Gameday Thread: Spurs at Bulls

Post #1 » by **-Sammy-** » Thu Dec 8, 2016 8:10 am

When: Thursday, December 8, 2016, 7:30PM Central
Where: United Center, Chicago, IL

This will be the toughest game until we see Houston and the Clippers in a few weeks; it'll also be the record-tying 14th straight road win, but we know Pop's going to discourage any focus on that.

The Minnesota game was the first game in about two weeks in which we looked genuinely great across quarters; here's hoping it's a sign that the jell-o is jelling and not a fluke.

Post #2 » by **Nolan** » Thu Dec 8, 2016 1:56 pm

Bulls have been struggling a bit lately, 4-6 in their last 10 1-4 in their last 5. They have a win against the Cav's in there but they haven't looked too great lately. Their bench has struggled and they've been leaning heavily on Butler so that matchup between him and Kawhi is going to be key. If Kawhi can get the best of Butler and bench does their thing we should win this one.

It would also be nice to see Pau have a big game against his former team. This should be a favorable matchup for both him and LMA tonight on both ends.

inDe_eD · Post #3 » by **inDe_eD** » Thu Dec 8, 2016 7:10 pm

Nolan wrote:Bulls have been struggling a bit lately, 4-6 in their last 10 1-4 in their last 5. They have a win against the Cav's in there but they haven't looked too great lately. Their bench has struggled and they've been leaning heavily on Butler so that matchup between him and Kawhi is going to be key. If Kawhi can get the best of Butler and bench does their thing we should win this one.

It would also be nice to see Pau have a big game against his former team. This should be a favorable matchup for both him and LMA tonight on both ends.

Luckily the Bulls struggle shooting the 3, because our perimeter defense just isn't up to par so far. I'm optimistic about this one as well. I think Butler will actually have a pretty good game, but like you said re: Pau/LMA, we should feast on them w/ interior scoring tonight. Spurs by 9.

ducler · Post #4 » by **ducler** » Thu Dec 8, 2016 8:49 pm

Post #5 » by **bondom34** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 1:13 am

Read on Twitter

Phreak50 · Post #6 » by **Phreak50** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 3:02 am

My God our offense is horrible.

Aldridge is just too relaxed out there, throwing weak passes, looking slow and overweight and not switched on.

Leonard making a few bad decisions with the ball as well and getting blocked on a jumper by Butler that he shouldn't have taken.

Not a good start at all.

Phreak50 · Post #7 » by **Phreak50** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 3:43 am

32 pts in the half. This team is so bad this year, I don't care what the record shows.

Manu should be retired, Parker is a backup PG, Pau should be on the bench, Danny Green can't do anything but hit the odd open three, Aldridge gets paid $84 million to pump fake 100x per game and grab 6 rebounds.

I don't think I've ever been so frustrated and negative about the make-up of our team.

imagump1313 · Post #8 » by **imagump1313** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 4:20 am

Yeah, its pretty frustrating.
At least a couple good things:
Its only December. We seem to get beat defensively on the picks constantly because these guys still don't know when to stick with their man or switch. In time that will get better.
David Lee has been great IMO. I wish he was more durable to play more minutes.
Patty Mills still isnt the PM of the last championship year but he's getting there.

Parker is still playing hurt. I think they should shelve him until January at least and let him fully heal. Then we can find out for sure if he is washed up or not.

Phreak50 · Post #9 » by **Phreak50** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 4:34 am

Parker's problem is the over dribbling. It does not but put pressure on whoever ends up with it and goes against what our offense is built to do.

Not being a threat from outside like Mills changes our offense as well.

We've been to the like once coming into the fourth. Embarrassing for guys like Aldridge to have less moves and less touch than Robin Lopez down low.

Danny Green still puts too much pressure on the team by not being able to dribble and drive.

I would honestly be shopping Aldridge and Green right now. I've seen enough that I can't see this group working it out.

jptremblay · Post #10 » by **jptremblay** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 4:41 am

Kawhi is just a beast if he stops shooting contested 3s and long 2s...also, he needs to trust in his teamates, almost every single team he runs the Pick and Roll with Gasol he finish shooting the ball...that pick and pop with Pau could be deadly.

imagump1313 · Post #11 » by **imagump1313** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 4:43 am

I agree, Parker is over dribbling because he's indecisive. Mostly I think, because he is playing hurt and not as mobile.

Aldridge seems to give up on too many plays when someone plays defense on him. I've never seen a guy his size who can score miss soo many bunnies.

Green will never be dealt IMO because of his size and defense. I think the coaching staff has given up on him offensively and just takes whatever he does on the offensive end as a bonus. Everything runs through Kawhi, LMA and Parker.

Milenkovic · Post #12 » by **Milenkovic** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 5:01 am

No Box outs at all at times, just ridiculous.

Over complicating plays, overpassing, over-dribbling.

for $21mln a year, Aldridge..jesus

Post #13 » by **-Sammy-** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 5:06 am

It's nice that we're able to make comebacks, but that's small consolation when we insist on playing such awful first halves, digging ourselves holes. Chicago's way too good to give up a double-digit lead and risk the win to a comeback, and they're a middle-of-the-pack team.

This team has less of an identity than any team since the 2011 edition, especially on offense.

Phreak50 · Post #14 » by **Phreak50** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 5:06 am

I honestly think the unthinkable is going to happen right now. Aldridge is going to be shopped as of tonight.

He is weak. He doesn't even look like he is trying half the time, or caring.

And Pop benching him, as well as the team not even going to him in the fourth shows he might just be on the way out.

I don't think Parker is hurt at all. He is over dribbling because he is older and slower. He isn't used to not being able to breeze by his defender and do something. Right now he has little value in this league to be honest. And don't get me started on Manu. Pure trash at this point in his (albeit HOF) career.

And why take Mills out when he is hot? Not to mention perhaps try bring in Bertans, especially since he could match up with guys like Mirotic or Gibson fairly well and stretch them on D to open it up for Kawhi.

Kawhi needs to post up more too, he was a beast against a very good defender down low.

We looked like a lottery team with a lone superstar tonight. (Mills also did well actually).

alexb618 · Post #15 » by **alexb618** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 5:16 am

Phreak50 wrote:I honestly think the unthinkable is going to happen right now. Aldridge is going to be shopped as of tonight.

He is weak. He doesn't even look like he is trying half the time, or caring.

And Pop benching him, as well as the team not even going to him in the fourth shows he might just be on the way out.

sadly i agree

i wonder if he can be packaged up to get cousins... big risk big reward

Post #16 » by **-Sammy-** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 5:25 am

alexb618 wrote:
Phreak50 wrote:I honestly think the unthinkable is going to happen right now. Aldridge is going to be shopped as of tonight.

He is weak. He doesn't even look like he is trying half the time, or caring.

And Pop benching him, as well as the team not even going to him in the fourth shows he might just be on the way out.

sadly i agree

i wonder if he can be packaged up to get cousins... big risk big reward

I'd LOVE that, but I don't think SAC makes that move without some sweetener.

imagump1313 · Post #17 » by **imagump1313** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 5:25 am

Bulls announcers were also puzzled as to why we seem to totally ignore LMA most of the time. I still think its way too early to be trading the guy but there is definitely something going on and the team needs to figure it out. But like I keep saying, its only December so we have plenty of time to get everyone on the same page. The rest of the league is soo bad we can play like crap and still win this division, but we aren't going anywhere in the playoffs playing like this.

imagump1313 · Post #18 » by **imagump1313** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 5:27 am

BombsquadSammy wrote:
alexb618 wrote:
Phreak50 wrote:I honestly think the unthinkable is going to happen right now. Aldridge is going to be shopped as of tonight.

He is weak. He doesn't even look like he is trying half the time, or caring.

And Pop benching him, as well as the team not even going to him in the fourth shows he might just be on the way out.

sadly i agree

i wonder if he can be packaged up to get cousins... big risk big reward

I'd LOVE that, but I don't think SAC makes that move without some sweetener.

I'd rather have us suck than have a dick like Cousins on this team TBH........

inDe_eD · Post #19 » by **inDe_eD** » Fri Dec 9, 2016 2:02 pm

Phreak50 wrote:Parker's problem is the over dribbling. It does not but put pressure on whoever ends up with it and goes against what our offense is built to do.

Not being a threat from outside like Mills changes our offense as well.

We've been to the like once coming into the fourth. Embarrassing for guys like Aldridge to have less moves and less touch than Robin Lopez down low.

Danny Green still puts too much pressure on the team by not being able to dribble and drive.

I would honestly be shopping Aldridge and Green right now. I've seen enough that I can't see this group working it out.

You're right about Parker. If he passes to Kawhi or inside to LMA, he floats out to the corner and does his best statue impersonation - No movement, no screens, nothing. If he does have the ball, like you said, he has that over-dribbling tendency. I just don't like his on-ball offense this year, and off-ball and defensively he provides almost no value at all.

Post #20 » by **Nolan** » Sat Dec 10, 2016 8:21 pm

Pop's assessment of this game was basically perfect.

No one outside of Kawhi, Patty and maybe Dedmon gave a ****. We basically just walked through our offense sets and put zero effort into trying shake defenders or battle for position. Sad sad effort, yes we did make a nice little comeback at the end but we should of won this one by 20.