Homer Talk
We’re almost at the All-Star break, so a good half way through the season. And I want to be a HOMER! I want Bulls and Wolves talk! If Bill Simmons can talk an hour and a half about Rondo and still have 5 million Twitter followers I see no harm in us doing the same!
Also, we’re both big fans of our teams and although we have become well-rounded NBA fans more so over the recent years, I think it’s also interesting to know how much the fortunes or successes of our teams affect our view of the league.
- What has been the best game your team has played this year?
- What have been the low points?
- Where do you think your team will finish?
- Who’s the team you’re rooting for, should your team fall short?
- Have you found your excitement levels dictate your view of the league, as an NBA fan?
Fire away! And any irrational ranting is welcome 😉
Courtside Notes 
naturalbornanalysts 12:22 am on February 4, 2013 Permalink |
I’m glad I waited until this past weekend, before posting this, because one of our best games game on Sunday (Saturday stateside) against the soon to be Pelicans of New Orleans. The other great game was the win at home against OKC.
In both games we hit from the outside which is a key to drawing teams off the double team of Pekovic. If he has the chance to work one-on-one he is incredibly efficient. The OKC game we relied heavily on Barea to carry our scoring in the fourth quarter, as we have done on numerous occasions. But the most encouraging aspect of this weekends games (inlcuding against the Lakers), and the previous few, has been the resurgence of Ricky Rubio’s confidence. He has begun to look like the guy the league fell in love with last year.
The low points are obviously all the injuries. The loss of Love again, Budinger, Lee, Howard, Roy, has really hurt our depth, and forced our hand into signing a number of 10 day contracts, including Lazar Haywood, Mickael Gelabale and Chris Johnson. The latter two, actually showing some decent form, and being signed for the remainder of the season. Im especially impressed with Johnson, who has shown the type of hustle and effort on both ends that our other bigs like Steimsma and Lou Admundson have lacked.
I cant pick a single point that is a low point, rather just the slow deflation of the high expectations that we had during training camp, where we saw pieces coming together, excited by the return of Brandon Roy, and the eventual return of Ricky Rubio.
Unfortunately I don’t see us making the playoffs again this year. I think the West is too stacked, and without our franchise guy (unlike the bulls), we dont seem to have the ability to close out games. Our defense has dropped from top ten to almost last in the last month, and we still suffer from 7 minute droughts where cant find the rim to save ourselves.
Positives though…
Shved – excited by what he can do. Has no fear of the big moment, and while he doesn’t always make the right decision, and needs to handle the ball a lot, he is an exciting prospect for a backcourt with Rubio in the future.
Kirilenko – I was against this signing before the season began, but man has he proved me wrong. We would be dead last without this guy. He still has it, and he has it all. The only thing I could ask more from him is the three ball, but I will ignore that due to the brilliance he shows in other areas.
Cunningham – This guy is a keeper. Deadly mind range shot, unbelievable hustle on defense, and the type of lead by example guy every team needs. While he is probably confused by the European music, fashion, and food he is being exposed to, he goes out and does his job every night.
Negatives…
Pekovic – We need to sign him… or do we? I’ m unsure. We have made a qualifying offer of $6.5M, but surely that is not enough to keep him. Teams will be after a true scoring and rebounding centre. He is playing some fantastic ball, and showing that he doesn’t need to have another dominant big alongside him to put up big numbers. This will really test Kahn and our front office. Pay him? Trade him before the deadline? Or let him walk….shudder.
Derrick Williams – He just doesn’t have it. Shows flashes of brilliance, and by all accounts is working hard with coaches to get better, and put in extra hours, but I think more than the physical attributes, its the mental side of the game (he is a mouth breather for damn sake – ask me about this theory sometime). I think he will end up being part of a package if we make a move, but at the moment I just don’t see how he fits in our system, and its easy to see Adelman being constantly frustrating with him.
Who am I rooting for?
I would be happy with an OKC MIA rematch, with OKC getting that title.
But I would love to see your boys get there too, the work that Thibs has done by getting that misfit bunch to buy into the system and play hard night in night out has honestly amazed me.
I think that what your own team does, definitely dictates your enthusiasm for the league to some degree, but as life long NBA fans, I think we both find stories and players that spark our interest and cause us to follow certain teams and situations more closely. For example, I’m loving Portland this year, and have found myself watching a lot of their games. This also goes for GSW, and my interest in watching Marc Jackson work that team into a formidable force in the West…. oh and did I mention that the Lakers struggles have made the disappointment of the wolves season that much easier to swallow?
Enough Homerism for you?
GO RAVENS!
jk41 8:07 am on February 4, 2013 Permalink |
Excellent Homerism, I hope you typed that with a slice of pizza on your belly as well!
High points:
Low points:
Finishing point:
Backup team:
Yeah, I was definitely feeling down on NBA in general while the Bulls were starting slow. And that’s part of why I watched a lot of early Warriors games to feel some of their winning glow! The Lakers thing was pretty fascinating too, but I’m getting tired of their story, especially when they arrogantly declare they don’t want big money back in return for Gasol. I forgot we were talking to the almighty Lakers here! Gimme a break! #LakersRant.
Where do you think the Wolves end up? Just missing the playoffs or lottery bound?
naturalbornanalysts 9:59 am on February 7, 2013 Permalink
The Lakers story just got more interesting with Gasol down and out for a while. The emergence of Earl Clarke (always liked him in college) as a possibly decent to good player has also been an interesting side note.
I think the Wolves finish 10th or so in the West, which is really a waste of a season. The only thing to be thankful for is that this year’s draft is predicted to be incredibly shallow, and it has allowed us to see what we have in Shved, Cunningham, etc, who havent been injured and got a lot of time as a result.
Time to put your teacher’s hat on and give your players report cards for the season so far.
Go.
jk41 7:01 am on February 8, 2013 Permalink
Alright, here’s my report card on my beloved Bulls:
Joakim Noah: A
All Star Season. Heart of the team and leading the way. Enough said, we win most of the time when he plays and that’s all that matters.
Luol Deng: A
2nd time All Star. So much respect from Thibs and filling in where needed. And still playing with torn ligaments in his wrist that now doesn’t even get mentioned.
Carlos Boozer: B
Started slow and we didn’t really expect much. But late December and January we saw a Boozer we’ve never seen before in Chi-town. He’s still only a B for all the previous years of heartbreak!
Rip Hamilton: Incomplete
Injured again, and on a minutes restriction now so he’s ready for the playoffs so very hard to judge. Is he on a minutes restriction or just not earning the minutes? Maybe Thibs already knows what he has in Rip and wants to use him as a surprise scorer in the playoffs? Time will tell.
Kirk Hinrich: C
He sure didn’t learn to shoot in his years away from the Bulls, it’s been horrific. But as a floor leader and defender he has been pretty good, although gets into early foul trouble a lot. Injuries have hurt his grade too.
Taj Gibson: C
Even though he’s been hot lately, he’s been thrust into that role with Boozer getting hurt. Yes, his minutes are limited when coming off the bench, but he still wasn’t getting it done. Hopefully he has turned the corner.
Nate Robinson: B+
Good Nate / Bad Nate. Pick your poison with this kid. But he is explosive and can score, I’ll give him that. I’d love to see him off the bench just going at it for 10 minutes, giving DRose rest.
Marco Belinelli: C+
Had a horrific start and then Rip went out and he was, like Taj, thrust into the starting job. And then he started playing great! He has cooled off since going back to the bench but that’s understandable.
Jimmy Butler: B
The new favourite of Bulls fans. Not sure if he is the shooting guard we’ve always coveted, seeing as he doesn’t shoot that well, but I love the flexibility he gives when paired with Deng on the floor. His emergence could be an x-factor come playoff time.
Marquis Teague: Incomplete
It ain’t fair to judge the kid cos he’s played so little, and Thibs is naturally slow to bring rookies on (see Jimmy Butler). He’s still young, and has shown a few skills to get to the rim on layups, a lot like his brother.
Nazr Mohammed: F
Unfortunately, I think he’s past it and this will be his last season.
Vladimir Radmonovic: F
He’s seen very little time, but why I don’t give him an Incomplete is because we desperately need 3’s. And that is what he does.
Daequan Cook: Incomplete
I like the signing, he’s young and shoots 3’s. Hopefully can be someone to use going forward once a lot of these spare parts leave next season. I don’t think he cracks the rotation this year.
Tom Thibodeau: A+
I was frustrated with him when we started slow. And wrongly so. The players just need time to pick up his system and play to it. I’m a pretty harsh critic, but there’s no denying that at 9 games over .500 at this point is way further along that I would have thought. The Bulls are battling a top 4 spot instead of the last 4, which is a credit to Thibs given the injuries and new additions.
That was a pretty fun exercise. And even more pleasing is that we’ve still got an MVP to come back. And I can’t wait!
What’s the skinny on your Wolves?
naturalbornanalysts 3:36 am on February 11, 2013 Permalink
Kevin Love : NA
Really hasn’t played enough this season to have any accurate gauge of how he fared coming back from a successful summer Olympic campaign.
Ricky Rubio: B
After a slow start working his way back from the knee injury, Rubio has shown his old self again. The last two weeks he has been that same energetic ball wizard we fall in love with last year. The downside? His shooting has regressed again… and we have no legitimate 3 point threats on the wings for him to kick to.
Nikola Pekovic: A
Time and again he is showing that last year’s numbers were not a fluke, but that he doesnt need a dominant 4man next to him to deflect attention. He has been efficient and consistent. Our only issue now is figuring out how to resign the big bear.
JJ Barea: B+
JJ has really carried us through some games. He is one of our only real options in the fourth quarter, and never looks scared to shoot. Sure he takes a lot of contested shots among the trees in the paint, but you have to live with it when nobody else is doing much.
AK: B+
Despite injuries, this guy has been a rock for us on the defensive end. By far the most intelligent guy we have on the court, he seems to be everywhere. The only disappointing aspect of his return to the NBA has been his 3point shooting which has been pretty dismal.
Alexey Shved: C
The inconsistency of a rookie as you would expect. However, they obviously raise them with the ‘NO FEAR’ gene at CSKA because this kid will shoot without hesitation, and has made some clutch plays in his short career thus far.
Luke Ridnour: C
Still the same Luke. You know what you are going to get. Sometimes its enough and sometimes its not. The one thing you can always rely on is that he will be out on the court giving you everything he has, and knocking down baseline jumpers.
Dante Cunningham: A
This guy has been the surprise of the season so far for me. Wasn’t expecting much out of him, but his defensive hustle is inspiring, and has a surprisingly efficient stroke from the elbows… I would guess 95% of his FGA (other than dunks) are from the elbows.
Greg Steimsma: D
This guy has brought very little to the table. For a legit 7-footer, he rebounds horribly, whines a lot, and has no inside post moves. The only positive is that he blocks shots on a team that is notoriously poor at it.
Derrick Williams: D
I wish I could give this guy a higher grade, but he is just showing so much inconsistency again this year, and that was reflected in a bunch of DNP-CD’s earlier this season. He is yet to develop any threatening moves off the dribble, highlighting his previous reliance on athleticism alone to get him his baskets in the past. The one bonus is that he seems to play a lot better when Rubio is on court, and with his health and flair returning, at least Williams will be around for some big alleys.
Mickaël Gelabale: NA
I like him, and his frenchness, but I haven’t seen enough of him yet to really get a good baseline reading.
Chris Johnson: B
I love this kid! He is long and stringy. Bounces all over the place. Gives everything he has. And genuinely looks like he loves playing basketball. Its early days, but the fact that we waived Lou Admundson to keep him around says a lot.
Lou Admundson: Waived… Which is a good thing.
Josh Howard: Injured and released.
Brandon Roy: Injured and retired.
Chase Budinger: Injured, but promising.
Malcolm Lee: Injured, but showed flashes.
Coach Adelman: A
With what this guy has had to go through this year both on and off the court, he has to be commended.
So that is the skinny on an incredibly disappointing season so far.
Half way there.