Per Game Averages
Team 1 Team 2
FG% 0.474 0.453
3p% 0.386 0.379
FT% 0.752 0.792
OFF Reb 10.6 12
DEF Reb 31.1 30.3
TOT Reb 41.8 42.3
Assists 20.1 21.3
Steals 7.6 7.5
Blocks 5.5 5.6
Turnovers 13 15
Points 100.9 100.9
From those stats, I am thinking Team 1 and Team 2 are pretty equally matched. However, Team 1, the Cleveland Cavaliers, has a record of 44-11 while Team 2, our own Chicago Bulls, is 26-32. So what’s the X factor? Well, LeBron James is a heck of a player, but more than that, the Bulls give up 102.1 points/game while the Cavaliers give up 90.8 points/game! Seriously?!? Over 11 more points a game? Derrick Rose can’t be that bad at defense. Aren’t Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas supposed to be defensively gifted and offensively challenged? My question is, WHERE HAS THE DEFENSE GONE?
Well, my finger is pointing right at the coaching staff. The Bulls are the most inconsistent team in the NBA, especially on the defensive end. When the Bulls played for Scott Skiles, defense came first. They set a franchise record with 26 consecutive games holding an opponent to less than 100 points. The Bulls, Del Negro version, have held opponents to less than 100 points only 25 times the WHOLE season! I am not saying that Scott Skiles was the answer. I am by no means a Skiles supporter. He lost his team in 2007 and deserved to be fired (maybe not on Christmas eve though). But at least the Bulls played defense under Skiles. They played hard every night and were rewarded with the playoffs. When I watch now, I see a team that can’t wait to go play offense. That has not won a championship in Phoenix and definitely won’t in Chicago. The Boston Celtics won last year because of DEFENSE!
There have been many complaints about Vinny Del Negro this year. I was flabbergasted when he sat Derrick Rose for the last possession against the Heat in favor of Thabo Sefolosha (who threw away the inbound pass and now wears an Oklahoma City Thunder jersey). I can be patient with a new coach, but I lose my patience when ridiculous mistakes are made over and over. (I’ll take the time now to say if you want my opinion in not so many words, check out Steve Rosenbloom’s column from the Tribune). I really do not care who is pacing the sidelines for the Bulls. I’d take Bill Murray as my head coach, so long as he preached playing hard nose defense. So as I head to the Bulls game this Saturday for my first game of the year, I am hoping that the Rockets decide not to play defense as well so that I can at least leave with a free Big Mac.
I think part of it is your assumption about Tyrus and Joakim. They are supposed to be defensively gifted- in a college game. Their games are tailored for a college game. Plus, Tyrus Thomas became the high pick that he was because he blocked some shots and had some thunderous dunks in the NCAA tournament. I was disappointed in those picks when they first picked them, and I think most people are if they weren't before.
ReplyDeleteThe other problem is, as anybody that knows basketball, a big man's defensive prowess, barring the absolute greats, depends greatly on his guards' defense. If you break down the guard it becomes a 2 on 1 game. Our guards and forwards don't play fantastic defense, especially, as we all know, Mr. Ben Gordon. Kirk coming back will help with defense, but sometimes I question him, too. I think also it comes with a lack of veteran leadership. With most teams, the young kids love to run and gun and the veterans stress the importance of defense. We don't have good veterans.