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2015 Bulls Enter Preseason

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Pau, Jimmy, and Taj

Jimmy ButlerDunleavy, Rose, and Noah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the Bulls hear into a new season, they truly are looking for a “fresh start.” With the hiring of a new coach in Fred Hoiberg and the return of healthier versions of Taj Gibson, Derrick Rose (in a couple weeks), and Joakim Noah, the club hopes to forget their playoff woes brought to them from that team from Ohio.

Below, I have listed the comprehensive total of story lines to watch as this season progresses before the Bulls enter preseason action.

The (yet again) injured DRose
Granted, this is supposed to resolve itself fairly quickly, as Hoiberg and the Bulls hope to have him for the season opener on the 27th at home when they host the Cavs, but a fractured orbital bone in the first practice this year is something that could only happen to Derrick Rose.  The unfortunate reality is that due to Derrick’s laundry list of unfortunate injuries, he has played just over a hundred games since his MVP season, five years ago.  Thus, fans, with an attitude of “what have you done for me lately,” are growing tired, justly or otherwise of not seeing their marquee player on the floor.  This season will be very telling (as the last one was supposed to be) as to whether or not Derick Rose is a child of misfortune or truly has the power to ascend to a player who go leaps and bounds for his team and bring them to the top.

The Derrick Rose off-court scandal
This is something to follow but there is little information.  It was alleged that Derrick Rose took part in sexually assaulting a former girlfriend.  The accusations and allegations were made in a very delayed fashion, two years following the supposed incident.  Derrick Rose seems positive he will be proven innocent and the organization stands behind him fully, with Gar Forman calling him “family.”

Mike Dunleavy coming back from back surgery (and how Doug McDermott fits)
Adamantly stating that he would not be returning prior to be fully healed, regardless of the 8-10 week timeline provided.  The consistent and fundamentally sound veteran are bigger shoes to fill than people often realize, as was proven during his first significant injury last season, when he missed good amounts of time with ankle problems. Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic will likely pick up the minutes left behind by Dunleavy, and Hoiberg indicated that the preseason would be a trial run for figuring out lineups.  He said, referring to McDermott, “he’ll get a lot of time, especially with mike out, early in this preseason to play with this first group a lot.”  This should quell fans last year who were begging for Doug to see more floor time, despite Tom Thibodeau’s aversion to giving rookies decent tick.  Speaking of old Tom…

Whether or not Hoiberg’s skill set really does “translate to the NBA”
Hoiberg is in many ways, the antithesis to Tom Thibodeau.  He is a youthful, spry young man who if offensively minded, despite his claim that the team has “worked more on defensive than on offense” so far.  He praises the versatility and flexibility in the offense, something that every coach longs for, but Hoiberg hopes to do more with the roster.  Derrick Rose called him “more relaxed,” and cited that such a quality should  not be taken for granted by himself and his teammates moving forward.  It will be interesting to see where Hoiberg’s flexibility starts and stops, and whether or not he can use it effectively or if, in the long-run, it will be what fans will cite in calling for his head  in 4 years after not winning a championship.

Are Taj and Noah back to being Taj and Noah?
These two guys were something else two years ago while Derrick Rose was rehabbing for the second season.  Noah got MVP votes, religiously dropped double-doubles, and even a couple triple-doubles along the way.  Taj was a sixth-man of the year candidate.  And boom, they got bounced by the Wizards round one in the playoffs.  Can these two, after rough seasons in 2014/2015, come back and be the forceful tandem of old, despite contributing, talented additions like Nikola Mirotic, Pau Gasol, and Bobby Portis? If they can, holy cow, watch out, this is the most stacked and deep team in the NBA.  If they can’t, there might be some serious changing of the guard here.

Jimmy G Buckets-who will he be?
The 2014/2015 all-star is the new golden boy in town.  Which is probably why there were rumors of the older, golder, boy, Derrick Rose, and Jimmy Butler bumping elbows a little bit towards the end of the season last year.  Jimmy’s growth into a player on both sides of the floor made him the next man up, everywhere it seemed, last season, so some fans decided that he should be looked to instead of Rose in tough times, simply because he was there more often.  The navigation of such waters are tedious and should be done with care to hurt no one’s potential or mentality throughout the season, as the team already has enough physical injury to worry about, and isn’t needing relational or mental injury in addition.  To be sure, Butler is expected to be good, really good.  When asked about his off-season work, Butler stated that he is working especially hard on defense, “to be honest.”

Where does Nikola fit? Into the lineup and into the plans of the future?
He is perfect for who Fred Hoiberg is supposed to be as a coach and what he is supposed to run.  Though he clearly needs to work on the defensive side of the ball, Niko was electrifying to watch last year, going off in the second half of the season and garnering some rookie of the year votes.  The question again becomes, a good for Hoiberg to deal with, where the hell are he, and all the rest of these really good players going to find minutes?  The good news is, for all those upset about Thibodeau’s unwillingness to utilize the practice of preventative maintenance and rest, Hoiberg has the depth to do it.  Furthermore, if any injuries, significant, or otherwise, arrive, he should also have sufficient reinforcements, at least on paper, to get it done.  Niko’s best asset, according to Hoiberg is his versatility, and thus one can safely assume that Hoiberg will attempt in this preseason and subsequently, to use Niko in a variety of situations and positions according to the needs just listed.  Most Bulls fans though, wanting their cake and to eat it too, would likely want to see Niko playing a more significant role going forward.

Pau- Older and Golder?
Pau Gasol had one of his best regular seasons ever last year, both according to the eye test and the stat sheet. In his sage wisdom though, he is reserving judgement on Hoiberg, simply stating that they are “all good right now.”  As Pau enters the 35 mark though, fans eyes will pay close attention to whether or not Pau has still got it.

Hinrich retirement?
We all know Kirk was Thibs’s guy, even when he looked….very not-great last year.  Moving forward, a big question will be as to how many good years the veteran, beloved-Bull has left.

Bobby Portis and Cristiano Felicio
The development of these two rookie forwards under the run-n-gun Hoiberg will be a good story line to watch, as no one has really seen Hoiberg develop players at the professional level yet.  The stacking of big men as well could also signify changing of the guard or potential trade bait to lottery hungry teams down the road.

Short-handed Bulls Top Rival Wizards

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Derrick Rose will miss 4-6 weeks while recovering from knee surgery
Derrick Rose will miss 4-6 weeks while recovering from knee surgery

“Next man up”
has become the slogan for the Chicago Bulls for about three years now. Ever since Derrick Rose tore his ACL in the 2012 playoffs, head coach Tom Thibodeau has been forced to change his lineup more than any other coach in recent memory.

Not only have the Bulls had to deal with injuries to Rose the past few seasons, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, and Kirk Hinrich are among a few others who have missed time due to injury, forcing the Bulls to juggle their lineup and do their best to win with what they have had.

The 2014-15 campaign has been no different. After entering the season as heavy favorites to represent the East in the NBA Finals, the Bulls have once again struggled to stay healthy. Rose, Jimmy Butler, Mike Dunleavy, Pau Gasol, Doug McDermott and Joakim Noah have all had stints on the injury list this season and as a result, the Bulls have struggled at times to close out games.

After the loss of Rose for 4-6 weeks, the Bulls would once again be bitten by the injury bug.

Jimmy Butler will miss 3-6 weeks with a left elbow ailment, and Taj Gibson also sat out with an ankle injury. Without three of the team’s top scorers many figured the Bulls would struggle to find scoring especially late in the fourth quarter. However, the Bulls played up-tempo basketball on their home floor against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season and had the last words after a week beginning with some trash talk.

“I don’t want to talk about Chicago. You know I hate them. You can put that,” Wizard’s forward Nene told the Washington Post on Monday. Needless to say there is no love lost between the two teams, and it would show on Tuesday.

The Bulls would defeat the Wizards 97-92 on Tuesday behind a clutch performance from Noah, and the balanced attack of their young core. Rookie Nikola Mirotic scored 23 points with 8 rebounds, and Aaron Brooks added 22 points and 8 assists filling in for the injured Rose.

“It’s going to be the collective effort. You can’t replace a Derrick or a Jimmy or Taj individually. We have to do it as a team,” Thibodeau said after the win. “They’re going to keep coming, they’re all tough. We’re going to need a lot of resiliency and a lot of fight.”

Noah once again put the Bulls on his back, much like last season, when he became an unlikely MVP candidate. Noah scored 12 points and pulled down 12 boards while battling with his personal rival, Nene. Washington’s forward, and the Bulls’ new arch nemesis, would foul out after going scoreless and grabbing only 6 rebounds. He would also pick up a flagrant foul while taking a shot at Noah, who calmly walked away.

“I’m just happy we won, and I’m happy I kept my composure,” Noah said about the play. “Just trying to put out a video a couple hours before the game about non-violence. And trying to teach these kids about the big picture. You know what I mean? So it wouldn’t have been a good look, not today. But I’m really, really proud of this team and the way we stepped up tonight.”

The Bulls (38-23) would also get another solid game from Pau Gasol. Gasol scored 20 points and added 10 rebounds to add to his league leading 39th double-double this season. The veteran Gasol knows how important these next few weeks will be while the Bulls are without their starting backcourt and leading scorers.

“I think every game is going to be emotional from now on,” Gasol said. “Every game is meaningful, and this team, they’re a tough team. They try to play extra physical to try to take away stuff.”

The Wizards (34-27) were led by John Wall’s 21 points and 11 assists, and Paul Pierce who chipped in with 16 points including 4 of 6 from the three point line. They are now 3-7 in their last ten games and 13-16 on the road this season.

Chicago did a great job defensively on Washington guard Bradley Beal, who came up huge against them in last year’s playoff series loss.

“The game was lost in a variety of ways,” said Beal, who scored only 13 points on 6-of-18 shooting. “Just bad possessions. And I feel like I had a lot of open shots that I should have made which could have put us in a better position to win the game.”

The Bulls will again play at home on Thursday, when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have been hampered by injuries all season long as well.

Gasol leads Bulls to Overtime Win

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Gasol

The Chicago Bulls came into Saturdays home matchup against the Boston Celtics short handed and uncertain on who would be in the starting five. Wings Mike Dunleavy and Jimmy Butler both missed Saturdays game but lucky for Chicago, Pau Gasol showed up as usual.

Gasol scored 29 points and added 16 rebounds and 5 blocked shots and reserve forward Nikola Mirotic chipped in ten points and 8 rebounds to help the Bulls escape the Celtics 109-104 in overtime.

Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau would not name the Bulls starters until about an hour before tipoff and when he finally did it was announced Mirotic would be making his first start at the small forward position.

” I thought overall ( Mirotic) did very well. Thibodeau said after the game. ” He didnt shoot the ball great, but he made alot of great plays. He spaced the floor well. He has been working hard in practice and has been developing confidence there. I thought he made alot of good plays to get Pau going too which helped us get established inside.”

Besides Mirotic moving over from his original power forward position to make an impact saturday, Gasol was his usual self, playing 38 minutes and shooting 9-16 from the floor.

” ( Pau) is unbelievable. We see it night after night” Thobodeau added. “All the things he does on both sides of the court. He had a 9 blocked shot game, then to follow it up with a 5 blocked shot game. He got many rebounds, and got to the free throw line. The way he plays it gives your team alot of confidence”.

In what was a sloppy game by both teams, The Celtics hung around late in the fourth quarter thanks to Chicago native, Evan Turners game high 28 points on 12-20 shooting— including 4-5 from 3 point land. After trading buckets, the Celtics would tie the game at 99 with 2.6 seconds to play off a Jared Sullinger ( 16 points, 13 rebounds) put-back basket. Chicago would call a timeout and draw up a perfectly executed open shot for Aaron Brooks, that would fall just short. Despite the hot shooting of Turner, the Celtics (11-20) would not be able to hang with the Bulls in the extra period.

” We left too many situation points on the floor. We got out-rebounded and I made a mistake and threw the ball away” Turner said when asked what went wrong in overtime. I misjudged Green and Hinrich ran right past it. It was my fault. ”

Despite the loss, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens liked what he saw from Turner and the effort his young team put up against one of the Eastern Conferences powerhouse units.

” The best part of ( Turners) game was that he did not have a good first half and he had a great second half” Stevens said in his post game press confrence. ” He put us on his backs for a little bit in the second half”

Speaking of putting his team on his back, Gasol, who was once again brillant— has not only become a force on the court, but in the locker room as well. Thibodeau said after the game that Gasol’s ” actions speak louder than words”

” Pau has been great” Joakim Noah added on saturday. ” He has been huge for us all season. He is one of the constants every-night. His offensive game is really big for us.”

Through 31 games, Gasol is averaging 18 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks and the Bulls are 24-10 and in first place in the Central. However this season the Bulls have their sights on more than just regular season accolades.

Notes from Saturday nights game…

– Jimmy Butler ( bereavement leave) and Mike Dunleavy ( right ankle) sat out

– Aaron Brooks scored 19 points of the bench. He has now scored in double figures eight of his last ten games.

– With Saturdays win, the Bulls have now won nine of their last 10 overall and eight of their last nine home games.

– Chicago pulled down a season high 24 offensive rebounds and out rebounded the Celtics 59-45.

Bulls Doing Just Fine Without Melo

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Mike Dunleavy meets with the media
Mike Dunleavy meets with the media

Since Tom Thibodeau has taken over as head coach of the Chicago Bulls, they have never been a team to look back and wonder, “What if?” — not that anybody would blame them if they did. Two major knee injuries to Derrick Rose have robbed Chicago from a legitimate chance to compete for a title, and the Bulls again failed to land their main free agent target this offseason in Carmelo Anthony.

“I don’t want to look backward,” Thibodeau said after Wednesday’s practice. “It didn’t work out then, but it worked out for everybody in the end. We feel very good about having the opportunity to get Pau.”

Indeed the Bulls definitely hit the jackpot signing a rejuvenated (and healthy) Pau Gasol, and rookie sensation Nikola Mirotic, (who continues to improve every time he steps on the court). Chicago has yet to reach full potential, mainly due to injuries, but still find themselves 15-9 and 1st in the central division heading into Thursday night’s matchup against Carmelo’s New York Knicks.

Meanwhile Melo might be wondering “What if?” in New York, where his Knicks are a putrid 5-22. Anthony has recently stated that he, “was close to signing with the Bulls,” but in the end chose to remain in New York, where he signed a five-year, $124-million deal.

Joakim Noah, who spent the offseason trying to persuade Anthony to come to Chicago, also does not dwell on the what ifs.

“I am a live-in-the-moment kind of guy,” Noah said Wednesday when asked if he wonders what life with Melo could have been like. “I don’t try to dwell on what could have happened. I’m really happy with what we have right now. Were a deep team, and we are striving for something pretty different for what they’re striving for in terms of goals this year.”

Bulls forward Mike Dunleavy knows things could have been much different for him this season and was asked if he every wonders where he would be if Anthony had become a Bull.

“Not really, I would be playing basketball somewhere,” Dunleavy answered. “Obviously I am really happy to be here. Sometimes It’s nice to have a Bentley, but a Honda Accord will get you there as well.”

So while Melo may be a flashy, explosive Bentley the Bulls just couldn’t afford, they seem to be just fine settling for the less glamorous “Honda” Dunleavy had mentioned. Gasol is averaging 18.7 points and 11.9 rebounds so far this season and more importantly is already becoming a great teammate.

“He definitely brings a good attitude, a positive attitude to the team,” Noah said Wednesday. “He’s just a good guy to have around, somebody who has seen it all. Its good to have a new voice in the locker room.”

Click below for more coverage of Weds practice.

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Bulls Look to Get Back on Track

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Joakim Noah talks to the media after Tuesdays practice.
Joakim Noah talks to the media after Tuesdays practice.

The Chicago Bulls have definitely improved offensively so far this season.

With the addition of Pau Gasol, and departure of the smaller/less effective Carlos Boozer, the team has upped their points per game average from 93.7 to 102.6. Strangely enough, it has been the defense that has struggled at times.

The Bulls (12-8) are allowing an uncharacteristically high 100.5 points per game and have struggled to stay healthy in the first chunk of the season. Joakim Noah is not worried just yet, however.

“We are 20 games in now, and I still believe we can get a lot better.” Noah said on Tuesday. “Guys are working hard and I just believe that we will be a lot better.”

The Bulls center sat out Tuesday’s practice with a knee injury and is not expected to play in Wednesday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. The Bulls have been hampered by injuries in the first few months of the season and have struggled to “gel” on the court.

Luckily for the Bulls, the Brooklyn Nets also have some big man injuries of their own. Brook Lopez is out at least a week with a strained lower back. Lopez is averaging 16.1 points per game along with 6.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.

While Noah will most likely miss Tuesday’s game, Derrick Rose will play and hopes to break out of his own recent struggles.

Rose scored only 9 points on 2-11 shooting in Saturday night’s loss to the Golden State Warriors, and has become reliant on his jumper rather than attacking the rim since his return from injury. Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is hoping Rose can return to elite status again soon.

“He has to attack,” Thibodeau said on Tuesday. “That’s the bottom line. Some teams are going under [picks] and some teams will adjust to a blitz. All I know is when he’s pushing the ball up the floor and attacking, that’s who he is. He can’t defer. He can’t pace himself. He’s got to go. That’s the big thing. He’s got to go.”

The Nets will enter Tuesday’s matchup with an 8-11 record and will be missing two of their top scorers in Lopez and guard Joe Johnson (Illness). The Brooklyn Nets could be just what the doctor ordered for a team looking to get back on track.

Click below for audio from Tuesdays practice

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Bulls 2014-15 Season

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Derrick RoseIt’s hard to describe the feelings I have when talking about this upcoming Bulls season.

I would compare them to a first date… with a girl you have known for a while but have never had the stones to ask out. You two have flirted off and on for years, but have never given a real relationship a try. When she was single, you had a girlfriend and vice versa. A dating opportunity has never presented itself… until now.

It is time.

Time to see what you are made of and if this relationship could really work. Your friends have been bugging you to ask her out because you guys “are made for each other.” The anxious excitement of a genuine relationship, with a person you WANT to be with, is the same way I feel about this 2014-15 Bulls season.

I WANT this season to be exactly what everyone is predicting.

Since the Bulls drafted Derrick Rose with the 1st overall pick in the 2008, the thought of winning an NBA title was more of a fantasy then a reality. The fantasy being, a young Rose without a supporting cast or respectable head coach, beating LeBron James and the Cavaliers/Heat to get to the NBA Finals.Tom Thib

The respectable coach, Tom Thibodeau, was paired up with Rose in 2010 and since that time they have accrued 1 conference finals appearance and an MVP trophy. Thibodeau has a .657 (205-107) winning percentages in 4 season as head coach and has won the Coach of the Year award once in 2011.

Thibodeau has been criticized regarding his minute distribution for his all-stars, but that shouldn’t be an issue this season with Rose and Noah coming off knee injuries. I would expect Rose to be in the low 30’s for most of the season, with Noah’s minutes being more sporadic based on the status of his knee. It will take some time of Thibs to conjure up a rotation, but expect a more evenly distributed minute chart in 2014-15.

Excluding Jimmy Butler.

With the 2 injury plagued season for Rose in the rearview, the anticipation for this upcoming season is second to none, with the additions of Pau Gasol, Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott. Arguably the deepest team under Tom Thibodeau, this Bulls team will rely on team defense and ball movement on the offensive end of the floor.

The Bulls still have not acquired that 2nd scorer fans have been waiting for, but expect a team centric approach to scoring with flashes of MVP Rose sprinkled into the mix. Players like Dunleavy, Mirotic and McDermott will be expected to hit their open shots when called upon, due to the attention Rose will receive attacking the basket.

Mirotic & GasolPau Gasol will add a legitimate low post threat with exceptional passing skills that will complement Thibodeau’s offense. Taj Gibson will bring his workman like attitude in order to defend like the Bulls are used to seeing. Gibson has spent his summer expanding his offensive game, but will still be the defensive replacement for Gasol when the Bulls need a stop. Fans should expect to see the same “try hard” Bulls they have fallen in love with, but with more fire power on the offensive side of the court.

The possibility of something great coming out of a first date keeps single people on the market. That same possibility, will keep me intrigued for this Bulls team, barring any injuries, this year could be the “one”.

Record: 55 – 27 (2nd in the Central)

@WesEvans24

 

Bulls Welcome Mirotic and Gasol (Full Audio)

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Gasol

The Chicago Bulls came into this summer’s blockbuster free agency period with one big target on their minds, unfortunately for them, they came away with a “Plan B operation.” While it was disappointing not to land one of the most proficient scorers of the past decade, it may go down as the best alternate plan in Chicago basketball history.

The Bulls challenged Carmelo Anthony to turn down more money than most of us will ever see in our lives for the opportunity to contend for a championship with a former MVP, the 2013-14 Defensive Player of the Year, and a top five head coach. New York Knicks president Phil Jackson challenged Anthony to return to New York where he will play on a brutal team, BUT, with a nice fat paycheck coming his way.

Most realistic fans and analysts knew the chances of Anthony coming to Chicago were slim, however some thought maybe, just maybe, there was a possibility Melo wanted to silence his critics who say, “he will never be the best player on a championship team.”
However, it was not meant to be, and Anthony returned to the Knicks with a five-year, $124 million deal, which left Bulls fans wondering why [the Bulls] aren’t able to land the big free agents.

A valid question when you consider the front office’s failures throughout the last decade to lure top free agents to Chicago, instead settling for consolation prizes such as Eddie Robinson, Ron Mercer, and most recently Carlos Boozer.

So, with Melo following the money back to New York, what would the Bulls do next? What was their plan B? In the time it took for Anthony to make his decision most of the smaller fish free agents were already scooped up.

The Bulls decided to move on to their alternate plan, which included the 34-year old, 7-foot Spanish Forward, Pau Gasol. Gasol, a four time All-Star, had spent the last 6 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and won two championships with the team, while also becoming one of Kobe Bryant’s all-time favorite teammates. Rumors of mutual interest between him and the Bulls had been swirling for about five years.

On Friday, the Bulls officially welcomed Gasol to Chicago with a press conference where he discussed how excited he is to compete for a championship in the new look Eastern Conference.

“It was a gut feeling. I thought Chicago was going to be the best fit for me,” said Gasol. “It’s a great challenge, but I’m driven by challenge. I look forward to it.”

While it was a solid pickup for the Bulls, would it be enough to make them the favorites in the new look East?

The Bulls, even without former MVP Derrick Rose, managed to win 48 games and make the playoffs for a sixth straight season last year. However, they once again struggled to find scoring at the end of games which was made loud and clear in their playoff series loss in 5 games to the Washington Wizards.

The good news for Bulls fans is that Gasol is an upgrade over Carlos Boozer. When the Bulls signed Boozer away from the Utah Jazz they had expected him to be a force, executing the pick-and-roll with Rose, much like he had been in Utah with then Jazz point guard, Derron Williams, running the show. The problem with that was Boozer had gotten older, lost a step, and instead settled for 16-18 foot jumpers.

With Gasol, the Bulls will not have to worry about finishing at the rim. Gasol is 3-inches taller, so he will be able to finish against bigger and stronger defenders, something Boozer struggled to do in Chicago. Gasol can also knock down mid-range jumpers and is able to keep defenders honest.

The Bulls are also excited about Gasol’s passing game. While Boozer and Bulls’ center Joakim Noah worked well together down low, Boozer averaged 2.9 assists per 100 possesions, Gasol averaged 5.2 and has not dipped below 3.0 since the 2003-04 season.

So, why were so many fans upset? Well, first of all Gasol is not really a guy who can create his own shot, and he is not going to average 28 points per game, even in his prime that would be unrealistic. Gasol is also 34 years old, and is coming off a season in which he battled foot injuries throughout the year. Also, while Gasol is a force defending under the rim (1,1484 career blocks), you would still figure it would be Taj Gibson and Noah closing out games at the 4 and 5, because they are tremendous defenders and work well together as rim protectors. But, the players who start and finish the game are the least of the veteran’s worries.

“I don’t know how it’s going to unfold,” Gasol said, “you know, who will be the starter, who’s finishing? Maybe we change as we go. We’re going to see once we get everyone out there together. We’re always going to do what’s best for the team.”

Bulls head coach, Tom Thibodeau, was not ready to discuss minutes just yet either. “It should be good,” Thibodeau said. “Pau is conflicted. One minute he wants short minutes, one minute he wants long minutes. We’ll find the right amount.”

The Bulls did not find their shot creator, so instead they have attempted to build a team similar to this seasons NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs beat the Miami Heat and LeBron James without having a “Melo” type player. They won with floor spacing, ball movement, and surrounding point guard, Tony Parker, with great three-point shooters.

With a healthy Derrick Rose playing the part of Parker, the possible return of sharp-shooter Mike Dunleavy, (at this time he is still with the team), second-year player Tony Snell, (who struggled at times last season, but has been looking improved in summer league), and the rookie, Doug McDermott, the Bulls hope to be a mirror image of last years Spurs team and improve on last seasons .348 three-point shooting percentage which was the worst in the league.

To add to the lineup they have been preparing, the Bulls also introduced European star, Nikola Mirotic, on Friday. Mirotic, (who was acquired by the team in a draft-day deal in 2011 from the Houston Rockets), signed a three-year, $18 million deal to play with the Bulls. Since it has been three years since he has been drafted, he does not have any obligations to a rookie contract.

While it is unclear how long it will take for Mirotic to pick up the NBA game and earn Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeaus trust, Bulls management is very confident in his ability to space the floor and knock down shots from the perimeter as a “stretch four”. On Friday, Thibodeau acknowledged Mirotic as being a real fit for the Bulls.

“He’s a big who is extremely skilled,” Thibodeau said. “He’s a spacing 4 who shoots the 3 very well. He’s versatile in that he can play inside or outside. He has a high basketball IQ and a good motor.” Last season, Mirotic shot 50.8% from the field and 46.1% from three-point range in 31 games with Real Madrid of the Lega ACB last season.

The Bulls offseason may not have gone exactly the way their managment and fans had hoped, but the team will still begin the 2014-2015 campaign as one of the favorites to come out of the East. While the Bulls will be much improved this season it will all come down to Derrick Rose staying healthy, and if he stay healthy throughout the season and be prepared for the playoffs, the Bulls will go as far as he will take them.

Full Audio from Fridays Press Confrence

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Joakim Noah Earns 2013-14 All-NBA First Team Honors

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joakim-noahFrom the Chicago Bulls and news wires….

NEW YORK, June 4, 2014 – The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant, the 2013-14 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player and winner of four scoring titles in five seasons, highlights the 2013-14 All-NBA First Team.  Durant was the lone unanimous selection, appearing on all 125 ballots as a First-Team pick while LeBron James of the Miami Heat garnered 124 First-Team votes.

Joining Durant and James on the First Team are Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers, James Harden of the Houston Rockets and Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls.  Harden and Noah captured First Team honors for the first time in their careers.  Paul is an All-NBA First Team selection for the fourth time.  Durant makes his fifth appearance on the First Team, while James earned his eighth All-NBA First Team nod.

Durant averaged a career-best 32.0 points to go with 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists, also a career high.  In capturing his fourth scoring title, he joined Jordan (10), Chamberlain (seven), Gervin (four), and Allen Iverson (four) as the only players in league annals to win at least four scoring titles.  He shot .503 from the field, .391 from three-point range, and .873 from the free throw line, leading all players in free throws made (703) and attempted (805).  Durant authored two 50-point games, topped the 40-point mark on 14 occasions, and turned in 17 games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.

James shot a career-high 56.7 percent from the field this season, marking the seventh consecutive season he has improved his field goal percentage.  He connected on 116 three-point field goals, the second straight season he has made over 100 three-point field goals while shooting at least 55 percent from the field.  He posted his ninth 2000-point season, becoming only the fourth player in NBA history to accomplish this feat, joining Karl Malone (12), Michael Jordan (11) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9).

Noah, who appeared in 80 of Chicago’s 82 games, ranked sixth in the NBA in rebounding (11.3 rpg), 12th in blocks (1.51 bpg) and added 1.24 steals.  He was one of just three players (Detroit’s Andre Drummond and New Orleans’ Anthony Davis) to average at least 10.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals.  Behind Noah, the Bulls held opponents to a .430 field goal percentage, second-stingiest in the league.

Paul led the NBA in assists (10.7 apg) and steals (2.48 spg), while averaging 19.1 points and 4.3 rebounds as the Clippers won a franchise-record 57 games.  Paul became the seventh player in NBA history to top the 6,000-assist plateau before the end of his ninth season.  He’s only the fourth player in NBA history to reach 6,000 assists before his 29th birthday, joining Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas and John Stockton.

Harden finished fifth in the NBA in scoring (25.4 ppg), and added 6.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds. He was one of only two players (LeBron James) to average at least 25.0 points, 6.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds.  He finished second in the NBA in free throws made (576), topped the 30-point mark in 24 games and registered two 40-plus outings.  Harden also ranked fifth in the NBA in minutes (38.0 mpg).

The All-NBA Second Team consists of guards Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, forwards Blake Griffin of the Clippers and Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves and center Dwight Howard of the Rockets.

The All-NBA Third Team includes the Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard and the Phoenix Suns’ Goran Dragic at guard, the Indiana Pacers’ Paul George and the Trail Blazers’ LaMarcus Aldridge at forward and the Charlotte Hornets’ Al Jefferson at center.

For the first time this season, complete media voting results for each NBA annual award will be posted on nba.com/official following the announcement of each winner.  The All-NBA Teams were chosen by a panel of 125 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada.  The media voted for All-NBA First, Second and Third Teams by position with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.  Below are the results of the voting for the 2013-14 All-NBA Teams, with First Team votes in parentheses.  The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP.

 

2013-14 ALL-NBA FIRST TEAM

 

Position                             Player, Team (1st Team Votes)                   Points

Forward                             Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City (125)                         625

Forward                             LeBron James, Miami (124)                                       623

CENTER                          JOAKIM NOAH, CHICAGO (101)                  551

Guard                                James Harden, Houston (73)                                     502

Guard                                Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers (86)                                     540

 

2013-14 ALL-NBA SECOND TEAM

 

Position                       Player, Team (1st Team Votes)                            Points

Forward                             Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers (5)                             350

Forward                             Kevin Love, Minnesota (2)                                    237

Center                                Dwight Howard, Houston (9)                                 226

Guard                                Stephen Curry, Golden State (65)                          489

Guard                                Tony Parker, San Antonio (14)                              210

 

 

2013-14 ALL-NBA THIRD TEAM

 

Position                          Player, Team (1st Team Votes)                    Points

Forward                             Paul George, Indiana (4)                                        171

Forward                             LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland (2)                          159

Center                                Al Jefferson, Charlotte (4)                                       191

Guard                                Goran Dragic, Phoenix (1)                                        115

Guard                                Damian Lillard, Portland (2)                                    115

 

 

Other players receiving votes, with point totals: Carmelo Anthony, New York,86 (1 First Team vote); John Wall, Washington, 70; Tim Duncan, San Antonio, 63 (1); DeMar DeRozan, Toronto, 56; Anthony Davis, New Orleans, 40 (1); Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas, 37 (1); Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City, 32 (1); Kyle Lowry, Toronto, 29; DeAndre Jordan, L.A. Clippers, 21; Roy Hibbert, Indiana, 17; Marc Gasol, Memphis, 16 (2); DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento, 14 (1); Kyrie Irving, Cleveland, 7; Dwyane Wade, Miami, 6; Mike Conley, Memphis, 4; Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City, 4; Zach Randolph, Memphis, 4; Joe Johnson, Brooklyn, 4; Lance Stephenson, Indiana, 3; Ty Lawson, Denver, 2; Paul Millsap, Atlanta, 2; Chris Bosh, Miami, 1; Andre Drummond, Detroit, 1; Monta Ellis, Dallas, 1; Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio, 1.

 

A Few Good Men: Players Who Deserve to be Named NBA All-Stars

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2014 All-Star Jerseys. Photo Courtesy NBA.com
The unfortunate looking 2014 All-Star Jerseys. Photo Courtesy NBA.com

The NBA All-Star Game is supposed to showcase the best talent in the league and reward players who are putting together exceptional seasons. Unfortunately, the 12 most deserving players from each conference are rarely selected to the team, thanks in large part to fan-voting. Before voting concludes on Tuesday, I have put together a roster of the players who should find themselves in New Orleans. The roster I have assembled is based on quality of play rather than a popularity contest. I followed the same selection parameters as the NBA has established. 12 players will be named to each team and I will separate them by frontcourt and backcourt. Here are the players who deserve to wear these god-awful t-shirt jerseys come February 16.

Eastern Conference Starters

Frontcourt: Joakim Noah, LeBron James, Paul George

Backcourt: Dwyane Wade, John Wall

Eastern Conference Reserves

Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Paul Millsap, Roy Hibbert, DeMar DeRozan, Kyrie Irving, Lance Stephenson

Eastern Conference Snubs

Andre Drummond, Kemba Walker, Luol Deng, Brandon Jennings, Arron Afflalo, Jeff Teague

Tough Decisions

1. Noah starting over Hibbert

One may be surprised to find that Roy Hibbert is averaging just 7.8 rebounds per game, more than three less than Joakim Noah. Noah is having another great year, averaging 11.7 points and 11 rebound per game. While he isn’t as good of a low post defender as Hibbert, Noah’s tenacity and athleticism has helped the Bulls stay relevant despite losing Derrick Rose and trading Luol Deng.

2. Bosh being selected over Drummond

Andre Drummond is an absolute beast and his development this season should certainly be recognized. However, his play has been inconsistent at times and his team has struggled throughout the year. On the other hand, Bosh is putting up his typical numbers while shouldering more of the load with Wade frequently out of the lineup in Miami. Moreover, Bosh has hit several game winning shots for the Heat this season. Bosh gets the nod this year.

3. John Wall starting over Kyrie Irving

Both players are phenomenal young talents and their numbers are very similar. Irving does average more points per game, but Wall averages more assists and steals. The decision to start Wall over Irving came down to the success of their respective teams to this point in the season. The Wizards are holding on to the fifth seed while Cleveland is struggling to stay relevant in a depressingly inept Eastern Conference.

Western Conference Starters

Frontcourt: LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant

Backcourt: James Harden, Steph Curry

Western Conference Reserves

Kevin Love, Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Damian Lillard, Mike Conley, Goran Dragic

Western Conference Snubs

Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, David Lee, Serge Ibaka, Monta Ellis, Ty Lawson, Tony Parker, Russell Westbrook (Injured), Chris Paul (Injured)

Tough Decisions

1. Blake starting over Kevin Love

Love’s numbers are plain stupid. He is averaging 25 points and 13 rebounds while shooting nearly 40% from three. Griffin’s numbers are not quite as staggering, but they are in the same ballpark. Blake is averaging 22.5 points and 10 rebounds while singlehandedly keeping the poster industry afloat with dunks like this one.

I give Blake the start because he has shown the ability to carry the Clips with CP3 sidelined.

2. Anthony Davis being selected over David Lee

Yes, The Brow missed a few weeks in December due to a broken hand. Still, when on the court, Davis has been fantastic. His numbers are slightly better than David Lee in terms of scoring and rebounding, but the two are truly separated on defense. Davis is becoming a solid all-around defender and is already an exceptional shot blocker. This will be the first of many All-Star Games for The Brow.

3. Mike Conley over Ty Lawson and Tony Parker

The West is flooded with quality point guards. The decision to select Conley over players like Lawson and Parker was based on the success Conley has been able to have despite missing Marc Gasol (Big Spanish) for much of the year. The statistics for many of the “snubbed” guards are similar, but Conley has had to do more with less. Now that they are healthy, I think Conley and the Grizz could go on a big second half run this season.

Follow me on Twitter: @KevinMajor_SRN

Email me at KevinMajorSRN@gmail.com

All videos courtesy of Youtube and the NBA

 

Chicago Bulls Media Day Showcases Return of Derrick Rose

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bulls
The last time we saw Derrick Rose on a basketball court he was being carried away, squashing all dreams of an NBA Title for the Chicago Bulls and their fans after suffering a torn ACL. Last season, Derrick sat out to continue rehabbing his surgically repaired knee causing a huge stir from media and fans as they wondered why his rehab was taking so long.

Fast forward two years, Rose is now healthy and ready to help the Bulls contend for a NBA Title and a chance to dethrone the two time NBA champs, the Miami Heat. The Bulls players and coaches definitely seemed confident and ready to start the season on Friday when they hosted media day at the Berto Center to kick off the 2013-2014 Season.

Bulls general manager, Gar Foreman, was the first person to address the media Friday and answered all of the questions concerning the former MVP Derrick Rose. Not only did he address if Derrick would play in the preseason, but stated “Derrick should play in every preseason game”, and when asked about minutes said “It will remain fluid as we go” (Click below for more audio of Gar Foreman speaking at Bulls Media Day).

Gar Foreman was not the only person who seemed confident and ready to see Rose return to the court. Bulls head coach, Tom Thibodeau, also acknowledged how big the former MVP’s return would be saying this would be, “a very special year”.

Thibs also responded to those who criticized Derrick last year by saying, “[they] didn’t know what the hell they were talking about”. Coach Thibodeau also talked about all the hype and expectations the Bulls will have this year stating, “The pressure of expectations are really a privilege”( Click below to hear more from coach Thibs).

The media then rushed over to the podium where they would finally hear from Derrick Rose. Derrick answered all of the questions regarding his health and said he was ready to play, and that his goal for this year was “to win a championship.” Rose also said last year he didn’t feel comfortable coming back because “he wasn’t sure he would be able to handle a double team” (Click below for the full Derrick Rose interview).

Bulls fans had to breathe a sigh of relief after hearing Rose would be ready for the season and for good reason. The Bulls will bring back one of the best starting lineups in the NBA with Derrick finally being able to start in the same backcourt as third year shooting guard Jimmy Butler, who had a strong sophomore campaign last year for the Bulls.

Starting at the forward spots will be Luol Deng, (who brushed off contract talk on Friday) and Carlos Boozer who is coming off his best season so far with the team. The man in the middle is Joakim Noah, who also seems to be healthy this season after battling plantar fasciitis all of last season. With a lineup like that its no wonder NBA analyst and former Bull, Steve Kerr, has predicted the Bulls to win the NBA Title.

The Bulls will also bring a deep bench to the table with veterans like Taj Gibson who worked in the offseason on improving his low post scoring,and Kirk Hinrich who returns to Chicago to provide leadership and solid perimeter defense.In the offseason, the Bulls added Mike Dunleavy to the team for more 3 point shooting after finishing last season as one of the leagues worst shooting teams from the field.

With Derrick Rose’s penetration, and improved 3 point shooting, this just may be the Bulls’ year.

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