2014-2015 NBA thread

[Boogua]

Apparently Kyrie and Lebron have played more minutes together than Rose and Butler. That is just insane and sad.

 

http://www.sportsgrid.com/nba/lebron-james...d-jimmy-butler/

[RockRaines]

Sadly Bulls fans can see the future and it looks like one where Rose is not part of it.

 

What happens after resting for three weeks? He gets all healthy and lasts the rest of the season and then can lead the team through a grueling playoff run.....

Its November. If this is still happening a year from now then it's time to declare his career is what it is. If you want to declare it over now then yes, you must be able to see the future.

[southsider2k5]

Matt Spiegel ‏@MattSpiegel670 1h1 hour ago

 

Thibs thinks Rose has to play through it; couldn't be more clear in words & actions. Derrick looks like a man playing both injured & scared.

[thxfrthmmrs]

It's a bittersweet feeling to think that Jimmy Butler might be our best player going forward. I think at this point, he and Mirotic are the true building blocks for the future. It's hard to imagine the Bulls losing him to RFA after this season.

 

Hindsight is 20/20, but I think the FO dropped the ball by not following his progression this offseason more closely. There were some signs and flashes already in the preseason. Now we will need to pay more for his service after this season.

[nitetrain8601]

Hopefully there will just be a moment where Derrick's insane drive comes back and pushes him right through the mental wall. Something needs to piss Derrick off like it used to and then he'd demand the ball and go full throttle down the court.

 

My guess is that will happen against the Cavaliers.

 

I honestly think it would take an opposing player calling him out.

[Chisoxfn]

Matt Spiegel ‏@MattSpiegel670 1h1 hour ago

 

Thibs thinks Rose has to play through it; couldn't be more clear in words & actions. Derrick looks like a man playing both injured & scared.

Thibs is probably right. I think the key is we push him so that he can build stamina, etc, but in a smart manner. On the 2nd of a back to back, given the limited minutes he played, I don't have a problem pulling him, but Rose needs to play and practice relatively consistently. Minute limits and ocassional day offs will still be critical though. I think some of these issues are matters he has to work through, but it has to be in conjunction with the trainers, etc. The key is whether this is good soreness related to coming back and building stamina, etc, or if this is him actually continually reinjuring himself.

 

It should also be noted that Wilbon indicated most good doctors would have expected him to have some ankle / hamstring / lower leg injuries during his return as you adjust your stride, etc, and potentially overcompensate from the previous injuries (due to mental concern). Typically, you eventually adjust back and slowly feel more comfortable. As fans, it is important to be patient.

[Steve9347]

Apparently Kyrie and Lebron have played more minutes together than Rose and Butler. That is just insane and sad.

 

http://www.sportsgrid.com/nba/lebron-james...d-jimmy-butler/

Christ.

[southsider2k5]

Its November. If this is still happening a year from now then it's time to declare his career is what it is. If you want to declare it over now then yes, you must be able to see the future.

 

I think the biggest difference is that Rose's body language looks completely different. He looks defeated. We have never seen that before.

[nitetrain8601]

No, it absolutely IS that.

That's the troubling thing along with this. Usually, you should be working to increase your workload. Derrick has decreased his workload and in fact, played less basketball so far than he did for the US team and it's leaning towards less and less. And when he does play, he's not playing like he's trying. Before he would start the break and blur through the defense, now, he gets the ball on the fastbreak and he looks to skip it ahead to someone else which I've never seen him do prior to this year unless someone was a half court ahead of him with no one around.

 

In the halfcourt, he literally brings the ball up the court, then dumps it off to someone else. Usually doesn't sell himself in the play either. Just goes through the motions. He gets the ball back, if there's no clear lane, he'll not even look to pump fake or shoot, he'll just pass it off to someone else while not even looking at the rim.

 

And that's when he decides to play. He'll have a 5-8 minute spurt where he tries to score, and that's that. Rest of the game is coasting.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

I'm more concerned about the D at this point

[southsider2k5]

I'm more concerned about the D at this point

 

The Bulls two best defenders didn't play last night.

[MexSoxFan#1]

Thibs is probably right. I think the key is we push him so that he can build stamina, etc, but in a smart manner. On the 2nd of a back to back, given the limited minutes he played, I don't have a problem pulling him, but Rose needs to play and practice relatively consistently. Minute limits and ocassional day offs will still be critical though. I think some of these issues are matters he has to work through, but it has to be in conjunction with the trainers, etc. The key is whether this is good soreness related to coming back and building stamina, etc, or if this is him actually continually reinjuring himself. It should also be noted that Wilbon indicated most good doctors would have expected him to have some ankle / hamstring / lower leg injuries during his return as you adjust your stride, etc, and potentially overcompensate from the previous injuries (due to mental concern). Typically, you eventually adjust back and slowly feel more comfortable. As fans, it is important to be patient.

+1000

 

It's hard to be patient because this is potentially the best Bulls team since the MJ era but keep in mind Chris Paul took about two years to regain his old self after his knee injury, DR1 has had TWO.

[Jenksismyhero]

That's the troubling thing along with this. Usually, you should be working to increase your workload. Derrick has decreased his workload and in fact, played less basketball so far than he did for the US team and it's leaning towards less and less. And when he does play, he's not playing like he's trying. Before he would start the break and blur through the defense, now, he gets the ball on the fastbreak and he looks to skip it ahead to someone else which I've never seen him do prior to this year unless someone was a half court ahead of him with no one around.

 

In the halfcourt, he literally brings the ball up the court, then dumps it off to someone else. Usually doesn't sell himself in the play either. Just goes through the motions. He gets the ball back, if there's no clear lane, he'll not even look to pump fake or shoot, he'll just pass it off to someone else while not even looking at the rim.

 

And that's when he decides to play. He'll have a 5-8 minute spurt where he tries to score, and that's that. Rest of the game is coasting.

 

Eh, I don't buy this. When he's played, he's been Derrick Rose of old with some rust. When he's played and gotten hurt, then obviously he's not pushing it.

 

I do agree with ss2k5 though - I've noticed he looks defeated. He's not having fun. He's not trying to dominate and show people he's the best. He's almost resigned to the fact that he's made of glass.

[Chisoxfn]

That's the troubling thing along with this. Usually, you should be working to increase your workload. Derrick has decreased his workload and in fact, played less basketball so far than he did for the US team and it's leaning towards less and less. And when he does play, he's not playing like he's trying. Before he would start the break and blur through the defense, now, he gets the ball on the fastbreak and he looks to skip it ahead to someone else which I've never seen him do prior to this year unless someone was a half court ahead of him with no one around.

 

In the halfcourt, he literally brings the ball up the court, then dumps it off to someone else. Usually doesn't sell himself in the play either. Just goes through the motions. He gets the ball back, if there's no clear lane, he'll not even look to pump fake or shoot, he'll just pass it off to someone else while not even looking at the rim.

 

And that's when he decides to play. He'll have a 5-8 minute spurt where he tries to score, and that's that. Rest of the game is coasting.

Even while playing for team USA, there were often times where Rose was on the court, but it looked like mentally he wasn't there. He'd just jog out of the way, stand around. It was really sorry. You just have to hope that with time, the instincts and overall comfort come back.

[thxfrthmmrs]

Guys, he's obviously saving himself for the playoffs.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

The Bulls two best defenders didn't play last night.

 

Not just last night

[southsider2k5]

Not just last night

 

How many different starting line ups have they had this year?

[thxfrthmmrs]

How many different starting line ups have they had this year?

 

Even with Noah and Taj in the lineup, there were many nights we were simply out rebounded, out hustled, and gave up easy baskets. We actually have the same number of games where we gave up 50% shooting than holding opponents to under 40% shooting. That is quite a change compared to Bulls teams in the past few years.

 

If you want to say that they are working too many new guys into the system, take this. In Thibs' first year, we too had many new guys on the team, and that was Thibs first year coaching. Yet we were the best defensive team in the league, with Carlos Boozer as the starting PF.

 

Anyone who's watched more than a few games this year could see that this isn't the same Bulls team defensively compared to years past. I think it has to do with Noah's knees, he's far fromt he DPOY glass eating Noah. Our effort on defense is also in question; I am not seeing the same tenacity defensively. Gasol is not an improvement over Boozer on defense. And we lack a second reliable perimeter defender outside of Jimmy.

 

On the bright side, the offense is significantly better than last year. I love the smart play of Niko off the bench. But we still need to win game with defense as our calling card, especially in the playoffs.

[Quin]

They really should start Niko or Taj over Gasol. Jo plays significantly better when he's not out of position and the defense improves drastically.

[nitetrain8601]

They really should start Niko or Taj over Gasol. Jo plays significantly better when he's not out of position and the defense improves drastically.

 

No they shouldn't. Gasol has been the best and overall most consistent frontcourt player they have. If they don't fit together, you bench Noah until he gets right.

[Balta1701]

I literally first checked the score of the game and then checked here to see if Rose had been pulled at any point. Sigh.

[bmags]

They really should start Niko or Taj over Gasol. Jo plays significantly better when he's not out of position and the defense improves drastically.

Totally disagree.

[Rowand44]

You have to allow both Jo and Pau time to get used to each other. To be honest, it'd be silly to bench either.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

I wouldn't be opposed to a healthy TAJ starting...at some point

[Quin]

Looking back that was nonsensical to say, but I would like to see Pau and Noah split up more.