Floor belongs to veterans Griffin, Wallace
Veterans get point across by calling players-only meeting
By K.C. Johnson
Tribune staff reporter
January 12, 2008, 8:44 PM CST
ATLANTA -- As recently as Wednesday, interim coach Jim Boylan gathered his players to stress the importance of this four-game trip and, despite inconsistent play, the Bulls' proximity to the playoff picture.
After Saturday's practice on the Georgia Tech campus, his players followed suit.
Veterans Adrian Griffin and Ben Wallace asked Boylan and his staff to leave the gym and then led a brief, players-only meeting.
"Even after wins, you still need to at times talk about some things that may have went wrong," forward Joe Smith said. "That's what it was about. We know we have some ground to make up on this trip, and we know we have a good opportunity.
"We're still in the hunt. If we play the right way, we have games where we're capable of winning. We have to take care of our bodies and each other on the floor."
On the drive to practice players had shared their intentions with Boylan, who appreciated the idea.
"You want your guys to take ownership of the team," Boylan said. "We have guys stepping up in a lot of ways, so it's good. You have to give them the freedom to lead. We're trying to nurture that and give them the opportunity to do it. It's great to see."
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