My Reactions to Game 2...

Stromin Normin' is not meant to be a summary site, so if you want a summary, go check out BlogaBull. Obviously the game was a huge disappointment, especially to all of us that think we can still win the title without D.Rose. 

In reality, it's one game. So let's take a look at what will propel Los Bulls to win the series. 

1. Mike James (who) MIKE JAMES

Although maybe 2 Bulls fans in the world are upset by his absence, it was clear to me we need to see him out on the court. He brings a veteran presence that CJ and JLIII don't have, and he can still score. No, he might not be able to get across the time-line against Avery Bradley, but like I've said before, he is a much better, reliable true point that either CJ or Lucas. If you thought the guards played well...ok maybe it's your first time watching the NBA. 

2. Stop running the high screen with John Lucas

Thibs will adjust, as we all know he's among the best coaches in the NBA, but really, this play killed us on countless possessions. Sure, it works wonders against an old team that isn't athletic enough to trap, but with Turner, AI, and Jrue Holiday all athletic enough to trap, it doesn't make sense at all. 

Oddly, this play didn't lead to too many turnovers, and, for no reason that I can tell, Philly stopped trapping. However, this play highlights when Lucas' size is a complete liability on the court. 

3. Play defense

I don't know what the hell happened, but the Bulls just stopped playing defense in the 2nd half. No one felt like getting back on d, and Omer looked lost on several occasions. This should be pretty easy. 

4. Stop wasting possessions

This is really common at the gym and also on the Lakers, where the best scorer on the court just pounds the ball for a while and chucks a shot. Unfortunately our best player was sitting in a skybox all alone. This meant CJ Watson and JLIII pounding the ball on the top of the key, running down the shot clock, and then forcing a bad shot. It looks reaaaaaaaaaally bad. 

This great piece from Grantland hightlights exactly what the Bulls should run more often. Mind you it was shut-down a few times, but it's still far better than a high screen with JLIII. Philly's defense looked very good, but I'm confident we can overcome it with better shooting and if we start defending. 

Is Adidas to blame for Derrick's injury woes?

As recent followers of SN might have realized, this isn't your everyday Bulls blog. I don't need to give you a summary of the game, the Trib does that. I try to provide valuable/funny/stupid insights and posts to enrich your life as Bulls or basketball fan.

That being said, I'm typing this with the Bulls pounding ATL. JL3 is continuing is dominance as the most irrational confidence guy since Jamal Crawford (hey, at least BG's confidence was rational), and Zaza is pissing me off. Such an annoying and dirty player. Luol's dominating, and Boozer looks like the Carlos we all hoped for after he posted such great numbers in Utah.

It's troubling that this game reaffirms the current trend of getting up for big games and then coasting against teams like Toronto. With Rose out, the team doesn't have the killer, MJ-esque attitude where they just want to be the hell out of you for 3 quarters and hit the bench. Ultimately that's not surprising given the way our offense currently functions.

Overall, I'm still really impressed with this team's ability to win when they're tired and don't feel like playing and pick up the slack when Derrick's out of the line-up. But if there's anything that makes me nervous about the playoffs, it's Derrick's health.

It's almost a laundry list at this point, but he told the Trib's KC Johnson the other day that he thinks they're all linked. This makes perfect sense. I recently sprained my ankle (wearing Adidas Rose 2.5's mind you) and can already tell I'm developing some knee issues linked to crutching.

What do I think caused his injuries, you ask?

First and foremost, his style of play. Yeah, guys like LeBron and Kobe also get injured and take it to the rack with no regard for their bodies, but they're also bigger (or, in LeBron's case, fucking huge). But they also don't get slammed to the ground as much as Derrick does, and they continue to own the zebras. You'd see some people on the Knicks fouling out if they did LeBron like they did Derrick.

At the same time, Steve Francis and Penny took the ball to the hole a lot, and they got hurt. Dwyane Wade does the same, and he's also rather injury prone. It's not unheard of that a guy going up all and getting hit all the time get injured, but it is dangerous when that guy is the heart and soul of your team.

But that's a little too easy.

As Mars Blackmon once said, "Its gotta be the shoes."

Stay with me here, and take a look.

Take a look at the midsole (the white area) in the top picture. If you look closely, you'll see that the part of the shoe he's standing on is likely narrower than his foot.

This is the Kobe VII. You can see the midsole is mostly intact with the ground at all times, and that the sides actually flair out on the top part of the sole to provide more stability.

I think this stability issue, along with the inferior cushioning provided, may be the source of Derrick's issues. It'd be interested to see if his injuries still nagged when he's wearing a far superior performance product.

It's not crazy to think footwear can make that much of an impact. I.e. I went 5 years without an injury, and played in Adidas for the first time in nearly 10 years, and now I can't walk. Most of my Nike's have been able to compensate for ankle rolls and limit the damage.

If you want a more in-depth review of either shoe, let me know, but for now...I'm wishing Adidas hadn't thrown D.Rose $200 million...

For basketball success, rock these instead NIKE Jordan Son of Mars Men's Basketball Shoes, White/Black/Purple - 10.0

Bulls dominate Pacers (in the 2nd half)

I was lucky enough to be in attendance last night for one of the weirdest Bulls' games I've seen in a while. It ended in a 92-72 victory over the Pacers, highlighted by a buzzer beater by Scal with about 25 seconds remaining.

The first half was a sleepy daze. The Bulls came out lethargic and disinterested, but luckily Indiana did the same. Generally the Bulls only take the first half off against crappy teams like the Bucks and Bobcats, but the usual intensity was just not there.

Derrick was 1/9 from the field with just 2 points in the first half after his eruption just a day before against Philly for 35. Boozer and Deng also only hit one shot. Frankly, it was unbelievable the score was so close at half.

On another note, Paul George is a VERY solid NBA player. He's got decent size and strength, plays aggressive d, and can actually get to the rack a bit. Indiana has a great core with him, Granger, and Hibbert. Honestly, they're probably the 3rd best team in the East. They'll give the Bulls or Miami a headache in the playoffs.

Back to the game...The 2nd half was a completely different story. Thibs must have gone nuts in the locker room, and suddenly, the Bulls played like the best defensive team in the NBA; forcing turnovers, running the break, and knocking down lots of open shots. D. Rose exploded, and Deng hit a few bomb three's. Once the newly minted fair weather fans started getting REALLY into the game, the Bulls kept up the intensity and went from trailing to up 20.

Finally, let's give it up to JL3, who actually kept us in the game. He gets a lot of hate for having such unreal confidence, but the guy can really score.