As a long time Bulls fan, like everyone, I have trying to understand the enigma that is Luol Deng. Is he not very good? Is he just overpaid? Maybe his crooked smile hides a tortured soul? Well, maybe not...
In a lot of ways, Luol Deng is the archetype of "well, just not quite there." If you're looking for examples, check out Shia LaBeouf. He's paid like a Brad Pitt type, but he's just not that good. He's okay. He showed some comedic promise on Even Stevens and has since had flashes, but ultimately, he's not what Hollywood wants him to be. It's still too early to write him off, we think, but really, he's pretty much just an average actor.
This brings me back to Luol Deng. Similar career arc. Back in the day, Lu was "raw" and 2nd only to LeBron for professional prospects. He had a decent season at Duke and the Bulls picked him in the first round. Throughout his first several seasons we saw terrible three point shooting, mediocre rebounding, and decent slashing. He wasn't much to think about.
Then this preseason, I thought I saw someone knew. Lu was knocking down three's, keeping his dribbling to a minimum (which is good for my heart attack count), and playing intense defense.
Now, a month into the season, we have experienced the best of Luol (40 point game), some AWFUL disappearing acts, and terribly unclutch play. He's clanked some crucial layups off THE BACKBOARD! What the hell? He's better than that.
But not much. Pending Boozer's return (maybe he is the number two we need), the Bulls probably won't win a title until Luol is the fourth best player on this team. Rose might need another a scorer, but the way he's scored at ease this season, I'll assume he doesn't. That leaves Joakim Noah as one hell of a third best player on a great team, and hopefully, Boozer can be that number two. Much like I gave up on Shia after the 1st Transformers movie, it's time to throw in the towel on Lu.
Don't get me wrong, I love Deng. Great defender, gritty, long. Awesome mid-range shot.
He's just not the guy. (If Ben Gordon were 6'4 oh boy would he be the guy)
For now, Deng must be our fourth best player, and thrive in that role, bringing his energy and defense to the table. Or, in my ideal scenario, we would use him to pry OJ Mayo from the Grizzlies, who seem to be a little disgruntled with his poor shooting. I love OJ as the third or fourth best player on a great team, and the Bulls are the perfect fit.
As for Deng, I still love him, goofy smile and all, but cannot say I'd rather have him on this team than BG... Only time will tell.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Circus Trip Wrap Up
Well ladies and gents, the infamous circus trip is over, and I've drawn quite a few conclusions based on what I saw.
1. Obviously, D. Rose is on another level.
Yeah, I probably don't need to say this, but he's shown that he truly isn't a number two. Rose is an alpha, give me the damn ball and watch what I do with it, kinda guy. More impressive than his position as the number two scorer in the league, Rose looks to bIe scoring effortlessly, and continually scoring in spite of not being on his game. Top PG in the league? Everyone says D.Will, but I think so.
2. Thibs still needs to work on his in-game coaching
Nuggets game.
3. An upgrade at shooting guard wouldn't be nice, it's borderline essential.
Yes, Ronnie and Korver have been a solid 1-2 punch, but we need a consistent scorer who can shoot and defend. Rip Hamilton seems like a perfect fit, as would BG if Detroit would rather dump his salary. In my opinion, either one could put this team on another level.
If neither of them, maybe give Vince Carter *don't kill me* a shot. He's been banged up this season, and clearly, the Magic don't really need him. I wouldn't hate the move.
4. CJ Watson is a decent back-up
SN contributor Corey Hickman has ragged on CJ a lot, and even called for them to bring in anyone to replace him. As much as I love Patrick Beverly, CJ can play, and not half bad at that, when given some time.
5. The Kings are the worst team in the NBA
To see that team quit at the end was downright disgraceful. Paul Westpal should be ashamed of himself, especially considering the insane amount of talent he has in Tyreke Evans and Demarcus Cousins. Cousins is the next Al Jefferson. You can quote me on it.
Stay tuned for my next post breaking down Luol Deng.
Just for fun...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYFlzJyxWlw
1. Obviously, D. Rose is on another level.
Yeah, I probably don't need to say this, but he's shown that he truly isn't a number two. Rose is an alpha, give me the damn ball and watch what I do with it, kinda guy. More impressive than his position as the number two scorer in the league, Rose looks to bIe scoring effortlessly, and continually scoring in spite of not being on his game. Top PG in the league? Everyone says D.Will, but I think so.
2. Thibs still needs to work on his in-game coaching
Nuggets game.
3. An upgrade at shooting guard wouldn't be nice, it's borderline essential.
Yes, Ronnie and Korver have been a solid 1-2 punch, but we need a consistent scorer who can shoot and defend. Rip Hamilton seems like a perfect fit, as would BG if Detroit would rather dump his salary. In my opinion, either one could put this team on another level.
If neither of them, maybe give Vince Carter *don't kill me* a shot. He's been banged up this season, and clearly, the Magic don't really need him. I wouldn't hate the move.
4. CJ Watson is a decent back-up
SN contributor Corey Hickman has ragged on CJ a lot, and even called for them to bring in anyone to replace him. As much as I love Patrick Beverly, CJ can play, and not half bad at that, when given some time.
5. The Kings are the worst team in the NBA
To see that team quit at the end was downright disgraceful. Paul Westpal should be ashamed of himself, especially considering the insane amount of talent he has in Tyreke Evans and Demarcus Cousins. Cousins is the next Al Jefferson. You can quote me on it.
Stay tuned for my next post breaking down Luol Deng.
Just for fun...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYFlzJyxWlw
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Playing Really Weak so far...
But seriously, thank God D. Rose is back. Also, this is the most random thing ever on Bulls.com
http://shop.bulls.com/Johnny-Bach-Chicago-Bulls-Autographed-8x10-Photograph-with-3-Peat-91-92-93-Inscription-_651357191_PD.html
http://shop.bulls.com/Johnny-Bach-Chicago-Bulls-Autographed-8x10-Photograph-with-3-Peat-91-92-93-Inscription-_651357191_PD.html
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
I've Survived Finals 2010
Well, I didn't think I would make it out alive, but somehow I did. 4 tests in 24 hours, only the slightest sleep for 4 days, and a 12 page forecasting paper.
Either way, you know the deal, Bulls vs Lakers tonight, and sadly, maybe one of the worst things that has ever happened to me, I happened to make plans with my girlfriend so I won't get to watch the game.
I think the NBA is rather romantic, especially a battle between D. Rose and Kobe, but she does not agree. Hopefully I'll catch a replay tomorrow. This game's going to be great.
Either way, you know the deal, Bulls vs Lakers tonight, and sadly, maybe one of the worst things that has ever happened to me, I happened to make plans with my girlfriend so I won't get to watch the game.
I think the NBA is rather romantic, especially a battle between D. Rose and Kobe, but she does not agree. Hopefully I'll catch a replay tomorrow. This game's going to be great.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
A Good Start to the Circus Trip... Bulls 95 Rockets 92
In a lot of ways, this was a really strange game. The first quarter was played fairly tight, but each quarter after that resulted in enormous point differentials and momentum swings...and a lot of strange offensive foul calls.
The Good:
Derrick Rose: 33 Points, 7 Assists, 3 steals... AND... 4-5 from 3 point range. Yes 4 three's in a single game. And yes, Derrick Rose. So pretty it hurt.
Ronnie Brewer started to look like an NBA player. That's excellent news.
The Bad:
Taj Gibson: Luis Scola looked much more like Hakeem out there than himself. Taj also couldn't buy a bucket.
The Highly Irrelevant:
Omer Asik seems intent on increasing his random two handed power dunk from one to two per game.
Sadly, there isn't much to say about this game. It was somewhat ugly outside of Rose.
The Good:
Derrick Rose: 33 Points, 7 Assists, 3 steals... AND... 4-5 from 3 point range. Yes 4 three's in a single game. And yes, Derrick Rose. So pretty it hurt.
Ronnie Brewer started to look like an NBA player. That's excellent news.
The Bad:
Taj Gibson: Luis Scola looked much more like Hakeem out there than himself. Taj also couldn't buy a bucket.
The Highly Irrelevant:
Omer Asik seems intent on increasing his random two handed power dunk from one to two per game.
Sadly, there isn't much to say about this game. It was somewhat ugly outside of Rose.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Bulls Vs Washington Tonight
I would do an exhaustive analysis of the Wiz, but frankly, they are rather mediocre.
John Wall is obviously one of the top few rookies in the league. He can score, he's almost as explosive as Derrick Rose, and might be a slightly better passer already.
That being said, Rose is a warrior, the true alpha dog we've been waiting for since MJ retired. Expect a HUGE game from Derrick tonight. I'm talking huge explosion. He has to prove he's the best of Calliparri's henchman, and also clam his position as top young point guard in the league. Big things tonight.
A little about the Wizards...
They are 25th in the league in scoring.
Last in the league in rebounding.
And they're allowing 104 points per game.
This game might get out of hand early. On the plus side, Al Thorton has played pretty well for them in a hybrid 3/4 position. John Wall is clearly the next great point guard. Andray Blatche will also be someone to watch tonight, but I think Joakim will shut him down. JaVale McGee also has shown some potential this year, as he's come off the bench and grabbed a few boards and is blocking a whole lot of shots.
Final Score tonight:
Bulls: 109
Wizards: 83
Blowout.
John Wall is obviously one of the top few rookies in the league. He can score, he's almost as explosive as Derrick Rose, and might be a slightly better passer already.
That being said, Rose is a warrior, the true alpha dog we've been waiting for since MJ retired. Expect a HUGE game from Derrick tonight. I'm talking huge explosion. He has to prove he's the best of Calliparri's henchman, and also clam his position as top young point guard in the league. Big things tonight.
A little about the Wizards...
They are 25th in the league in scoring.
Last in the league in rebounding.
And they're allowing 104 points per game.
This game might get out of hand early. On the plus side, Al Thorton has played pretty well for them in a hybrid 3/4 position. John Wall is clearly the next great point guard. Andray Blatche will also be someone to watch tonight, but I think Joakim will shut him down. JaVale McGee also has shown some potential this year, as he's come off the bench and grabbed a few boards and is blocking a whole lot of shots.
Final Score tonight:
Bulls: 109
Wizards: 83
Blowout.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Sports and Life...Shockingly Inter-twined
This post is going to be a little different. A little more serious, but I'll make sure to throw in some dry humor.
So I came home today, looking to relax, and really looking for some preseason NBA basketball. No luck. Well, I do have this fantasy hockey team now, so I figured, why not give watching this Tampa Bay-Philly game a try?
I watched it for a while and was fairly entertained. I watched two periods and hit the gym.
I haven't picked up a basketball in about a month. I had some time to kill and couldn't really run, and I gave it a shot. I felt like Mugsy Boggs when he started dribbling after getting his powers back in Space Jam. The feeling was absolutely incredible. The fluidity in which I crossed the ball over, the way it curled off my finger tips as I drained jump shots. It felt like catching up with your best friend, the way the game just is. It just is. And it's incredible.
It got me to thinking about a million different things, but what really struck me was how dribbling a basketball changed my day. And I decided, I'll give you a list and save my Derrick Rose statistical projections for tomorrow. I'd love to get your own stories and feedback too so feel free to comment!
Here they are, the top ten sports moments/events/athletes affecting my personal and sports fan life.
#10 - Maurice Clarett/Chris Gamble
This could easily just be the 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, but these guys really got me going. I loved Maurice as a cocky freshman who just dominated the Big Ten. Such a warrior. I almost made my college choice based on it!
And Chris Gamble was a poor man's Charles Woodson. So sick.
#9 - The Dismantling of the Blackhawks
This really hit me today. What if the Blackhawks never betrayed me and traded Chris Chelios and Jeremy Roenick? With MJ retiring, the Hawks had a great opportunity to grab my attention. But what the hell? You trade my favorite players? Alexei Zhamnov...
I rebelled by loving Joe Sakic and rooting casually for the Avs. This pretty much killed the sport for me. I doubt it can reach a pinnacle.
#8 - Game Six vs the Marlins
Need I say more? This is easily the most devastating moment of my life as a fan. I don't want to talk about it.
#7- Madden 96/NBA Jam
Oddly, these games started an obsessive compulsive interest in both sports. Steve Young to Derrick Lovelle on the HB screen all day baby. And this game gave me too much of a vested interest in the 1994 draft class. To the point where I can probably name half of it right here : Jason Kidd, Eric Montross, Jim Jackson, Jalen Rose, Brooks Thompson (thought he was going to be great!), Tony Dumas and Juwan Howad. This list of guys probably earned more excessive/overvalued salaries than any thing imaginable. Either way, Madden 96 really really made me love stats.
#6 - Steve Young
For some reason, my first memories of football are Joe Montana. Whether it was the sick 3-d shadowing of their jersey numbers in '94, or the Bulls colors, I loved the Niners. Still do. I love the Bears too, but the Niners will always be number one.
Steve: efficient, savvy, quick thinking, tough as nails, and athletic. Pretty much everything I came to value in life. He's one of those rare athletes that I cried for. When he got hit by Aenas Williams on MNF after stupid Lawrence Philips missed a block, I wanted to go beat him. Kind of tearing up thinking about it. :(
#5 - The White Sox letting go of Robin Ventura
I'm sure this sounds like a particularly random thought. Honestly, Robin Ventura will always be may favorite baseball player, and the love I developed for him forced me to abandon the Sox when they let him go. I wanted nothing more than to spite them.
I still have a Robin Ventura jersey sitting in my closet at home. This, coupled with Kerry Wood, made me a fan of the lovable losers. Life-altering? I think so. I probably wouldn't even live in Wrigleyville now, had the Sox just kept Robin.
#4 - 2003 Bulls vs Lakers -
Easily my favorite sporting event I have ever attended. I was able to see the Lakers with Shaq, Kobe, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton playing together! Four hall of famers on one court. And I got to see Marcus Fizer go into beast mode and single-handedly destroy them. He had like 30 points and 20 boards. Marcus Fizer. Marcus Fizer.
Best sporting experience of my life, and I was on TV doing the YMCA. Oh, everyone at Woodlawn Middle School saw. And I got made fun of. But who cares? MARCUS FIZER!!
#3 - Quitting Stevenson Football due to injuries
Somewhat of a regrettable decision, but it completely ruined me for high school. I was lost and didn't have any idea what to do. Although it seemed everything was coming together for me, this ruined it. I didn't ask a girl to homecoming, a became increasingly introverted, and it ruined me. I became a jerk for four years of my self.
#2 - 14 Points and 10 Rebounds vs Aptakisic
If you were on my team, you remember this game. We lost by a pathetic 43 points. Schwabe rolled the ball down the court and the entire stadium laughed at the blow out.
As always, ME ME ME. I finally got some serious PT after riding the pine. I played really well, and went smash mouth with local manchild Matt Riskin.
The next game? 0 minutes played. Never been so mad at Mr. Donofrio before. Screw that team.
#1 - Like Mike...If I could be like Mike
I feel sorry for those of you who did not grow up in the Chicago area when MJ was playing in the 90's. I couldn't think of a better role model (seriously).
On the court, MJ exemplified everything you could ask for in an athlete: competitiveness, unwillingness to lose, and he was the hardest working player in the league. Oh yeah, and the best. And he got cut from his high school team. And Bulls fans were initially unhappy with the pick. Oh yeah, that guy. The ultimate alpha underdog.
Like it or not, my win at all costs attitude came from this man. He made me love winning, and I'm not shaking that any time soon. Thanks, Michael.
Feel free to share any stories of your own, I'd love to hear them. This post took me some time.
-RJ
So I came home today, looking to relax, and really looking for some preseason NBA basketball. No luck. Well, I do have this fantasy hockey team now, so I figured, why not give watching this Tampa Bay-Philly game a try?
I watched it for a while and was fairly entertained. I watched two periods and hit the gym.
I haven't picked up a basketball in about a month. I had some time to kill and couldn't really run, and I gave it a shot. I felt like Mugsy Boggs when he started dribbling after getting his powers back in Space Jam. The feeling was absolutely incredible. The fluidity in which I crossed the ball over, the way it curled off my finger tips as I drained jump shots. It felt like catching up with your best friend, the way the game just is. It just is. And it's incredible.
It got me to thinking about a million different things, but what really struck me was how dribbling a basketball changed my day. And I decided, I'll give you a list and save my Derrick Rose statistical projections for tomorrow. I'd love to get your own stories and feedback too so feel free to comment!
Here they are, the top ten sports moments/events/athletes affecting my personal and sports fan life.
#10 - Maurice Clarett/Chris Gamble
This could easily just be the 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, but these guys really got me going. I loved Maurice as a cocky freshman who just dominated the Big Ten. Such a warrior. I almost made my college choice based on it!
And Chris Gamble was a poor man's Charles Woodson. So sick.
 |
| Look at that smile! |
#9 - The Dismantling of the Blackhawks
This really hit me today. What if the Blackhawks never betrayed me and traded Chris Chelios and Jeremy Roenick? With MJ retiring, the Hawks had a great opportunity to grab my attention. But what the hell? You trade my favorite players? Alexei Zhamnov...
I rebelled by loving Joe Sakic and rooting casually for the Avs. This pretty much killed the sport for me. I doubt it can reach a pinnacle.
#8 - Game Six vs the Marlins
Need I say more? This is easily the most devastating moment of my life as a fan. I don't want to talk about it.
#7- Madden 96/NBA Jam
Oddly, these games started an obsessive compulsive interest in both sports. Steve Young to Derrick Lovelle on the HB screen all day baby. And this game gave me too much of a vested interest in the 1994 draft class. To the point where I can probably name half of it right here : Jason Kidd, Eric Montross, Jim Jackson, Jalen Rose, Brooks Thompson (thought he was going to be great!), Tony Dumas and Juwan Howad. This list of guys probably earned more excessive/overvalued salaries than any thing imaginable. Either way, Madden 96 really really made me love stats.
 | ||||||||||
| Still Fly |
#6 - Steve Young
 |
| Find me this jersey and I will marry you. |
For some reason, my first memories of football are Joe Montana. Whether it was the sick 3-d shadowing of their jersey numbers in '94, or the Bulls colors, I loved the Niners. Still do. I love the Bears too, but the Niners will always be number one.
Steve: efficient, savvy, quick thinking, tough as nails, and athletic. Pretty much everything I came to value in life. He's one of those rare athletes that I cried for. When he got hit by Aenas Williams on MNF after stupid Lawrence Philips missed a block, I wanted to go beat him. Kind of tearing up thinking about it. :(
#5 - The White Sox letting go of Robin Ventura
I'm sure this sounds like a particularly random thought. Honestly, Robin Ventura will always be may favorite baseball player, and the love I developed for him forced me to abandon the Sox when they let him go. I wanted nothing more than to spite them.
I still have a Robin Ventura jersey sitting in my closet at home. This, coupled with Kerry Wood, made me a fan of the lovable losers. Life-altering? I think so. I probably wouldn't even live in Wrigleyville now, had the Sox just kept Robin.
#4 - 2003 Bulls vs Lakers -
Easily my favorite sporting event I have ever attended. I was able to see the Lakers with Shaq, Kobe, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton playing together! Four hall of famers on one court. And I got to see Marcus Fizer go into beast mode and single-handedly destroy them. He had like 30 points and 20 boards. Marcus Fizer. Marcus Fizer.
Best sporting experience of my life, and I was on TV doing the YMCA. Oh, everyone at Woodlawn Middle School saw. And I got made fun of. But who cares? MARCUS FIZER!!
 |
| From the infamous Bulls Ninja Turtles Era, which included Corey Blount part deux |
#3 - Quitting Stevenson Football due to injuries
Somewhat of a regrettable decision, but it completely ruined me for high school. I was lost and didn't have any idea what to do. Although it seemed everything was coming together for me, this ruined it. I didn't ask a girl to homecoming, a became increasingly introverted, and it ruined me. I became a jerk for four years of my self.
#2 - 14 Points and 10 Rebounds vs Aptakisic
If you were on my team, you remember this game. We lost by a pathetic 43 points. Schwabe rolled the ball down the court and the entire stadium laughed at the blow out.
As always, ME ME ME. I finally got some serious PT after riding the pine. I played really well, and went smash mouth with local manchild Matt Riskin.
The next game? 0 minutes played. Never been so mad at Mr. Donofrio before. Screw that team.
#1 - Like Mike...If I could be like Mike
I feel sorry for those of you who did not grow up in the Chicago area when MJ was playing in the 90's. I couldn't think of a better role model (seriously).
On the court, MJ exemplified everything you could ask for in an athlete: competitiveness, unwillingness to lose, and he was the hardest working player in the league. Oh yeah, and the best. And he got cut from his high school team. And Bulls fans were initially unhappy with the pick. Oh yeah, that guy. The ultimate alpha underdog.
Like it or not, my win at all costs attitude came from this man. He made me love winning, and I'm not shaking that any time soon. Thanks, Michael.
Feel free to share any stories of your own, I'd love to hear them. This post took me some time.
-RJ
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Ty Lawson is on fire right now
Holy crap turn on the game if you're not reading this blog... and peep this cd...
http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Bulls-Greatest-Hits-3/dp/B00000DCX8/ref=pd_sim_m_1
RJ
http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Bulls-Greatest-Hits-3/dp/B00000DCX8/ref=pd_sim_m_1
RJ
ONLY THE BULLS
Great game tonight! It's always excellent to see the entire team score like this and light up a pitiful defensive team like the Warriors. Lu and Rose were feeling hot hot hot. Unfortunately, your humble blogger had an interview so I didn't catch the entire game.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Eh
Such has been the start of this season. We've seen mixed results. The team has yet to really gel and play cohesively.
Pure Goodness:
D. Rose's absolute dominance of the Pistons. Grant it, BG kind of dominated the first half (okay, it felt somewhat like a stabbing), but D. Rose came-up with the Bill Simmons' "eff you" mode performance of the season. He wasn't going to let them lose.
Kind of Bad:
Everybody's favorite Ashton Kutcher look-a-like, Kyle Korver has been disgustingly on-fire or colder than Chicago in November...
He shot lights out against the Knicks, but otherwise, we haven't seen the Korver that looked like a stud in the pre-season. He'll turn it around.
What the Heck is going on??
Luol. I'd hate to say you complete me because when I do, you shoot 6-18. When I give up on you, you drop 40 points and shoot three's like Korver's supposed to. I don't even know, Lu, I don't even know.
Pure Goodness:
D. Rose's absolute dominance of the Pistons. Grant it, BG kind of dominated the first half (okay, it felt somewhat like a stabbing), but D. Rose came-up with the Bill Simmons' "eff you" mode performance of the season. He wasn't going to let them lose.
Kind of Bad:
Everybody's favorite Ashton Kutcher look-a-like, Kyle Korver has been disgustingly on-fire or colder than Chicago in November...
He shot lights out against the Knicks, but otherwise, we haven't seen the Korver that looked like a stud in the pre-season. He'll turn it around.
What the Heck is going on??
Luol. I'd hate to say you complete me because when I do, you shoot 6-18. When I give up on you, you drop 40 points and shoot three's like Korver's supposed to. I don't even know, Lu, I don't even know.
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