A Mav Player to Watch

A classmate's of Curry - selected 8th and did nothing for four years. From what I can tell - he's been lazy and lacked pride. He's one reason Jim Paxson was let go from Cleveland. Not getting any miutes nor making free throws is a sign of immaturity.

Well The Mavs wanted a Center and took a chance on the guy. I think it's a mistake - unlike K.Brown who signed with LA, this player never showed anything in the Pros - ever. If he can do something then he'll be a deal as useful NBA Centers average 8 million.

Keep an eye on the guy - Dallas saw something. Right?

Mavs get Diop for 3 years: "Center DeSagana Diop, who never came close to matching the expectations that caused former Cavaliers General Manager Jim Paxson to make him the eighth pick in the 2001 NBA Draft, will sign a three-year, $6.4 million free-agent contract with the Dallas Mavericks today.
...
Diop, 7-0 and 270 pounds, was bothered by injuries throughout his career. He averaged just 1.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and .8 blocked shots a game in 193 games over the past four seasons. ... Conditioning was a problem at the beginning of his career, but getting in better shape and learning more about the game did not translate into more minutes later in his career."

Kendall Gill is a mad man.

The Bulls signed Eddie Basden to fill their need for a tall SG but they could have resigned Kendall Gill. He's a fitness nut - the anti-Curry.

After Vargas wins, entourage rumbles: "'He's had no firm offers. But, hopefully, we'll get one. If [an NBA team is] willing to put their money on a determined, elitely conditioned, highly motivated athlete, they can.

'I'll tell you what, I have a list of two-guards up on my mirror that I look at every day,'' said Gill, who starred at Illinois before playing 14 seasons in the NBA. 'I'm going to look at them like they're my [boxing] opponent. I see all those guys with $90 million contracts and everything and I'm hungry. Just like I've gone out and [fought], I'm going to go out and get this.''"

UK sez "Deng's gonna be like Mike"

I forget that Deng is from the UK and he's known there and increasingly admired.

Scotsman.com Sport - Top Stories - Deng's gonna be like Mike: "Deng's inaugural campaign brought him sufficient plaudits to earn a spot on the NBA's All-Rookie First Team, an honour which provided some consolation for the wrist injury which brought his participation to a premature close and saw him miss the Bulls' first play-off run since the departure of Michael Jordan. 'I never had an injury like that before where I had to sit out for a while. My rehab is going well. I'm back to playing now, since about three weeks ago. It was a tough spell, the longest I've ever been away from the game.'

Perversely though, it has had its plus points. 'When I got hurt, I had to start using my left hand so now it's stronger than it was before and I'm a better player as a result,' he reveals. 'It's something I've been telling the kids about - how unbelievable the things that you can do are, if you just stop doing only what you're already good at.'

As a role model, Deng fits the bill perfectly. While Nike has hinted at raising his profile still further, he is certain to be recruited as one of the faces of London 2012. Potentially, the UK could field a team in seven years time which could hold its own among the world's best. The Scottish pair of Kieron Achara and Robert Archibald will then be in their primes, while another Brixton prodigy, seven foot teenager Eric Boateng, will succeed Deng at Duke next month and is certain to join him in the NBA."

ESPN.com - NBA - Warriors outlook

ESPN.com - NBA - Kreidler: Circus atmosphere out West: "The Warriors don't stink: At least, that's the popular thinking. With Chris Mullin calling the shots and former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery doing the X-and-O thing, Golden State came dangerously close last season to getting back into the thick of things in the West -- no mean feat when you consider that Phoenix and Seattle also seemed to come out of nowhere to grab newsprint in the same campaign. Now Mullin's gambling that the Baron Davis experiment can work long term, the W's have decided that scoring is a lot more fun than not scoring, and Oakland once again is becoming a place where other NBA teams aren't sure they want to stop. For the right reasons."

Grant gone

I haven't any expectation the Bulls can sign an amnesty player now that Grant's gone to Phoenix. The Suns are loading up.

If there was a chance, it might be junk yard dog Williams from the Knicks but I don't see them offering him a multi-year contract and he's not a outside scoring PF.

Tom Gugliotta is reported to be favored by Skiles from a previous coach/player relationship.

The team will have a competitive training camp - I think Chicago has earned a reputation for keeping and playing productive players regardless of their pedigree. They should attract players who feel they can succeed if given a fair shot. A problem is there are fewer open slots on this year's roster.

Bulls eye Grant to beef up at power forward

Bulls eye Grant to beef up at power forward: "According to an NBA source, Paxson and Bulls coach Scott Skiles contacted Grant shortly after the power forward was waived by the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.

Grant, 33, is coming off the worst season of his 11-year NBA career -- he averaged 3.8 points and 3.7 rebounds while missing 13 games because of tendinitis in both knees -- but is exactly the kind of veteran big man the Bulls are looking to add."

Will any amnesty free agents play for Chicago ? The team has only 2.2 million to offer if they sign Chris Duhon.
What would Grant gain by playing for Chicago? It's a top sports market; a team good enough for the playoffs but eliminated in round one; team with a controversial coach (albeit less so since he turned this team around); a player who's a good citizen and undoubted likes a structured, no nonsense environment.

BTW, Rumors said Finley would be released and play for Miami.

Bulls & Duhon

Bulls: "
Bulls general manager John Paxson's initial offer to Duhon was for three years in the $6 million range, but he said Monday he was 'highly likely' to match the Raptors' offer without divulging the terms.

Toronto GM Rob Babcock acknowledged the probability of Paxson matching the offer.

'If I had to guess, I'd guess they would probably match,' he told the Star. 'We understand there's a likelihood they'll match, but there's a little chance they might not. You have to be aggressive and see what happens.'
"

Hat's off to Babcock for trying. He's forcing Paxson to spend a significant portion of the mid-level exception salary on Duhon.

TheStar.com - Raps want Duhon

Toronto made a move for Bulls PG Chris Duhon. The Raptors are probably tapped out at 2.5 million so the Bulls will match their offer and keep Duhon. If Chris developed an outside shot this off-season, he'll be worth every penny.

TheStar.com - Raps want Duhon: "Rob Babcock has identified a free agent he wants but it appears he won't get him.

The Raptors general manager, according to several NBA sources, has made an offer to sign Chicago's restricted free agent point guard Chris Duhon, but the Bulls seem ready to match it.
...
There were no specifics available but given Toronto's obligations, it's likely to have been less than $2.5 million (all figures U.S.) to start. The Bulls had offered him about $2 million in their original negotiations, according to published reports.

Duhon is coming off a solid rookie season in which he started 73 of 82 regular-season games and five of six playoff games. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder averaged 5.9 points and 4.9 assists as a rookie with Chicago."

Toronto GM Babcock has criticized for over paying marginal talent. I'm not as skeptial as others about the roster Toronto GM Babcock has assembled. His 1st round pick last year - a Center - was a bust. It is not clear that the lumbering player will get that much better - ever. This year's pick however is athletic but seemingly redundant with PF Chris Bosh and many thought he reached down into the draft. The player will play a mix of Center and PF and it's reckless to trade down to get the player he felt he needed. Get what you want and not try to second guess other GMs in the increasingly unpredictable draft.

Forum: GS 'can' win Pacific, 2nd place up for grabs.

Forum: "
A[nswer].
Can the Warriors win the Pacific? Of course. But they'll have to win on the road. I still think Phoenix is the best team in the Division, but second is up for grabs. For the first time in a long time, the Warriors are in the mix.

Marcus Thompson 8/05/05"

So much rests on Baron Davis and the improvement of 2nd year coach Mike Montgomery. The Warriors don't have a proven coach like the Bulls' Scott Skiles. Monty is a college coach who, in his first year, has made mistakes with his line-ups and misused his bench.

The Warriors finished 18-8 with Davis, a promising ending to a long season.

Inside Bay Area - Mullin and his "mistake" Fisher

It's been called one of the ten worse free agent signings in the NBA - ever. It ranks at #10 and it is Warrior's GM Chris Mullin signing PG Derek Fisher and Center Adonel Foyle to large, long term contracts. Well look at this, Fisher is wanted by a lot of teams and they are hoping the Warriors will release him under the amnesty rule because the conventional wisdom was/is that Fisher is overpaid.

Maybe the contracted Mullin offered was not that bad.

The argument against Fisher's contract is the length and amount. He'll cost the team salary in the later years of this long contract (Foyle too) but not be as productive. One factor for Mullin's decision is that both guys were courted by other teams and both guys are outstanding, and coachable characters.

Maybe in the later part of the contract, paying an older Derek Fisher seven plus million to play backup point guard and spot-up shooter is too much. It is becoming clear that the Warriors have a gem today and Fisher is wanted by teams looking to win a title, not just make the playoffs.

If signing Fisher stopped the cancer in the locker room and helped turn this team into a hardworking unit, then the pissing and moaning about the future burden of Fisher's contract is short sighted thinking.

Inside Bay Area - Sports: "Releasing Fisher and the $31.9 million he's due over the next five seasons would allow the Warriors to sign a significant free agent this summer. So the question becomes: Is there one out there that warrants throwing away that kind of money? The answer is no.

First off, understand if the Warriors were to lose Fisher, they'd be sacrificing not only their best catch-and-shoot perimeter marksman but also their chief insurance policy should Baron Davis get hurt.

Without question, Mullin immediately would have to replace Fisher with ... well, another Fisher. Preferably an upgraded model.

The only player who's close to qualifying among the available free agents is Memphis guard Earl Watson, a very popular commodity on the market right now.

It would cost the Warriors about $29 million to get the former UCLA standout, which in essence would be $60 million when you factor in the amount owed Fisher.

Watson isn't worth that kind of money. Neither is Gary Payton, Latrell Sprewell or Nick Van Exel — other big-name free agents.

Shaquille O'Neal wants Fisher in Miami. Phil Jackson needs him back in Los Angeles.

Sorry, guys. This isn't the 'charity'"

Bulls Roster Changes

Hmmm.

Out of the running

It's no surprise former Illinois star Frank Williams will not return to the Bulls next season. Bulls staff members were dissatisfied with Williams' effort in his one season here. Ex-Iowa center Jared Reiner also will not return.

Frank Williams is not a surprise. He came to the preseason camp out of shape. SG Eddie Basden will take Williams' place.

I was curious about Jared Reiner. He was a dark horse last year - possibly he made the team given Chandler and Curry were such unknowns. The Bulls will entertain a different big man and may think their strong showing last season means Chicago can attract a better, veteran player for 2005-06.

Malik Allen, Michael Finley, Tom Gugliotta and Toni Kukoc all have piqued Paxson's interest, according to a source. While Finley, once a star at Proviso East, is probably the most attractive, he also may be the hardest to get because several teams are expected to pursue him.

Finley will be available assuming Dallas releases him under a new stipulation in the collective bargaining agreement that does not include the player's salary in the team's luxury tax.

Finley is a loooooong shot - Dallas will probably not release him fearing he will play for the rival Suns. If released, he probably will want to play for a sure thing, not a rebuilding team like Chicago.

Kukoc is the most popular of the remaining names but he might be as useful an aged Scottie Pippen - not that useful at all. He is a smart player, a good passer but often injured.

IMHO Gugliotta is too old and hampered by past inhuries. I don't know if he can shoot well but he played for GSW and didn't impress me (yet who does while at GS?).

Allen is probably the more likely candidate Paxson is looking at since he's the least known of the former and is thus is not mentioned to show respect to a veteran player or for making points with an player's agent. Public flattery can help make an agent look good and in turn he'll help the team when he can.

IMHO, Finley would do well as an "NBA personality" playing for Da Bulls. He'd be a fan favorite and credited with putting Chicago over the top if they did well in the playoffs. Given Chicago is a deep team, he'd also get reduced minutes but play at critical times. Dallas wouldn't have to face him in the playoffs unless both teams made the finals.

Is Finley necessary?

Yes!

Playing Gordon (SG) and Finley (SF) would make a small back court but with Hinrich at PG it would place three high scoring perimeter players on the floor and open up the paint for Chandler and Davis (or Curry). Starting Hinrich and Finley as guards, Loul Deng would be at SF and Curry at Center.

So what about the PF position?

The PF position is still open. Chandler is best used off the bench and so is high energy Nocioni. Da Bulls currrent PFs are short 6-9 Harrington, bean-pole Chandler, Agressive-but-undersized Nocioni and possibly slow-but-steady A.Davis. Possible additions for the Bulls are 6-9 Mario Austin, free agent Allen (see above) or a TBD veteran.

The PF position is still the most interesting aspect for this team.

Da Bulls roster dynamics in mid-July

A good summary of the Free Agents from the Bulls 2005 roster.

Backup point guards C.Duhon is starting his 2nd year out of Duke.  J.Pargo is a Chicagoian and a few years out of school who played in the NBDL and stuck with Chicago when Skiles was hire late in the 2004 season and shuffled the roster to add hungry NBDL players who would hustle in pratice. Pargo is a scorer, Duhon plays good team defense in Skiles' system. 

One of Chris Duhon's representatives insists the two sides are close to agreement on a deal worth about $6 million for three years. But first, Duhon's camp wants to make sure no other team is willing to offer more. The first-year point guard was expecting to visit Orlando this week.

Jannero Pargo is the Bulls' fourth restricted free agent and he's getting feelers from the Lakers, among other teams.

Griffin is a SF and a mid-career veteran who works hard and plays smart.  He has heart than talent and he's stuck in the NBA by working 100%.  Harrington is an older, undersized PF from the Knicks who played well for Skiles and has an outside shot. He and Griffin want to come back. Skiles plays his bench and keeps them in the game if they are producing.

The two unrestricted free agents the Bulls plan to bring back are Othella Harrington and Adrian Griffin. The two veterans will most likely have to wait until Curry, Chandler and Duhon's deals are settled.

Basden is a 6-5 SG senior who plays defense, passes well and scored 15 ppg in the summer league. I never heard much about Pasalic.  Basden is probably going to be a good defensive player who will let Hinrich play and defend the PG position.

The only free agents the Bulls are seriously pursuing are undrafted rookies. Guard Eddie Basden should sign later this week and the Bulls were also impressed with 6-11 Drago Pasalic, a 21-year-old Croatian, during the Las Vegas summer league.

Chandler and Curry will be courted by the Hawks.  If they want too much and Atlanta offers it then I say let them go and play for a loser team in a city that could care less about BB. 

Monta

GSW rookie and 42nd draft pick Monta is getting complemented by other coaches/GMs. He is playing hard and getting noticed. He's defending, scoring and one GM said 'is playing with heart' and is unselfish.

At 6-3 he's a well sized PG and is quick enough to get off his own shot. Monta is skinny and young but he's shown toughness on defense.

Watch for him in the spring as a backap to Davis and Fisher.

Monta

GSW rookie and 42nd draft pick Monta is getting complemented by other coaches/GMs. He is playing hard and getting noticed. He's defending, scoring and one GM said 'is playing with heart' and is unselfish.

At 6-3 he's a well sized PG and is quick enough to get off his own shot. Monta is skinny and young but he's shown toughness on defense.

Watch for him in the spring as a backap to Davis and Fisher.

Monta

GSW rookie and 42nd draft pick Monta is getting complemented by other coaches/GMs. He is playing hard and getting noticed. He's defending, scoring and one GM said 'is playing with heart' and is unselfish.

At 6-3 he's a well sized PG and is quick enough to get off his own shot. Monta is skinny and young but he's shown toughness on defense.

Watch for him in the spring as a backap to Davis and Fisher.

Hawks' interest in Curry seems genuine

Hawks' interest in Curry seems genuine: "Curry's agent, Leon Rose, is hoping to get a multiyear deal paying Curry between $8 million and $10 million a year.

What is uncertain is whether Knight at least put in an opening bid while Bulls operations chief John Paxson apparently is waiting to make sure Curry's heart is insured."

I've read that 8 million a year is about the average salary for a starting NBA center. If Curry's agent will take 8 million then I say pay it. Currys an asset given his playful personality and at times he can be unstoppable. You have to ignore the past when setting value with a kid like Eddie and look to the future. Eddie is going to be an efficient scoring center who can't rebound and doesn't finish games. He probably will get better than this bu thow much is unclear and he will have his downsides. That's an 8 million dollar man - no more. Pair him with a defesive powerforward and keep a serviceable backup center and you'll have a good front line up.

GSW Summary

Several articles in the Bay Area papers carry encouraging news for the GWS 2005-06 season. 

1. Young Vets: The restricted free agent signings of PF T.Murphy and SG J.Richardson were criticized in 2004 as costly but in 2005's market place they now look like bargains.  Reporters have acknowledge they were wrong!  As free agents both would command millions more than they got in last year's contracts. 
   
2. All Rookies: All three GSW rookies are playing well in the summer league.  Mullin says he has lectured each that they are responsible for their own success and emphasized hard work as key for them doing well.  So far he's pleased with what he has seen.  
   
3. 2nd rounders: Mullin noted that he vastly underestimate SG/PG Monta Ellis' skills.  This high schooler was selected 2nd by GSW (42nd pick overall) and is considered raw and a only shooter but so far he has played good team defense and shows mature PG skills.  Note that Mullin expected so much of Monta that he was selected over PF C.Taft who himself was a previous top 1st round PF who slid badly on draft day and was picked with the Warriors 3rd draft pick. C.Taft has played very well - he's strong and has a smooth shot. He looks and plays motivated. He also just hurt his lower back - oof.
   
4. Ike:  The 1st round rookie is playing well as expected. 
   
5. Euros: PF A.Biedrins and PF/SF Z.Cabarkapa are both 6-11 and skinny.  A.Biedrins was last year's #11 pick and is very young but shows some defense skills and aggression on the boards.  Z.Cabarakapa is a 2 year player who needs cut down on turnovers and can play PF but would rather fill in behind SF M.Dunleavy. Both guys are being squeezed by the vets ahead of them and the rookies behind them.  They fell it and it's good both are playing in the summer league.
   

ChicagoSports.com: Bulls' Curry, Hawks to talk

Sure, we need a big, scoring Center but part of me wants Eddie to move to Hot-lanta for money and continue to lose basketball games. He's got a great chance to be a poster boy for losing. Somehow, after losing a few seasons, Thomas would trade from him.

ChicagoSports.com: Bulls' Curry, Hawks to talk: "Eddy Curry has scheduled a visit to Atlanta for Monday-Tuesday, making his first official move in the free-agent market.

The Hawks, who are aggressively pursuing a big man, have close to $20 million of salary-cap room.

Contacted about the visit Saturday, Curry said his first preference remains to stay with the Bulls but that his interest in Atlanta is genuine."

I like Ike

More on the GS Warriors top draft pick.

After reading the article I thought GS had a great draft. There are three top big men selected in 2006 #1, #8 and #9. They have character, are diligent and played ferocious while in college. Two of the three are humble: Andrew Bogut, Channing Frye and Ike Diogu.

Diogu's game begins with character - and education:

"Ike Diogu is special.

His parents, Edward and Jane, knew it the day he was born on Sept. 11, 1983. They stared at him lying in his hospital bed. So vibrant. So dark. So huge.

'He came out 11 pounds and 24 inches long,' Edward said. 'When we saw him lying down in that crib the first day, we thought we had a three-month-old baby.'"
...

Ike Diogu is ferocious.

Washington guard Nate Robinson, now a New York Knick, said it best after his Huskies were nearly upset by the Sun Devils on Diogu's 31 points and 15 boards: "He's just a grown man playing college basketball. He's like a train going down hill. You just hope to slow him."
...

Ike Diogu is diligent.

That was evident during a practice between road games at Stanford and Cal in January. Coach Evans stopped practice and told the team to take a water break. The players scurried to the nearest liquids. Not Diogu.

Still a bit frustrated about going 13-for-22 from the line the previous two games, well below his usual 80 percent clip, Diogu took a ball and walked to the free-throw line. While his teammates quenched their thirst, he quenched his crave for perfection.

Probably what makes Diogu so productive on the court is his combination of talent and determination. He enhances his domineering size and array of skills with a willingness to put in the work.
...

Ike Diogu is humble.

During a post-game interview after a close loss at Arizona in January - in which he totaled 23 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks - Diogu explained how he heeded advice on attacking a zone, which the Wildcats used to try to stop him. A local reporter asked Diogu who specifically gave him the advice. Diogu would only say it was a friend of Arizona State coach Rob Evans.

It took some prodding before Diogu revealed the identity of Evans' friend. It was Charles Barkley.

So what's the down side? He lasted until #9.

1. Point guard mania - Three point guards were selected and expected to upgrade the play of the entire team.
2. Perennial Promise of Potential - Some guys are freaks and likely to be the next Scottie Pippen so teams draft for positional need and the future.
   
3. Tweener - He's not likely to overpower NBA players like he did in college, is too small for the PF position and too slow to play SF.
4. Is that all - He's physically not going to develop that much beyond where he is today.
   

#1 and #2 are hard to argue - teams have different needs - while #3 and #4 are debunkable. His character, competitiveness and dedication to the game and self-improvement will allow him to adapt to the NBA and fully use the talent he has to win.

Unathletic winners like Chris Mullin and John Paxson understand that's enough.

Bulls sign Eddie... Eddie Basden

Good news, despite the headline.

Curry's hurry irritates Paxson:
...
"As for finding a big shooting guard, the Bulls have signed undrafted free agent Eddie Basden, who averaged 15.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.3 steals at Charlotte last year.

'I'm a defensive-minded player, and I'll do whatever it takes to win,'' Basden said. 'They said they wanted a bigger shooting guard that can fill that position, and that's kind of been my niche.''

Last season, Coach Skiles proved he could play "mature" rookies and win. He worked underaged players (one year experienced L.Deng and three year Ben Gordon) in as a integral players off the bench. New addition Eddie Basden sounds mature in interviews and could be a decent reserve who'll be a defensive necessity if injuries slow Hinrick. What's promising is the combo of defense and size. Eddie is an NBA 6'5". In his career, he hasn't been used as a scoring guard and learned to get college minutes by playing defense. Well, a 15.3 scoring average for a tall "defensive" minded guard is sweet.

Hinrich is a big PG who also defends and sometimes plays SG so putting Basden at SG allows Hinrick to play and defend the point. Hinrich is a big, scoring PG who can shut down the opposition and Basden can be expected to hold his own at SG* given his size and interest in defense. This "big" backcourt changes the entire composure of the team. There are more front court player combinations. Consider Deng, Harrington and Curry as the primary scoring options while Davis, Chandler and Nocioni are best for rebounding/defenders. Mix and match from the two knowing that the guard positions can defend and score.

A good line-up balanced in defense and scoring would be:
Hinrick, Basden, Deng, Nocioni & Davis.

All five are above average NBA defenders. Hinrick and Deng are reliable scorers and make their own shot. Davis and Nocioni rebound and score off of put-backs, opportunistic jumpshots and cutting layups. Basden is a wild card. He probably can't make his own shot but will benefit from Hinrich's penetration and passing. Opposition defenses will have to stop Hinrich, that will offer Basden opportunities for making uncontested shots and assists.

One last thought, former Bull Trenton Hassell was a college scorer who turned into an NBA defender. His scoring and shooting average dropped - the defending tired him. Maybe Eddie Basden can do better as a college defender who learned to defend and shoot in his last year. Basden would be a perfect complement if he is not asked to shoot often but is capable of making a high precentage of uncontested shots.

* Sure there are some formidable SGs like Allen, Kobe, Redd. Basden isn't superman but he's not 6'1".

Vegas Summer League - Game Recap - Orlando Magic vs Chicago Bulls - July 8, 2005

Potential Bulls SG has a good game. Known as promising defender who isn't a scorer, Eddie Basden led the summer league team in scoring....

Vegas Summer League - Game Recap - Orlando Magic vs Chicago Bulls - July 8, 2005: "The Bulls were led in scoring by Eddie Basden's 17 points (6-11 FG) and five rebounds. Drago Pasalic had 15 points (7-11 FG) and six rebounds in the losing effort. Chicago finished the game shooting 47 percent (33-71 FG)."

Mullin says "tall enough" but critics say "tweener"

I've read that Ike, the GSW #1 draft pick (#9 overall), is 6' 6.5" in bear feet but has the wingspan of a much taller (7'4") person. This claim is based on the "normal" ratio of a arm length to leg length. Ike seems to have a disproportionate longer arm length for his 6-7ish height.

Well, we know most NBA players list their court height which allowd for extra inche(s) due to shoes, socks (and etc). They easily add 1.0 to 1.5 inches. A 6'6" NBA player may be 6' 4.5"

Ike Diogu, the Warriors No. 1 draft pick, will attempt to become the next. Asked how tall Diogu is without shoes, Warriors vice president Chris Mullin shrugged and rattled off a list of height-inflating devices. Whatever cushioned sneakers, extra socks or orthotics players wear, Mullin said Diogu measures a solid 6-8 on the court.

Diogu is tall enough, Mullin says / At 6-8 (maybe), new Warrior is a tweener at power forward: "Brand was the NCAA Player of the Year when he left Duke after two seasons in 1999. Much like Diogu, Brand dominated his college counterparts. Yet word spread during team workouts that Brand stood only 6-6, possibly even 6-5. It wasn't until he measured 6-8 in shoes at the Chicago predraft camp that the jitters subsided.

Brand, of course, can now be counted on for 20 points and 10 rebounds a game for the Clippers.

In league history, several undersized power forwards have made their mark, none greater than Charles Barkley. Though he was listed at 6-6, those who saw Barkley in person swear he was closer to 6-4."
....
Rob Evans, Diogu's coach at Arizona State, put it more bluntly: "Ike Diogu is not going to have any trouble scoring on people, inside or outside. He just scores."

Still, there will be doubts about Diogu's effectiveness, mainly because of his size. His father, Edward, has some advice for those stuck in the "tweener" mentality.

"I tell them to wait and see," the elder Diogu said. "Seeing is believing. "

So Ike is a long-armed, wide-bodied, instinctive rebounder and prolific college scorer. He is also smart, disciplined and well-socialized. Sounds like an guy who very well could be an "Elton Brand" class player.

The Bulls traded Elton for Tyson Chandler because Elton wasn't potentionally a freakishly outstanding player like Tyson. Elton was "only" going to be a reliable 20 pt/10 rb a night guy.

You can bet Chris Mullin wouldn't have made that trade. He drafted for the same type of guy the Bulls picked at #1 and won "rookie of the year". Wadaya think? Will this guy be a monster or will he be buried in a 11-man rotation?

Projected GSW 4 & 5 starters: Ike and Troy

I would agree. For a lineup focusing on scoring, rebounding and ball movement paring these two would be good. On defense they're both suspect. Current Center A.Foyle is a better defender at and Ike was drafted as a rebounding PF so these two could play in lineups when the GWS backcourt is scoring.

Forum: "I think by the second half of the season, Diogu will be the starting power forward and Murphy the center.

Marcus Thompson 7/01/05"

GWS Too Deep

Forum: "Q.

Hi Marcus, I would like to dissagree with you about the Warriors Logjam at the 4 position. Zarko Cabarkapa is a 3, and Andris Biedrins is a 5, leaving only Murphy at the 4. The warriors can now bring in Diogu as a back up for Murphy. This move, now makes the team 2 deep at every position with Cheaney, White, Tskitishvili, Taft, & Ellis rounding out the final 5 roster spots!
Joe B, Pleasanton 6/30/05

A.

First off, Tskitishvili has been gone. White is now gone. Secondly, Biedrins is a center because that is the only position he can play right now, and the only place he can get time (because there were two other power forwards, not including White who could play the four in a small lineup). Cabarkapa plays like a three but he is a four. He played more five than three. Remember the Houston game, when he kept knocking down 3-pointers because Yao Ming wouldn't come out on him? The Warriors played a lot of small ball, and in small ball he is the power forward. Even if he is a small forward, who backs up Dunleavy, Pietrus or Cabarkapa? Pietrus normally came in for Dunleavy? You say let Pietrus come in for Richardson and Cabarkapa for Dunleavy? Where does that leave Fisher, who Montgomery likes better off the ball? No matter how you cut it, unless you move someone, there is going to be another crunch for minutes like there was at the beginning of last season, which got Montgomery in a lot of trouble. Two deep at every position is not good. It's too much on a young inexperienced coach to be trying to divide minutes. He will lose the locker room again. Plus, With Cabarkapa, Pietrus, Fisher and Diogu coming off the bench, when is Biedrins going to get time to develop?
Marcus Thompson 7/01/05"

Eddie II

2006 Needs: Chicago listed a PF who can shoot outside (like D. Marshall) and a taller SG.
So, an undrafted player will join Bulls summer league.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=2051777&prov=st&type=lgns

Eddie Basden G 6' 5" 215 lbs

POSITIVES: Basden is a mentally and physically tough player who loves being in the thick of plays. He will get his uniform torn and rumpled with his no-holds-barred style. He is more likely to score by slashing to the basket, but his perimeter game improved markedly his senior year. He has some point guard attributes as well, but his chance to stick in the NBA is with tough, chest-to-chest defense.

SHORTCOMINGS: Basden is not one of the better shooting guard prospects in the draft. Some teams want their 2-guards to do little more than shoot a perfect jump shot coming off a screen. Basden can do just about everything in basketball better than he can shoot.

Game 2 Preview

Let me help you

Game two anticipation keeping you up at night?

Let's break it down and make a prediction so you can get some sleep tonight.

Guards:
C.Duhon just earned a himself a big contract next year with his game 1 stop of G.Arenas. Arenas acknowledge Duhon in his post game interviews. If he can repeat and hold Arenas below his scoring average, the series is in the bag.

K.Hinrick needs to shoot a little higher percentage than 8-23. He was The Player of The Game in Feb's Wizards-Bulls face off so expect more. (See he's got his game face on). He should score in the 20's next game.

E.Piakowski was 1 of 7. He'll need to shoot better and I'm picking him to do that in game 2.

B.Gordon vs. L.Hughes in game one goes to Gordon for doing his scoring in the late part of the game. Hughes took advantage of Gordon early on so there's the potential for Hughes to get revenge in game two.

Front court:

I thought K.Brown would redeem himself after game one when he played beyond his season average, but it looks like his knee is hurt and he may be out of the next game (or more).

Chandler and Co. were all in foul trouble. He played well in the end - a sign of a smart player. Look for him to be a bigger factor with his classmate Brown out of the game. (Chandler was #2 and Brown #1 pick in the draft).

Davis and Harrington played well and as veterans with a long rest between games, they'll continue to play well. The forwards will contribute more in Game 2.

Chapu - he earned that silly nickname - was awesome.

Chapu is going to get a lot of attention from A.Jamison. Both can play SF and PF but only Chapu defends like a mad man. Jamison isn't a slouch and so he'll rise to the occasion but Chapu brings his "A" game every night, every game.

Game 1

Da Bulls win a difficult game. Their "Bigs" *all* got into foul trouble and remember, E.Curry is missing. The Wizards Bigs performed well. K.Brown Especially played well and he could be an series X-factor. Conversely classmate T.Chandler could be expected to contribute more than he did in this game - statistically as least.

The game should have been a disaster for Da Bulls but their guards out-played the Wizards' guards, their strength. Amazing that the Wizards backcourt didn't dominate with scoring. A.Nocioni was an effective 'tweener. He played both forward positions and was a force on the boards and scoring. A.Jamison is another 'tweener, capable of both small and power forward positions. Nocioni was the better contributor this game. A.Jamison is going to impact this series more than he did in this game.

L.Hughes was tough. He scored at will but not when it counted - the end of the game. G.Arenas was taken out of his game and didn't play to his averages - he turned the ball over and was out rebounded by Duhon. A.Jamison had A.Nocioni. Jamison's going to have to work his man harder on offense to stop him fro

Wizards vs Bulls: L.Hughes

L.Hughes

Character: Unaligned
Scoring: (7 of 10) Can score at will when shot is on but less likely
to get to rim
Defending:5 (of 10) Goes for the steal but not an effective defender.
Special Powers: Quick shot and good ball handling for a SG.
Weaknesses: Defense, Sensitivity and Judgement; will shoot when his
shot is off and acts beyond his abilities when slighted.
4th Period Effectiveness: 5 (of 10) Not afraid but not as aggressive
as G.Arenas.
Cost: 7 (of 10) Well paid free agent recruit.

Wizards vs Bulls: G.Arenas

G.Arenas

Character: Chaotic
Scoring: (9 of 10) Can score at will when shot is on. Capable of
driving to the hoop when his shot is off.
Defending:5 (of 10) Goes for the steal but not an effective defender.
Weakness offset by speed on fast break and good rebounding for a guard
Special Powers: Amazing confidence and super speed pushing the ball on offense.
Weaknesses: Defense and Judgement; will shoot when he could pass for a
better shot.
4th Period Effectiveness: 8 (of 10) wants the ball at the end of the game.
Cost: 7 (of 10) Well paid but delivering value for the dollar.

Wizards vs Bulls: Jamison

A.Jamison

Character: Good
Scoring: (9 of 10) Had back to back 51 pt games.
Defending:5 (of 10) Not effective defender but offset by awsome rebounding
Special Powers: Pogo stick rebounder - scores points off of offensive rebounds
Weaknesses: Defense
4th Period Effectiveness: 6 (of 10)
Cost: 9 (of 10) In the tail end of a max contract

Lakers Lose to Warriors

Warriors crush Lakers

Golden State scored its most lopsided victory of the year on Monday night, a 126-99 rout of the Lakers in front of a sell-out crowd of 20,024 at the Arena in Oakland.

In all fairness, Center Valde Divca and Brain Grant did not contribute much to this season and PF L.Odum is out with a damaged shoulder. In short, the Lakers gave up Shaq, a Center, and the replacements, three bigs, have been hurt: Two centers out and a mid-season injury to their PF.

It's a tough season but the Lakers have a lottery pick in a deep draft that lacks a superstar.

They'll be back next year. -LA is a popular place to play and possiby a humbled Kobe will be a better teammate. Maybe Divac and Grant are too old to play next season - Divac has a disk problem and Grant his knees. Maybe Odum or Butler will be traded. Still they have some latitude to retool and come back next season with a better power line-up to help Kobe.

For thier pick, think PF. Maybe him.

Pay TV and sports

Monday Night Football' leaving ABC for ESPN.

I don't have pay TV. Maybe that's okay for the NFL and NBA because I'm not a typical target audience but there seems to be a growing number of people who are not plugged into pay TV.

Eventually there is going to be a three tiered market: NBA/NFL packages where you get it all; local packages to follow the teams and see national events; and free TV sports to keep the marketplace interested.

As they transform popular, free sports into pay events, they are making room for lower tiered sports in the free TV market and that means they are leaving room for them to catch on with the public.

One time not so long ago, breakfast cereal was king. Prices kept going up with profits until it made little sense to pay so much for cold cereal. People began to pay a bit more and get a fresh bagel or hot latte and muffin.

Point is the market switched and a cut in cereal prices didn't bring people back.

Habits change.

Monday Night Football on ESPN. Not a reason to get pay TV - not at all.

Wizards' final two games

The Wizards play the Nets and Knicks. The Knicks are slumping but the
Nets are playoff bound. Them beating the Nets would be a sign that
the Wizards are going to be a very tough team for round one and have
earned the #4 slot.

Three games

The Washington Wizards want 4th place and home court advantage.  Chicago leads them by one game.  There are three Bulls games left, if they win all three, it's over.  Chicago will have home court advantage in round one with a sweep. 

 

Wizards are looking tough.  Jamison is a pogo-stick jumper and damaging offensive rebounder.  He can wreck a Curry-less Bulls squad.  Arenas is a streaky shooter who, IMHO, uses poor judgement but he's explosive.  A steal in the 2nd round, he's no match for Ben Gordon who uses better judgement and can also be a streaky shooter.  Hughes is no match for Hinrich as a ball-handler or as a defender but he is the better shooter when he's on. 

 

Meet the Wizards

Mr. Jordan the Wizard

Ironic that the first time both franchises make the playoffs, they'll play each other in the first round.

I liked Chicago but with E.Curry and L.Deng out it's a hard pick. Jamison, Hughes and Arenas were all high scoring players at GSW but they did not defend well. I still think they'll score but maybe not enough to beat the Bulls. With scorers Deng and Curry out, that makes the Bull's job harder.

Kickin Orlando's butt

Wrong Orlando

Bulls beat Orlando by 40, 77 to 117.

Earlier this BB season Orlando was playing over 500 and Skiles was asked about their chances in the playoffs. He responded it was a long season.

He was right. Orlando is out and Chicago is in.

Penny for your thoughts

What can one infer from these two articles.

"Penny Hardaway, another player entering the final year of his contract and one that Isiah Thomas has said he will try to move, quit on the season months ago. Hardaway, upset over limited playing time, left the team three weeks ago, saying he needed time to rest a sore hamstring. In January, Hardaway took a month-long leave of absence after complaining about his role . Several players have privately criticized Hardaway's behavior."

"Every Magic fan knows the story about how Penny Hardaway orchestrated the overthrow of (Brian) Hill, the winningest coach in franchise history. Hardaway and his band of mutineers quit on Hill midway through the 1997 season -- less than a year after Hill coached the Magic to the Eastern Conference Finals and less than two years after he guided them to the NBA Finals. Still devastated by Shaq bolting to L.A. before the season, Magic management didn't have the guts to stand up to Hardaway.

Which is worth more?

K-MART is an idiot

K-Martin is an idiot:

Kenyon Martin was ejected early in the third quarter Monday night for shoving Golden State's Adonal Foyle, his second technical foul of the night.

Martin received his first technical midway through the second quarter for throwing his mouthpiece in the air after being called for a foul. Martin was tossed with just over 10 minutes left in the third when he lightly shoved Foyle to the floor after scoring a layup.

Martin yelled at official Rodney Mott for a few seconds, then ripped off his jersey and tossed it to the crowd as he left the floor. Martin also tore off the tank top he was wearing under his jersey and disgustedly threw that into the crowd.

At least he kept his pants on.

K-Mart's decision to leave NJ for more contract money in Denver was, IMHO, a mistake. The NJ market is much larger and more visible. Was NJ's offer that bad? You can only wear one pair of shoes at a time so how much money is enough? If you do want money, playing in NJ will get you more and better exposure and endorsements than playing in Denver. Either way, it makes sense to stay. K.Martin left NJ for emotional pride. He was "disrespected" by not getting a generous offer - and early on in the Season. Since BB is a business and that's a stupid reason to leave.

Until recently, Denevr missing the playoffs was a possibility. Now that Denver is playing very well, he'll at least appear in the playoffs. In NJ there was no doubt they'd be in contention.

So Denver will be seeing San Antonio which is the 2nd seed but Denver's probably going to make it to 6th place and play 3rd seeded Seattle on the road.

"Beautiful Ohio" Oxymoron

R.Miller is going to bank-roll a movie: "Beautiful Ohio".  

Old enough to fight

O'Neal sez:

If I can go to the U.S. Army and fight the war at 18, why can't you play basketball for 48 minutes and then go home?"

Amen.

Rich NBA owners want less risk during draft day but that interest does not justify an age limit. These guys are old enough for Iraq, they're old enough to play BB.

85-84

Da Bulls lose to Detroit by 1 point in overtime. A close loss can
hurt a team even more than a blow out.

Chicago matches up better against Detroit than it does Miami and I
think this team knows it. The loss is one less turnover or a better
shot taken in hte course of a long game. How Chicago matches up
against the Pacers is unknown - they are over achieving given their
shuffling lineup. Boston is beatable as is Washington.

We're in April and games matter.

Him

Him

Remember when we could fly?

I had forgotten.

For the past several years, Easter time was interesting:The Bulls cutting and adding unknown players to evaluate talent in a lost season; the baby Bulls demanding more playing time so they could develop; Speculation over drafting the top NCAA players; Hope for a better season next year, and haunted by memories of a legendary past.

What are you prepared to do about it?

A pretty good team in this league.

This

"When the game is on the line, our guys fight for it," said coach Scott Skiles, who blistered his team after Friday night's victory over Atlanta. "I'm not at all embarrassed [over this performance against Detroit]. Right from the beginning, we were here and played hard."

is sweet.

0-7 Crawford

How did Jamal Crawford do in the Bulls Knicks rematch in NYC? He shot 4-14 and was 0-7 from 3 point range. His counterpart, Stephon Marbury, make 8-of-14 shots.

Crawford, a former Bull who missed the last 10 games with right turf toe, settled for eight points on 4-of-14 shooting. He was 0-of-7 from 3-point range.

Wildcard J.Crawford

The Knicks are in a slump with key offensive players injured. One injured play is Jamal Crawford who can score at will. He can also shoot too often. If he's “hot” then he's going to hurt you and help his team but if his shot is off, he'll continue to shoot and hand away the game.

Which Crawford will show up (if any since he's hurt is big toe) on Saturday?

Crawford said he had been looking forward to playing the Bulls, who traded him to the Knicks in September with Williams for four players. But he said that was only one motivating factor to come back now. The Knicks need him.

Another Knicks player is hurt, PF Mike Sweetney. If both Crawford and Sweetney come back and play effectively, this game could be really tough fro the Bulls.

Mike Sweetney, the reserve forward who has missed the last four games because of a sprained right ankle, also practiced Thursday and pointed to the scrimmage Friday as an important test.

"I want to get back, and I want to play," Sweetney said.

Convincing

Something to note: Despite wining four games in a row, Coach Skiles complained that the Bulls were not playing well and cautioned about them getting over confident. He held a hard 2.5 hour practice on Tuesday and afterwards none of the players complained. Wednesday the Bulls demolished the 76ers and took possession of the last playoff spot, 8th seed, in the East.

Looking good but less exciting

The Nets lost and Bulls won.

Da Bulls kept up pace with the high scoring Boston team and had fewer turnovers. O.Harrington
started the game and played very well. This shows how deep the team is this year.

Next up is Philidelpia which is 1.5 games ahead of Chicago for the last playoff spot. Allen
Iverson is small enough to permit the Bulls to play Gordon and Hinrich.

Winning is fun but the stories are not as interesting. It was much more dramatic to read about
players complaining and team pressure when Da Bulls were chronic losers.

=====
Regards,

Joseph

Bulls and Nets both win, Boston next for Bulls

Bulls and NJ Nets both won. Utah has lost 8 in a row. It was nice for Chicago to extend that streak. NJ faces Detroit who beat the Bulls next opponent, Boston.

Yes, Boston and Chicago are both playing back to back games.

At the season's start I picked Boston to do well this year, 4th in the East if I recall. They're not doing that well but they're contending for the playoffs and as a young team, are going to play better as the year goes on (and they stay healthy). Like Chicago, Boston did well in the '04 draft and are a young team albeit with a NBA star in Paul Pierce.

For January, I picked Chicago to lose this upcoming game (I think) but given Boston is also playing a back to back game with a loss to the Pistons, I think they'll be tight and tired. Da Bulls will beat them tomorrow and give me one Mulligan so I can meet my January prediction for wins/loses.

Yardstick #1 (The Nets)

Track Da Bulls and Nets records and power rankings for January.

NJ is ranked #24 11-20

Bulls is ranked #25 11-18.

Does Carter and Kidd's return rejuvenate the team or do they flounder?

If Chicago can go 7-3 in their next 10 games, (as I predicted) then they'll definitely be taken seriously and crack the top 20-15. It's hard for a perennial loser ball-club to climb in the rankings.

January Highlights

1. Detroit January 3rd. The Champs either assert their dominance or lose to a young Bulls team. Which will it be?
   
2. New York Kick's back-to-back 17th and 19th. Issiah thinks his team is much better than the Bulls. Maybe Jamal Crawford's turf-toe will heal in time for these games.
3. January 17th -25th: six games four on the road. Going 500 or better is the goal. Boston on the road is a predicted loss, but maybe if the team continues to mature...
   
4. Homestand: 8th,10th,12th,15th. Da Bulls face Boston, GS, Phillie, & NY. A 500 club can win all four home games.

Prediction for January

12 wins 4 losses. Happy new year!

Jan	Opponent	Prediction	Reality
Sat 1	Orlando	W	W
Mon 3	Detroit	W	L
Wed 5	@ New Orleans	W	W
Fri 7	Utah	W	W
Sat 8	Boston	L (back to back)	W
Mon 10	Golden State	W	W
Wed 12	Philadelphia	W	W
Sat 15	New York	W	W
Mon 17	@ New York	W	W
Wed 19	@ Boston	L	L
Fri 21	Atlanta	W	W
Sat 22	@ Detroit	L	W
Mon 24	@ Atlanta	W
Tue 25	Denver	L (back to back)
Thu 27	Charlotte	W
Sat 29	Boston	W

Prediction for January 12-4

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