PG - Thanks Thibs!!!

[MrSparkle]

Jo is generally looking better, but man his scoring remains awful. His high over the past 4 games is .... 4 points. It's like carrying Rodman, only Jordan and Pippen were doing the carrying.

Yeah. At his best, he'd hit that mid-range jumper if left open. It'd only happen in 1-2 month phases. Without that, he's not a high-level player IMO.

I just don't see a championship team player unless every major-mpg player can contribute 10 ppg (as your floor). 3 FGs and 4 FTs is all it takes. Noah should get 6-8 points on his wide-open mid-range looks, not to mention some garbage points/tip-ins and fouls.

Guys like Kirk, bad Noah, Bogans, they create an offense where it's impossible to score easy buckets. All it takes is one guy not demanding any respect for the spacing to suffer... let alone 2 or sometimes even 3, in our situation.

[mj234eva]

All I have to say is that Niko is a damn stud. Kid looks better every game. He's sooo quick for a guy that size, and it seems like he's clutch as hell too. Hits big shots.

That's very true, he is way more clutch than I expected. He doesn't mind taking shots under pressure. He'll be our #1/2 option sooner than later, the kid is a stud for sure.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd1dRj9-ZnM[/youtube]

[FriedRise]

Tough loss, but it is what I expected from a shorthanded team facing a back-to-back vs really good teams. Unlike the SAS game, we actually had a chance here. I really wanted them to steal this one, but fatigue unfortunately set in and mental lapses cost us the game.

The worst part is the games keep coming. We're playing 4 games a week almost this entire month, split between home and away. This means very little practice and everyone has to figure things out on the fly. When you have guys who rarely play together face teams who have now jelled playing their best basketball of the season, every game will be tough. You see this from the high number of turnovers; guys don't know where they're supposed to be and they don't know where their teammates are, which results in a lot of bad passes. Take care of that, and we'll be in much better shape to fight.

We have Philly and Charlotte next, gotta get up for these and play strong all game. Then we play OKC on Sunday at noon, which probably is an automatic loss especially if we wear the black sleeved jerseys

Lastly, this was too sweet to not post

[RememberLu]

I cant wait till D.Rose comes back and starts seeing double teams again. Leave guys like niko, snell and dougie wide open from 3 and see how they do. God its so annoying watching Kirk and Brooks attempt to play the PG role on this team with futility

[Red8911]

I agree with many here thibs was about to win the game but then made mistakes and is responsible for losing this one, im sure he knows it.He decided to take out a hot snell, noah, kirk when the team was on a come back with momentum.You cant do that,doesn't matter if gasol or brooks wasn't playing, you go with what works in the moment. This loss is on thibs, even stacey king was questioning those subs.

[khufure]

even stacey king was questioning those subs.

And now we see where 3/4 of the board opinions come from. The talking heads on TV, and Steve Rosenbloom in the newspaper.

[ChiCitySPORTS#1]

even stacey king was questioning those subs.

And now we see where 3/4 of the board opinions come from. The talking heads on TV, and Steve Rosenbloom in the newspaper.

OR maybe because we all recognize it was a dumb move.

[khufure]

OR maybe because we all recognize it was a dumb move.

it's easy to pile more fuel on a bonfire. you think it's luck that players are developing in the Bulls system but not in other systems? that the worst offender in the system is not a druggy ditz thug but someone who's injured a lot? it's because of Thibs system that we have a likeable team of hard workers. he knows how to get the most from his players. he works his ass off to get them to work their ass off.

I for one am sick of everyone "recognizing" what the talking heads are spoon feeding. I'm going to take the opposite opinion. y'all need to recognize that we have a great coach, and anyone we get to replace him is going to suck. ffs, why is it your mission to replace a top-5 coach with a likely bottom-5?

[NecessaryEvil]

Sucks we lost 3 in a row but how fortunate are we to have the future that we do?

[*]Niko can be a #2 option & all-star easy @ some point in time. 'Possibly' even a #1. What PF in the NBA can take you off the dribble, from the 3 point line, spin off a defender and glide in for a smooth lay in? Very few. Niko's gonna be a *** **** monster.

[*]Jimmy is a strong #2 option & somehow, I think he's going to get even better.

[*]D-Rose is always going to be great. If he somehow continues to be plagued by injuries, we'll basically have our 'D-Wade'. That's ok with me, I love Rose. If he's healthy when it matters, he'll make a huge difference.

[*]Tony Snell is going to be a great role player in this league. He's a keeper / Jimmy's clear back-up / 2nd LBJ defender. Feel bad that I gave up on em early in the season. Glad we waited. He exploded basically a few weeks before the deadline. Thank God for Tony Snell, too.

[*]Doug McDermott has the ability to be great. I wonder who beats whom out for starter next season.

[*]E'twuan Moore was a great find pick up, didn't expect this at all. Poised, hits timely three's, strong, good defender. I think we're good on 2/3s for the foreseeable future if we can find a way to hang on to him as well.

I'm sure MDJ finds a way to make it back since I hear he really loves the team/city. We're good plus a 2015 first rounder to nab a future back-up center or pg this offseason & sign the opposite in fa (i'd opt for a vet pg personally). Love Pau but the sooner Niko starts with Noah, the better we'll be to start off games. Pau's been a warrior this year though, barely missed any games. But Niko & Rose need to get the game started quick and in a hurry. That would be my plan as a head coach.

I never give props to the FO so I wanna do it now. God bless Gar Forman. Shaping up to be a championship roster for a good long while.

[Rerisen]

2) Despite Kirk having an "on" night in this game. We just can't have him and Noah on the floor together. Their lack of offense just hurts us. Gotta restrict Kirk's minutes to be with Pau.

The numbers definitely agree with your view. Out of Kirk's top 8 minute pairs, Kirk + Jo is the only negative pairing in +/-.

MP | Players | +/- per 100

461:36 | Kirk, Dunleavy | +8.0
427:11 | Kirk, Brooks | +3.3
879:13 | Kirk, Butler | +3.1
625:55 | Kirk, Gibson | +2.5
879:20 | Kirk, Gasol | +2.2
470:36 | Kirk, Rose | +2.2
546:45 | Kirk, Niko | +1.7
673:05 | Kirk, Noah | -0.6

To Thibs credit Kirk does have more minutes with Pau than Noah, but Jo plays most of the game, so probably impossible to reduce it to zero.

But I agree with you, and in a more broad point, I think the Bulls have many problematic combos of low volume players, perhaps not as constrictive as this one, but that still make the team at risk for scoring droughts.

This needs to be corrected next year in the roster. Jo is so good at doing other things, he can be your non-scorer out there. But the rest of the rotation should then be able to put the ball in the hole respectably.

[musiqsoulchild]

Saw the game again just to verify something.

Brooks is a terrible PG.

[drbg43]

Jo is generally looking better, but man his scoring remains awful. His high over the past 4 games is .... 4 points. It's like carrying Rodman, only Jordan and Pippen were doing the carrying.

He's not really trying to score though, and operating in the high post mostly. Only taking like 5 shots a game.

[dumbell78]

Saw the game again just to verify something.

Brooks is a terrible PG.

Stop using that PG moniker with AB, its a travesty.

[kingkirk]

Saw the game again just to verify something.

Brooks is a terrible PG.

Didn't need to rewatch that game to figure that out.

His floor game is really, really bad. My contempt towards him is reaching John Lucas levels.

[TheStig]

Saw the game again just to verify something.

Brooks is a terrible PG.

He's the third lowest paid guy on the team and signed to be our 3rd sting PG. Why are you expecting him to be a good starter? He's a fine spark plug off the bench. How many teams have better 3rd string PG's than Brooks anyway?

[RebuildaBulls]

My beef with Brooks as starter is dribbling too much and unforced turnovers. But he wasn't brought on to be the starter so cant really get on him too much. But should be able to make some plays and slow down on the turnovers

[kyrv]

2) Despite Kirk having an "on" night in this game. We just can't have him and Noah on the floor together. Their lack of offense just hurts us. Gotta restrict Kirk's minutes to be with Pau.

The numbers definitely agree with your view. Out of Kirk's top 8 minute pairs, Kirk + Jo is the only negative pairing in +/-.

MP | Players | +/- per 100

461:36 | Kirk, Dunleavy | +8.0
427:11 | Kirk, Brooks | +3.3
879:13 | Kirk, Butler | +3.1
625:55 | Kirk, Gibson | +2.5
879:20 | Kirk, Gasol | +2.2
470:36 | Kirk, Rose | +2.2
546:45 | Kirk, Niko | +1.7
673:05 | Kirk, Noah | -0.6

To Thibs credit Kirk does have more minutes with Pau than Noah, but Jo plays most of the game, so probably impossible to reduce it to zero.

But I agree with you, and in a more broad point, I think the Bulls have many problematic combos of low volume players, perhaps not as constrictive as this one, but that still make the team at risk for scoring droughts.

This needs to be corrected next year in the roster. Jo is so good at doing other things, he can be your non-scorer out there. But the rest of the rotation should then be able to put the ball in the hole respectably.

Wow thanks those are interesting.

Brooks AND Kirk playing poorly is killer.

I would guess Moore is better than one or both (currently).

[Ice Man]

He's not really trying to score though, and operating in the high post mostly. Only taking like 5 shots a game.

Yes, I understand. The point remains, if the Bulls get essentially no points from one starting spot, they had better get production from the remaining 4. But Tony is a zero in half his games, and Mike is in about one third.

Well OK the current starting lineup isn't enough. I guess we knew that.

[drbg43]

He's not really trying to score though, and operating in the high post mostly. Only taking like 5 shots a game.

Yes, I understand. The point remains, if the Bulls get essentially no points from one starting spot, they had better get production from the remaining 4. But Tony is a zero in half his games, and Mike is in about one third.

Well OK the current starting lineup isn't enough. I guess we knew that.

Yeah. Well when Rose gets back I guess it'll be different for Noah and his finishing better improve.

Mirotic needs to keep getting minutes because he's carrying our offense right now.

[Mobby]

Snell probably asked for a blow guys

yeah i meant to say this earlier - what on earth in the history of tom thibodeau coaching a basketball team makes you think he'd say 'oh, shucks tony - you look like you're kind of pushing yourself a lil too hard out there; i'd better get you some rest even if it might come at the expense of our possibly winning a single regular season nba game'

LMAO!

Exactly. Snell was probably tired, and yeah, maybe Thibs should have rested him earlier, but it's not like he knew that Snell was gonna go off and that he'd be too tired to continue his hot streak. Hindsight 50/50 and all that.