Let's Get This Started: 2012-13 Preview

It's funny how expectations for a team can drop so far down in such a short period of time.  Just over six months ago, the Bulls were a top contender in the Eastern Conference.  They were the team most likely to deny LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat a second straight trip to the NBA Finals.  Then, one Derrick Rose ACL tear and one bench overhaul later, the Heat are the defending champions and the Bulls are in line for a first-round playoff exit, or so people say.

There's no beating around the bush.  Without Rose, this is a considerably weaker team.  Yes, the rest of the starting lineup has returned.  Yes, the Bulls won plenty of games last year with Rose on the bench nursing other injuries.  But he wasn't named the 2011 MVP for nothing.  The games he helped to win last season played a role in wrapping up the top playoff seed in the East.  Had he missed more time, that win total would have been considerably lower.  He's a great player.  That usually means the difference between a top record and a slightly above average record.

Here's what the Bulls are facing for the first few months while Rose recovers.  Think back to when Michael Jordan took his baseball sabbatical after the first 3-peat.  Now swap out Scottie Pippen with Luol Deng, who's good in his own right, but doesn't belong anywhere near a Pippen conversation except that they share the small forward position.  While the talent surrounding Deng now is comparable to what Jordan left Pippen with, you're still looking at a team not being discussed as a championship chaser.

Once Rose returns, you can take a look at what the Bulls were when Jordan came out of retirement.  They struggled to stay above .500 and while Jordan gave the team a late push, he wasn't entirely in basketball shape, contributing to a conference semifinal elimination.  An ACL injury is difficult to overcome, so we have to assume Rose won't be himself when he sees action again.  It won't be this season.  So you can see why nobody's taking this group seriously in winning a title this year.

Let's run down the roster beginning with the starting forwards.  Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer worked well together during the preseason.  Deng's wrist seems fine, meaning the British Olympian will make a run at another All-Star appearance.  Boozer, while an above average player, is still not in favor with many fans since he hasn't quite played up to the contract the Bulls signed him to.  This season could be his last chance at redemption before the amnesty talk spreads from the fan base to the front office.  Gar Forman and John Paxson don't want to look bad for a deal they made two years ago, so they'll be waiting as long as possible for that type of consideration.

Joakim Noah remains the heart and soul of the Bulls as the starting center.  Nothing proved that more than last year when despite a sprained ankle that knocked him out of the playoffs early, he tried to suit up for Game 6 before he realized the pain was too severe for him to do anything.  Without him and Rose, the Bulls didn't stand a chance against Philadelphia with what they had left.  They tried, but it wasn't enough.  Noah is fully recovered and back on the floor.  His rebounding will be as needed as it's ever been.  He thrives on making life miserable for opposing players down low.  He does it on both ends.  He'll keep the Bulls in a lot of games by giving them as many chances as possible.  Should he perform better than he has before, don't be surprised to see an All-Star trip in his near future.

The backcourt will be known for its veteran leadership.  Rip Hamilton wants to stay healthy, something he couldn't do for much of last year.  When he's on the court however, he still shows flashes of the player of old that served a key role for the Pistons teams that took the NBA by storm for many years.  He might not be lights out every game, but if he gets hot, look out.  You wouldn't be able to tell how old he is.  Shooting is what he's paid to do and he'll follow through on that motive often.

Kirk Hinrich is back on the West Side with some in-game eyewear and a renewed commitment to leadership on this club.  He's going to run the offense until The Return comes to.  It'll be up to him to make good decisions with the ball.  He's not Rose, so he should only drive when he sees an opening.  Otherwise, he'll kick it out to open teammates on offense and play tight defense.  How well he adapts to Tom Thibodeau's system will matter.  Succeed and you'll see more victories than you might have thought possible.  Have a tough time with it and you'll want to switch to something else on TV.  Hinirch was the best the Bulls could have hoped for via free agency this summer, so if you don't like what he brings to the table, I don't know what to tell you.

Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler are the only returnees to the Bench Mob.  Gibson will assume the leadership role as he possesses all the qualities required of your average NBA starting power forward.  As long as he doesn't get worn out, he'll score like Deng and rebound like Noah.  Butler will see his minutes increase as he's expected to fill the role of defensive specialist, which was previously occupied by Ronnie Brewer.  Thibodeau puts his trust in players who have at least one year under their belts.  We may not know everything about Butler yet, but we will very soon.

Of all the new bench players, Nate Robinson has turned the most heads.  The three-time Slam Dunk Champion found ways to score in the preseason.  He'll be counted on to pick up the load when Hinrich sits on the bench.  Another source of bench offense is veteran center Nazr Mohammed.  He's not expected to be a score-first player, but if he continues to make the most of his opportunities down low, he'll find great fondness in this fan base.  Marco Belinelli will knock down 3s when called upon and Vladimir Radmanovic will do the little things down low that won't show up in the stats sheet.  As for Marquis Teague, Butler's limited playing time last year tells me this year's rookie won't be seeing the floor any more frequently.  We'll see what the rookie can do running the offense in limited time, but barring an injury to Hinrich or Robinson, we might have to wait another year to get a full grasp of his game.  Yes, we just saw him help Kentucky win a national championship, but what exactly will carry over from his college days?

As I've mentioned in previous posts, this will be a telling season for Tom Thibodeau as a head coach.  This will be his first team with expectations lower than championship contender.  He'll continue to get the most out of his club night after night, especially on defense.  He'll remain calm in wins and get upset over losses.  That's the kind of person he is.  Having just signed an extension, he can focus more on the present than what he'll be doing a few years down the line.  His goal is to win and he just needs to take it one game at a time (cliche, I know), especially when his superstar won't be out there for awhile.

For the above reasons, a lot of folks are handing the Central Division to the Indiana Pacers by default.  They have their main core healthy and returning.  They play a scrappy brand of basketball and are reminiscent of what the Bulls were during Deng's early years and even Rose's first two seasons.  However, I'm not so quick to crown Indiana.  As far as I'm concerned, this is still the Bulls' division to lose.  The core is still together and they're more experienced.  Both teams are likely playoff-bound, but I'd like home-court advantage in at least one round.  If the Pacers are going to finish ahead of the Bulls, they'll have to take it from them.  For this reason, I'll predict a division-winning record of 49-33.  There'll be a first-round victory, but that's all I'm counting on.

The fun begins Wednesday with a spooky Halloween opening at the United Center against the Sacramento Kings.  The season is a long, 82-game grind and I'm looking forward to it.  Hope you are too.  Go Bulls!

Keeping the Thunder at Bay

Yes, it's the preseason.  Yes, Kevin Durant didn't dress for tonight's game.  Still, it was difficult not to enjoy the Bulls defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 94-89 at the United Center.  In the latest of showcasing what to expect for the majority of the season, the Bulls showed what they're made of until Derrick Rose's return comes to.  Heck, any victory over the reigning Western Conference champions is a confidence booster.

No one played better than Carlos Boozer.  In addition to creating a few highlights, he let everybody know he was on the court.  Best illustrating that is his double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds.  He seemed to work best with fellow Dukie Luol Deng, who poured in 21 points.  The two looked like they had as much chemistry as Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, which makes me excited about what they could accomplish together when the real games begin.  Many may wonder why the two haven't be able to compliment each other more in their first two seasons as teammates, but I don't believe in lingering on what might have been.

Focus on what's to come instead, which could be one of the most complete frontcourts in the East.  Supporting that is tonight's double-double by Joakim Noah.  He had 15 points and 10 rebounds.  Noah may not be an All-Star, but his quiet contributions compared to better players on the team speak volumes to his value.  Add the enthusiasm needed to lead the club and you've got a center anybody in this league wants.

Rip Hamilton scored 13 points and the whole starting five might have reached double digits had Kirk Hinrich not left in the second quarter with a groin injury.  He played well, so it was a bummer that he couldn't build on that any further.  But Nate Robinson looked like the veteran he is.  Tonight officially proved to me that he can be trusted in situations when Hinrich may not be able to go.  He drove through the lanes, handled the ball well and directed the offense as if he'd been under Tom Thibodeau for awhile.  He and Hinrich are establishing themselves as a point guard duo who will do enough to keep this club afloat before Rose returns for the late run at the playoffs.

The exhibition schedule is nearly complete.  All that's left is a game at Notre Dame against the Indiana Pacers.  It's the last chance for Marko Jaric and Ryan Allen to make an impression on the staff assuming they make it to Friday.  If the team's play in neutral, this will be their last game before they gotta shift it to drive.  Of course, we all want the real season to begin.  Most fans don't even have fun until that occurs.

Fesenko Finding His Way

While I was visiting friends down at Eastern Illinois University two weeks ago, we decided to check out the Bulls' first preseason game against Memphis.  We knew there were names on both rosters who wouldn't make it to this year's opener on Halloween, but that didn't stop us from being intrigued by who was trying to crack the roster.

The new player we were most enamored with with Ukrainian center Kyrylo Fesenko, who had been signed to a non-guaranteed contract.  I'm not entirely sure why we were drawn to him.  We just were.  When I was asked whom he was exactly, I replied that I remembered him as a former bench player for Utah and a quick check of his career stats confirmed my statement.

From 2007-11, Fesenko appeared in 132 games for the Jazz, starting seven of them.  He played no more 53 games in a season, which came in his final year with the team.  Translation:  he was their Kurt Thomas.  He gave a few good minutes every game and started if somebody else couldn't.  After leaving Salt Lake, he played three games with the Pacers last year before his time with them quickly ended.  His career numbers are what you could call underwhelming:  2.3 points per game and two rebounds per game.  To be fair, he hasn't taken a lot of shots in the limited action he's seen, but that could be chalked up to the foul trouble he's gotten himself into.

Fesenko is only the fifth player from his country to make it to the NBA, so that itself is an accomplishment that people in his homeland can label a success.  At 25, the 2007 draft pick is on a mission to prove he can stick with the best players in the world.  However, that's been put to a halt for the time being.  After grabbing a rebound in 3:37 of the Grizzlies game, the Bulls waived him on Thursday.  There's talk that he may return to the team sometime next month, so don't count him out completely just yet.

The general rule of thumb is if you're good enough to play in the NBA, you'll stay there for a good while.  Fesenko's situation is no different from most other players.  He just needs to find a team that can find him a proper role.  He has a lot of potential, but needs to round out his game offensively.  If he was older, he might have been seen as damaged goods thanks to the injury he sustained last offseason.  That played a factor in his limited time with Indiana.  But time hasn't run out on him yet. 

The Bulls could easily need a third center if Joakim Noah or Nazr Mohammed go down with an injury.  Someone could also struggle mightily to the point that the team needs reinforcements.  In any case, I wish Fesenko luck as he continues his basketball journey.  He's persistent and that's a quality everyone can admire.

Nate May Be Great

I have to admit I'm still a bit skeptical about Nate Robinson.  He's an established dunker, but I'm not sure just how complete he is.  I have to see him in action when the games actually count.  Still, it's hard to turn the other cheek after tonight's preseason performance against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Robinson started in place of Kirk Hinrich, who's nursing a thumb injury.  Even though the fans at the United Center tonight paid a bunch for a game that doesn't count, Robinson made the price of admission worth it.  A 35-foot shot at the buzzer to end the first quarter went in, signaling the beginning of an amazing night from him.  A jumper here, a highlight dunk there, and before it was over, Robinson was the MVP of tonight's 100-94 victory.

You'd think Derrick Rose was transmitting good vibes to Robinson.  Who knows?  It could be why he recorded a double-double of 24 points and 13 assists.  That performance can only give fans good vibes for a bench that's been struggling to make a name for itself this preseason.  Maybe this will show Marco Belinelli that yes, he can have games like this too (he made just one field goal tonight).  Equally impressive was Rip Hamilton scoring 23.  He made the first shot of the game and never looked back.  Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer joined Robinson in the double-double club with respective points/rebounds ratios of 16:12 and 10:10.  Nazr Mohammed has been the most consistent player on the new Bench Mob and he led that club again tonight with nine points.

Definitely a sold effort tonight.  I'll overlook Luol Deng's five-point performance because he'll have games like this throughout the course of the season.  Nice job by everybody else though.  This was about what we'd expect from the three of the regular starters who played.  Hamilton regrettably won't be scoring 20+ every time he steps out on the floor, but I'll settled for around 13 per game.  Boozer needs to have more games like this to silence the amnesty talk that's likely to continue this year if he doesn't.  And even though Robinson is not about to usurp Taj Gibson's sixth-man role, games like this show he belongs in the regular rotation.  His game will be frustrating at times over the course of the year, but he showed the Bucks what he can do when he gets in a zone.  That'll be exciting to watch.

Friday's contest will feature a rematch with the Minnesota Timberwolves just six days after the teams faced off at the Target Center.  No, Jimmy Butler won't play all 48 minutes again unless Tom Thibodeau decides to act a little crazy.  Still, I don't expect a lethargic effort like last time against this team.  By now, Thibodeau has made it clear he wants nothing less than an all-out effort.  Maybe that's a bit unreasonable for this time of year, but that's just how he is.

Talkative Tom

I realize I'm a little late in weighing in on this, but I didn't have time over the weekend.  After the Bulls came up short in an attempted comeback against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, Tom Thibodeau was noticeably upset.  The Bulls had a large deficit at halftime, during which we can only assume things boiled over in the locker room.  Good thing we didn't have to hear the uncensored version of the postgame comments Thibodeau delivered.  You'd think we wouldn't hear a coach's soundbite on the local radio sportscast after a preseason game, but they were interesting enough to air to a broad audience.  Thibodeau was particularly upset with the lack of production from his bench, which saw two players start (Jimmy Butler and Marco Belinelli) in the following night's loss to Minnesota.

To the new Bulls, here's what you signed up for.  Thibodeau is attached to basketball the way teenage girls are attached to cell phones.  He's been said to sleep in his office.  He's not married, so that leaves even more time for analyzing game film and planning strategy.  There's a reason he's so respected around the NBA and many are left scratching their heads as to why it took so long for him to become a head coach at this level.  The Bulls had Vinny Del Negro, who currently runs a Clippers team with more talent, but has the same mannerisms that cost his former team more victories when he was at the helm.  Once Del Negro was out the door, the team rightfully decided Thibodeau was the right captain as the NBA was about to enter a new era.

This is a situation that could be applied to any work situation out there.  If you think your supervisor is a jerk for calling you out in any setting as Thibodeau did, don't think he/she finds it enjoyable.  They do it because they care.  They want you to do a good job and they don't want to look bad themselves.  When things go to hell, they're the ones that have to take heat for it, so they need to express themselves somehow.  We may not agree with that method, but that's how many choose to go about their business.

Supervisors can also add that some tough times are ahead, giving them more reason to tell you to step up your game.  Such was the case here when today's Sun-Times reported Thibodeau as saying to his guys that some tough times are ahead without Derrick Rose.  He's right.  Everybody has seen it coming since that dark moment last spring.  This may only be the preseason, but it can give you an idea of what to expect out of a team when the 82-game grind begins (not always, though).

What's done is done.  Time to look ahead to tomorrow's exhibition clash with the Milwaukee Bucks, who could contend for the final playoff spot in the East this year.  Thibodeau will be on his game.  Will his team be as well?

Not Bad For the First Fake Game

I admit I only saw the first half of last night's preseason opener against the Memphis Grizzlies.  Still, it was nice to watch some basketball again.  Those who attended were happy to see the Bulls have a winning effort to the tune of 92-88.

Luol Deng led all scorers with 18 points, shooting 9-of-11 from the field.  A trio of players put in 13 points:  Rip Hamilton, Nate Robinson and Nazr Mohammed, who achieved a double-double by also hauling down 12 boards.  There was also solid play from Joakim Noah with 10 points.  The Bulls' 32-13 third quarter out did the Grizzlies' 23-11 fourth, assuring that no loss would come on this night.

The starters don't seem to have missed a beat, which is good news.  As for Bench Mob 2.0, I'll give them a passing grade, but they were far from perfect.  I like that Mohammed and Robinson had solid debuts in Bulls uniforms.  I hope they can put up those numbers regularly when the games count.  However, I'm more interested in how that group functioned as a whole.  It was clear in the first half that they'll need some time to become consistent.  They struggled at times, failing to make shots from many angles and looking somewhat lethargic.

Even so, I won't be too harsh on anybody since these games are merely scrimmages.  Fesenko, Jaric and Allen are names that had zeros in the scoring column at the end.  But since they all have long shots of making the cut, they're not really worthy of criticism either.  If you want to question their value to the team, by all means, but don't throw them under the bus for doing nothing.  Just relax and enjoy some basketball that has no merit until the regular season causes real stress.

The Bulls will travel to Assembly Hall in Champaign on Friday to play a "home" game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.  The bench will probably see even more time.  And Thibs, maybe you can get Andre Emmett in there?  Just throwing that out there.

The Fun Begins Tonight-ish

I admit that it's a little unusual for me to be blogging right before any game, much less a preseason game that has no merit.  But this is the first one of the season, our first official look of the new Chicago Bulls.  They'll be taking on the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at the United Center.  I'm currently downstate in Charleston, but I'll watch what I can when I'm out tonight.  If my postgame blog doesn't come tonight, it'll be sometime tomorrow after I get home.  But enough about me.  Let's talk about what we have here.

As mentioned, the new-look Bulls will play in front of paying customers for the first time tonight.  Folks have formed opinions about the new players already going by what's been observed by their play with other teams.  Truthfully, many Bulls' fans opinions aren't entirely objective or informed because they spend most of their time watching their team as opposed to the other 29 in the NBA.  We know what to expect out of Hinrich since he's been around these parts before, but what will see tonight out of Teague, Belinelli, Radmanovic, Robinson and Mohammed?  We can catch a glance of what to expect when the real games begin.

Despite earlier claims to the contrary, Joakim Noah, who has been away from the team for personal reasons, will start tonight.  It's important to have what is often thought of as the heart and soul of this team in there.  Luol Deng is a quiet leader.  Noah shows his emotions and hustle less subtly.  It's important for the new players to realize early on just what kind of center they'll be counting on to play tough post defense and grab loose balls wherever they go.  While it's equally crucial, probably more so, to get a feel with Derrick Rose, Noah will have to lead by example so his new teammates can pick up on his tendencies and intangibles that make him stand out in this league.

Speaking of leading, it appears I won't have to worry about the new players and their relationship with Tom Thibodeau.  Early reports out of camp indicate that they're already buying into what he has to say.  While many of us are a bit skeptical of what the so-called new Bench Mob can bring to the table, at least we can't say that their tuning Thibodeau out.  It's all a part of the magic the head coach seems to possess.  I can tell you I would have loved to play for someone like him back in junior high.  Really, the strongest seem to survive through him. 

The main thing to watch tonight is how they're currently able to carry out Thibodeau's strategy.  It might take some time for them to adjust to it.  Remember that Michael Jordan struggled with the Triangle the first year he used it.  The trust issue will be nonexistent though and that's an early sign that there's some pretty good chemistry between the roster and staff.

Jo's Workout with Kareem and Taj's Beliefs

Much has been made lately about Joakim Noah's offseason workouts with NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.  And there are quite a few reasons why.  Just consider who's wing Noah was taken under over the summer.  All Kareem did in his career was win six championships, six MVP awards and became the league's all-time leading scorer, a distinction he continues to hold. 

True, Noah is nowhere near the player Kareem was.  He's not a pure scorer, likely won't enjoy 20 professional years and doesn't exactly have a legendary Sky Hook.  But taking all that into consideration, there's a lot of experience in that tall frame of a man who was a formidable force during the '70s and '80s.  We all know Noah's value to the team.  Can you imagine what greater improvement looks like?  Soon, we'll see if Kareem's student can put the things he learned into use during a big game.

Taj Gibson recently told reporters that the Bench Mob nickname "will never be retired" and a new Bench Mob is currently taking form.  White I have to admire Gibson's desire to keep it going, there will never be another Bench Mob like the one that electrified the United Center for two years.  These were characters just as much as terrific backups.  C.J. Watson, Kyle Korver, Omer Asik and of course, Brian Scalabrine made themselves known with their personalities as well as their stellar play.  They'll never reach the 1985 Bears as far as glory and recognition, but all of those guys will receive rousing ovations once their teams return to Chicago.  They might be imitated, but they'll never be duplicated. 

Sure, they might still sell the t-shirts and other assorted merchandise with the name, but will this new bench offer the same electricity as the previous crop?  Too soon to tell.  However, I do know that they won't capture our hearts in the same way unless they find a way to get past Miami in the playoffs.  Am I being too rough on them?  Perhaps, but they can still sway me.  Once the regular season tips off, we'll see if they're deserving of us Bulls fans showering a great amount of love upon them.

Thibs Is Here For Awhile

It's not often you see a smile cross the face of Tom Thibodeau, but he has all the reason in the world to flash one today.  He's just agreed to a four-year contract extension on top of his current option year, assuring that if he and Derrick Rose are going to find even greater success in the NBA, they'll be doing it together.  This story was the clear focus of Media Day today at the Berto Center.  The news that Rose will not be cutting for another couple of weeks isn't exactly a story unless you consider it one along with every time he breathes the wrong way.  Hearing a Rose update every few minutes would tire as quickly as the coverage of Anna Nicole Smith's death (insert that is so 2007 joke here).

Thibodeau won 100 games faster than any coach in NBA history, so he's only scratched the surface as far as his realized potential.  The Bulls core of the last two years adapted quickly to his system.  The stars remain, but the bench has changed for the coming season.  Thibodeau's new challenge is to reach the new group of players who will come on in relief for Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, Rip Hamilton and for the first few months, Kirk Hinrich.  This is when we'll really find out what he can do as a head coach.  It's one thing to properly guide the same group for two years running, but if he can keep it going with the revamped bench, his value will shoot even higher than it already is.  Other players have been known to act skeptical toward a new head coach initially, but the defensive philosophy Thibodeau preaches has proven so successful that it'll (hopefully) be difficult for Nate Robinson, Marco Belinelli, Vladimir Radmanovic and Nazr Mohammed to even think of giving a cold shoulder.  I have to assume Marquis Teague will be easy to sway since this will be his first professional coach.

Thibs is already up there with Johnny "Red" Kerr and Dick Motta as far as successful coaches in Bulls history, but to reach Phil Jackson standards might take some time.  I've already talked about how it might take another year before the Bulls are championship contenders again, so we may have to cut Thibs some slack for his option year.  Once that new contract kicks in however, some special things could happen.  I'll be waiting patiently for the day he hosts the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, but until then, I'll sit back and enjoy the roller coaster ride to come.  Care to join me?