be top 5 in rebounds and blocks, do you?

Because he was limiting himself to contenders only. Typically, contenders don't have cap space in order to offer more.

The Lakers offered him double figures a season. I think Atlanta offered 10m, though I could be wrong on that one. My recollection is hazey.

Chicago, San Antonio, Miami & OKC. That's who he was interested in. Arguably the top 2 seeds when healthy in both conferences after the 2013-14 season.

You guys are missing the point I was making. Pau has exceeded ALL expectations with his play this season, yet people are acting like Thibs is ruining the guy. Thibs is getting more production out of Pau than expected. A little bit of credit is due to the coach for that.

Well thankfully we've gone from Pau's season being a Thibs creation to Thibs deserves a little bit of credit - which he does.

Sorry for not being clear, I thought it was obvious as it is a season long discussion, the worry with Pau is about the post season. Given that Pau specifically told him how to best prepare him.

[TheJordanRule]

Taj already tried to be warrior this season, didnt work averaging one ankle roll every 12 games. And this only diminish him and his value and production. I would be glad if he could get back sooner than later so Gasol can get some rest and skip a few games before playoff starts. Butler also tried to be warrior playing with 2 injuries, got a third. So he also took that approach. And I think Rose is thinking the same and it's why he didnt give any answer when he is coming back. I dont want to see warriors, I want to see athletes 100% ready for most important part of the season.

This is why I think we should keep Thibs. He's so good, but he clearly has room to grow as a coach. Imagine if Thibs became conscious of wear and tear for aging players, and figured out a less simplistic minutes distribution. He wouldn't just be good-- he'd be Popovich good.

[Mr Funk]

Lakers offered him 11 mill to stay.

Dan Lebetard said Gasol was heading to Miami until LBJ told him he was coming back.

So only the Lakers offered him more than $7 million. Pretty sure Miami, OKC, Knicks and San Antonio all wanted Pau for around the MLE. That's not a guy you're expecting to lead the league in double doubles and be top 5 in the NBA in both rebounds and blocks.

Pau was in great shape last summer with his national team. He and Anthony Davis were the most dominant players in the World Cup, they both seemed unstoppable. It was pretty obvious that he was going to have a great year if injuries respected him. He never was done in L.A. he just didn't fit in the system.

We had already signed Pau (July 18) by the time the Fiba World Cup commenced on August 30.

[MC3]

Taj already tried to be warrior this season, didnt work averaging one ankle roll every 12 games. And this only diminish him and his value and production. I would be glad if he could get back sooner than later so Gasol can get some rest and skip a few games before playoff starts. Butler also tried to be warrior playing with 2 injuries, got a third. So he also took that approach. And I think Rose is thinking the same and it's why he didnt give any answer when he is coming back. I dont want to see warriors, I want to see athletes 100% ready for most important part of the season.

This is why I think we should keep Thibs. He's so good, but he clearly has room to grow as a coach. Imagine if Thibs became conscious of wear and tear for aging players, and figured out a less simplistic minutes distribution. He wouldn't just be good-- he'd be Popovich good.

You dont know how much I hope Thibs realize. This rift wouldnt exist if Thibs wanting to change. And FO here becomes a "bad guy" because they want their players healthy, rested specially those who's coming from injuries or those who plays big minutes.

[johnnyvann840]

Bet your ass Rose feels the same

What does any if this have to do with the price of tea in China?

I agree with Taj, but that has nothing to do with a player who needs to get in playoff game shape, like Jo, feels well enough to play more, wants to, even goes as far as to say if his restriction is not lifted he is going to have a "sit down" with management and that even though he wants to play more now he doesn't want to make waves.

Or, a player like Gasol who claims he feels great playing 30-35 MPG and is averaging 34?

And I hope Derrick wants to play as badly as Jo does.

Not sure when it became true that playing reasonable minutes of NBA basketball for a professional making millions is somehow this dangerous thing for them.. I think it's just the opposite.. A player playing 28 MPG all season is not just going to able to step in and play bigger minutes in the playoffs with any effectiveness. They'll be gassed and burning more than if they played 34 or 35 repetitively throughout the year. If you want to be great for 32 minutes your body needs to be able to be really good for 35-38, then 32 feels like a walk in the park. It's how athletics work. It's how the human body works. This is what Thibs is trying to say,

However, at no time, EVER, should a player be on the floor if they are not healthy enough or risking further injury. That is common sense but not the case with Jo or Pau right now. obviously it is with Derrick and Taj (and even Jimmy) or they would be suiting up tonight. It's a pretty big game.

[TheJordanRule]

Taj already tried to be warrior this season, didnt work averaging one ankle roll every 12 games. And this only diminish him and his value and production. I would be glad if he could get back sooner than later so Gasol can get some rest and skip a few games before playoff starts. Butler also tried to be warrior playing with 2 injuries, got a third. So he also took that approach. And I think Rose is thinking the same and it's why he didnt give any answer when he is coming back. I dont want to see warriors, I want to see athletes 100% ready for most important part of the season.

This is why I think we should keep Thibs. He's so good, but he clearly has room to grow as a coach. Imagine if Thibs became conscious of wear and tear for aging players, and figured out a less simplistic minutes distribution. He wouldn't just be good-- he'd be Popovich good.

You dont know how much I hope Thibs realize. This rift wouldnt exist if Thibs wanting to change. And FO here becomes a "bad guy" because they want their players healthy, rested specially those who's coming from injuries or those who plays big minutes.

The front office is right on this point, but they have given Thibs a team without a starting SF, and they resigned Goggles with the RMLE. They screw the pooch more often than Thibs and therefore have no right to talk. Thibs is one of the game's best, and he's young enough and smart enough to improve as a coach. Firing him will force us to go with unproven guys or guys who are known for sucking. It would be a big step backwards for our team. The phrase, "Cutting off your nose to spite your face" applies here.

[RebuildaBulls]

The title of this thread makes so much sense in many different ways