Official 2009-2010 NBA Thread

[DBAHO]

Also Andrew Bogut posterizing Big Baby today, that made me proud as an Aussie.

 

Not many players more deserving of that in the NBA than Davis.

[whitesoxfan101]

Tough schedule + 2nd best player and best rebounder/defender out=what we're seeing. Bulls aren't making the playoffs unless Noah comes back, and that seems like a long shot right now. Not that I think it's a big deal if they don't make it, I don't think anybody will not come here in the summer because the Bulls ended up 9th in the east instead of 5th-8th.

[southsider2k5]

In their last 7 games, the Bulls have allowed point totals of 110, 111, 100, 116, 105, 122, 132. That's beyond pathetic. I'm kinda hoping we don't make the playoffs. I'd rather have a 5% shot at landing John Wall than getting smoked in 4 games (5 tops) by the Cavs or Magic.

 

It is amazing how much different this team is with Noah out. Not to mention the new guys don't do a damned thing on defense.

[DBAHO]

It is amazing how much different this team is with Noah out. Not to mention the new guys don't do a damned thing on defense.

That's probably why Scott Skiles and Larry Brown gave up on em.

[SoxAce]

This stretch might get ugly fast....

 

Deng out "a while" Gibson possibly out as well.

 

I guess the only bright spot(s) is James Johnson can finally play some god damn minutes, not to mention see if the Bulls sink or swim and to shut down Noah the whole year or not.

[Quin]

Derrick Rose will now be taking 100 shots per game.

[Balta1701]

That's probably why Scott Skiles and Larry Brown gave up on em.

Compared with John Salmons and Tyrus Thomas.

[southsider2k5]

This stretch might get ugly fast....

 

Deng out "a while" Gibson possibly out as well.

 

I guess the only bright spot(s) is James Johnson can finally play some god damn minutes, not to mention see if the Bulls sink or swim and to shut down Noah the whole year or not.

 

Ugh. The only other sort of scorer we have.

[southsider2k5]

And I'm FREE... I'm free fallin!

[SoxAce]

Rose injured earlier on nearly the same identical play from Howard. No Deng, No Noah, No ROSE... no chance as we saw.

[DBAHO]

We should have won that game by 50.

[SoxAce]

We should have won that game by 50.

 

I'm surprised you guys didn't. Funny thing is.. when Rose is out, the Magic have no problem taking care of business. When Rose played the whole game, the Bulls won at the United Center a couple months ago. Just goes to show how important he is even without Noah, but I believe Deng played too in that game so that helps alot.

[DBAHO]

I'm surprised you guys didn't. Funny thing is.. when Rose is out, the Magic have no problem taking care of business. When Rose played the whole game, the Bulls won at the United Center a couple months ago. Just goes to show how important he is even without Noah, but I believe Deng played too in that game so that helps alot.

We're a better team than what we were a couple of months ago though. Carter and Nelson have finally found a groove in the backcourt, and it's showing in our results (won 7 in a row).

 

But if the Bulls can't win 1 of their next 4 games (3 tough road games and a home game against the Cavs IIRC), they're done in terms of the playoffs IMO.

[SoxAce]

We're a better team than what we were a couple of months ago though. Carter and Nelson have finally found a groove in the backcourt, and it's showing in our results (won 7 in a row).

 

But if the Bulls can't win 1 of their next 4 games (3 tough road games and a home game against the Cavs IIRC), they're done in terms of the playoffs IMO.

 

And I wouldn't mind that.. I'd rather us lose but be in the top 10 protected, then lose and be the 11th/12th seed swaping picks with Milwaukee. No team in the East scares me IF Noah, Deng are healthy, hell we beat every team once before except Atlanta I believe. Sure we probably don't beat them in a series, but they shouldn't "scare" the Bulls or fans. But if we are going in with a 70% Deng, 50% Noah, 80% Rose... easy sweep for Cleveland/Orlando/Atlanta and possibly out in 5 games with Toronto/Boston.

 

Funny thing was 2 months ago, the Bulls were one of the hottest teams in the league.. As soon as Noah went out, it's like Rose is playing by himself not to mention people forgot how to defend.

Edited March 12, 2010 by SoxAce

[DBAHO]

Kelly Dwyer from Ball Don't Lie sums it up pretty well;

 

The Bulls are 31-32 with a game in Orlando Thursday night, already a full game out of the East's top eight. They've lost five straight, Joakim Noah(notes) is still weeks away from returning from a bout of plantar fasciitis (and history tells us he won't be right until the offseason, anyway, with that malady), Luol Deng(notes) is out and suffering through right calf and left knee issues, and the schedule is about to get nasty.

 

Real nasty. Counting Thursday's loss to game with Orlando, 14 of the Bulls' final 19 games are against teams .500 or better. And it's not as if Chicago has its way with the mediocre ones. Teams like Memphis, Houston and Miami still give Chicago fits, and they'll more than have their way with the Bulls if Noah is gimpy (that's an absolute certainty), and Luol Deng is trying to muddle through yet another injury-plagued year.

 

All the signs for a flameout are there. Vinny Del Negro is hardly the coach you want navigating a team through times of Strum und Drang, and Chicago's lone strength (it's ability to contest shots and play sound defense) is falling apart with Noah's injury and the (pound-wise, penny-foolish) trade that sent Tyrus Thomas(notes) to the Charlotte Bobcats.

 

Chicago has gone from sixth in defensive efficiency to 11th over the course of this five-game swoon. The team, as currently presented, is a miserable defensive outfit with some of the worst individual defenders at their respective positions (Derrick Rose(notes), Brad Miller(notes), Hakim Warrick(notes)) having to take on extra duty and play roles that they're just not suited for. With Thomas gone and Noah and Deng out, Chicago just doesn't have the length to contest nor the foot speed to stay with opponents, and the results have been pretty terrible over the last two weeks.

 

Worse, though Chicago has seen the light offensively at times over the last few games, this is still a terrible offensive team that doesn't get to the line, can't shoot straight from long range and has a miserable time getting easy interior looks.

 

Even after a hot March, the Bulls are 27th in offensive efficiency this season, about where they've been all year. With Deng and his 18 points per game having to take a seat in favor of undistinguished rookie James Johnson(notes), this only figures to get worse.

[Quin]

Dear Dwight Howard,

 

Stop doing that.

 

That is all.

[southsider2k5]

Kelly Dwyer from Ball Don't Lie sums it up pretty well;

 

Pretty much. If you are going to play that little defense, you are going to have to outscore someone. The Bulls haven't shown that ability. This team could end up smack into the middle of the lottery with the way things are going.

[Balta1701]

Pretty much. If you are going to play that little defense, you are going to have to outscore someone. The Bulls haven't shown that ability. This team could end up smack into the middle of the lottery with the way things are going.

Sadly...it's just not going to happen. We're going to finish in the 11th spot.

[danman31]

Dear Dwight Howard,

 

Stop doing that.

 

That is all.

Yes, and frankly that wasn't the cleanest of fouls. He didn't come near the ball. Not that it was intentional, but it should have been a flagrant.

[Kyyle23]

Yes, and frankly that wasn't the cleanest of fouls. He didn't come near the ball. Not that it was intentional, but it should have been a flagrant.

 

 

That was the first foul called on the Magic last night, and it came with 55 seconds left in the quarter. It was gonna be a blowout anyways, I dont know why the refs felt like they had to swallow their whistles too

[southsider2k5]

Yes, and frankly that wasn't the cleanest of fouls. He didn't come near the ball. Not that it was intentional, but it should have been a flagrant.

 

Stars don't get those kind of calls in the NBA...

 

[southsider2k5]

Rose is out for tonight against Miami... Sounds like NCAA action for me.

[DBAHO]

Yes, and frankly that wasn't the cleanest of fouls. He didn't come near the ball. Not that it was intentional, but it should have been a flagrant.

Rose stuck his left arm out to actually push away Howard though, so it actually could have been called an offensive foul, and that's probably why he wasn't able to land properly on hs wrist.

[knightni]

Rose is out for tonight against Miami... Sounds like NCAA action for me.

I know that you hate them, but West Virginia - Notre Dame might be a really good game. 8pm CST

[DBAHO]

Interesting;

 

There is a growing sentiment among opposing team executives that at the very least the Knicks will sign Atlanta's Joe Johnson, whose agent, Arn Tellem, orchestrated the Tracy McGrady trade to the Knicks and has been friends with Walsh for 20 years. It's called a "wink-wink deal," and even though it is against NBA rules, the practice does exist and is nearly impossible to police.

 

"I think that's a done deal," said one Eastern Conference GM.

 

If Walsh can't land either James or Dwyane Wade but ends up with Johnson, another option is luring Toronto's Chris Bosh in a sign-and-trade. Sources claim the Raptors would be open to such a deal if it included David Lee.

 

I wonder if they'd give him the 5 year contract he's after though. Apparently Atlanta is only willing to offer a 3 year deal with a team option for a 4th based on incentives.