| 18 January 2010
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This game is, in my opinion, the worst game played by the Bulls this season. The first game that might pop up into your mind is the 35 point loss to the Kings. That was horrible. I mean I got sick after it, literally. But in that game, we at least were close in the end and played well for about 75% of the game. Plus, that Kings team isn't terrible. This Golden State team is just AWFUL. Their style of play and their quality of talent is just about as bad as it gets in the NBA. So how did the Bulls lose this game? Several ways, all of which are inexcusable.
Let me just make it clear that the Bulls were playing against a 3.5 NBA players with the rest of Golden State being D-leaguers. Who are the 3.5 players? Monte Ellis, Cory Maggette, and Stephen Curry. Who's the half? Andres Biedrins...he only counts on defense. So who were the rest of the players on the Warriors? Devean George, Anthony Tolliver, Cartier Martin, and Chris Hunter. Who? Seriously, WHO?!?!? Are you kidding me? I just laughed to myself. Those were the 8 players that logged minutes tonight for the Warriors. And Christ Hunter and Devean George respectively played 9 minutes and 6 minutes each, which actually means the Warriors really only played 6 PLAYERS. 6 PLAYERS. Wow. 6 Players. 2 of them D-leaguers. I mean this team has been just decimated by injuries. And they not only beat the Bulls, but destroyed them.
So how did this atrocity of a team with a 12-26 record coming into this game beat the surging Bulls who were playing with confidence and on a winning streak? The Bulls played 0 defense. None. They also simultaneously got just about 0 offense from anyone not named Salmons, and maybe Deng. The Bulls kept it close for a little over 3 quarters and then they just deflated.
The Bulls knew coming into this game that they needed to contain three players and let the rest beat you. If D-league players have to beat you, then so be it. What ends up happening? Maggette goes for 17 points in the first quarter and finishes with 32 points on 11-14 shooting, with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. He also went 10-11 from the line.
Monte Ellis finished with 36 points after getting off 39 shots (good lord). Stephen Curry finished with 26 points on 9-18 from the field and 10 rebounds. Stephen Curry with 10 rebounds. Yup. That's a 6'3" point guard who is actually a shooting guard stuck playing point guard who is killing you on the glass. Here's the best line of all, Andres Biedrins, with 9 points, 18 rebounds, and 8 BLOCKS. A near triple double. 8 Blocks is obviously a career high. Is it me or are big men always setting career highs in blocks against the Bulls? The Bulls are every shot-blocker's fantasy. Not one player on the Bulls knows how or is able to go up strong with the ball. It's honestly pathetic.
In fact, pathetic is the best word to sum up this game. Derrick Rose got absolutely outplayed by the rookie, Stephen Curry. Curry is not that good defensively, but Derrick was made to look BAD. Curry's only averaging 12 points on the season, but he manages to outscore and out play Derrick Rose in a game where he was supposed to foul out in the 3rd quarter and logged 43 minutes. Which brings me to my next point.
There is absolutely no excuse for the Bulls being unable to cause a single Warriors player to foul out. I don't know if VDN was telling the players to go after the Warriors players in foul trouble or not. Frankly, he shouldn't have to. It's fundamental basketball. Cory Magette had 4 fouls with over 9 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter. Stephen Curry had over 4 fouls with over 8 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter. Andres Biedrins had over 4 fouls with over 5 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter. NOT ONE OF THEM FOULED OUT. This goes back to the Wizards game where I talked about Salmons not going after Butler when he had 5 fouls until there was 14 seconds left in the first overtime. Similarly, neither Salmons, nor Deng, went after Maggette after he acquired 4 fouls. He sat out a good portion of the 3rd after he picked up the 4th foul, but he came back in for nearly the entire 4th and nobody went at him. WHY???????
But worst of all, Derrick Rose, shame on you. Stephen Curry absolutely embarrassed you out there because of both what he did and what you didn't do. There is no way Stephen Curry is able to defend Derrick Rose. Derrick is twice as strong and twice as fast. He should be able to blow by Curry EVERY TIME. Instead, Derrick was passive and shooting jumpers. I think there was maybe only one instance where Derrick Rose decided to drive the lane and go for a layup. Absolutely inexcusable. Even worse, he did not at all attack Stephen Curry in the 4th quarter. Vinny decided to sit Derrick most of the third to prepare for a run in the 4th, which in hindsight, was probably a poor decision that allowed Curry to avoid any further foul trouble and prevented the Bulls from using Derrick on offense which may have allowed them to create some distance in the score (assuming Derrick came out and played like a man). But even when Rose came back in the 4th, Curry managed to survive the entire 4th quarter without getting a foul called on him. So after Curry being called for 3 fouls in the 1st quarter, he finished with 4. Amazing.
To go even further, Derrick's refusal to slash to the basket allowed Biedrins, who also had 4 fouls midway through the third, to stick around and have his very own block party in the lane while the other Bulls put up WNBA style layups any time they were in the lane. Maggette, Curry, and Biedrins all finished with 4 fouls. Just ridiculous. I just don't get how some games Derrick knows exactly what to do, and other games he is just so passive. On top of that he was just so sloppy and nonchalant with the basketball, simply throwing it away to the other team on several occasions. I mean there were some horrible passes. I refuse to believe Stephen Curry's defense altered Derrick's game that much. It's all mental. Probably the worst game I've seen Derrick Rose play in a long long time. Stephen Curry made him look like the rookie while Curry looked like a rookie of the year contender. All-Star nothing.
Joakim Noah managed 4 points and 16 boards. I'm glad he got his share in rebounds, but Noah looked totally and utterly outclassed by Biedrins tonight. He absolutely could not do a thing on the offensive end. It almost looked like he couldn't see passed Biedrins. He also was in foul trouble again and was hacking away at the Warrior guards. He continues to complain after every single foul call, and it's actually getting a little annoying. He might be right a bunch of the time, but he's starting to remind me a little of Alonzo Mourning and Kendrick Perkins...you don't need to complain EVERY TIME. He also provided little to know defensive relief at the glass as the Warriors were getting to the basket at will and draining layup after layup. It was just a pathetic display. Again, the theme is pathetic.
Tyrus Thomas continues to stink up the court. He is STILL DOING THE SAME THING EVERY GAME. It is probably the most frustrating thing I've ever watched. Tyrus is averaging probably 3 botched fast breaks per game. I don't want to say he is dumb...but...I'm speechless. How does a power forward continue to try and run fast breaks and turn it over every time? It's like he is literally incapable of learning ANYTHING. The true definition of a dunce. I mean when you look up the definition, Tyrus's face should be there. I mean I know Vinny is at least trying to teach him because he's said what he wants Tyrus to do in the press. And it isn't attempt to be point guard. He had one fast break where he telegraphed a pass to Derrick (who should have had the ball immediately) and he had one where he got called for a blatant charge when all they needed was a good possession. He also keeps shooting 17 foot jumpers and is NEVER close. WHEN WILL IT END?!?!?!? Somebody tell me, will we ever rid ourselves of this dunce? He went 2-7 on the night from the field. And let me just say, he is incapable of making a layup underneath and it's fairly obvious that Tyrus can only truly score on a dunk.
A few words about Brad Miller. He looked like a true D-leaguer out there. 0-5 from the field, 1-2 from the line, for 1 point. All he did was hurt the Bulls out there. With no athleticism, an inability to hit a wide-open jumpshot, and no way to stop ANYONE, he was totally and utterly outclassed and looked like an old man at the Y playing against NBA All-Stars. Again, pathetic.
This is a game where the Bulls really missed Kirk Hinrich, who was out with the flu. His defense could have been put to use against the likes of Ellis and Curry, both of whom no one else on the Bulls could come even close to stopping. They could have also used his free throw shooting, as on top of everything else, the Bulls missed 11 from the line shooting 66% on the night. Worst of all, Derrick Rose continues to brick from the free throw line...simply cannot happen. Who knows if Hinrich actually would have had an effect on the outcome of the game, but it was pretty clear that the Bulls could have used him out there.
Bottom line...Bulls lost a game they should have won. I don't care if they were on the road. I mean, are you trying to tell me the Bulls are absolutely incapable of winning on the road? I don't buy it. In a game where the opposition had only 2 quality players, a fairly good rookie, and a big man who only plays defense, with only 4 other players all D-leaguers, and only 6 players who actually logged real minutes...the Bulls should have been able to win this game with the crowd shooting darts at them. Instead, they got destroyed. This game was a joke. It's the type of game they would have played a month ago with Vinny about to get fired. Instead, it looks like Vinny's seat should remain hot after this stinker. It's a game they needed on a west coast road trip that only gets tougher. I hate to say it, but after this loss, I can see the Bulls going 0-7. I fear for what's in store.
