Tag Archives: Joakim Noah

by | January 29, 2013 · 5:46 PM

NBA Mid-Season Awards

Thunderstruck might not win any awards, but Durant likely will

Thunderstruck might not win any awards, but Durant likely will

The NBA is just past the mid-point of the regular season so the Kobe Beef decided to jump on the bandwagon and list our selections for who is deserving of an award thus far.

Coach of the Year

Ben Gooding: Tom Thibodeau, Chicago Bulls

I’m sure you guys like Mark Jackson.

Travis Huse: Mark Jackson, Golden State Warriors

“Mama, there goes that man!”

After years of hearing Mark Jackson spit his catchphrases beside Jeff Van Gundy on ABC, I could have never envisioned that he would be the man to lead the Golden State Warriors back to the playoffs. But now with Monta Ellis gone, The Warriors can now play Stephen Curry at the 2, and allow Jarrett Jack to handle more of the distribution duties. Once you factor in Klay Thompson’s advancement and the return of Andrew Bogut, it is evident that the Warriors might just be the beginning of a perennial playoff team.

Doyle Rader: Mark Jackson, Golden State Warriors

It was a bit premature for Mark Jackson to declare that the Warriors would be playoff-bound after he was named head coach last season. However, he was only off by a year. Barring a collapse on the level of the 2007 Mets, Golden State will reach the playoffs for the first time since 2007 as they have already topped their win total from last season. Jackson has melded his rotations well and rode the chemistry that David Lee and Stephen Curry have developed to this point. Not to mention this team is all buckets everything. They shoot 45.6 percent from the floor, and lead the league in 3-point shooting percentage with a mark of 38.8. The Warriors are also the only team to have defeated the Thunder, Heat, and Clippers. Now the team has Andrew Bogut back which will only bolster their roster. His handling of Curry’s recent ankle tweak, by sitting him, also shows that he is not risking his team’s future for one game.

Most Improved Player

TR: Paul George, Indiana Pacers

This award is not even up for discussion. To begin the season, Indiana looked like a sure lock on winning the Central Division, but were derailed by Danny Granger’s knee injury and disappointing play from Roy Hibbert. George has filled the superstar role nicely, and the Pacers now have a serious chance to overtake the Bulls in order to land the 3rd seed in the East by the time playoffs roll around.

DR: Greivis Vasquez, New Orleans Hornets

Vasquez’ play this season has been nothing short of superb. He has quarterbacked a bottom feeding team as well as anyone could imagine and has already set career numbers in points, assists, rebounds, and 3-point shooting percentage and he has done it all in ewer total minutes than he played all of last season. New Orleans has a +/- of -7.9 and a Net Rating of -8.1 when Vasquez is on the bench.

Defensive Player of the Year

BG: Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls

Chicago is 27-17 and Derrick Rose has not set foot on the hardwood all season. What could be even more astonishing? That the Bulls have that record by only scoring 93 points a game (that’s 27th in the league, folks).

How are they doing it? Defense and Joakim Noah is leading the way. Midway through the season, Chicago is only giving up 90 points a game (3rd in the league) and they are gathering 44 rebounds a game (6th in the league).

Noah is gathering 7.2 rebounds a game and 2 blocks. He’s gathered 15 boards or more eight times this season. His energetic style matched with stingy defense all over the court, is allowing the Bulls to bide their time before Rose returns.

TH: Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls

The Bulls’ success in the absence of Derrick Rose speaks volumes about the work of head coach Tom Thibodeau, and the way he has managed to keep this team performing at an elite level without his MVP point guard just might be his biggest success to date. But with the defensive identity of this squad is the glue that holds them together, and Noah has been phenomenal as a defensive leader, in a capacity similar to Kevin Garnett’s role on the Celtics.

 DR: Larry Sanders, Milwaukee Bucks

Larry Sanders may be an odd choice for Defensive Player of the Year. Yet, I cannot get past a few aspects of his game that let me to select him. Sanders is by no means a household name. He has scrapped for playing time in Milwaukee, a team laden with forwards, but now seems to be coming into his own as a defensive presence. Sanders currently has the second best defensive rating in the league, 95.9, behind only Tim Duncan and leads in every block category. The most striking statistic being that he blocks nine percent of all the shots taken when he is on the floor. NINE PERCENT! JaVale McGee is second with 7.9. Opposing offenses only shoot 52.7 percent, a dreadful number, from the restricted area when Sanders in patrolling the paint. He also pulls down 8.2 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes and sports a defensive win shares rating of 2.3.

Sixth Man

TH: Jarrett Jack, Golden State Warriors

Jarrett Jack is just one of those players who can really rally a second unit, and I am pretty damn unsure as to why he hasn’t managed to secure a starting spot on an NBA team. At any rate, he has helped out many a crappy team (looking at you, Chris Paul and Chris Bosh) while being buried under talented starters, and you just have to enjoy him.

[Editor's note: Jack was the starting point guard for the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2006-07 season. He started in all 79 games that he played.]

DR: Jarrett Jack, Golden State Warriors

One of the reasons that the Warriors have been so successful this season, aside from their coach, has been the willingness of Jarrett Jack to accept his role as the team’s sixth man. Not only has he accepted this position but he has excelled in it. This is Jack’s first season coming off the bench since he backed up Chris Paul in New Orleans. Now he comes off the bench to spell Stephen Curry or play alongside him. He has posted a win shares rating of 3.6 to go along with a true shooting percentage of 56.2 and 7.1 assists per 36 minutes. The Warriors are a deep team with many good bench players, Carl Landry especially stands out, but it is Jack who has contributed the most.

Rookie of the Year

Unanimous: Damien Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

BG: Portland won 28 games last year. So far this season, they are 22-22. May not seem like a lot but it is when you consider how cursed this team has been with rookies (Sam Bowie, Bill Walton, Greg Oden). Seems like all they needed to do was stop drafting centers to break the curse.

Regardless, no one expected to see what we have already seen from Lillard this season. A 37-point game and six double-doubles so far this season are just a few things padding his resume.

TH: I have tried all season to believe in Anthony Davis. I drafted him too highly on our fantasy league. I bought into all the hype about his “NBA readiness,” and I am still trying to believe that he will pull off winning this award.

 With the passing of each day, it becomes more and more unlikely. The Hornets have been very careful with their franchise prospect, and Eric Gordon has finally returned, taking some of the scoring load off Davis.

 Lillard, though, has crafted an amazing year, finally giving the fans in Portland a capable distributor. He is smart with the ball, and he has been willing to shoulder the burden of a leadership role right out of college. When was the last time the Blazers had that? He maximizes the performance of teammates LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum. Blazers GM Neil Olshey certainly drafted himself out of the hot water that he was in after matching Batum’s $46 million, four-year offer sheet from Minnesota.

DR: When I saw him fearlessly attack and harry Steve Nash during the preseason, I was sold.

Most Valuable Player

Unanimous: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

BG: It’s hard not to see him winning MVP at this point in the season. The Thunder have only lost two games in a row once this season and one of those games was to the Heat. He leads the league in scoring (29.6 ppg) on one of the best teams in the league (2nd in the West and league, OKC with 34 wins).

While its just as easy to mention LeBron James in this conversation, it’s an award that belongs to Durant. We never expected Durant to be what he is now while the media, fans, and the league completely set the stage for LBJ.

His stat sheet includes over seven rebounds and four assists a game. That matched up with shooting 91 percent from the free throw line and 42 percent from past the arc, spells out history. Only Dirk Nowitzki, Reggie Miller and Larry Bird have maintained the 40-50-90 line throughout a full NBA season.

TR: Even though Lebron James is the best basketball player in the world, the Miami Heat haven’t particularly shined this season, and that will hurt his chances of hoisting a fourth Maurice Podoloff trophy. Instead, I opt for Kevin Durant, who looks driven and determined to win a ring. His team has managed to maintain such a high level of play even though they traded away James Harden, and Durant is poised to take home his fourth straight scoring title. While Durant has lived under Lebron’s shadow the past few years, this is Durant’s time to shine.

DR: Kevin Durant is in rare form. He is currently a 50/40/90 player, meaning that he shoots 50 percent on field goals, 40 percent on 3-pointers, and 90 percent on free throws. If he can maintain this through the rest of the season he will join the ranks of Larry Bird, Mark Price, Reggie Miller, Dirk Nowitzki, and Steve Nash as the only players to finish a season shooting at such a level. Not only is his shooting impressive but he is averaging 7.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game to go along with his league-leading 29.6 points.

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by | April 27, 2012 · 5:20 PM

Chicago Bulls vs. Philadelphia 76ers First Round Preview

Why so serious?

It was an almost monumental collapse that sent the Philadelphia 76ers to the verge of missing the playoffs entirely. Luckily, they aren’t the 2007 New York Mets and they just squeezed into the postseason, aided by the perpetual hump that taunts the Milwaukee Bucks. As with anything in this culture of spin, the Sixers readily admitted that they prefer to face the Chicago Bulls, who are the number one seed in the East. It seems as though they have an aversion to playing the Miami Heat and as such they didn’t even try to win their last regular season game so that they could lock up the eighth seed. If this logic seems flawed, that’s because it is. Yet, when a team realizes who and what it is, as the Sixers may have done as they watched their excellent first half of the season be for not, they must adapt to a mindset that reaches above limited expectations. Therefore: bring on the Bulls!

Obviously, this is not an ideal scenario for the Sixers. They are the eighth seed and have lost all sense of identity as the shortened season slogged into a battle of attrition with body, fatigue, and Doug Collins. Despite having capable players and some depth the defined roles of players have been blurred and they can no longer threaten an opponent from all sides. Especially in late game situations, Philadelphia becomes a haphazard mess as player take arrant, contested jumpers and become uninterested defensively. Though they possess the ability to force turnovers late, and have done so repeatedly, their instinct to close and win games is nonexistent. If they hope to overcome this self-imposed obstacle they better have a damn good plan and execute it flawlessly because at the end of games, Chicago is their antithesis.

Perhaps, with an oft ailing Derrick Rose, the Sixers thought they matched up well with the Bulls. On paper, maybe. Andre Iguodala and Luol Deng matchup well and should cancel one another out. This same line of thinking is extended to the matchups of Elton Brand and Carlos Boozer; and Lou Williams and the shell formerly known as Rip Hamilton, who, despite riding the pine (a dated term as the folding chairs the players sit on resemble the luxury of a fine recliner) for much of the season, has shown occasional bursts of his former, productive self; and Thaddeus Young, with his range, could conceivably draw Taj Gibson out of the paint, where his shot blocking is to be feared. That is where the comparisons, flawed as they are, end.

Jrue Holiday is not the reigning NBA MVP, Rose is. Evan Turner was the second overall draft pick a couple of years ago but he has yet to fully understand his roll on the Sixers and can get completely lost over the course of a game. Then there is Jodie Meeks and Spencer Hawes. All are decent players, unrefined, but decent nonetheless. Yet, they cannot fully match the depth that Chicago brings to the table.

The Bulls, to go along with the players already mentioned, have Joakim Noah, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, John Lucas, C.J. Watson, Omer Asik, Mike James (remember him?), and the main man, Brian Scalabrine. Here the advantage is the Bulls’. Oh, and they have Rose.

One interesting note, however, is that the Sixers, this season, performed better against the Bulls when Rose was on the court. Their net rating goes from -5.2 with him on the bench to 5.8 while he is in the game. This can be attributed to the rise in their 3-point percentage from 18.8 percent to 26.3 percent with Rose on the floor.

It will be interesting to see who Iguodala guards. He will likely split time between Rose and Deng but when not guarding one, the other has the potential to thrive.

Personnel aside, the Bulls implement one of the most disciplined defenses in the league. They hold their opponents to a league low 88.2 points per game on 42.1 percent field goal shooting, a number that is second best in the league. Chicago also allowed a league low in number of 3-point shots they allowed their opponents to take as they are quick to chase players off the arc, forcing them into the teeth of their defense. Perhaps the heart of their defense is their rebounding. They led the league in defensive rebounding, rarely allowing a second chance opportunity. What the Bulls lack in mediocre offense, and it is just that, make no mistake, they more than make up for in superb defense that will be tough for the Sixers to crack.

This series will be dominated by defense. The 76ers have the third best defense in the NBA so Chicago shouldn’t feel all high and mighty entering this match up. Where the Sixers should try and exploit the Bulls is by getting to the free throw line. Philadelphia is much more adept at creating fouls and going to the line than Chicago. This could be a great equalizer as the Sixers are ranked 23 in points per game and 24 in pace.

Essentially, the meeting of the Bulls and Sixers will not be exciting to the casual fan. It will be marred with slow, tedious action, countless turnovers forced by two good defenses, and a veritable lack of scoring. In the end the Bulls will out bore (and it will be boring) the Sixers and advance to the second round. One could hope this series would be similar to the Bulls and Pacers first round meeting last season, but that seems a bit far-fetched. Those Pacers were hungry, these Sixers are lost.

Doyle Rader predicts: Bulls defeat 76ers 4-1

Travis Huse predicts: Bulls defeat 76ers 4-1

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by | May 15, 2011 · 2:38 PM

Eastern Conference Finals Prediction: Bulls vs. Heat

Battle of wills.

The league’s MVP squares off against Miami’s three-headed beast for the chance to go to the NBA Finals.

1. Chicago Bulls vs. 2. Miami Heat

What the regular season taught us was that the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat are very evenly matched. Their three meetings were decided by a combined total of eight points, all Bulls victories. That was the regular season, and that was before each of these teams slogged their way to within a series of the NBA Finals. Miami, despite having to go through the Boston Celtics, has seemingly had the easier road thus far. They were never in any real trouble against the Philadelphia 76ers and handled the Celtics better than most anyone could have imagined. They celebrated like East and West Germans did when the Berlin Wall fell after they beat the Celtics. All they needed was David Hasselhoff in a light-up jacket and their celebration would have been complete. Perhaps the celebration was a bit premature; Ganesa has not removed all of their obstacles. Miami is, after all, only half way to their goal and have to face the team with the best record in the league.

Chicago faced their largest test in the first round as the Indiana Pacers threw everything they had at the Bulls, exposing a multitude of weaknesses that had been overlooked by outside observers. The Pacers eventually succumbed to the Bulls’ rebounding might. Though the Atlanta Hawks won two games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, they were their own Achilles heel falling back into predictable Isolation sets late in games which allowed Tom Thibodeau to keep his defensive unit on the floor stifling Atlanta’s best efforts to play one-on-one basketball.

Defense will dominate this series. It has been the hallmark of both of these clubs throughout the regular season and in the playoffs. This post season, Chicago has limited its opponents to the fewest points per possession while Miami ranks fourth. Defensive rebounding has a lot to do with limiting an opponent’s points and both teams are adept at cleaning the defensive glass.  Where the Bulls do out-pace the Heat is in turnovers. Chicago creates more turnovers, and thereby more scoring opportunities, than the Heat. However, history would not appear to be on Chicago’s side despite the similarities of the two clubs. Six times in NBA history a team with the league MVP and no All Star teammates has faced a club with three or more All Stars in the playoffs. The team with more All Stars has won five of those meetings. The last time this happened was last season when the Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated by the Celtics in the second round.

Marquee Matchups:

Derrick Rose vs. the Miami Heat

Head Coach Erik Spoelstra and LeBron James have made it very clear that Miami will employ multiple defenders in their attempts to slow down the league’s MVP. Everyone from Mike Bibby, Mario Chalmers, Dwyane Wade, and James will spend time guarding Rose. Bibby will start the game “guarding” Rose, Spoelstra has said, but Chalmers will be the one tasked with defending him for much of the game. “I think he’s one of the best in the NBA in getting in the paint. I have to do a good job of keeping him out,” Chalmers said and the numbers support his belief. Rose leads the playoffs in points inside of five feet with 106. When Rose gets into the paint he is shooting 45 percent, but when he gets within the restricted area his average climbs to 54 percent. In terms of shot distribution, 38.7 percent of Rose’s field goal attempts are taken at the rim. If the Heat does manage to limit Rose’s drives to the rim they still have not completely stopped him. He is shooting 46 percent on his midrange field goal attempts and most of these shots come as a result of the pick-and-roll. Rose leads the playoffs in scoring off the pick-and-roll with 118 points and runs 11.9 of them per game. To contain Rose’s scoring Miami must trap him along the perimeter and force him into a three-point shot. Beyond the arc, where Rose takes his second highest percentage of shots, he only shoots 27 percent.

Chicago’s defense vs. Miami’s offense

King Ghidorah

Slowing down the trio of James, Wade, and Chris Bosh (or Ghidorah as Hoopdata refers to them) is near to impossible. Even if one has a bad night or is swept into the emotion of a game, the other two will step up. What makes them especially potent is their ability to get to the free throw line. During the regular season, the Heat’s trio went to the charity stripe 36.3 percent of the time they attempted a field goal against the Bulls. As a team, Miami has the third highest offensive rating at 111.7 and that is despite playing a slow paced game. However, Chicago has the top rated defense in the league.

The Bulls have the pieces in place to pester Miami’s attack. Keith Bogans and Ronnie Brewer will be the primary defenders on Wade. Both are defensive minded two guards who can make Wade’s offense not flow as smoothly as it did against the Celtics. In the post, Joakim Noah will guard Chris Bosh. Noah has flustered each and every opponent that he has defended this post season and even had Josh McRoberts take a half-hearted punch at him that missed out of frustration. If Bosh let the ambiance of the TD Garden get to him, Noah will have him completely off kilter. As for James, his main defender will be Luol Deng. Size wise, Deng matches up well with James, however, in their regular season meetings James connected on 54.6 percent of his shots with Deng defending him.

X-Factors:

Because Miami will not be able to keep Rose out of the paint all the time, Joel Anthony will be the team’s last line of defense. Luckily for the Heat, he is their best defender and a more than capable shot blocker, blocking 4.1 percent of the shots taken while he is on the court. In fact, he is much more than that. He is Miami’s version of what Kendrick Perkins was for the Celtics in previous seasons. Anthony’s efficiency rating during the playoffs is a +101. In another nod to how valuable he is to the team, Miami’s opponents shoot 50 percent while Anthony in on the bench. While he is on the floor their opponents shoot 39 percent.

What are we to make of Carlos Boozer? This has been his worst post season statistically. He has shown flashes of why the Bulls signed him last summer, but they have yet to be consistent. He must show up in this series. Miami will focus primarily on Rose which will create opportunities for Boozer and he must capitalize on them. Many of his scoring opportunities will come off missed shots and he needs to be in position to get the offensive rebound and the put-back. Activity on the offensive glass will help the Bulls limit Miami’s possessions and their transition offense. If Boozer continues to slump, Taj Gibson will be called upon. Gibson is far more active on the offensive glass than Boozer and has been more productive over all. His athleticism could be the key to creating more scoring opportunities for the Bulls, especially when bench players are in the game. Chicago’s bench out-classes Miami’s.

Prediction:

This will not be high scoring series, that much is certain. Both of these teams’ defenses are too good. Since these teams are evenly matched across the board, this series will not feature many, if any, blowouts. These games will be close. Can the Bulls find their offense when Rose is not creating off the dribble? They have yet to show that they can. What does Miami have left in its tank after their emotional series victory over the Celtics? Did they exhaust themselves? In terms of an overall team, Chicago has the advantage. Yet, when it comes to edge, Miami is the team that has it after defeating its archetype. The Heat defeats the Bulls 4-3.

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by | May 2, 2011 · 5:15 PM

Eastern Conference Playoff Predictions: Bulls vs. Hawks

Get used to this.

This series has the word ‘zoo’ written all over it. Or maybe it has the words ‘animal’ and ‘cracker’ written all over it.

1. Chicago Bulls vs. 5. Atlanta Hawks

It was not an easy task knocking off the Indiana Pacers, but the Chicago Bulls won the series and have advanced. Leading the team to success, Derrick Rose showed why he is going to be the NBA’s youngest MVP. It was more than Rose, however, that helped the Bulls overcome a scrappy and determined opponent. Their frontcourt dominated the glass as the team averaged 46.4 rebounds per contest. Chicago has been a dominant rebounding team all season denying their opponents second chance opportunities on the offensive end of the floor.

The Atlanta Hawks, during the regular season, were a mediocre rebounding club. This changed in the first round when the team played the Orlando Magic. Atlanta out-rebounded Orlando by an average of 4.5 rebounds per game thereby increasing their rebounding average from 39.2 to 45.3. Apparently, Dwight Howard is not as “handsy” as a certain talking ball would have us believe. The Magic were not good and Atlanta deserved to win. Now, they face a much stiffer task in the Bulls, who dominated them during the regular season.

In their three games against the Bulls during the season, the Hawks averaged only 80 points, 14.8 fewer than their season average, took 6.7 fewer three-point shots, and collected only 40.6 percent of the available rebounds. Needless to say, Chicago clipped the Hawks’ wings.

Marquee Matchups:

Derrick Rose vs. Jeff Teague

With Kirk Hinrich likely missing the entire series, Atlanta finds themselves short-handed at the point guard position. Head Coach Larry Drew has penned Jeff Teague as the team’s starting point guard. Thereby the task of “defending” Rose has fallen to him. The two players were only on the court at the same time for 13 minutes during the regular season but the numbers are not all bad for Teague. While Teague was on the floor, Rose shot just 14 percent on field goals, missing all of his shots inside the arc. The sample size is extremely limited but are slightly promising.

As the Pacers did before them, the Hawks will use a platoon defense on Rose. Jamal Crawford will be forced to guard him at times and it would not be surprising if Joe Johnson or even a small forward, such as Marvin Williams,  guarded Rose at times during the series. However, the bulk of the duties will fall on Teague. If Atlanta wants to reverse their regular season fortunes against Chicago, Teague must stay out of foul trouble. Hopefully, he took notes on how Paul George defended Rose in the first round. If he can duplicate that at times the Hawks will be in a much stronger place defensively.

Carlos Boozer vs. Al Horford

Boozer has an issue with turf toe but is going to play through the pain. It seems that he is always injured. In the first round Boozer was a complete non factor. He shot 35.8 percent and averaged just 10 points. He also turned the ball over 18,8 percent of the time that he had it and committed 19 fouls in the five game series. Against the Hawks, Boozer will be even less of a factor offensively as he will be matched up against Al Horford.

Horford dominated Boozer in their meetings during the season. While Horford was on the floor, Boozer averaged 10.9 points on 42 percent shooting and 6.4 rebounds. Conversely, Horford tallied 22.5 points and connected on 75 percent on his field goal attempts. The only striking blemish is  the -16.1 effeciency rating that Horford has. However, that has more to do with the over all poor performance of his team against the Bulls.

X-Factors:

Both the Bulls and Hawks use a ton of Isolation plays. In fact, watching this series is going to make everyone mad and yell at their televisions or internet streams for someone to pass the ball. Twitter will surely be entertaining when Joe Johnson puts himself in late game Isolation situations against the top rated defensive team in the league. Oh, the fun that we will have with those contested jump shots! Rose, too, however,  works almost exclusively in Isolation sets. He pulls his defender out on an island, makes a move by him, and bull-rushes the rim. It is simple and more effective than it sounds.

Since the Bulls rely heavily on their rebounding, Joakim Noah will have to be as frustrating and annoying as he was against the Pacers. Atlanta’s up tick in rebounding should concern the Bulls…to an extent. Where Noah will be valuable is on second chance opportunities and tip ins.

Prediction:

Chicago is better than Atlanta. Plain and simple. However, the Hawks just upset a Magic team that features, as some believe, the league’s most dominant big man. With Hinrich out, the Hawks are down a capable scorer who can play both sides of the ball. Because everything the Hawks have done offensively against the Bulls this season can be described as anemic at best, this is a point of concern. The Hawks find themselves flying too close to the sun and in their fall back to Earth they will not be able to keep up with the running of the Bulls. Bulls defeat Hawks 4-1.

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by | January 24, 2011 · 11:37 AM

Deng Efficient

Deng good

When attention is given to the Chicago Bulls much of it is focused on the young rising talent that is Derrick Rose. Rose is quickly climbing the ranks of celebrity among point guards despite his number of detractors who complain that his game is far too one-dimensional (i.e. restricted to driving the lane). Nonetheless, Rose’s numbers speak for themselves as he is averaging 24.7 points, eight assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per contest. To go along with these impressive numbers, he is shooting 44.8 percent from the floor and a career best 37.9 percent from beyond the arc. Because of his youth and talent it is no wonder why he has become the face of the franchise.

However, it is not just Rose who has helped the Bulls into the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 30-14. Over the summer, Chicago brought in a host of talent to surround their young point guard with including Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, Keith Bogans, Kurt Thomas, C.J. Watson, and they even thought that having Brian Scalabrine on the roster was a good idea. This is a completely different Bulls team than the one that was fielded last season under Vinny Del Negro. Yet, they kept three main pieces as a core to build around: Rose, Joakim Noah, and Luol Deng.

Deng has found himself over looked in most discussions surrounding the Bulls. It is not surprising when his surrounding cast consists of Rose, Boozer, and Noah (especially his personality). Deng is quiet compared to his counterparts and his game is by no means flashy so it is rare to see him appear in the Sports Center highlight factory. His game does speak volumes, though.

In his seventh year out of Duke, Deng, who is just 25 years old, has established himself as a consistent and efficient wing scorer and all-around player. Yes, his numbers throughout his career have been a model of consistency but a couple of his seasons, his fourth and fifth, were shortened due to injury. His numbers across the board are close if not identical to the ones he put up in 70 games last season. This is the kind of consistency that coaches want to see and that players strive for during the course of a career.

This season Deng is averaging 17.6 points, which is third highest on the team, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. Each of these statistics is in the top three on the team. His effective field goal percentage stands at 50 percent. Beyond his offensive numbers, he has lowered his defensive rating down to 102 from 106 last season. Head Coach Tom Thibodeau has definitely played a role in emphasizing defense this season as the Bulls, as a team, have the best defense in the league right now with a rating of 99.4 and they have accomplished this feat with Noah, the anchor of their interior defense, still sidelined recuperating from surgery to his right thumb. Much like Deng’s game, the team defense of Chicago is rarely discussed.

At full strength, the Bulls are difficult to match up with. Deng’s ability to stretch the floor, he is shooting 35.4 percent from long range, pared with their two big men and slashing guard pose a bevy of defensive challenges. However, it is because of Deng’s versatility and consistency that they are headed towards a high playoff seed just half way through the season. He does the dirty work for the team on both ends of the court.

Big three? No, Chicago has a big four and Deng fits squarely in it. John Paxson has been wise to refuse any offer that comes his way if it would be to send away Deng or Noah. These are two of their core players that the team hopes to build around for the foreseeable future. Especially now that Deng has become such a model of efficiency for the team it would be unlikely that any team could lure him away without giving up more than they are willing to. Though he may be quiet, Deng has solidified his role with his team and in the NBA as a premier (not elite) small forward and looks to only replicate his production year after year. Let Rose have the spotlight, Deng thrives with consistency because he does not need to drop 40 points every night but it is nice to know that he can every once in a while.

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by | December 16, 2010 · 3:32 PM

Joakim Noah has Successful Surgery

 

Injuries continue to hamper the Bulls

Joakim Noah had successful surgery on his thumb today. He will have a follow-up visit on Monday and will likely need a cast. When speaking about his need to have surgery, Noah said, “it sucks, but it’s [the] right thing.”

With Noah down for anywhere from eight to ten weeks for the Chicago Bulls the same old Bulls story of recent years begins to emerge once again. Noah played through the pain this season and kept it quiet. It was obvious that his thumb was bothering him though as he wrapped it regularly. Yet, he continued to produce because the team needed him as they waited for Carlos Boozer to return to health after tripping over his gym bag this summer.

Injuries during the regular season have unfortunately become the modus operandi of the Bulls in recent seasons but that in no way undermines their resilience. Last year, with Noah out, the Bulls went 6-12 and lost ten in a row. Derrick Rose missed four of the games during the ten game slide so that certainly did not improve their chances of success. Nonetheless, the Bulls, with the backing of a Rose guarantee, battled through the pain on route to the playoffs.

This season Chicago is a different squad. They brought in pieces to help them battle beyond and in spite of injuries. Last season it was Brad Miller and Taj Gibson who stepped in during Noah’s absence. This year Miller is gone. However, in his place the Bulls have Omer Asik and a veteran in Kurt Thomas who has proved time and again that he is still a valuable frontcourt commodity with a nice midrange jump shot with the ability to defend and rebound. Certainly, the Bulls will need all the help they can get from their depth now.

More than just bench help, the Bulls will need to keep their young point guard healthy. Rose has been battling a sprained right wrist, bruised elbow, a tweaked ankle, and sore hip the past several games and has been listed as day-to-day. Ever the determined player, Rose said, “If it is up to me, I’m playing. I’m sore, but I should be able to play through it.” Chicago certainly needs him to. If they were to lose Rose for any length of time the Bulls would find themselves in a precarious situation.

Chicago currently sits in first place in their division with a record of 16-8 which has them in fourth overall in the eastern conference. They likely will not seed much if any ground to the Pacers who are back to Indy .500 form in the central division. What they do have to worry about is being caught and surpassed by Orlando, Atlanta, and New York who are all breathing down Chicago’s neck. The Knicks and Hawks are a game back of the Bulls while Orlando is just a half game back. Milwaukee is also showing a marked improvement in their play of late and may start making a push in the central division.

What bodes well for Chicago is that the next ten weeks are arguably the easiest part of their schedule. The Bulls will not see a considerably tough stretch of games in a row until 7 February through the beginning of March. Until that time the only teams that Chicago faces with winning records are the Knickerbockers, Celtics, Heat, Mavericks, and Magic during a span of 25 games. By that time Noah should be back to full health and they will need him.

On 7 February the Bulls will be on the road in Portland in the middle of a five game road trip swing through the west. After Portland they travel to Salt Lake City and then to New Orleans before returning home for two games in which they host the Spurs. They then host the Heat two games later before going on another five game road trip in which they will play the Bucks, Wizards, Hawks, Magic, and Heat. For this stretch of games the Bulls will need to be at full strength as the battle for playoff seeding will be in full force especially after the All Star break.

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by | November 9, 2010 · 12:59 PM

Power Rankings

It's good to be undefeated

It’s only a handful of games into the season but it’s these games that can set the pace for teams.  Some have started the season off well.  Some haven’t.  Some are building what could be formidable playoff teams while others are already snowballing into what will turn them into lottery teams next summer.  However they are starting the season, every team is setting a theme for both the best and the worst.

1. Los Angeles Lakers (7-0)

Being the No. 1 scoring team in the league should be at no surprise for the defending champs.  Point guards Derek Fisher and Steve Blake are both averaging only four assists per game and they are putting up 22 a game (9th in the league).  They are spreading out the ball and utilizing their depth very appropriately.  We could still question parts of this bench but Blake and Matt Barnes give them a lot more to work with.  As long as Pau Gasol is playing well both defensively and offensively, sky is the limit for the Lakers.

2. New Orleans Hornets (6-0)

The Hornets are only scoring 97 points a game.  This stat comes to no surprise when you look at who can really score in New Orleans but the fact that they are still undefeated really sticks out.  A team built around arguably the best point guard in the league in Chris Paul would be thought to be perfect this far into the season around offense.  Instead, it’s the defense that is propelling this team forward.  While giving up only 91 points a game, the Hornets have held Milwaukee to 81, Miami to 93 and San Antonio to 90.  This is the best start in franchise history for the Hornets but how long can the winning last?

3. Boston Celtics (6-2)

The pieces are coming together nicely in Boston.  Rajon Rondo is averaging 15.5 assists a game and has surely won over the respect of both his teammates and the pundits.  Scoring distribution will keep this team fresh and a good man running point will definitely help.  Five of their six wins are over teams that were in the playoffs last season.  We have yet to see Shaquille O’neal and Kendrick Perkins both active on this roster.

4. Atlanta Hawks (6-2)

It’s balance that is keeping these Hawks afloat and that’s the best thing to build a season on.  Josh Smith is making a case for early MVP consideration and will just get better over the course of the season.  It’s also looking like extending Al Horford’s contract is looking like a good decision.  They are averaging 104 points a game while still collecting 32 defensive boards a game. However, this team needs to recover from its recent two game slide.

5. Miami Heat (5-2)

For those of you that expected the Heat to win 82 games, sorry but that can’t happen now.  In addition, loses to both Boston and New Orleans should be nothing to be embarrassed about right now.  Erik Spoelstra needs to figure out the best rotation of the bench that wont hurt them too much.  Right now, the bench is being outscored and outplayed.  It’s a long season and three players cannot carry a team by themselves.

6. Orlando Magic (5-1)

Orlando should technically be 6-1 but issues at Madison Square Garden caused the Knicks to postpone their inevitable loss to the Magic.  Regardless, their one loss to the Heat is warranted and Rashard Lewis needs to put up more than 2 points for the Magic to win such a statement game.

7. Denver Nuggets (4-3)

Nene, Chris Anderson and Kenyon Martin are out with injuries.  They beat the Mavericks in Dallas with Sheldon Williams starting and that speaks volumes about how this team will perform when their big men return.  Their depth will increase tremendously.  If Denver keeps winning, it may translate to a happy Carmelo Anthony and when Melo is happy, everyone is happy.

8. Portland Trail Blazers (5-3)

Holding Phoenix to just 92 points and later Milwaukee to only 76 is what is helping this Trail Blazers team make the point that they are serious about defense.  Marcus Camby can defend well but Nate McMillen will need to figure out how to get some more scoring from his frontcourt.  His starting forwards only scored nine points against the Lakers on Sunday and they aren’t even breaking 100 points per game. It was, however, their fifth game in seven days.

9. Dallas Mavericks (4-2)

Dallas has seven players that will show up every night on the court. Jason Kidd is showing almost no signs of age while the frontcourt is stacked with Brendan Haywood and Tyson Chandler.  Dallas narrowly beat Denver last Wednesday just to lose to them Saturday.  The Mavs will rebound once Caron Butler and Shawn Marion hit their strides.  However, Dallas needs to clean up its turnovers that are at 16 a game and their bench is ranked second to last in scoring. Although there are no “statement” games in November, beating Boston is the closest you can get to having one.

10. San Antonio Spurs (5-1)

Their record is impressive until you see that they have only beaten one team that made the playoffs last season in Phoenix.  They are fourth in the league in scoring with 109 a game and their next three games are easy wins against the Clippers, Bobcats and the 76ers.  The youth in San Antonio surrounded by a mix of good coaching and veterans will spell out an interesting season.  However, Greg Popavich needs his young guys to get the minutes they need to grow.

11. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-3)

It’s funny that a team with Russell Westbrook is ranked 30th in the league in assists per game but when you look at the depth in OKC, it begins to make sense.  The ball isn’t being spread out enough and sheer depth may haunt the Thunder again this season.  Again, it’s 82 games and it takes more than an sixth man to get through a season and make the playoffs out West.

12. Memphis Grizzlies (4-4)

Rudy Gay became the first player in franchise history to score at least 25 points a game in five consecutive games.  However, it’s their defense that needs to step up since they are allowing their opponents to score 107 points a game.  They are undersized and young which is a bad place to be in the Western Conference.  It’s going to a long season with hopefully some growth.

13. Utah Jazz (3-3)

Deron Williams and company are obviously hurting from loosing some of their star players.  With Mehmet Okur out, the Jazz are limited in size and they are obviously having a hard time scoring when they can only muster up 78 points against the Warriors.  It wont get any easier with them playing Miami, Orlando and Atlanta this week.

14. Phoenix Suns (3-4)

Steve Nash entered the season with reservations about the Suns’ chances this season.  Losses to Portland, San Antonio and LA aren’t something to be ashamed of this season.  In all three of their loses, Hedo Turkoglu has scored six points twice and nine points once.  Maybe it’s time to put some production into this starting lineup. Alvin Gentry is going to get to the point where he no longer asks permission to yell at his team.

15. Chicago Bulls (3-3)

Derrick Rose and the Bulls really took it to the Celtics last Friday in a come back that forced overtime.  They fell short in the extra minutes but the play of both Rose and Joakim Noah should keep Bulls fans optimistic.  If Tom Thibodeau and company want to win, Ronnie Brewer needs more minutes and Carlos Boozer needs to return from injury.

16. Golden State Warriors (5-2)

The Warriors have started the season off 4-0 for the first time in 20 years.  Subsequently, three of those four wins are against teams that failed to reach the postseason last year and Utah isn’t the beast it once was.  Monta Ellis has already had two very impressive outings of 46 and 39 points and the return of Stephen Curry will greatly help this backcourt.

17. New York Knicks (3-3)

A win in Chicago could or couldn’t be a big deal this early in the season since we have yet to see them form.  Their other two wins were against Toronto and Washington which both paint a better picture of what this team is truly capable of.  We all know that Mike D’antoni teams can get worn out and that Amar’e Stoudemire’s heightened level of play wont last.

18. Cleveland Cavaliers (3-3)

Cleveland has the fourth best bench as far as scoring in the league.  That same bench never got LeBron James a ring so we don’t really expect the same to pan out for Antawn Jamison and friends.  Byron Scott is letting them grow but that’s about all we expect from this season.  An initial win over Boston is impressive until you see that they lost to Toronto and Sacramento the following days.

19. Sacramento Kings (3-3)

The Kings are scoring but still allowing their opponents to rack up 107 points a game.  DeMarcus Cousins has yet to record a 10-rebound game and Tyreke Evans is still trying to do too much on the court.  Good news is that their both young and when they click, it could mean a lot to wherever the Kings end up playing next.

20. Milwaukee Bucks (2-5)

Scott Skiles is having a hard time getting the Bucks rolling into this season.  They are 30th in the league in scoring at only 89 a game and it’s mainly due to their depth.  Drew Gooden is giving them some more power up front but with just Corey Maggette producing off of the bench, it may be a long road for the Bucks.

21. Houston Rockets (1-5)

All five of Houston’s losses came from very formidable teams this season (Lakers, Warriors, Spurs, Hornets and Nuggets).  Aaron Brooks will be missed and Kyle Lowry will not be able to carry the load by himself.  Luis Scola and Kevin Martin are working out well with all the injuries but Rick Adelman needs a healthy roster in order to compete.

22. Philadelphia 76ers (2-5)

Philly started the season off with losses against Miami, Atlanta, Indiana and Washington.  If you are surprised, close this window immediately.  Evan Turner’s scoring has been up and down but what can you expect from a rookie surrounded by a bunch of trash?  Surprisingly, their bench is ranked first in scoring.

23. Indiana Pacers (2-3)

At first, it’s looks like Darren Collison may be a little in over his head at running Indiana’s point.  Then again, look at who this young man is passing to.  He filled in when Westbrook went down at UCLA and stepped up last season when Paul went down in New Orleans.  However, the talent is pretty thin in Indiana.  Danny Granger seems to be approaching a nice stride but there isn’t much other good news coming out of Indiana.

24. Detroit Pistons (2-5)

The Pistons are bottom feeders in almost every statistical category. This does not bode well for a team that is striving to achieve mediocrity. However, they have won their last two contests. Pistons fans should take any small achievement as good news because there will not be much this season.

25. Los Angeles Clippers (1-6)

At least one team in L.A. has a tough start to their schedule. The Clippers have faced the likes of Portland, Dallas, San Antonio, Denver, Oklahoma City, and Utah in their first seven games with their only win coming against the struggling Thunder. It must be hard to be the bastard child of the Staples center and see the Lakers with a sugarplum and lolly pop schedule until late January.

26. New Jersey Nets (2-4)

Right now the Nets are on a better winning pace than last year. That is the upside. It doesn’t look like Avery Johnson is ever going to let third overall draft pick, Derrick Favors, into the starting lineup anytime soon now that Troy Murphy is back. In their most recent loss, the Nets did their best Washington Generals impersonation to the Heat’s Globetrotter act.

27. Washington Wizards (1-4)

John Wall and Gilbert Arena will be reunited again. That’s good.  Their one win however, well, that’s not so good. December is going to be a rough month for the Wiz so now is their best opportunity to get some wins under their belt. Hopefully, the Republicans won’t try to filibuster their next win.

28. Charlotte Bobcats (1-6)

They were in the playoffs last season and had the number one rated team defense in the league. Now, they have a defensive rating ranked 20th. Not good. Maybe His Airness can breathe some life into this franchise. Something needs to happen, and quick, if they want another playoff birth.

29. Toronto Raptors (1-6)

The Raptors are bad. We knew they would be. They were bad last year even with Chris Bosh on their roster so what are the expectaions of them now that he is gone? Right, there are none. One thing that Raptors fans can take delight in is that the so-called Young Gunz on the team will put on a decent show every night. Jose Calderon needs to be back in the starting lineup otherwise the team’s assists will continue to be dreadful.

30. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-6)

We wrote an open letter to David Kahn. This is something we normally wouldn’t do. However, the T-Wolves are terrible. Kurt Rambis coaches like a chicken with his head cut off and has no sense that Kevin Love is their best player. They are ranked last in most every statistical category. They only thing that Minnesota fans have to look forward to is the high draft pick that the team will get next summer…which Kahn will promptly waste on yet another point guard. KAAAAHHN!

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by | November 2, 2010 · 9:39 AM

Mike Conley and Jared Dudley sign Extensions

They were shown the money

One half of the Beef had been quietly speculating that with the addition of Greivis Vasquez to the Memphis Grizzlies, the team may start shopping Mike Conley. Consider that speculation completely squashed. As of late last night, Conley and the Grizzlies came to terms on a contract extension.

The extension is estimated to be worth $45 million over five years. That is not quite Rudy Gay money but it is certainly a hefty chunk of change. Memphis was motivated to extend Conley due to his play in the preseason and the first three games of the regular season. He has averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists over three games for the Grizzlies this season. Add an average of 3.4 steals per game, which is the league high, to that as well.

Conley was drafted with the fourth pick in 2007 by Memphis. In all reality, Conley was considered a dud pick by just about everyone. He has career averages of 11 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Those numbers are certainly not indicative of a number four overall pick. Nonetheless, Memphis has seen enough improvement in Conley, albeit in a rather limited amount of time, to sign him to an extension.

Conley joins the likes of Kevin Durant, Al Horford, Joakim Noah, and Jared Dudley as the only draftees from 2007 who signed extensions with their teams. This marks the lowest number of players from a draft who signed extensions with their teams. The previous low was six from the 2006 draft class.

Dudley, who was the 22nd pick in 2007, inked his extension late on Monday night just before midnight, which was the deadline for extensions. Dudley’s deal with the Phoenix Suns is worth a reported $22.5 million over five years. The deal also includes an opt-out option for Dudley for the final year. He is averaging seven points and 3.5 rebounds per game this season in just three games.

Looking at the numbers and the money involved it is certainly hard to see where David Stern gets his data saying that the league is hemorrhaging money. Dudley’s extension is much more modest than Conley’s but for a player who averages 20 minutes on the court per game his numbers are lacking. Perhaps the Suns see something more. As for Conley, if he continues to play at his current clip then Memphis will be lauded for keeping him. If he does not then some will wonder how the Grizzlies befell the curse of Isiah Thomas when he has nothing to do with the organization.

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by | November 1, 2010 · 4:19 PM

Al Horford and Atlanta agree to contract extension

Contract extention negotiations will no longer loom over Horford and the Hawks

The Hawks won’t be departing with their first-round center/power forward any time soon.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Al Horford has agreed to a five-year contract worth $60 million with the Hawks.  Drafted No. 3 in the 2007 draft, he demanded max-level money but has settled for substantially less.

The deal is worth the same as other 2007 first-round pick Joakim Noah who agreed to an extension with the Bulls earlier last month.  Kevin Durant is the only other first rounder from that year to agree to an extension.

Today is the deadline for 2007 first-round picks to agree to extensions with their teams for the 2011-12 season and it is speculated that not that many more will do so.  This in effect will cause another circus come next summer’s free agency.

If the three remain the only ones to agree to terms, it will be the fewest number for a draft class in NBA history.  Last year six first-rounders signed extensions which was the previous record low.

Atlanta and Horford have probably come to the deal for several reasons.  The Hawks must know that a decent center is hard to come by and this summer’s free agency showed that players are gaining more power over their deals.  Likewise, this power shift is an overlying reason as to why David Stern is asking for cuts in player’s salaries.  Horford is lucky to get what he can get now before any sort of change is put into effect.

Last season, the Florida alum averaged nearly a double double with 14 points and 9 rebounds a game.  He carried those averages into the post season as the Hawks experienced another disappointing playoff run.  Dwight Howard had 45 rebounds in the four games it took to knock Atlanta out of the playoffs.

Head coach Larry Drew is in his first season with the Hawks after they fired Mike Woodson.  He has come in with the mentality that the team is not spreading out the scoring enough.  With point guard like Mike Biddy who knows how to control the game, there is no reason why this wont be possible.  Expect Horford to be a very important piece to this offense.  He is one of five centers on the team but definitely the most talented and works well with the pace that Atlanta can set.

This signing is a step in the right direction for Atlanta and hopefully it will be mimicked.  Last season’s free agency was a carnival full of bells and whistles, next summer’s looks to add a little more.

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by | October 21, 2010 · 12:45 PM

Popping the bubble in Chicago

Several factors will make the Bulls true contenders this season... and yet, they are still growing.

The stars aligned for several teams in the East this offseason.  A lot of attention has gone to the efforts in South Beach but a certain team in Illinois has made a minor rumble that along with the growth of their young players will turn them into contenders this season.

Derrick Rose has yet to take the Bulls past the first round of the playoffs.  Despite averaging nearly 27 points and 8 assists in the postseason, the Bulls have been unlucky enough to face the Celtics and the Cavs in the first round both times he has been to the playoffs.  However, at only 22, this storied franchise is already his to lead.

This 2009 Rookie of the Year hasn’t even approached his prime yet but is already a threat.  His growth will leap even more this season with him winning gold at the FIBA Championship with team USA this summer.  We have seen what international play can do to young players and the trend wont stop with the Beijing Olympic team.  Mike Krzyzewski has an effect on developing basketball players that builds teamwork play in the biggest egos.

This team has done a good job at bringing in other names that can carry the scoring load for an impressive season.  Carlos Boozer is getting a little old but can still hang in the paint.  Ronnie Brewer has nothing but ups from here and the same applies to C.J. Watson.  Bringing in veterans from high-basketball I.Q. teams will really help in Chicago.  Kurt Thomas has been in the league for a while and brings all sorts of leadership to the Bulls.  Boozer is coming from the hard-nosed system under Jerry Sloan as is Brewer who played briefly in Memphis after leaving Utah.  These players’ guidance and confidence will help this young Bulls team grow.

It just wasn't meant to be for Vinny Del Negro and John Paxson.

The head-coaching story in Chicago has been rough for the past few seasons with the exit of Scott Skiles and the disaster that was Vinny Del Negro.  John Paxson seems to have landed the right man for the job in Tom Thibodeau.  With the Celtics, Thibodeau helped turn the team into a defensively-minded squad with a little help from Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and the assortment of specialists in Boston.  From 2006-07 to the following season, the Celtics lowered their points per game by opponents from 99 to just over 90 and decreased opponent’s shooting percentage to 41 percent a game.  They have had a top-ranked defense the last three seasons with 2009-10 (fifth), 08-09 (second) and 07-08 (first).

Now, he still has a lot of different yet younger players to instill his defensive schemes with.  Joakim Noah is proving to be a very formidable player and shouldn’t let that possible trade including him trip up his season.  In addition, Luol Deng should be able to mold to a new system as well.  The team was already first in the league in rebounding last year with 44 a game and Boozer will be able to lead and transform this frontcourt into a better unit with his veteran leadership.  Loosing Hakim Warrick and Brad Miller will hurt that big-man situation but the players they have now will be able to step up.  Also, do not count the Bulls out for midseason trades.  They have done it before and they may do it again with several chips to throw on the table.

They lost some good players in Tyrus Thomas, John Salmons and Kirk Hinrich as well but they have taken some appropriate steps to replace them.  Boozer has the inside skills that are far superior than Thomas’.  Brewer has very well-rounded game like Salmons and Kyle Korver has the three than can fill the void left by Hinrich.  He was supposed to be replaced by former Duke superstar J.J. Redick but if you haven’t figured it out by now, Otis Smith and the Orlando Magic don’t give up players very easily.

The division is a lot easier now that LeBron James has left town and they no longer need to dread road trips to Cleveland.  The Pistons have also fallen completely off of the map.  But the talented Bucks and young Pacers will keep the Bulls on their heels along with the rest of the Eastern Conference that just got a lot better this offseason.

It finally looks like Chicago is on the right path and hopefully no major snags will get in the way.  They really have a chance of moving past being a bubble team to becoming a true contender with a better seeding in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.  It’s scary since this team still has a lot of growing to do.

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