Season Previews Chicago Bulls

[KG-MVP21]

I've been pretty rough on the Bulls this summer in regards to their signing of Ben Wallace, but I want to take a second to put it in perspective: I don't think the Bulls are a bad team nor do I think they took a step backwards this summer. I do feel, however, that the Ben Wallace signing does not elevate them to the elite status that some are willing to insist they have reached.

My reasons for this remains that I do not think that this team has addressed its scoring issues, especially when it comes to playoff games. The Bulls have become that player who only goes to the gym to work on the parts of his game he's already strong at, like a shooter shooting a thousand jumpers a day, instead of using some of that time to work on finishing around the rim, or rebounding, or footwork, or whatever.

The Bulls were already an elite defensive squad in the NBA, no one is questioning that, and yes they have reinforced that characteristic by signing Ben Wallace. Fine. But when they went up against Miami in this spring's playoffs, they had a chance to upset the eventual champs if they had only been able to hit shots when they needed to. Their teamwork and tenacity had Miami against the ropes, but when it came time to put the game away, they consistently came up short offensively. While there is merit to the expression that defense wins championships, basketball is still a high-scoring sport first and foremost, and if they aren't going to improve in that area, then they'll stay first-round fodder for better-balanced teams.



The Bulls will really begin to take steps forward when the can starting bringing Ben Gordon in off of the bench again. Gordon, for all his explosiveness and scoring acumen, is still as streaky as they come and is far more valuable to the Bulls in a sixth-man role where he can be the focal point offensively of the team's second unit. There should be no shame in coming off of the bench for a team if that is where a player can have their best impact, despite the modern NBA mindset.

In Gordon's rookie year, he came off of the bench and dominated, lighting teams up particularly in the fourth quarter, and he received the Sixth Man of the Year award for his efforts. What happened this year was he was granted a starting spot and the team tried to use him as one offensive weapon in a balanced attack, and he struggled to say the least. He played seven more minutes per game and he only upped his scoring average by one basket. The team was rabidly inconsistent all year, and while no one player can shoulder the blame for that, Gordon certainly didn't help the matter.

The key to an effective starting lineup is knowing what you can get from each player on a night-by-night basis. It's that kind of consistency that allows coaches to draw up informed game plans, knowing how many points he can get from his starters, and then mixing in the bench to either complement or alter the tone of the game.

By having Gordon come off of the bench, coach Scott Skiles doesn't have to worry about getting off to a slow start because he's having an off night. You can have a more dependable unit to set one pace, and then bring Gordon in to throw a whole other look out there. He thrives when he's the centre of a team's offense, but that will never happen as long as he's in the starting five under Skiles. Coach Skiles likes to use a balanced attack to start the game, and that doesn't play to Gordon's strengths.

The issue would then be who to start ahead of him. Right now, the Bulls don't have that guy. They need a good all around guard who can score a few different ways as well as defend, and he needs to have some veteran leadership in him because this backcourt is still very young in Chicago, and is prone to mental lapses. Giving the Bulls a guy like Michael Finley or even Derek Anderson would do wonders for this team and their ability to score the ball as well as provide some scoring off of the bench, which they never had last year with Gordon as a starter.

The point is, the Bulls haven't done much of anything to address their weaknesses this season, and look to be counting on slippage from the teams ahead of them in the standings as an advantage. Well, putting your fortunes into someone else's hands is rarely a good idea, but I suppose the Bulls are going to try that road anyway, because I guess they feel the teams ahead of them didn't do much to improve either.

PROBABLE STARTING FIVE

PG ? Kirk Hinrich

Outside of Chris Paul, probably the best young point guard the league has to offer. He's very steady, efficient and consistent. He can shoot and drive, too, which his team tends to rely on a little too much, but let's just say without him either scoring or playmaking, this team might struggle to reach fifty each night. The question really becomes how soon can this team ease its reliance on Hinrich the scorer so he can devote the bulk of his energies to setting up his teammates and defending on the perimeter. The sooner that can happen, the better for the Bulls.

SG ? Ben Gordon

I don't know how much more I have to say on this subject. Gordon is a very fun player who needs to round out his game a little as well as work on being more efficient with his scoring. When he gets hot, he's as deadly as they come, but he has to get to a point where his teammates don't have wait for him to get hot before they can rely on him.

SF ? Andres Nocioni

The most improved Bull from last season is fast becoming one of the premier defenders on one of the best defensive teams in the league. Does he get under guys' skin? You bet. He actually plays real, old-fashioned defense. He doesn't buy into the modern-day ?ow, too close' defense preferred by players like Ray Allen and Vince Carter. He's physical without being violent. He doesn't take extra shots at guys like a Bill Lambier would back in the day. No, he plays hard-nosed, body-on-body defense that stops players from having their way on offense. What a novel concept.

PF ? P.J. Brown

For my money, the team's best off-season pickup. I don't know that he'll start for the Bulls, but I know that Scott Skiles often lamented the team's loss of Antonio Davis and his leadership last season, and I think that Brown will not only fill that void, but will do a better job of it. Brown still has some game left in his 36-year-old legs, and he's the team's best low-post scorer. I can't guarantee he won't sub in for Michael Sweetney or even Tyrus Thomas, but I think that starting him, at least to begin the season, is the team's wisest move.

C ? Ben Wallace

A superb defender who is going to have his many flaws exposed in Chicago. He will anchor the paint for the Bulls, and may even be able to get his rebounding numbers back up to their peak of a few years ago, but he'll continue to be a black hole on offense, giving most defenses a five-on-four advantage when facing the Bulls. That makes the already stagnant Bulls offense that much less threatening. Wallace knew what he had in Detroit and opted to leave it (without much of a fight from the Piston's, you'll notice), anyway, and now the Bulls are going to learn what the Pistons already knew: Wallace is as much trouble to the team he's on as he is to offense of the team he's defending.

[King of da court]

I think that it will be Bulls. vs. Heat in the eastern conference finals and the bulls will win

[KG-MVP21]

We'll see, if Ty Thomas increase his level and be at starting 5, sure

[KirkHinrich12]

LET'S GO BULLS!! Eastern finals this year, dynasty in 2-3 years!! :beerbang2: :beerbang2: :beerbang2: :beerbang2: :beerbang2:

[KG-MVP21]

Who's 2nd C in the team?