The Jim Boylen growth thread

[contestedlayups]

I have been vocal in my displeasure about Jim Boylen and how I thought he was a clown through and through. I have called him the worst coach in the NBA multiple times, and there are instances where he most certainly is the worst coach in the league with his in-game decisions to go along with his non-existent in-bounds plays. Those still hold true today.

However, what transpired on Friday night with the ejection and the events that followed, in Lavine offering to pay for Boylen's fine, is the sign of massive growth from Boylen. He has earned the respect of the players by conditioning them when they didn't want to be, taking a bunch of flack nationally after the "near mutiny", and continuing preaching his messages of trust and working together. The Otto Porter trade was a god-send for Boylen, and eliminating a toxic Jabari Parker was as big of a move as any, but the buy-in from the players has been obvious. They're growing and trusting Boylen's philosophies of being in great shape, giving effort on the defensive end, and trusting each other to make plays offensively.

Am I just seeing this from a biased perspective? Or is this actually happening?

[sco]

I have been vocal in my displeasure about Jim Boylen and how I thought he was a clown through and through. I have called him the worst coach in the NBA multiple times, and there are instances where he most certainly is the worst coach in the league with his in-game decisions to go along with his non-existent in-bounds plays. Those still hold true today.

However, what transpired on Friday night with the ejection and the events that followed, in Lavine offering to pay for Boylen's fine, is the sign of massive growth from Boylen. He has earned the respect of the players by conditioning them when they didn't want to be, taking a bunch of flack nationally after the "near mutiny", and continuing preaching his messages of trust and working together. The Otto Porter trade was a god-send for Boylen, and eliminating a toxic Jabari Parker was as big of a move as any, but the buy-in from the players has been obvious. They're growing and trusting Boylen's philosophies of being in great shape, giving effort on the defensive end, and trusting each other to make plays offensively.

Am I just seeing this from a biased perspective? Or is this actually happening?

The good I see is that guys are not taking nearly as many long 2's. I don't think we're taking enough 3's still we're at about 30% (vs. MIL which shoots 40%), which makes us easier to defend. But my complaint is that I think our defensive effort from when we were playing slow-ball has almost completely evaporated. I see too many uncontested 3's and blow-by's for lay-ups (and sure, some of that is when Shrek is in, but still...).

I like that while Boylen is loud during games, unlike Fred, he is very positive toward players, unlike Thibs. I think he comes across as someone who genuinely gives a crap about these kids, which is what I think Pax sees in him. I am totally fine with another year of his over-touching guys (seriously, he is very handsy - if this was the WNBA...).

[fleet]

Lets just say its good to be awake during games. Even to care enough to turn a game on again. We aren't used to seeing a coach get exited since Thibs. So, I'll take him getting tossed. I'm agnostic on Boylen as a coach. And the team. They as a group are mostly meh as far as generating interest. I've been absent paying attention to these irrelevant Bulls. Mostly because the upside hasn't been there, and I've learned during these recent years that I need that more and more for me myself to stay awake during games. But if a Bulls coach shows a pulse again, I'm back in (once in awhile).

[ZOMG]

I don't care about his "growth" if we're (again) playing bad basketball. And make no mistake, we are.

This recent lovefest between Boylen and some of the players just clouds the issue we should really be talking about.

What kind of basketball does Boylen actually want the Bulls to play? It's March and we're still no closer to an answer. We've gone from a slug-it-out, slow-it-down, post-up bonanza to a movement-based offense with equal opportunity ballhandling... and back to a one-dimensional, ISO heavy style.

Who is Jim Boylen really?

For some reason, even this forum of diehard fans wants to concentrate more on individual players and Boylen's relationship with them. I guess the goal of the Bulls playing consistently winning basketball as a team is still so far away that we need these distractions.

Boylen's like a highly-paid cheerleader (or a drill sergeant, depending on the day). Where is his long term vision for this team?

[BigUps]

I don't care about his "growth" if we're (again) playing bad basketball. And make no mistake, we are.

This recent lovefest between Boylen and some of the players just clouds the issue we should really be talking about.

What kind of basketball does Boylen actually want the Bulls to play? It's March and we're still no closer to an answer. We've gone from a slug-it-out, slow-it-down, post-up bonanza to a movement-based offense with equal opportunity ballhandling... and back to a one-dimensional, ISO heavy style.

Who is Jim Boylen really?

For some reason, even this forum of diehard fans wants to concentrate more on individual players and Boylen's relationship with them. I guess the goal of the Bulls playing consistently winning basketball as a team is still so far away that we need these distractions.

Boylen's like a highly-paid cheerleader (or a drill sergeant, depending on the day). Where is his long term vision for this team?

You sir, get it.

Boylen still stinks IMO. His schtick will wear thin quickly too. For now, its fine, but after this season we better make a change.

Its also very easy to confuse coaching hard with good coaching. They are not the same.

[ZOMG]

This Bulls team has quit. Plain and simple.

Read on Twitter

[Am2626]

I don't care about his "growth" if we're (again) playing bad basketball. And make no mistake, we are.

This recent lovefest between Boylen and some of the players just clouds the issue we should really be talking about.

What kind of basketball does Boylen actually want the Bulls to play? It's March and we're still no closer to an answer. We've gone from a slug-it-out, slow-it-down, post-up bonanza to a movement-based offense with equal opportunity ballhandling... and back to a one-dimensional, ISO heavy style.

Who is Jim Boylen really?

For some reason, even this forum of diehard fans wants to concentrate more on individual players and Boylen's relationship with them. I guess the goal of the Bulls playing consistently winning basketball as a team is still so far away that we need these distractions.

Boylen's like a highly-paid cheerleader (or a drill sergeant, depending on the day). Where is his long term vision for this team?

Also how will Boylen affect potential free agents and can he coach established star players? If he can’t then that will significantly impact the long term potential of this team.

[TheFinishSniper]

This Bulls team has quit. Plain and simple.

Read on Twitter

Defense starts with PG and C. We have Dunn and Lopez. What do you expect? Top rankings? Lopez never tried on defense this year. That's why WCJ took his oatmeal and started the moment he got drafted. And Dunn is China bound after end of season.

[Mr Funk]

I like that while Boylen is loud during games, unlike Fred, he is very positive toward players, unlike Thibs.

Tom Thibodeau has a Master of Science in Counseling. Several former Bulls have not only repeatedly expressed their unwavering respect for him, but also spoken about the crucial role he played in their development; in addition to the fact that Thibs has proven that he can win with undermanned and flawed rosters.

Jim Boylen was not only an unremarkable college coach (69-60), but is also an ass who alienated a third of the team at Utah to such an extent that they actually left the program.

[ZOMG]

Excellent rundown by Will Gottlieb on how the Bulls have gone back to slow-it-down Boyball, endless RoLo post ups... and losing.

Watch on YouTube

[BigJimFinn]

Excellent rundown by Will Gottlieb on how the Bulls have gone back to slow-it-down Boyball, endless RoLo post ups... and losing.

At least Boylen cannot be blamed for the win last night, he certainly tried his best.
A high-cholesterole diet of constant Dunn-Lopez pick'n'rolls. Riding the Felicio-and-the-four-dwarves lineup for 6,5 minutes into 4th Q while sitting Lauri. Drawing that legendary OOT play to finish the regulation, that alone risked a tanking fine from the league HQ. There have been positives sighted on the way, and the mood of the team seems better now, but there is just so much stuff at both ends that has no future in the current NBA.

[RedBulls23]

Bringing Boylen back will be a mistake and a waste of a year of development for the young core.

Still holding out on slim hope that Pax brings in someone more qualified.

Side note, it was sounding like Boylen was yelling at Wizards players yesterday when they were about to shoot. That's bush league as hell.

[contestedlayups]

Bringing Boylen back will be a mistake and a waste of a year of development for the young core.

Still holding out on slim hope that Pax brings in someone more qualified.

Side note, it was sounding like Boylen was yelling at Wizards players yesterday when they were about to shoot. That's bush league as hell.

I get the feeling that Pax loves him, and that paying him, Hoiberg, and another coach in the same season if Boylen were to be let go seems super unlikely. If Boylen was yelling at Wizards players as they were shooting, that's hilarious and very scumbag-gy. I'm sure Pax would look at it as "spirited", though.

Would bringing Boylen back be all that detrimental? He's gotten a ton of buy-in from Lavine, and Lavine is clearly playing the best basketball of his career right now. Lauri was great for a stretch. Personally, I do think that the addition of Porter has much more to do with any of this than Boylen, but if the players love him and are growing together, I don't see another year of Boylen as that big of a detriment.

[ZOMG]

Bringing Boylen back will be a mistake and a waste of a year of development for the young core.

Still holding out on slim hope that Pax brings in someone more qualified.

Side note, it was sounding like Boylen was yelling at Wizards players yesterday when they were about to shoot. That's bush league as hell.

He did exactly that. Stephen Noh talked about it on Twitter and had video clips to prove it.

God, he's an embarrassment.

[ZOMG]

Bringing Boylen back will be a mistake and a waste of a year of development for the young core.

Still holding out on slim hope that Pax brings in someone more qualified.

Side note, it was sounding like Boylen was yelling at Wizards players yesterday when they were about to shoot. That's bush league as hell.

I get the feeling that Pax loves him, and that paying him, Hoiberg, and another coach in the same season if Boylen were to be let go seems super unlikely. If Boylen was yelling at Wizards players as they were shooting, that's hilarious and very scumbag-gy. I'm sure Pax would look at it as "spirited", though.

Would bringing Boylen back be all that detrimental? He's gotten a ton of buy-in from Lavine, and Lavine is clearly playing the best basketball of his career right now. Lauri was great for a stretch. Personally, I do think that the addition of Porter has much more to do with any of this than Boylen, but if the players love him and are growing together, I don't see another year of Boylen as that big of a detriment.

I've gone back and forth on Boylen, but right now I don't want him here next season. He squandered the goodwill he created in February when he had the team playing good basketball for a stretch.

Lately, we've played horrible basketball again and he seems enamored with LaVine's hero ball and RoLo's 15 second post ups. That's not the way forward.

[Mr Funk]

God, he's an embarrassment.

Watch on YouTube

[Chi town]

I’m not convinced Boylen is even worth bringing back for one year.

I want an experienced coach with a modern nba offense.

Give me Jay Wright please.

Sadly, we all know he’s comibg back.

[PaKii94]

Bringing Boylen back will be a mistake and a waste of a year of development for the young core.

Still holding out on slim hope that Pax brings in someone more qualified.

Side note, it was sounding like Boylen was yelling at Wizards players yesterday when they were about to shoot. That's bush league as hell.

I get the feeling that Pax loves him, and that paying him, Hoiberg, and another coach in the same season if Boylen were to be let go seems super unlikely. If Boylen was yelling at Wizards players as they were shooting, that's hilarious and very scumbag-gy. I'm sure Pax would look at it as "spirited", though.

Would bringing Boylen back be all that detrimental? He's gotten a ton of buy-in from Lavine, and Lavine is clearly playing the best basketball of his career right now. Lauri was great for a stretch. Personally, I do think that the addition of Porter has much more to do with any of this than Boylen, but if the players love him and are growing together, I don't see another year of Boylen as that big of a detriment.

I've gone back and forth on Boylen, but right now I don't want him here next season. He squandered the goodwill he created in February when he had the team playing good basketball for a stretch.

Lately, we've played horrible basketball again and he seems enamored with LaVine's hero ball and RoLo's 15 second post ups. That's not the way forward.

My theory is February was a dry run for next season. We saw our starter start outplaying the opposite team pretty handily. The bench obviously is a problem.

Now we are back to Rolo postups and Dunn PnR. Why would he go from a successfully running offense to this? No one is that stupid... unless it's done on purpose. and that purpose is to tank. It's unfortunate we won last game but I don't know how much more Boylen could do to tank the game.

[Dieselbound&Down]

I opened this up expecting photoshopped drawings of supposed things growing on Boylen's shaved mug. Y'all way to serious these days about a coach that's going to be leading a D league team next fall.

[transplant]

I opened this up expecting photoshopped drawings of supposed things growing on Boylen's shaved mug.

I blame you. Should've posted it in mid-December.