What a promising start to the season!
Rose looked solid for a rookie in his 1st game, 11 pts 9 ast.
6 guys in double digits and Tyrus Thomas looks like he might come into his own this year.
I like Hinrich/Gordon coming off the bench. And the best stat was 44 free throws attempted. Way too much jump shooting last year, if we can get to the line like that consistently, we can compete in the East.
Thank god we didn't get Oden!
So Taylor,
What do you think of this Iverson trade? If I were you I'd be pissed. Billups is way too valuable to the Pistons. They are panicking and trying to replicate what the Celtics did last year by bringing in an aging superstar. This is a mistake. It also breaks up the core of a team that has totally dominated the East for the entire decade.
I'm not sure about it either. I was out of town all day today, just getting back and about to watch the game that just started. We'll see how they do tonight without Billups, Dyess and AI. It sounds like McDyess will be coming back to the Pistons in 30 days, so that makes me feel a little better.
I think that as long as AI can fit into the Detroit mentality of playing as a team and can still be the solid producer that he is, that this will be a good trade. Unfortunately the time has run out for the core of the team we have seen over the past 6 years. It does suck because it was great while it lasted but it can't last forever and I think that Joe D is trying to put them in a position to win this year (just like the last time he made a big trade...Sheed) before some more rebuilding starts.
Well, after watching last night I think this will work out well. If the Pistons can put up 100 with a limited roster and look as good as they did, adding a proficient scorer like Iverson is only going to make it better. Chauncey was a great leader though, which is hard to lose, but AI has even more experience and can hopefully provide the same.
My opinion that the Central conference is already locked up hasn't changed, but after watching them last night, I think they will have the best record in the east. The playoffs are always a different story for any team, but they look really good.
Quote from: Dan Michler on November 03, 2008, 02:41:11 PM
So Taylor,
What do you think of this Iverson trade? If I were you I'd be pissed. Billups is way too valuable to the Pistons. They are panicking and trying to replicate what the Celtics did last year by bringing in an aging superstar. This is a mistake. It also breaks up the core of a team that has totally dominated the East for the entire decade.
They are making salary cap room for when Lebron becomes a free agent.
Yes, but I bet not for him.
Oh really, who they making room for?
I think D-Wade, Dirk, Amare and Yao are free agents in 2010 as well.
I can't see LeBron wanting to play for Detroit, but who knows.
Derrick Rose off to a surprisingly good start. Just need Deng to start living up to his potential and maybe we can do something.
Not trying to take over the thread with my pro-Pistons agenda, but to answer your question Dana - if I had to guess at one player becoming available that year I would say Chris Bosh. Move forward another year (I think only one year) and you have Dwight Howard. I disagree with Dan that LeBron wouldn't want to play for Detroit because he definitely wants to play for a team oriented club, but as long as he can still remain the focal point. He definitely has the focal point in Cleveland, but far from having a team. His top 3 teammates are the referees week after week, maybe Daniel Gibson rounds out the squad.
Rose definitely has looked pretty good, but the team has been fairly flat so far. Chicago should make the playoffs this year, but will want to be in the 4-6 slot range to have a shot.
I think LeBron will be more interested in getting out of the Midwest completely and the defensive-oriented style of play. I see him somewhere out West, unless he wants to go to a big market to maximize his earning potential, in which case maybe he goes to New York.
I don't think he has to worry about being the focal point anywhere he goes unless he teams up with Kobe.
Bulls in the playoffs starting tomorrow at 11:30. Maybe losing that last game to Toronto to fall to the 7 seed was a blessing. No Garnett may give the Bulls a fighting chance against the Celts. At the very least I think we can win a couple games and build confidence for next season.
We really need to improve defensively for next season. Rose and Gordon are both minuses defensively in the backcourt, maybe its time to consider trading Gordon? Rose will develop into an all around stud once he gets more experience and becomes a more intelligent player. Liking Miller and Salmons. Noah and Hinrich are good defensive role players. We don't need Deng. Thomas is a defensive presence inside (just PLEASE stop shooting 17 foot jumpers!). I'd try to move Deng and Gordon and acquire a shooting guard who can defend next year. Rose and Salmons can provide enough offense on a nightly basis if we can get our avg. points against down under 100.
Gordon is a free agent after the season. He sought big money last year and didn't get it, eventually re-signing a 1-year deal. Couple the fact that half the teams in the NBA are borrowing money from the league due to the state of the economy with the fact that not a lot of teams (any team?) will be willing to commit a big-money long-term contract to an undersized shooting guard who CANNOT play the point, especially with the 2010 free-agent class on the horizon, and you're looking at Ben Gordon signing a mid-level exception and coming back next year. While his defense and ball handling leave much to be desired, he can provide instant offense. I'm not his biggest fan, but I wouldn't mind him coming off the bench when the Bulls go small. He's proven he can give you 20 points a game.
Sadly, the Bulls are stuck with Deng. Again, with the economy, you're not going to find anyone in the league willing to take on his contract. If he comes back healthy next year (big if), I think My Coach Vinny will move Salmons to the 2 and start Deng at 3. Thomas and Noah are showing signs of getting it, but I'm not sold on either one of them. Above all, I'd like to see the Bulls clear cap space next year and sign Bosh. He's widely regarded as being the most likely of the 2010 free agents to jump ship and he would provide the post presence the Bulls need.
As for the Bu'-Celtic tilt, Rondo, Allen, and Pierce are going to have a field day. The Bulls guards will have windburn by halftime. KG is a big loss, but it shouldn't matter in this series. Celts in 5.
Good points. Bosh would be a good fit. Thomas at the 4 and Bosh at the 5 would alter alot of shots inside. There wouldn't be playing time for both Noah and Miller. If we could somehow get D Wade in 2010 and add him to our current team, I think we're an instant championship contender.
Neither Bosh nor D Wade will be in Chicago in the "2010 draft".
Paxson should call up the Lakers to see about getting that Deng + Thomas trade for Kobe again. I'm sure the Lakers are still holding out for that one. I mean, the Bulls have had some great years with the Jordan era and what not, but I can't think of too many more GM's outside of Isiah Thomas that have made more bad decisions than Paxson, Kerr and Jordan since then.
OVERTIME
1-0! i don't have my hopes too high, but thats a big win on the road.
that was a fun 2nd period to watch - shamwow!
I caught the end of the 4th and most of OT during my lunch break today, what a game! Obviously Rose wowed us all, but Tire Russ (That is how they spelled his name when the captions were on) stepped it up big today.
Quote from: tacimala on April 17, 2009, 10:03:33 PM
I can't think of too many more GM's outside of Isiah Thomas that have made more bad decisions than Paxson, Kerr and Jordan since then.
C'mon! The NBA is full of bad execs, bad deals, and bad draft picks. Paxson has had his share of them, but has every other GM. How'd that Billups for A.I. deal work out? Or drafting Darko in front of Anthony, Wade, Bosh, et al? ;)
I'd say Kevin McHale (Garnett for Al Jefferson and some NBA retreds, OJ Mayo for Kevin Love) and Mark Cuban (Devin Harris for a washed-up Jason Kidd, being a general pain in the bum) are worse than Paxson. Ugh, not that I'm apologizing for Pax, he's done his fair share of bad deals, but turning Noc' into Brad Miller and John Salmons isn't one of them.
Am I the only one who thinks Vinny Del Negro looks like Luke Wilson? Come to think of it, Wilson might be the better basketball coach.
Yes, those were great moves for sure, but more so speaking of the big picture here. Right now stock in Paxson is on the rise for sure. AI for Chauncey was a bum deal, but you don't make the Eastern Conference finals 6 straight years, playoffs 8 straight and win a championship under a bad GM. Dumars would probably be awarded the best GM for the past decade. The Darko pick will always be looked at as a bad pick, but not because the Pistons were bad, but more so because they could have been amazing instead of habitual finalists.
The Bulls are going to win this series. Very frustrated after that game last night, but confident we are going to take care of business at home. The Celtics got every call last night and we took them to the buzzer. Game 3 will not be so fortunate for Boston. I say we take them in 6.
Tied up 2-2 after yet another overtime game. 4 total OT periods now in 4 games. What a series this has been. Gordon might be down for the series with the hamstring issue. It'll be up to Hinrich to step in and provide some extra scoring to go with his defensive ability. I would not count the Bulls out even if Gordon does not return for the series. Game 5 Tuesday at 6pm in Boston. If we can somehow leave Boston with a win, we can close this thing out in Chicago in Game 6. We really need to get off to a good start this time though. Hopefully Vinnie has them geared up for a high energy 1st quarter.
Quote from: Dan Michler on April 27, 2009, 10:30:43 AM
Tied up 2-2 after yet another overtime game. 4 total OT periods now in 4 games. What a series this has been. Gordon might be down for the series with the hamstring issue. It'll be up to Hinrich to step in and provide some extra scoring to go with his defensive ability. I would not count the Bulls out even if Gordon does not return for the series. Game 5 Tuesday at 6pm in Boston. If we can somehow leave Boston with a win, we can close this thing out in Chicago in Game 6. We really need to get off to a good start this time though. Hopefully Vinnie has them geared up for a high energy 1st quarter.
Wow is all I can say about that bulls game the other day. It was one of the best basketball games I have watched in my life. The matchup between Rose and Rondo was sensational. It stinks that Gordon is out, at least it's only a minor day-to-day injury though. Let's finish this thing bulls.
The refs really did a number on the Bulls tonight. Couldn't hang onto an 11 point 4th quarter lead either. Another OT loss and we're down 2-3.
Lost every bit of respect for Garnett tonight who felt the need to stand up and scream a bunch of smack at the Bulls bench once the game was decided. Also, what was up with Rondo jacking Miller in the mouth on that last play? Flagrant? Unreal. The Bulls have been better than this team in 4 of the 5 games. We need to come out high energy and physical and dominate this Game 6.
The refs really screwed the Bulls last night. Last night is the very reason I hate The NBA. I have accepted the fact that NBA stars are going to get their calls. They do not call moving screens or traveling. Rookies do not get any calls. And all the other crap that goes on in the NBA. But last night was complete bullshit. Rondo draws blood on 2 Bulls players with dirty cheap fouls and neither one was called correctly. The one on Heinrch just before half time should have been either a Technical, Flagrant, or Break Away foul. The one on Miller was down right Flagrant and the Bulls should have gotten to choose who shot the Free Throws, that rule does not exist but it should.
I think the Bulls will win Game 6. There is always NBA Justice, Rondo or Pierce will get into foul trouble early, and the Bulls should be very motivated. Do not discount how badly the NBA wants this series to go to Game 7. This is the best 1st round series this year if not all time.
Garnett and the Celtics are a bunch of punks. They might be worse than the Piston's Bad Boys. Its too bad the Bulls couldn't borrow $12mil to go over the salary cap and pay the luxury tax with NBA money. Which is exactly what the Celtics are doing this season.
Possibly a worse no-call was late in the 4th quarter when Rose got an offensive rebound and went up for an easy lay-in when Perkins desperately came in from behind and just absolutely hacked him without even going for the ball. No whistle and no bucket for the Bulls!
I love that the Celtics are still complaining in the media today that they aren't getting enough calls out there. Maybe they should sit down and watch that game on film to realize what actually happened. I'm still pretty hot about that game. That was some BS. And Garnett is out for the rest of the year so I'm not sure why he thinks its okay to open his mouth over there on the bench. When they get behind he goes and sits in the locker room, but when they are winning he is in the face of the Bulls players. You're nothing more than a fan for the rest of the year, so sit down and shut the F up.
Quote from: Mike Clark on April 29, 2009, 08:07:45 AMThe refs really screwed the Bulls last night.
But the refs didn't screw the Celtics when Ray Allen got called for a ticky-tack foul and was gone with nearly 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter? The Bulls had an 11-point lead with, what, 7 minutes to play? You have to be able to finish in the playoffs, road game or not, bad calls or not. Sorry, this one is on the Bulls players and coaches: Gordon for going 6 for 21 from the field; Rose for having six turnovers, including a crucial one down the stretch, and continually feeding BG the ball in spite of his shooting woes; Miller for being too slow to finish at the rim, missing his free throws, and then not knowing that you have to hit the rim on an intentional missed free throw. If Tyrus Thomas ever wants to stop Big Baby from raining jumpers on his head, that would be cool, too. Kirk and Noah played well, though.
As for the coaches, My Coach Vinny sucks. Everyone in the Garden had to know Pierce was going to take the last shot, but what does My Coach Vinny do? Leave Salmons on an island, only to have The Truth raise up and knock down his third effin' shot in a row from the exact same spot on the floor! Why not take Rose off of Marbury and run him at Pierce? Starbury already showed he was scared to shoot in that situation a possession or two earlier. Vinny blows. Maybe his dad can come back to sit with him on the bench in game 6. In fact, I wouldn't mind if Papa Vinny just took the clipboard and decided to coach the game himself. Could he really do any worse of a job than Junior? Maybe he'll even same a timeout or two.
Obviously the Bulls didn't do everything they could have to win the game. Thats why no matter who wins, the end of the road is the Cavs. I agree, how do you let Pierce get that same shot 3 times in a row and why do we only go to Gordon down the stretch when he was clearly having an off-night?
But the officiating was truly terrible and most of the crucial calls down the stretch were going in the Celtics favor. The Ray Allen foul was actually a double foul on Brad Miller and Ray Allen, so I'm not sure how that was a call in the Bulls favor. Were they not supposed to call it because Allen had made 5 other stupid fouls? Either way, Allen has been mostly ineffective in this series anyway, so that didnt' help the Bulls nearly as much as the non-calls that went the Celtics way in the final minutes of the game.
Quote from: jack on April 29, 2009, 09:21:48 AM
Quote from: Mike Clark on April 29, 2009, 08:07:45 AMThe refs really screwed the Bulls last night.
But the refs didn't screw the Celtics when Ray Allen got called for a ticky-tack foul and was gone with nearly 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter? The Bulls had an 11-point lead with, what, 7 minutes to play? You have to be able to finish in the playoffs, road game or not, bad calls or not. Sorry, this one is on the Bulls players and coaches: Gordon for going 6 for 21 from the field; Rose for having six turnovers, including a crucial one down the stretch, and continually feeding BG the ball in spite of his shooting woes; Miller for being too slow to finish at the rim, missing his free throws, and then not knowing that you have to hit the rim on an intentional missed free throw. If Tyrus Thomas ever wants to stop Big Baby from raining jumpers on his head, that would be cool, too. Kirk and Noah played well, though.
As for the coaches, My Coach Vinny sucks. Everyone in the Garden had to know Pierce was going to take the last shot, but what does My Coach Vinny do? Leave Salmons on an island, only to have The Truth raise up and knock down his third effin' shot in a row from the exact same spot on the floor! Why not take Rose off of Marbury and run him at Pierce? Starbury already showed he was scared to shoot in that situation a possession or two earlier. Vinny blows. Maybe his dad can come back to sit with him on the bench in game 6. In fact, I wouldn't mind if Papa Vinny just took the clipboard and decided to coach the game himself. Could he really do any worse of a job than Junior? Maybe he'll even same a timeout or two.
The foul on Allen was a double foul on Miller and Allen for pushing when Allen was trying to fight through a screen. Is it the refs fault that Allen was trying to fight through a screen. Maybe he shouldn't have pushed Miller when trying to move through the screen. Then only Miller would have gotten the foul for a moving screen. Which was about the only moving screen I have seen called during the series.
Don't you think you are being a little hard on Miller. I want to see you or anyone else get punched in the mouth hard enough to make you bleed and your eyes water and then go make those free throws and lets see how many you make. I know I would have found it pretty hard. Not to mention the fact that Miller was probably still thinking about punching Rondo in the face. Yeah Miller is slow. So every slow guy in the NBA should get punched in the mouth and it just be a regular foul. It doesn't change the fact that Rondo is a dirty player or the fact that it was a flagrant foul and the Bulls should have gotten the ball back. Then lets see if the Bulls could have tied it up or won the game.
If I were Vinny, Aaron Gray would be starting Game 6 and he better get kicked out of the game in the first 2 minutes and Rondo better be laying on the floor bleeding. The refs should have handled the problem during the game.
The bottom line is Brad Miller was going to tie the game with little or no time left on the clock. Rondo can't get to Miller to stop him in time so he punches him in the mouth. The refs after looking at the review 2 times decided it was a regular foul. With a bleeding lip and his eyes still watering Miller is forced to take 2 free throws. This situation is the exact reason the flagrant foul rule was created. Rondo is a dirty player he has proven in more than once in this series. Heck it proved just before halftime. So I am pretty sure he has shown clear intent to foul people with the intention of hurting them and/or not going for the ball. Would the Bulls have scored with 2 secs to tie or win the game? I have no clue. That is the worst part of all this. We will never know. That is how the refs screwed the Bulls.
Of course not every slow white guy in the NBA should get punched in the mouth. Their job is to get posterized. :) I do, however, think that a quicker more athletic player (Noah or Thomas *gasp* I can't believe I just typed that) would have gotten to the rim and dunked the ball. That looked like a designed play, and I think one of them would have had a better opportunity than Miller to finish.
I just think it's dumb to whine about calls the Bulls didn't get when they let an 11-POINT LEAD slip away with 7 minutes to play. They should have had the game wrapped up in regulation. It's sour grapes for the fans and the media to complain about one play when it wasn't the only play that cost the Bulls the game.
As for Brad Miller and shooting free throws, my opinion is that if he was too injured to shoot them, he shouldn't have gone back into the game. I couldn't remember each part of the free throw rule, so I looked it up. The pertinent part is in bold:
Section II-Shooting of Free Throw
a. The free throw(s) awarded because of a personal foul shall be attempted by the offended player.
EXCEPTIONS:
(1) If the offended player is injured or is ejected from the game and cannot attempt the awarded free throw(s), the opposing coach shall select, from his opponent's bench, the player who will replace the injured player. That player will attempt the free throw(s) and the injured player will not be permitted to re-enter the game. The substitute must remain in the game until the next dead ball. EXCEPTION: Rule 3-Section V-e
(2) If the offended player is injured and unable to attempt the awarded free throw(s) due to any unsportsmanlike act, his coach may designate any eligible member of the squad to attempt the free throw(s). The injured player will be permitted to re-enter the game.
(3) If the offended player is disqualified and unable to attempt the awarded free throw(s), his coach shall designate an eligible substitute from the bench. That substitute will attempt the free throw(s) and cannot be removed until the ball is legally touched by a player on the court.
Granted, it wouldn't have been an ideal situation for Doc to pluck someone off the Bulls' bench to attempt the free throws, but I still would have taken that over sending Miller to the line in that situation. And for crying out loud, SOMEONE (Vinny, I'm looking in your direction) should have reminded him to hit the rim on the second attempt. Even I knew that, and I'm a basketball moron.
Game 7 baby. I don't have any nerves left for it, but its been a fun series. Bulls have really grown as a team over the last month and next season should be promising. I think all the pressure and expectations are with the Celtics for this deciding game in Boston on Saturday. Noah giving Pierce the facial!!!!!!!!!! and one! :Whaxatk:
Either way this series has been a great one. Thr Bull's have the odds against them tonight but if they could pull off an upset in this series that would make this series all the better.