Detroit on Wednesday: Be There.

Da Bulls play on the road at Detroit on Wednesday. Ben Wallace is back and they are 6-4 for the last 10 games.

The Blazers, who the Bulls defeated today, beat Detroit by 1 point in their previous game in Detroit.

A win at Detroit on Wednesday would signal Da Bulls are back and contending for a playoff spot. A blow loss would be a indication this team is still too young to keep it together. A close loss would indicate a competitive team capable of making the playoff. Got it?

Bulls climbing out of cellar.

Toronto defeats the NJ Nets 110 to 99.  NJ (7-16) drops below Da Bulls (7-15) and Toronto moves two games ahead of Chicago with a (9-17) record.  Since NJ has the better conference record, the Bulls need to beat Portland on Monday to stay ahead of NJ and pace Toronto. 

 

Chicago has climbed from 15th to 11th in the Eastern Conference. There are a cluster of teams at the bottom and a few consecutive wins have great impact in the conference standings.

 

This year a 500 record will get a team into the playoffs.  Boston now holds the 8th position with a 11-12 record. 

 

A good goal for Chicago is to move into 9th by the end of January, passing Toronto and Philadelphia. 

Win !

Da Bulls didn't fall apart.  I saw it happening but they stopped the hemorrhaging.  A fully staffed Pacer team would have taken Da Bulls down.  This team, like all, can get cold or choke and needs a closer.  Rookie Ben Gordon isn't reliable. Curry and Chandler both played large in this game.  Maybe this is their year.

Bulls losing it in 4th period

Bulls losing it in 4th period.

 

Key plays that turned around the game's momentum at 66-72

66-72 Chandler blocks a shot

68-74 Hinrich makes a shot

68-74 Chandler def rebound

68-76 Harrington layup

68-78 Harrington pair of free throws

68-79 Curry one of two free throws

68-80 Hinrick makes one of two free throws

68-80 Three Pacers miss three shots (two offensive rebounds on one possession)

71-82 Deng off rebound (and score)

71-82 Deng def rebound

 

1:05 Left in the game.  Phew!

Looks like Da Bulls will win!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking up: Nets and Raptors

Given Chicago started 0-9, they are now starting to climb the standings with a 6-6 record over the past 12 games (6-15).  Chicago should pass the Bucks in the standings. Assuming some they can maintain some sort of 500 play, the Bulls will moving closer to the 8th playoff spot.  Two teams in the way are the Nets and Raptors.

 

The Nets and Raptors play tomorrow, The NETS acquired Vince Carter for future considerations.  Basically the Raptors gave up talent while the NETS acquired talent and become much better on the perimeter.  The Nets can play Kidd, Carter and Jefferson - all three are all-stars.

 

One of these teams is going to win and the favorite for me is Toronto - Carter has been hurt and is not integrated in to the Nets offense and they are the weaker team prior to the trade.  The Raptors will be playing to prove they're good without Carter. Rose will sure be shooting the ball.

 

Candidly, Carter is a flake and it's not clear the Nets clubhouse will tolerate his antics but this is a dynamic which will be more apparent in the spring. 

 

With a win tonight vs a depleted Indiana and a loss by the Nets Sunday, Da Bulls will pull ahead of the Nets in the standings.

Regards,

Joseph

Two in a Row

Contrast: Da Bulls & Warriors

Da Bulls win over Memphis was convincing. The team stayed ahead in the 4th quarter and did not panic. They play again tomorrow. Their opponent, Milwaukee, has won only 2 more games than Da Bulls. In back-to-back games Da Bulls usually do poorly and they also do poorly games after they win - overconfident or inattentive - you can name a number of reasons.

If Da Bulls can win two in a row, this team will have turned an emotional corner. They'll start thinking of themselves as a NBA team that can win and I hope they'll play better and more consistent.

Golden State Warriors won over Dallas the night after Da Bulls gave the game to Dallas. The next game, Golden State lost to the worst team in the West, New Orleans. They also allowed a former Gonzaga PG have a career day.

Warriors can't keep win streak going in New Orleans. They lose to the worst team in the NBA

Dickau scored a career-best 23 points -- including a four-point play on a 32-foot buzzer beater as he was fouled -- and the Hornets (2-19) snapped an 11-game skid and won their first home game of the season, 98-89 over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.

"You can't take anything for granted in this league, that's for doggone sure," Warriors coach Mike Montgomery said.

Oh the pain

Oh the pain

Regards,

Joseph

Oh, Are We Hard to Understand

The Bulls play against Philadelphia and lose.
They take on Minnesota and win.

Ben Gordon seems to be the key. If he can score with a reasonable
shooting percentage, the Bulls have a chance to win.

Next up Dallas and D. Nowitzki. They are 6-4 and vulnerable on the road.
Will Ben Gordon be eaten alive by M. Finley?
Can the baby bulls hold Nowitzki under his average of 27 ppg?
Will Hinrick foul out?
Can Deng start making 3 pointers?
Who will Nocioci piss off?

So far Da Bulls have dropped two games behind my optimistic forecast for December. They lost to the Wizards and Heat. Philadelphia is a critical game, they seem to be having problems and Da Bulls have a rest day before this game. This is a home game a competitive team would expect to play hard and win.

Can Da Bulls make up any ground on their schedule?
Possibly they could steal a win vs Dallas and - oh maybe - Detroit (if suspensions are still in place). Hey! Is that an 8 game winning streak !! Why not dream? All these games but MN are winable ! The team is too inconsistent to win 8 in a row but which ones are hopeless? one game. MN & Garnett

Fri 3	Miami	W	LOSS
Sat 4	@ Washington	W	LOSS
Mon 6	San Antonio	L	LOSS
Wed 8	Cleveland	W	WIN
Fri 10	Philadelphia	W	LOSS?!
Sat 11	Minnesota	L	WIN!!
Mon 13	Dallas	L?	LOSSSS
Wed 15	@ Memphis	W	WIN
Thu 16	Milwaukee	W
Sat 18	Indiana	W
Mon 20	Portland	W
Wed 22	@ Detroit	L?
Sun 26	@ Milwaukee	W
Tue 28	New Jersey	W

Bulls Win is Golden

The Bulls victory over the Cavaliers is significant for two reasons:

1. They took advantage of the schedule. You must beat better teams when they play back-to-back games.
2. The Bulls also fed off each other. The young players got each other to play better as a group - not as individuals. They can't play this consistently every night but they need to win when they have good nights. Wins build confidence.

When these two things happen together, favorable schedule and players on-their-game, you should be able to beat any team.

Oh, I was (and still am) down on the Cavaliers' high preseason ranking. So far, that pessimism looks foolish. Cleveland is leading the Division.

Still, it's a long season and I am very stubborn. It's still possible that the Bulls will turn this season around this month and be one of the better young teams this spring. No Trades needed.

More Losing

The loss to the Spurs was expected but the booing and early exit of
many fans wasn't.
11-4
10-5
9-6
8-7 !
Merry Xmas

Dec. Prediction

11-4
10-5
9-6
8-7
Merry Xmas!

J.Crawford update.

Knicks lose to the expansion Bobcats but J.Crawford was not the problem. 41 points on 17-25 shooting or 68%. His counterpart B.Knight went 2-8 but had 18 assits to Crawford's 2.

Ahem...Correction

Da Bulls lose to Miami - convincingly.
December's prediction: 11-4   10-4 !

Merry Xmas

Predictions for December (yeah we missed the win over The Lakers on 12/1)

I have Da Bulls 11-4.  Merry Xmas. 

Da Bulls could play their best ball and win the bold faced games below. I give comments why it would be hard for a win but with the babies playing well, it's possible.  Other "win" predictions are games da Bulls should win or be very competitive (lose within 4 points).  I disrespect Cleveland, and Philadelphia.  Indiana is playing hard but has suspension and roster problems.  Portland is a team that can lose on the road.  Milwaukee is a local trip for a team based in the Northern Suburbs and they are struggling.

 

Fri 3	Miami	W
Sat 4	@ Washington	W	road game win - no rest
Mon 6	San Antonio	L
Wed 8	Cleveland	W
Fri 10	Philadelphia	W
Sat 11	Minnesota	L
Mon 13	Dallas	L
Wed 15	@ Memphis	W	road game win
Thu 16	Milwaukee	W	win after no rest
Sat 18	Indiana	W
Mon 20	Portland	W
Wed 22	@ Detroit	L
Sun 26	@ Milwaukee	W	road game win
Tue 28	New Jersey	W
		10-4 or 11-4 couting LA

Bulls Power Ranking: 30

Any site that puts Chicago ahead of the Bobcats hasn't been updated.

 

A Lost Cause

Regards,

Joseph

Isiah Thomas - Again

Isiah Thomas is a fool. He's making trade gestures for Eddie Curry.

Folks, he could have had Bulls PF/C Eddie Curry for Knicks PF Sweetney except that he decided to be cute and make a low ball offer for Eddie Curry and then Eddie started playing as at a level the great talent judge Issiah thought only he could perceive. Now that Curry's showing promise and improvement, Thomas decides to belatedly make what would have been a reasonable offer but is now probably too little and definitely too late offer.

Q: If Thomas has such a knack for talent, why couldn't he have stolen Curry from Paxson before Curry played well? Why make a low ball offer and up the offer only after the talented guy shows he's getting better?

A: Thomas can't read players better than any other competent GM. He's a confidence man and a persistent chatterer who's more concerned about his image than demonstrating mastery by moving boldy to grab undervalued talent.

Pathetic

Golden State Warriors are beating the Bulls handedly.  In the final minutes they are pulling closer but this is not a sign of a club that will not quit, it is a sign of a club that can't play consistent NBA quality B-Ball for long periods of time. 

 

The Warriors have displayed the same problems as the Bulls, only not as severe.  What a disappointing game.

Winning teams...

This Bulls loss to the Clippers hurts "us" as much as it helps the Clippers.  Coming back on the road after being down by 24 is what winning is all about.

Regards,

Joseph

Curry Will Stay

Enough was written about Curry in the current Chi-Tribune to float a battleship.
He's going to stay - there's no magic solution to his problems if he were to change NBA teams.

Chandler is Far More Tradeable than Curry

More later...

Clippers Saturday

The Clippers game on Saturday is critical for this Bulls team. They have to 1) field a competitive player rotation and 2) win a game. Joe Sez this Clipper team is currently playing much better than the Bulls and was probably underrated in the preseason rankings. Winning at home will be hard but losing Saturday will make the upcoming road trip much harder.

Joe Sez Mr. Curry doesn't get to play much - no more "developmental time". Watch Curry's Agent(s) lobby in the press for more playing time so Eddie can boost his numbers. Watch the Press throw it back in their faces.

Enjoy.

Curry

I say keep Eddie Curry and use him as needed if trading him can't bring in a useful asset. Who cares if he wants out. He's become the icon of the losing Bulls - he is the problem. He must prove his value for his upcoming free agency.
The Bulls hold all the cards.
Pouting on a losing team over playing time or the coach isn't going to excuse or cover up his many shortcomings. He needs to play hard and pay attention if he wants to distance himself from the losing record of the Bulls and get big bucks elsewhere.
If he stays and pouts - bench him a la Eddie Robinson. Make his agent regret going to a newspaper to campaign for a trade. Chicago fans are going to boo this big loser harder and sadly for Eddie, its not the Bull's problem if public life for Eddie gets harder after his Agent calls for a trade in the newspapers. The Bulls are not obligated to dump Eddie just because he ad his agent want out. Nope - this kind of negative stunt hurts the Agent and player. Welcome to adult life Eddie.

Curry's now as useful as Cleveland's 2001 bust at #8 - DeSangia Diop. Let them compete for "big-guy flop free-agent" of 2005.

Loss to Suns tells us three things.

It's pretty clear there are 3 messages to take home from yesterday's loss to the Suns by 20 points.

1. Both Baby Bulls - Curry and Chandler - are not NBA starters. Yes they are big but they are not effective and don't know plays or how to play team defense.
2. The small Bulls line-up lost to the small Suns line-up. Size matters in the NBA but even if we go small, we don't have a good small sized team.
3. We're going to struggle to win 20 games this season but we know Skiles and Paxson will not play players (or keep them) if they give an half-assed effort nor will they keep players who do not improve their team effort.

I thought, prior to the Sun's explosive start, that the Bulls could beat this "small team" them at home with help from the Baby Bulls.  The Suns are better than I guessed and the Bulls far worse.  As for the Baby Bulls - it's not just conditioning but fundamental knowledge about the game and mental laziness.  They suck.

 

A must win game for Hyped-Cleveland.

Cleveland (0-3) at Atlanta (0-3)

Someone is going to be 1-3 and someone else will be 0-4. If Cleveland loses this road game, they're in a world of hurt.

4 of 10

4 of 10 top rookies are Bulls.  In a league where playing rookies is a sure sign of losing, it can't be all good to have 4 rookies ranked in the top 10.  

#'s 1, 3, 7, 9

1. Luol Deng, G-F, Chicago (No. 7)
Stats: 21.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.0 APG

2. Emeka Okafor, F-C, Charlotte (No. 2)
Stats: 15.5 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 0.5 APG

3. Andres Nocioni, F, Chicago (Undrafted)
Stats: 13.5 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 1.0 APG

4. Dwight Howard, F, Orlando (No. 1)
Stats: 7.3 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 1.7 APG

5. Andre Iguodala, F, Philadelphia (No. 9)
Stats: 9.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.7 APG

6. Devin Harris, G, Dallas (No. 5)
Stats: 8.0 PPG, 0.3 RPG, 3.7 APG

7. Ben Gordon, G, Chicago (No. 3)
Stats: 10.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 1.0 APG

8. Trevor Ariza, F, New York (No. 43)
Stats: 7.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.5 APG

9. Chris Duhon, G, Chicago (No. 38)
Stats: 3.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 6.5 APG

10. Shaun Livingston, G, L.A. Clippers (No. 4)
Stats: 6.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.7 APG

Eastern Conf. Standings Seem Prophetic

Current Standings - after 2 to 3 games.  How close will these results match the end of year standings?  Central and Southeast seem close.  Atlantic with the Raptors in 1st is the most improbable.  I bet Boston and the Raptors switch places, keep everyone else the same. Playoff teams are in Italics. 

 

Atlantic
Raptors (move to #3)
76ers
Celtics (move to #1)
Nets
Knicks

Central
Pacers
Pistons
Bucks
Bulls
Cavaliers

Southeast
Heat
Wizards
Magic
Bobcats
Hawks

I think the difference between this and my initial guess prior to the season is moving the Knicks below the Raptors and out of the playoffs.

Bulls lose to Pacers

Missed most of the game. Box score shows Deng continues to play well.
Losing by 10 isn't that bad considering the previous nioght's long game and the suspensions. So far the team appears to be playing hard and not quitting like they did last year.

Bulls lose opener to Nets

I happened to tune in when they were down by 27. I followed the game into the double overtime.

This is a game they should have won, a game where the home team makes their free throws and puts the game out of reach. Credit them for fighting - that's what was promised. No more quitting when they fall behind.

We're going to Indiana tonight and the starters are tired.

I predicted a win over the Nets and a loss to the Pacers.

Bulls rank 20041104

From CBS

Rank Date
28 11/4/04
29 10/31/04

Buck Fizer

He's not a bad guy or bad palyer. he was drafted out of spite, not need, by "I'll teach them a lesson" Krause. Now he's a Buck.

Pacific Division

Insidehoops ranks the Pacific Division:

1. Kings
2. Lakers
3. Suns
4. Warriors
5. Clippers

This is a "weak" division. There is no clear, dominate team.

• The Kings lost their depth and Webber (who I don't respect) is in conflict with Stojakovic and Miller. The coach has been resigned. This team could come apart or, becasue of the lack of scoring depth, lose due to injuries.
• The Lakers are going to digress with Kobe dominating the team and ball. They are a smaller team, weak in the PF and center positions. Center Mihm, a Bulls darft pick who was traded for Crawford, might be maturing into a good center. This team might take on the dynamics of last year's Orlando.
  
• Suns are revampoed and high scoring but are weak at center. This will be a fast paced, high scoring team that might not defend well. Nash is going to get injured as the season wears on him. They may win games but will be a weak playoff team - a la the past few Dallas Mavericks teams.
  
• Warriors have potential if their young core can close out games. So far they don't look like they can - lacking a "go to" scorer for the 4th quarter. Aside from the Center position, this is is a talented and deep team that could get much better as the season wears on. Mullin and Monte are committed to playing a type of BB and finding players to fit that mold. If they can play 400%-500% ball in Nov, (4-6, 5-5) they'll make the playoffs.
  
• Clippers could be a better team than expected. They are solid in the SF and PF and their rookie center was good last year. They will probably be irratic, winning hard games and losing easy games, weaker on the road than at home but still losing home games.
  

I am guessing.

1. LA
2. Kings
   
3. Warriors
4. Suns
5. Clippers
   

I don't miss Jamal Crawford's potential

Recap

Jamal Crawford, making his Knicks debut after being acquired from Chicago in a six-player deal this summer, scored 22 points. He shot 8-of-13 in the first half but just 2-for-8 for five points after halftime, taking several questionable shots.

E. Robinson with M Jordon.

M Jordan always pushed himself and he demanded his teammates push themselves to get better. E Robinson shows us that despite the failure to rebuild the Bulls Dynasty, Jerry Krause deserves credit for finding talent (Miller, Artest, Brand) but he couldn't measure heart. If Robinson played with M Jordan, he'd probably have his ass beaten in practice by MJ and been bullied by his teammates to play hard and play for the team. Jordan hated to lose and he probably would have been all over this guy to get him in line and playing to his potential. It would have been ugly beautiful.

Krause foolishly blew up the championship team and unknowingly threw away that most precious thing, the winning attitude and professionalism the aging Bulls players enforced on the rest of the team. In doing this, he proved he wasn't the guy responsible for assembling championship teams. Not him alone. Selecting Robinson (Chandler and Curry too) shows us that talent isn't enough, a super-smart GM isn't enough. A player needs to care deeply to be a winner. I like that. I like the fact it takes the players wanting to win, willing themselves to win and doing the little things to be a winner. Basketball is a great game when it's played right. That few play it right is all the more hope that the Bulls can become a wining team sooner than later.

M Jordan and Bulls GM J.Krause both needed each other.

John Paxson and Chris Mullin are new GMs who as players couldn't hope to match up against Robinson's athleticism. Yet, they're both far better basketball players than Robinson will ever hope to become.

Paxson is not going to pay Curry and Chandler for potential. Frankly, they both have a long ways to go before they're worth what their agents want for them. Some team may overpay for them next year but it will not be the Bulls.

Maybe GSW GM Chris Mullin "overpaid" for D.Fisher and A.Foyle. Maybe he's trying to instill a winning attitude in a perennial loser organization by adding these kind of players. By denying the younger J.Richardson and T.Murphy contract extensions, he risks discontent in the club house. Maybe Fisher, Foyle and Robinson will keep the place in line.

"Eddie's needs"

GM John Paxson says a lot in these few words.

"As an organization, we're trying to find an identity. ... Eddie's needs are a little outside of the realm of what we're trying to do."

"Eddie's needs"

Projected "Rookie of the Year" is a Bull

CNNSI

3. Ben Gordon Luol Deng will be the best rookie. Deng already had an NBA game at Duke. He's long, he's versatile, he's mature beyond his years and he'll get plenty of playing time on the Bulls.

They dropped "athletic".  Athletic is so yesterday, "mature beyond his years"  That's what it takes - youth with maturity.

Trib Poll

Who will lead the Bulls in scoring?

Tyson Chandler

Eddy Curry

Luol Deng

Ben Gordon

Kirk Hinrich

Andres Nocioni

Someone else

Scary isn't it? Curry should win this, he has the talent, but he's not going to be playing long minutes, probably 20-25 per game. Luol Deng should not even come close to wining this, but the "not-so-athletic" SF has got a good chance - a great chance if the Bulls hadn't signed SF Andres Nocioni. Ben Grodon, no, Not him. Not yet.

Beloiters

They're called

Beloiters

K.C. Johnson is a product of Beloit College and was a Buccaneer.

Joe_sez was a Regent.

Sam A .Smith Sez

He's prolific.

Et Tu E.Rob-us ?

Will Eddie Robinson be bought out prior to the season starting?
If he is, then will he sign a non-guarenteed contract with the Miami Heat as was rumored?
If he does sign, then will he play in a NBA finals game this spring?

I hope not 'cause if so, I'll fix him good.

Spice Boys

I didn't coin the term, but I'll use it.

• Skinny Spice
• Improbable Spice
• Pedigree Spice (aka Duke Spice)
• Too-Short Spice
• Long Spice
• Latin Spice

Who are they?

Cleveland's Drew Gooden

He's off to a good start in the preseason. PF D.Gooden, C.Boozer's replacement, ranks 2nd in rebounding during the NBA preseason. Chandler is 6th.

REBOUNDS
1. Zach Randolph (Portland Trail Blazers) 11.1
2. Drew Gooden (Cleveland Cavaliers) 10.4
3. Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic) 8.9
4. Donyell Marshall (Toronto Raptors) 8.3
5. Erick Dampier (Dallas Mavericks) 8.0
6. Tyson Chandler (Chicago Bulls) 7.7
6. Kevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves) 7.7
6. Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs) 7.7
9. Troy Murphy (Golden State Warriors) 7.6

Central Division Preview:InsideHoops

InsideHoops ranks the Central Division.

1. Detroit Pistons
2. Indiana Pacers
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
4. Milwaukee Bucks
   
5. Da Bulls

LeBron hype strikes again. Cleveland loses Boozer and gets better because LeBron James will be the most highlighted player on ESPN. The Bucks are a better team. The Bulls are a better team - honest.

Nov Prediction: 4-7

Nov Date	Days rest	Team	H- Away	W-L	Comments
5	9	NJN	H	W	No J.Kidd, No A.D. & Curry
6	0	IND	A	L	Suspensions still & top team
9	2	PHO	H	W	#10 in WC Great test of team
13	3	LAC	H	W	#15 in WC Should beat these guys at home
16	2	SAC	A	L	Top team
17	0	GSW	A	L	Adv to home team & No rest
19	1	DNV	A	L	Top team
21	1	LAL	A	L	Adv to home team
22	0	PHO	A	L	Adv to home team & no rest
24	1	UTH	A	W	Adv to home team
27	2	CLV	A	W	Hyped, Can Bulls recover from WC road trip?

The bold face indicates a significant game: It's a test of team quality and or character.

NJN is a tough game: Curry and A.Davis are both suspended. NJN do not have a good Center and are a rebuilding team and are without J.Kidd. I think a win against NJN is still possible even with suspensions.

Beating PHO (ranked 10 in Western conference) at home should be possible if I'm right and the the Bulls are really the #6 team in the Eastern Conf.

Also, the Bulls should beat the LA Clippers (#15 in WC) even while on the road and into a long road trip.

If the Bulls finish 4-7 then they are going to have very good year.

Crawford Watch.

NBA.COM

Jamal Crawford, G, New York Knicks For whatever reason, Jamal Crawford never seemed to fit in in Chicago. Was he a point guard? Was he a two? Crawford will try to answer those questions this season with the Knicks, where the talented guard (who averaged 17.3 points per game last season) will share time with Stephon Marbury and Allan Houston. Will Crawford be happy if he doesn't get to start? Whoops. More questions.

Back-up Big men

Renier and Smith were two players I thought would make the team, but I'm surprised at how well they played. With Davis and Curry likely suspended due to fighting, we may see both of them play extensively in the season opener.

What about a starting line up of Harrington, Chandler, Nocioni, Piatkowski, Hinrich?

Here:

Rookie Tommy Smith helped his cause with 10 points in 15 minutes Monday. The 6-foot-10 forward hit the go-ahead basket, a nice half-hook over Washington's Brendan Haywood with 37.4 seconds left.

Backup center Jared Reiner, an undrafted rookie from Iowa, continued to play well. He contributed 6 points and 6 rebounds before suffering a sprained right ankle in the third quarter.

Offense looks sick: The third-quarter brawl and late-game comeback by the Bulls shouldn't obscure the fact that the Bulls looked sick for 2¨ quarters Monday, particularly on offense.

Joe_sez vs. CNNSI

My rankings compare to CNNSI with comments below

Joe Sez	CNNSI
1. Detroit	1. Detroit
2. Indiana	2. Indiana
3. Miami	3. Miami
4. Boston	4. Philadelphia
5. Milwaukee	5. Cleveland
6. Chicago	6. Knicks
7. NewYork	7. Orlando
8. Philadelphia	8. Nets
9. Cleveland	9. Celtics
10. Toronto	10. Wizards
11. Washington	11. Bucks
12. New Jersey	12. Raptors
13. Atlanta	13. Bulls
14. Orlando	14. Hawks
15. Carolina	15. Bobcats

Disagreements
1	Boston	Was #4 last year. Lost coach O'Brien but Doc Rivers is an adequate replacement.
2	Cleveland	Missed playoffs last year. Lost PF Boozer and Gooden is not his equal. Pure LeBron hype.
3	Milwaukee	Playoff team at 500. Small market team plays team basketball without superstars and gets no respect.
4	Chicago	Da Bulls: A competitive team if Ben Gordon and the Baby Bulls contribute.
5	Philadelphia	Missed playoffs last year and CNNSI Mis-understands why 76er's were bad last year - too old - not too many injuries
6	Orlando	Terrible team traded 4 starters - If Grant Hill returns then Orlando is better than NY.
7	New Jersey	Was an elite team last year but they lost far too much - CNNSI is being kind ranking them #8.

CNNSI Rankings: Eastern Surprises - Inflated Rankings

Sports Illustrated ranked NBA teams so let's take a look.

1. Detroit ! yes
2. Indiana ! yes
3. Miami ! yes
4. Philadelphia (huh?)
5. Cleveland (huh? huh?)
6. Knicks (haaa... no way)
7. Orlando (Okay - Looks like Grant Hill returns)
8. Nets (huh? without Martin and Kidd injured and unhappy)
9. Celtics (Way too low)
10. Wizards (Ahead of the Bucks? Please they have 3 former Golden State "Franchise" players - None of whom ever defend worth a damn. )
11. Bucks (unfair - no-name players on a small market team get disrespected)
12. Raptors (okay)
13. Bulls (Joe Sez no lower than #10)
14. Hawks (okay)
15. Bobcats (yes)

Surprise #1
Cleveland ranked 5 !

They are betting on Drew Gooden replacing and improving on C Boozer. No way Jose. Gooden has failed to produce in the past four years. Remember that Mr. Logo, J.West, traded him away so what does that say about his potential. Furthermore, LeBron is a 2nd year teenager who has a lot of growing up to do. This ranking is all about selling Jersey's and Hyping LeBron.

Surprise #2
76er's ranked #4.
76er's new Coach, Jim O'Brien, Boston's successful x-coach, is supposed to take last years injury-riddled team to the playoffs. They were injury riddled because they were old. Now with A.Iverson at PG, Glenn Robinson at SG this team will shoot a low field percentage. My opinion of G.Robinson's character is low, while Iverson is too stubborn, and these 76er's are too old to place #4. This is a ranking based on the past performance, and not even last years' past but the past two-three years ago.

Surprise #3

Knicks ranked #6.
Their poor showing in the last few preseason games shows why I think NY will could miss the playoffs. "Junior" Crawford is picking up where he left Chicago, shooting poorly and shooting often. Houston still has to show he can play on healthy knees. Now there are some questions about the play of both NY Centers. It might get ugly in NY.

Crawford Files

The hot shooting hand of NY KNicks PG/SG J.Crawford has cooled and this is going to cause problems in Knick-land.

The likable former Bull who likes very much to shoot was 1-for-11 in the loss to Minnesota on Saturday. Crawford finished the three games 6-for-32 and 1-for-13 on threes. He rebounded Sunday night, going 9-for-15 for 22 points in a win over Dallas. Wilkens admitted he is talking more to Crawford than anyone.

"A man's got to know his limitations."   Crawford doesn't know when he's hot or cool and he doesn't seem to care to know when he's on the court.  Keeping him in Chicago would have been good for the Bulls but not at the price NY offered. Now he's someone else's problem. 

 
"Sometimes we come down and it's a false illusion you're open," Wilkens said. "Sometimes he gets anxious. He wants to make something happen right away. I've told him you have to let the game come to you a little bit. You can't be that impulsive all the time. I talk to him every day. I critique his shots. I don't want him taking impulsive-type shots. When you have a rhythm going, it's worth it. If you don't, you have to play smart."

Wilkens will be fired this fall and only after that firing will J.Crawford be held accountable by the GM, the new Coach and the NY Fans.

 

Note-a-Bulls

We can only wait and hope:

 

For the first time since Elton Brand in 1999, a Bulls rookie is a very good NBA player from the first time he stepped on the court - not a bundle of potential or a touted talent adjusting to pro ball.

The same could be said about Argentinean forward Andres Nocioni, but he's 24 and a four-year veteran of the highly regarded Spanish league. The Bulls expected Nocioni to bring more than the average NBA rookie.

....

With Deng and Nocioni playing so well, it's actually possible to envision a successful Bulls future that's not entirely dependent on improvement from Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler.

OK, calm down. It's only preseason. When it comes to the Bulls, though, any sign of progress is worth celebrating.

Bulls #6 or Deep Six?

Maybe ranking the Bulls #6 was a mistake.  Blow out losses by 20+ in the preseason are not always a consequent of sitting out the starters and vetting new players to see who makes the team. ItÂ’s also about setting the theme for the year -- is this perennial loser now committed to winning? 

A 20 point loss when Curry and Chandler start and play 30 minutes doesnÂ’t surprise anyone.   Why?  

Curry doesnÂ’t rebound and Chandler doesnÂ’t score. Hinrich, Nocioni, & Deng seem to be on track.  B.Gordon is a disappointment – so far – shooting 3-12 with 5 TOs.  The real problem is the dependence on the baby Bulls.  The Bulls need a rebounding oriented PF who can score when necessary.  Nocioni and Deng are long armed enough to get some rebounds and they both have scored in the preseason.  Hinrich at 6Â’3” is tall enough at PG so maybe these three will compensate for what appears – once again - to be a weak front court when Chandler and Curry are playing.   

IÂ’m most curious about O.Harrington as PF/C and how much offense we can get out of the defensive oriented A.Davis.  These are veterans who will probably play in the final two games to get Chicago on track. Maybe Davis and Harrington can average 8-10 points and 6-8 rebounds in 20-25 minutes.  Between them that could translate into 16-20 points and 12-16 rebounds from the Center position – and both guys know team basketball and can defend.  

Rebounding

Who are going to be the top three Bulls rebounders ?

1. Chandler
2. Davis
3. Nocioni?

Minutes played is a key determinant but rebounding effectiveness will probably determine minutes played.

The Bulls haven't come together as a team - it's hard to tell who will start and what a "big" and "small" line-up will look like. So far, Hinrich, Deng, Nocioni, and Chandler seem to be key players for the small line up with C.Duhon as the PG.

"Big" would be Curry, Chandler, Nocioni, Patikowski and Hinrich.

Signs of Small-ball (aka Nellie-ball)

Dallas' Coach D.Nelson has always favored small-ball, using athletic, small stature players to run the court and shoot the ball. His teams played small-ball when he coached the GSW (it was called Run DMC), the Knicks (oh so briefly, they soon fired him) and with the Dallas Mavericks. There are signs Skiles will, at times, have the Bulls play small-ball although Nelson's teams are not known to defend well whereas Skiles teams will.

"Our best lineup has been the small lineup in every game we played," Skiles said. "Every time we went with one big guy and four smaller players, that's when we've played our best."

15 Bulls for the season opener

The projected Bulls roster. Note: E.Robinson refuses to a compromise buyout and so F.Willaims gets cut in place of E.Robinson's leaving the roster on a buyout.  Any possible E.Robinson buyout will come only after the roster must be trimmed to 15 players. Such spite.  My guess is he'll refuse to be reasonable and will sit on the Bulls IR list most of the season.  He'll possibly be traded in the Feb. since his contract ends in 2006 and would help make salary cap room for some other team.

Tyson Chandler C-F
Eddy Curry F-C
Antonio Davis F-C
Othella Harrington F-C

Jared Reiner C
Tommy Smith F
Andres Nocioni F
Eddie Robinson F
Luol Deng G-F
Adrian Griffin G-F
Eric Piatkowski G-F
Kirk Hinrich G
Chris Duhon G
Jannero Pargo G
Ben Gordon G
Frank Williams G
Cezary Trybanski C
Mike Wilks G
Gary Trent F

It's Another Guard

PG C.Duhon (6'1") was singled out by Coach S.Skiles as out performing both PG's M.Wilks and F.Willams. Let's assume the Bulls keep C.Duhon.

If 6'3" F.Williams does not impress Skiles then the Bulls may not have a compelling reason to buyout E.Robinson sooner-than-later and make room for Williams on the Bulls' roster.

Once they cut Center C.Trybanski, the Bulls will only have 5 players who can play PF/C. T.Smith 6'10" is too thin to play long minutes at PF - When counting him, the Bulls have 6 players. Given they also have small guards, the Bulls might want to swap with Dallas and have Don Nelson coach them.

It's a Guard

The Bulls are going to keep J.Pargo. They are going to cut or buyout Eddie Robinson and Trent is gone. Of the rest, I think they'll keep Williams - he is the taller of the backup PG guards. A strike against him - he did not come to camp in good enough shape. The Chi.Tribune quotes Skiles as saying Chris Duhon is going well. That leaves the Center Trybanski and PG Wilks as the odd men out.
I grouped starters at the top but there is no rank order execpt the bottom two are already gone or will be and the next two at the bootm are #16 and #17 on a 15 man roster.
Here is the roster:

Tyson Chandler	C-F
Eddy Curry	F-C
Antonio Davis	F-C
Luol Deng	G-F
Ben Gordon	G
Kirk Hinrich	G
Andres Nocioni	F
Eric Piatkowski	G-F
Othella Harrington	F-C
Jannero Pargo	G
Adrian Griffin	G-F
Jared Reiner	C
Tommy Smith	F
Chris Duhon	G
Frank Williams	G
Cezary Trybanski	C
Mike Wilks	G
Eddie Robinson	F
Gary Trent	F

J.Crawford Watch: Entry 1, Preseason

I dogged former Bull J.Crawford and thought the Knicks made two mistakes - 1) overpaying him and 2) he would shoot poorly and often enough to drag the team down. Well,I was right - he is shooting often:
See:

In just 25 minutes, Crawford made 10-of-12 shots, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range. He scored 16 points in the first half, helping New York (2-0) grab a 51-44 lead.

But Crawford is making his shots.

We'll continue to watch his shooting percentage.

Why Rank the Bulls at #6?

1. Overall weakness in the Eastern Conference: Only four teams were over .500 last year and the fourth was only 42-40. Fifth ranked New Orleans moved to the Western Conference and expansion Charolett entered the East.
2. Lack of a standout draft pick to move a team upwards: Noone in the 2004 draft will carry their team to a new level like Shaq O'Neal or Dave Robinson did in their rookie year. yes, there will be some rookie surprises but no one will carry their team to the "next level."
3. Off season trades didn't significantly improve any teams with the exception of Miami. Miami was the only team to get significantly better with a trade.
4. Several teams took a step back: Cleveland lost PF C.Boozer without compensation. NJ Nets lost PF K.Martin without compensation. Toronto's Vince Carter is unhappy & wants out and so does NJ's J.Kidd.
   
5. Many teams are hard figure out:
   
1. Philadelphia loses PG Snow and so they move A.Iverson to PG - will A.I. wear out over the season playing PG?
   
2. Washington may have to many shooters and too few defenders: A.Jamison can score but never was a good defender - same for Hughes, Arenas whoa re also former GSWarriors.
   
3. Boston - W.T.F. is Ainge doing with Boston?
   
4. NY is expecting too much out of J.Crawford - He, Marbury and Houston all in the same backcourt and all like to shoot the ball. Expect pouting in NY.
   
5. Milwaukee was unexpectedly competitive last year - can they continue to play great team basketball?
   

Of these teams, Boston and Milwaukee have the best potential to stay as good as they were or get better. Pierce for Boston has Payton to help with scoring and Milwaukee resigned Kukoc and there is no reason Milwaukee's team chemistry should change this year.

<>

Eastern Conference: Merged rankings

Merged rankings for Eastern Conference
Bold Italics=Definitely in playoffs
Italics = Possibly in playoffs
Plain = No way

1. Detroit
2. Indiana
3. Miami
4. Boston
5. Milwaukee
6. Chicago
7. NewYork
8. Philadelphia
9. Cleveland
10. Toronto
11. Washington
12. New Jersey
13. Atlanta
14. Orlando
15. Carolina
    

Eastern Conference: Central division

Revisiting the Eastern standings by division. This is the toughest Division in the East. Indiana and Detroit at sure to make the playoffs. Milwaukee is a probably playoff team.
Estimated rank, (last year) - (negative) comments + (positive) comments

1. Detroit - Everyone plays hard against the champs. + R.Wallace for a full season. Promising PF Darko is one year older.
2. Indiana - Artest is nuts and they are thinner at SF. R.Miller gets one year older and Pollard wasn't a B.Miller replacement. + Strong team with a good C/PF combination in Foster & O'Neal. Well coached.
3. Milwaukee - No surprises this year - teams are ready for them. Lost TJ Ford for 1/2 season. + Well coached & play team basketball. Van Horn, Redd & Kukoc.
4. Chicago - Very young and haven't gelled as a team last year. + Tougher team that is in shape. Baby bulls are in shape and both in a contract year. Coach forces players to develop good work habits and has GM behind him.
5. Cleveland - Lost PF C.Boozer and took a step back. SG L.James is young. PF Gooden is unproven + L.James is mature for his age. Added PG E.Snow. Coach has the team's full attention.
6. Toronto - Carter and Rose both have bad attitudes. Drafted un-athletic Center. + Talented combination with D.Marshell at either PF/SF.
7. Atlanta - Rebuilding without any long term vision.

Eastern Conference: Atlantic Divison

Revisiting the Eastern standings by division. None are sure bets.

Estimated rank, (last year) - comments

1. (2) Miami - Loss of Butler and Odom non-trivial. + Added Shaq & kept Wade.
2. (4) Boston - Bizzare GM. + C & PF positions strong. Payton's scoring helps Pierce.
   
3. (3) New York - Mix'n'match players. Crawford FG &<40%. + Deep team good at PF.
   
4. (5) Philadelphia - Older team, no Snow & Iverson at PG. + Iverson at PG has the ball
   
5. (6) Washington - Jamison, Arenas and Hughes Do not defend. Good scoring
   
6. (1) New Jersey - Problems with Kidd. Loss of KMartin huge. + Jefferson and Kidd
   
7. (7) Orlando - Too young and rebuilding. +Francis replaces unmotivated T.Mac.

The first game: Bulls

Ugly loss - 30 points - 104 to 74.

Chicago shot 36 percent (25-of-69) from the field and committed 27 turnovers. Rookie Tommy Smith scored 13 points off the bench, while Eddy Curry added 10.

Tommy Smith isn't listed on the Bulls roster. He was selected in the second round (53rd overall) by the Chicago Bulls in 2003.

Strengths: Has enormous potential due to outstanding athleticism and leaping ability. His best basketball is ahead of him if he works hard to gain weight and get stronger.

The first game

GSW played SAC tonight in SAC. A win.

Overall a good effort: PF/C Murphy scored 15 (5-10) and blocked 4 shots. He is expected to be a leading scorer because C/Foyle and C/Davis are not scorers. The teenage rookie (PF) played well and should be a top 10 rookie. The GSW are solid at the PG poisition with Claxton and Fisher.

Point guards:
Fisher 18 min, 12 pts, 3 ast & 0 tovr.
Claxton 27 min, 12 pts, 6 ast & 4 tovr.
24 pts and 9 rbs with only 4 tovr.

Keyplayer:
Murphy 15 pts, 6 rbs, 4 blks & 1 stl.

Teenage rookie:
Biedrins 14 min, 4 pts (2-2), 3 rbs, 1 ast, 1 to.

Biedrins may not get enough minutes to be a rookie of the year contender but all indications are he's not at all lost on the court.

Western Conference Rankings by Division

SOUTHWEST

1. San Antonio Spurs: Added a more reliable perimeter shooter - Barry - to help T.Duncan.
2. Houston Rockets: Needed SF and PF so they added T.McGrady and J.Howard to help Y.Ming. This team became a three stage rocket.
   
3. Dallas Mavericks: Effectively swapped in Center E.Dampier and lost PG S.Nash. Assume the Dampier continues producing a 12/12 average and stays healthy. Without Shaq in the West, Dallas got stronger.
4. Memphis Grizzlies: B.Cardinal improves perimeter shooting. Needs upgrade at Center to match Dallas.
5. New Orleans Hornets: Unhappy B.Davis. This team would make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference but still would not sell out at home.

NORTHWEST

1. Minnesota T-Wolves: Returning the same good team with a minor addition: 2nd round PG selection from Gonzaga. Assume their Center plays marginally better than last year and note: No Shaq in LA.
2. Utah Jazz: Added PF C.Boozer and Center M.Okur. Rookie PF C.Humphries and SG D.Snyder will contribute just as PF Boozer and SG Wade thier first year. C.Borchardt, center from Stanford, broke a foot two years ago and then a wrist last year ending each of the last two seasons - this year he breaks nothing and contributes.
3. Denver Nuggets: Added K.Martin and C.Anthony is a year wiser. Assume the injury prone M.Camby gets injured and plays reduced minutes or misses some games this year.
4. Portland Trail Blazers: Added Nick Van Exel but lost Davis, a solid Center. Strong at SF and PF but S.Abdur-Rahim wants to leave while Z.Randolph has problems off court. Weak at Center position.
5. Seattle SuperSonics: Hard to call, PF N.Collison was injured last year and rookie H.S. center R.Swift may contribute. R.Allen V.Radmanovic and R.Lewis are solid.

PACIFIC

1. Sacramento Kings: Still a strong team.
   
2. Los Angeles Lakers: Much weaker without Shaq and unsure who will be starting PF. LA should switch coaches with Dallas and let Nelson play small-ball.
3. Golden State Warriors: Mullin dumps bad contracts and added defense. Added D.Fisher and already have S.Claxton at PG. Rookie PF A.Biedrins has a nose for playing in the paint including defense, while Centers Foyle and Davis will be good defenders but not scorers. The young core has to score more and defend: SF M.Dunleavy, SG J.Richardson, & PF T.Murphy - Assume they will or Mullin would have moved them. A team deep with defensive players: PG S.Claxton, SG M.Pietris and F E.Najera and veterans SG C.Cheney and PF C.Robinson and D.Davis. This is a great 2nd squad: PG-S.Claxton, SG-C.Cheney, SF-M.Pietris, PF-C.Robinson and C-D.Davis. BTW, the 2st team is D.Fisher, J.Richardson, M.Dunleavy, T.Murphy A.Foyle.
   
4. Phoenix Suns: Nash cannot play long minutes all season. A. Stoudemire gets better and Q.Richardson is an upgrade at SG. J.Vroman FP/C may be a rookie surprise.
   
5. Los Angeles Clippers: Good at Center PF and SF, weaker at PG and not deep.

Eastern Conference Rankings and Snark

1. DETROIT PISTONS: Best team last year now has Wallace for the full season.
2. INDIANA PACERS:Good coach and good team but R.Miller is a year older and Ron Artest is nuts but what other team is better ? Detroit
3. MIAMI HEAT: Best Center and player in the NBA is serious this season. D.Wade got better in the Olympics school of hard knocks. Can D. Wade play the supporting role Shaq wanted out of Kobe? Yes.
4. BOSTON CELTICS: Center Mark Blount is good for the Eastern Conference and Raef Lafrentz is a good PF. SF Paul Pierce is a star who will help this team and the High School pick, Kid Al Jefferson may be a candidate for rookie of the year but D Ainge's management has been weird.
5. MILWAUKEE BUCKS: Excellent coach and they played well as team last year: Returning PF Joe Smith, SF Keith Van Horn, SG Michael Redd, T.J. Ford and 6th man T. Kukoc. Seems like a good line-up if they once again they play well as a team.
   
6. CHICAGO BULLS: Huh?! Assume Curry and Chandler are in shape and serious otherwise this ranking is rank. The Bulls are good and relatively deep at the 1, 2 and 3 positions and they have two talented rookies who will play significant minutes and have veteran backups. PG Hinrick and Williams are both tall, defensive PGs. SG Gordon/Piatowski and SF Nocioni/Deng are interesting rookie and veteran tandems for the 2 and 3 positions. Veteran E Robinson can play both SG and SF if he wants to participate - assume he does. The team will struggle on defense at times but if they play as a team, and Curry/Chander are ready, Da Bulls will make the playoffs at the 6 spot and play Miami - Curry vs Shaq. I expect a trade for another veteran PF/C.
   
7. TORONTO RAPTORS: C Rafael Araujo was picked 8th but will be a rookie year bust - too stiff and slow for the NBA game. PF Chris Bosh will get better but SF Vince Carter is distracting and distracted while SG Jalen Rose shoots too often and poorly and he complains. There is a potential for bad chemistry on a talented team with capable Donyell Marshall playing reserve SF and PF.
8. NEW YORK KNICKS Modest capability at Center and good at PF. SF T Thomas is a flake, A Houston will have knee problems and J Crawford will piss off everyone with is attitude and shooting. I.Thomas annoys me but the NY Knicks will get the last playoff spot and lose in the first round.
   
9. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: They have a workable Center but lost a great PF. SG LeBron James is a great rookie, not a great enough player to make the difference this year. PG Eric Snow helps.
10. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: No significant front court presence. Glenn Robinson is bad news, but SG Andre Iguodala is a promising young rookie. Allen Iverson will be the PG this move will not pan out.
11. NEW JERSEY NETS No Martin and J Kidd is hurt and disgruntled. The new owner has decided to retool and so expect to see a trade of Kidd if he recovers and is healthy.
12. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: A.Jamison does not defend and neither SG Hughes nor PG G.Arenas do either. They all like to shoot. Center K. Brown isn't going to be bad but he's not good enough to make the difference on this team. There are three former GS Warrior players - all were considered cornerstones of that franchise.
    
13. ORLANDO MAGIC: New rookie high school PF who athletically impress us at times but isn't going to help the team go anywhere this year and they are weak at Center. Grant Hill will retire - Sorry.
    
14. ATLANTA HAWKS Newly reformed team, no chemistry - too many smalls SG/SF.
15. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS New team, no chemistry.

Centers and the Bulls

E.Curry is rated 10th. That is a high rating for someone who, at around the 16 minutes mark, spaces out and is benched.

If the Bulls are going to be competitive, he has to be rated in the top 5.

Re-visting GSW's Off Season: Dampier is Gone

Joe sez the GSW did well this off season. They dumped salary, kept their young core and signed good-citizen veterans. But wait, there's more....

The GSW have cleared enough cap room ($) next year to resign their talent and attract a good free agent.

The Dallas Morning News reported on its Web site Tuesday night that the deal would involve Dampier, Eschmeyer, Laettner, Najera and another Mavericks player. The report said the fifth player could be contingent on Dampier's starting salary, as salaries must be within 15 percent plus $100,000 to make a deal work under league rules.

This summer the GSW signed D.Fisher (PG) and re-signed A.Foyle (C) and have been criticized for both signings. These guys are not stars but both are NBA starters and hard working team players. The Foyle is playing for the league average - not a bad contract for a Center. Fisher is older and he is paid well in a long term contract; it's not clear that is he's a better player statistically without Shaq and Bryant dominating the ball; but Houston wanted to sign him so GSW paid for a veteran in an important floor position - PG. Both players will contribute in the locker room and create a team atmosphere that will attract a top free-agent. This team needs to lose Dampier's attitude ... and contract.

The Deal

The deal

Clearly, GSW get two workable players both one of whom comes off the books in 05. The other is a roll player, some say like B.Cardinal but without the outside shot.

Yahoo! News - Sports - Basketball

Yahoo! News - Sports - Basketball

Flattery will get us somewhere

Joe Sez the Bulls have been flattered twice, once when K.Bryant included Chicago as one of his top four teams and now P.Stojakovic lets it be known that we wants out of SAC and he expresses interest in Chicago and playing for coach S.Skiles.

Flattery is one way a club can improve its image. The player gets to make a positive statement that lets it be known he is open to a trade and motivates (other) clubs to sign him while the team mentioned responds to the player's interest and mutually benefits from some positive press.

This "mutual-flattery" allows a team like the Bulls to gain status as they try to shake the image of a loser franchise. Neither of these players said "Chicago? No way!" It does mean the Bulls have moved one step above the Clippers and Hawks.