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I'm not a big Rose fan because I think he just takes himself way too seriously (ease up and enjoy life young man) and he is just not even remotely interesting. Amazing athlete however and sad to see him suffer through these injuries. Hopefully his future success will taste all that much sweeter and he'll appreciate and enjoy it having experienced this pain and disappointment. Yes, the Bulls are in a strange place and do need to look into shifting the dynamic of their team.
I don't think the problems the Bulls are having have anything to do with "fun". Let's see how fun things are in south beach if Baby Bron Bron blows an ACL. Thibs is one of the best coaches in the game. Rudy T did pretty well in San Antonio without a party atmosphere. Everything looks easy when you have the league's anointed King who can do whatever he wants on the court. The bulls are in trouble because they have no players who can create their own shots and they have tons of money tied up in very similar types of players. Noah's contract is a killer because he has very limited offensive skills. He runs the court well and plays great defense and he's a fun player. He needs to be on a team with good offense. I would love to see him on OKC or even the Clippers. He'd be perfect for them but they can't pay him. He's also developed well under Thibs. Not sure he would be the same player if he came up in a different system. Also he's very injury prone and has not played a full season in a long time. The Bulls also have charlottes pick in next year's draft. They may get lucky and get Jabari. That would cure a lot of ills. Plus he's a Chicago kid and would fit in well with this team and city. Thibs has gotten more out of mediocre talent than any coach I can recall. He's probably going to blow a gasket and be out of the game or die within five years. The guy has no life and I agree with you, he's way too serious. I love his old school approach to the game.
+ 1 Very well said jackman. Something to keep in mind here too is legacy. The Bulls organization, the coach, the fans, the players all want a championship, unlike a bunch of other organizations which are just lottery mills. What I see is focus and determination. Not a lack of "fun." They work hard. "Work" being the key word here. They're almost old school in their ethic. It's easier to have fun when your work is paying off, you're winning, the team isn't undergoing hardships (like injuries), and the prize is within sight. I'm not a huge Bulls fan. Not since Jordan left. I just like to see good basketball, good competition, and good/great athletes at their best.
I agree this team was fun to watch play. They stressed defense and solid basketball. No doubt that will continue but this is a league of stars and it's imppossible to win without them. IMPOSSIBLE for so many reasons. The refs will always give a star the benefit of the doubt on key plays. Watch when Jimmy Butler (an exciting and talented young player and killer defender) steps in front of Lebron to take a charge. Guess who is going to get the call? The Bulls not only do not have stars, now that Rose is out, they lack a starting point guard. Kirk is a great backup but he's old and put together with duct tape and string. No way he is going to make it all year without getting hurt. His backup is Marcus Teague, a very raw and inexperienced point. They have no cap space and, unless they trade some big money players, can't pick up anyone for less than league minimum. I'm disappointed because I wanted to see Jimmy Butler play with Rose when the team was at full strength. IMO, they would have given the good teams a decent fight but that's no longer the case. Even if they pick up someone from the scrap heap, I don't see this team doing anything more than getting bounced in the first round, assuming they make it. The Jordan era was a blast. I had a chance to see him play several times in person and will always have great memories of watching the best player in the world. MJ was a special player and I recall arguing with my friends around the country about why he was better than the other stars of the era (Magic, Bird, etc.). It's funny because most people today agree Jordan was the best of his era. Midway through his career many people outside of Chicago did not agree. I'm admittedly biased when it comes to comparing Jordan with players of today, even Lebron, but aside from his mental toughness and physical skills, I'll always remember him as one of the most competitive players in the game. I have a friend whose identical twin brother played in the NBA (Vern Flemming who also played with Jordan on the '84 olympic team) and he always had so many cool stories about the game. He once told me about a time in the closing seconds of a key game, coming out of a timeout with the Bulls down by one point, Phil Jackson had just drawn up an elaborate play and as the players were about to take the court and inbound the ball, Michael turned to the guys and said, "just give me the F'ing ball and get out of the way" or something to that affect. Jordan was not only willing to take the last shot, he insisted on it. I'm sure that scenario happened more than once. Cheers,J
Jabari looks a lot like Carmelo Anthony.
Actually, I kind of think Jabari looks more like Lebron lite. Emphasis on "lite." He's larger and more physically gifted than Anthony (much like Lebron when he was 18) and can play more positions. At least it appears this way at the college level. At lot depends on how he develops in the NBA. Anthony was more versatile in college as well, but in the NBA has developed into a guard with some forward skills / strengths.