What's going on with the Bulls?

[Zen653]

The Chicago Bulls are last in the Eastern Conference with 4 wins and 11 losses. Many experts picked them to reach the NBA Finals. Are the Bulls a lottery team this year, or will they rebound to respectability and reach the playoffs? Why are they off to such a bad start? Is it time for Scott Skiles to get the ax?

My theory is that John Paxson made a series of blunders during the last couple off-seasons. First, he traded Tyson Chandler away to the New Orleans Hornets and did not receive anything of significance in return. Second, he signed an aging, one-dimensional and now ineffective Ben Wallace to a massive contract. Third, he failed to pull the trigger on potential deals for Pau Gasol, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and other alpha-dogs that could have turned the Bulls into legitimate title threats. This trio of mistakes meant that Paxson wanted the Bulls to do what no other team had done before them - win with mostly homegrown players who are secondary stars.

The players might be tuning Skiles out at this point, but I think the bigger culprit in Chicago's struggles is John Paxson. If someone should go, it ought be Paxson.

[BravesRule22]

I think most of the blame can be pinned on Deng and Hinrich who both have played liked basic crap all year. Combine that with the fact that Ben Wallace didnt get heated up until a week ago and you have the perfect storm for a slow start.

But I will agree with you on the fact that they should have traded for Gasol assuming they didnt have to give up Deng to get him but from everything I remember back then the Grizz were not going to part with Gasol unless it was Deng and Gordon in the deal

[Zen653]

The Chicago Bulls fire head coach Scott Skiles on Christmas Eve:

Chicago Bulls fire coach Scott Skiles -- chicagotribune.com

They should have done this last week, or a week from now.

[BravesRule22]

He took them as far as he could

Him not playing Thomas was probably the last straw for Pax. A guy like Scott can only last so long before the players tune him out. Sad but true, tough coaches usually dont last long if they underperform even a little bit

With that said, Scott needs to go to the college ranks, he would be be perfect there

[wildrex]

truth be told bulls arnt really that good not skiles fault and really will anyone beat celtics in east this yr ?

[BravesRule22]

Only team in the East that could do it are the Pistons

In the West there are about 5-6 teams that could beat them

[Zen653]

In the West there are about 5-6 teams that could beat them

5-6 teams in the West? I could see the Spurs or Suns maybe beating the Celtics. That's it.

The Celtics trounced the Lakers twice, they destroyed the Nuggets, they beat the Jazz on their own court, and they just got back from a 4 games in 5 nights road trip where they won all 4 games. So who are these other Western Conference threats? The Rockets who can't even win a first round playoff series? The Mavericks who lost to a struggling Cavs team at home and got bounced by an 8th seed in last year's playoffs?

The Celtics have only lost 3 games all year, each loss by no more than 2 points. Plus they easily could have won all three of those games.

The loss in Orlando occurred after Tony Allen missed an open breakaway lay-up. The loss in Cleveland occurred after Ray Allen uncharacteristically missed two consecutive free-throws that would have won the game in regulation. The loss against Detroit occurred when Tony Allen fouled Chauncey Billups with one-tenth of a second remaining until overtime.

In the cases of Orlando and Cleveland, the Celtics avenged their narrow losses to them with decisive victories in subsequent match-ups. If Boston can do the same to Detroit (which shot a freakishly-high 48% from 3-point land in their first meeting this year), then I think the Celtics should be in excellent shape, barring injuries. The Celtics face the Pistons again this Saturday. That should be a huge test for them. It's as close to a must-win as it gets for a team with only three total losses. It would be a tremendous confidence-booster for the Celtics if they can prove to themselves that they're capable of beating the Pistons.

[bedir than average]

I think you too quickly dismiss the Rockets. There past struggles in the first round are not a reason they couldn't beat the Celtics anymore than that the Celtics not making last year's playoffs are a reason they won't make this year's playoffs.

Also the Mavericks are still a solid team that competes night in and night out with any team in the league. A single victory against them is not indicative of any performance in a long series. The Mavs will contend and are oddly the kind of team that the Celtics have modeled, with a lot of wing and swing style of players, lacking of a dominant post up or point guard.

[Zen653]

There past struggles in the first round are not a reason they couldn't beat the Celtics anymore than that the Celtics not making last year's playoffs are a reason they won't make this year's playoffs.

The Celtics overhauled 65% of their roster from last year to this year. The Rockets are essentially the same team as last year's, plus Luis Scola and Steve Francis. So I do think you can judge this year's Houston team by the Houston teams of recent years, given that it's basically the same group. I also see no reason why a team that currently has a sub-.500 record should be viewed as a threat to anyone, let alone to a team with a 26-3 record.

Also the Mavericks are still a solid team that competes night in and night out with any team in the league. A single victory against them is not indicative of any performance in a long series.

Dirk Nowitzki's numbers have declined in nearly every statistical category. The Mavericks will still contend, certainly, but they've taken a step back since last year. I agree that I may have been overly harsh on them, I'd just be surprised if they beat out San Antonio or Phoenix.

The Mavs will contend and are oddly the kind of team that the Celtics have modeled, with a lot of wing and swing style of players, lacking of a dominant post up or point guard.

The Celtics lack a dominant post up man? They have one of the top 3 post up men in the league in Kevin Garnett. And the point guard situation has been just fine with Rajon Rondo. He's in the top 25 in assists per game and 11th in the league in steals per game. Also, Pierce is more of a slasher than a wing player. He takes the ball to the basket a lot, and plays more like a PF depending on the offensive set. Ray Allen is the only classic wing player in the starting lineup.

[bedir than average]

Garnett is not a post up guy. He's a very tall wing player who likes to refer to himself as a forward and refers to call himself a seven footer.

When I say wing, I'm referring to either a slasher or to a spot up shooter, but someone who receives the ball on the elbow or baseline outside of the post.

When Garnett posts you will find that he does it by backing down from the elbow, not the high post, or that he passes out, he is not a post scorer.

[Zen653]

Ok, I see what you're saying now. I thought you meant that Garnett doesn't dominate in the post, more generally. Although he prefers to take medium range jumpers, he still gets his fair share of points from the paint. Here's an example of him posting up on a fast break:

The X’s & O’s of Basketball: Kevin Garnett Post-up Early Offense

[BravesRule22]

Originally Posted by Zen653

5-6 teams in the West? I could see the Spurs or Suns maybe beating the Celtics. That's it. .

Spurs, Suns, Mavs, Lakers, Utah, Blazers

Could all give the Celtics a run. Spurs, Suns and Mavs right now could go head to head with no problem and give the CEltics a run. The latter 3 all need to continue improving, but If Bynum continues to improve, hes already a really good center on the verge of great they can hang w/ Boston. Portland is the hottest team in the NBA right now, if the young kids dont get caught up whos to say how far they can or cant go. Jazz all depends on Okur if he returns to normal they can be right were they were last year.

[wildrex]

Utah naa not as long as sloan is coach. Blazers to young... Mavs they choke every year. Lakers... thats a joke that leaves spurs or suns thats it in the east maybe pistons thats about it.

[BravesRule22]

Lakers are a joke ? Ok ?

Seeing as how they are playing extremely well and Kobe, Odom, Bynum is as good a 3some aside from Boston and SA right now in the league, Ill disagree with you.

Not as long as Sloan is the coach ??????? The guy is a top 3-5 coach in the NBA, so I have no idea what you are refering to there.

Mavs choke, yes, but that doesnt change the fact they have made it to the finals and if it wasnt for a BS foul call on Wade drive to the hoop they woulda won the title that year. So to rule them out based on them choking isnt fair seeing as how the have the talent to beat any1 in the NBA.

As I said the Blazers are young but they are playing better than anybody in the NBA not named the Pistons or Celtics, cant deny that. I highly doubt they make it the finals but who knows.