PG: West Coast W

[chitownsports4ever]

Ugly win. Demar to the rescue. Phillips shows promise.

They grabbed a road win against on of the worst teams in the NBA. But you know what...that's all you can do and all that matters when wrapping up a road trip. Nothing much to take from this game other than in the 2nd half our head coach is going to live and die with the same offensive approach he always has. On to the next one.

Its the circle of life the Bulls board overanalyzing wins against one the worst teams in the league

Yep. The opposite is true too. If the Bulls get whipped by Boston the sky will be falling, the team is horrible. there is no future. there is no hope.

We kind of know a few things. the Bulls are better than Detroit, Memphis and Portland. When they lose to one of those teams (and it does happen in the NBA) we should probably analyze and ask the question WTH? The Bulls are worse than the Celtics, Bucks, Thunder. If they happen to beat one of those teams (and it does happen in the NBA), we should probably analyze and ask WTH?

We are 17-11 since Nov 30th
11th in Net rating
9th in defense rating
18th in offense rating

None of it makes any sense lol

[kodo]

Two games left to close out the month, both are winnable games. I just want the team to stay focused through the all-star break. I felt like last seaosn we played very poorly heading into the all-star break - we need to stay focused.

Yes the post-Jan schedule is brutal. We need these Ws now.
Boston - NOP - Detroit - Cavs - Bucks - Kings - Utah - GSW - Clippers - Mavs - Pacers - Clippers.
Could go 2-10 after the break.

[FriedRise]

I'd hoped that we'd be at or over .500 at this point because the schedule is about to pick up. February gives us an even number of home and road games, 1 back to back, the trade deadline, and a week off for the AS break.

vs Toronto
@ Charlotte (Bulls on back to back) <-- last game of Jan

vs Sacramento (Kings on back to back)
vs Timberwolves
@ Memphis (trade deadline)
@ Orlando (potentially a big seeding game)
@ Atlanta (potentially a big seeding game)
@ Cleveland

<AS break - a week off>

vs Boston
@ New Orleans
vs Detroit (Pistons on back to back)
vs Cleveland (Bulls and Cavs on back to back)

Took a peek at March and April, and I think we'll be top 5 in terms of having the hardest remaining schedule in the league.

[ChettheJet]

I don't see that PORT pick ever coming. The lesson that should be learned from the Blazers is, assembling talent doesn't win games if the players don't have the ability to play with each other and together.

It's not like they've got bad players, Ayton, Grant, Brogdan, Simons, even though Sharpe and Murray didn't play and Williams is out. They shouldn't be mired in the lottery with that group, except they must not form much of a unit. They mentioned it on TV, Brogdan was the only one who could feed Ayton when he was going to the basket, nobody else saw what was there.

Henderson and Walker don't play a lot so what are they going to do with their next round of draft picks? I'd deal the veterans for picks and role players, start the young guys and have them start to figure out how to play as a team. They should look at the Bulls as an example, even with Williams out they have role players like Caruso, Ayo, Terry, Carter and now Phillips filling in the gaps between the rotation players and they're getting closer to .500 by playing like a unified team.

[pipfan]

I just don't understand why Vuc shoots more than 1 three/game? I can't see how the team allows it. Late in the clock, fine. But he is SO far off with his shot

[madvillian]

I missed the game watching NFL, you're telling me Pat is still hurt? What a **** the handling of that has been.

[coldfish]

I just don't understand why Vuc shoots more than 1 three/game? I can't see how the team allows it. Late in the clock, fine. But he is SO far off with his shot

The shots look like they came out of a homemade catapult. His form and release and arc are terrible. Its not random luck that his numbers are so bad. What's random luck is the times when they go in.

[drosestruts]

I don't know what people want the Bulls, or any team, to really do about a situation like Patrick Williams'.

There's the common saying that pretty much everyone is playing hurt.

So how is that fine line between hurt and injured defined and identified? The level at which it impacts your ability to perform?

There's no doubt in my mind Coby and Caruso are both dealing with something. Many here commented on the frequency in which Coby grabs his wrist during games - it seems to have gotten better, but also probably is still a thing.

These guys are playing a sport - they're always going to have something going on with how they're feeling.

I wouldn't be surprised if Vuc has some sort of ailment.

Again - I imagine everyone could point to something on their body that isn't feeling 100%. So where's the line?

[Ice Man]

It's not like they've got bad players, Ayton, Grant, Brogdan, Simons, even though Sharpe and Murray didn't play and Williams is out.

The problem for Portland is that it has some OK pieces but nobody who is actually good. Their best player by VORP score is Brogdon at #64 and their second best Grant at #89. Kinda like us with star players, but even worse off. Plus, as you write, they aren't fitting together well, so they are even worse than the sum of the second-rate parts. Whereas the Bulls play to their talent level, by and large.

[Dan Z]

I just don't understand why Vuc shoots more than 1 three/game? I can't see how the team allows it. Late in the clock, fine. But he is SO far off with his shot

The shots look like they came out of a homemade catapult. His form and release and arc are terrible. Its not random luck that his numbers are so bad. What's random luck is the times when they go in.

What happened to his shot? His last season in Orlando he shot .406 from three.

[coldfish]

I just don't understand why Vuc shoots more than 1 three/game? I can't see how the team allows it. Late in the clock, fine. But he is SO far off with his shot

The shots look like they came out of a homemade catapult. His form and release and arc are terrible. Its not random luck that his numbers are so bad. What's random luck is the times when they go in.

What happened to his shot? His last season in Orlando he shot .406 from three.

To me it looks like he developed a hitch in it. Instead of a smooth shooting motion like most people, he brings it to a point pretty far forward and flings it.

Watch on YouTube

Look at 50 seconds and 2:07. He doesn't shoot like that now.

[Chi town]

I just don't understand why Vuc shoots more than 1 three/game? I can't see how the team allows it. Late in the clock, fine. But he is SO far off with his shot

The shots look like they came out of a homemade catapult. His form and release and arc are terrible. Its not random luck that his numbers are so bad. What's random luck is the times when they go in.

Its like a dude that has been watching YouTube golf videos and then gets out there and has so many swing thoughts he can’t even hit the ball. Believe, I know

Problem is Vuc looks the opposite. He just chucks like he has no thought at all! He is taking alot of these as critical moments too.

Awful basketball. Even more tone deaf all star has been that clearly won’t accept what he’s not anymore.

[kulaz3000]

The reason why Vuc shoots so many three, is because he is left open so often, and he clearly has the green light from Billy to shoot them. I'd bet that if Billy told him to reduce the amount of threes, he would stop. I can't imagine he is the type of player who would just continue shooting shots he is not instructed to shoot. The same applies for DeMar's iso shots. When it comes to veterans, Billy gives them way too much leeway - he works so much better with younger players.

[Ice Man]

I have to say, other teams' results are making us look pretty good. Phoenix pretty much just always wins, by more than they beat us. Memphis has been splitting its games, as has the Lakers. And Portland just crushed an Embiid-less Philly last night.