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The Chicago Bulls have some pretty solid players on their roster as we speak; Gordon, Nocioni, Hinrich, Deng, Thomas, Noah, Hughes, Duhon etc; they are/were basically the same team that had one of the East's best records last season, and also the same team that swept through the Heat last post-season.

It still surprises and shocks me as to why they are just so horrible this season, after coming in with very high expectations.

So, what went wrong this season? And, is their 'run' of success over?

They don't have an inside guy to score with it. Until they get an inside presence, they are going no where. They also need to trade Ben Gordon. This is Luol Deng's team if it is anyone's team.

Fans too arrogant. I still remember them talking about winning the title this season. They were so arrogant that they didn't think giving up Deng worth it for Kobe Bryant.....hahaha.

What makes it all the more laughable that they thought they were contenders were that this was the weakest the East has ever been.

Seems to me, they over-hyped their chances by thinking sense they swept Miami, they had enough to go all the way the next season.

Too bad they didn't realize that Miami's implosion happened in last year's playoffs and last season in the first round, they really faced this year's miami heat.

Aside from the Karma from the fans, greedy ass players like Ben Gordon sealed their fate.

^Ben Gordon and Luol Deng passing up those extensions were just mind-boggling, given that many didn't see them as franchise centerpieces a la the LeBrons, Wades, Dwights; yet they were expecting larger contracts?

They stopped playing defense this year, thats one of the main sources of their decline. But really they were just overachievers. The Bulls don't really have that much talent, their best players are a 6th man and a 3rd option. Luol Deng is a Lamar Odom caliber player, not a first option. They are a team of role players.

Texas Longhorns wrote:They don't have an inside guy to score with it. Until they get an inside presence, they are going no where. They also need to trade Ben Gordon. This is Luol Deng's team if it is anyone's team.

Hahaha. That is so last year. This year we suck because of a defense that has regressed, our players seem to be playing with less bball IQ and chemistry that resulted in worse offense as well.

Jules Winnfield wrote:Fans too arrogant. I still remember them talking about winning the title this season. They were so arrogant that they didn't think giving up Deng worth it for Kobe Bryant.....hahaha.

False.

CBS7 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Hahaha. That is so last year. This year we suck because of a defense that has regressed, our players seem to be playing with less bball IQ and chemistry that resulted in worse offense as well.

But what inside presence do you guys have? You need somebody inside in the playoffs.

I'm hoping it was this year that was the fluke, and not the year before. It is understandable to think so, IMO, because before this year Gordon and Deng were improving every year, Hinrich was improving his shooting, etc. I don't care what other people think, it was realistic to expect 52-55 wins and a possible ECF appearance this year, with all the youth that kept getting better, addition of Noah and Joe Smith, etc.

People who expected us to fail said so because we still didn't have that post presence. Well I tell ya that is not even close to the main reason we have sucked this year.

They've been exposed for being a pure jumpshooting team with no leader, toughness, or heart.

Texas Longhorns wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



But what inside presence do you guys have? You need somebody inside in the playoffs.

Its still not the reason we struggled, but put this current frontcourt on last year's team and I think they get the 2 seed and get to the ECF.

NetsForce wrote:They've been exposed for being a pure jumpshooting team with no leader, toughness, or heart.

Its essentially the same team as last year. Its not that simple. You don't go from a 49 win team to a 30 win team because you were "exposed".

It seems like it's all about chemistry and cohesiveness (is that a word?). First, the Kobe situation was probably a big distraction to the players. To add insult to injury, the contract situations for Deng and Gordon sort of made them into players who are more concerned about getting that paycheck rather than winning the ballgame. I could be totally off, though.

CBS7 wrote:I'm hoping it was this year that was the fluke, and not the year before. It is understandable to think so, IMO, because before this year Gordon and Deng were improving every year, Hinrich was improving his shooting, etc. I don't care what other people think, it was realistic to expect 52-55 wins and a possible ECF appearance this year, with all the youth that kept getting better, addition of Noah and Joe Smith, etc.

People who expected us to fail said so because we still didn't have that post presence. Well I tell ya that is not even close to the main reason we have sucked this year.

What made the Bulls the past 3 years were the things you covered earlier in addition the grittiness, the diving for loose balls, and just out hustling their opponents, plain and simple.

This season you saw nothing of that on the same level you saw it in the past.

Maybe it's a fluke, maybe it's not.

That sounds right.

Normally players play great in contract years. Gordon and Deng did the opposite.

They are horrible and I don't see them getting better.

Flash3 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

What made the Bulls the past 3 years were the things you covered earlier in addition the grittiness, the diving for loose balls, and just out hustling their opponents, plain and simple.

This season you saw nothing of that on the same level you saw it in the past.

Maybe it's a fluke, maybe it's not.

Thats why I think it is a fluke. People don't forget how to play defense, forget how to play together, forget how to hustle, forget how to pass, forget how to shoot, etc.

And its not just Bulls fans that had high expectations for them, weren't they voted to get the #1 (or was it #2) seed in the preseason RealGM GB poll?

Everyone just overestimated how much potential the Bulls players had on their team. Deng and Gordon will probably improve somewhat, but neither of them are going to become stars or even first options. Tyrus has alot of potential, but who knows if he will ever meet it. Noah will be a good starter in the league. The Bulls don't have any players on their team that can develop into a legit star, thats why they will probably be stuck in mediocrity unless they make a trade.

CBS7 wrote:And its not just Bulls fans that had high expectations for them, weren't they voted to get the #1 (or was it #2) seed in the preseason RealGM GB poll?

Yup. I certainly had them as a top-3 seed. I don't know one person who saw this collapse coming.

There's a reason they were in the Kobe Bryant sweepstakes back at the start of the season -- they were one of the few teams that actually had the young, superb talent to acquire him!