Hot damn, is this team fun to watch.
This is the third time we’ve seen the Butler-Dunleavy-Gasol-Noah-Rose starting 5 this season, and each time they’ve started those 5 they’ve won the first quarter (twice convincingly). Chicago played probably it’s strongest 12 minutes of the year in the first quarter, dominating both offensively and defensively. Listening to the Utah Jazz commentators (a nice treat, given our pbp team) get sadder and sadder as the Jazz failed to stop Rose off the screen was particularly nice, and Jimmy Butler continued his quest to be a max guy this off-season.
It came apart, more-or-less, in the second and third quarter. McDermott is so putrid that I need to apologize to Thibs. He obviously saw something I was unwilling to. Part of me wonders what he’d do with 30 minutes a game, but the other part of me fears that whoever he “guards” would drop a point a minute on him (as they routinely do now). Mirotic is probably a worse defender than McDermott, even, but at least Mirotic affects the game offensively. McDermott is a turnover machine that can’t shoot and plays Ben Gordon-class defense. It might not be out of the question to get him some D-League developmental time if he continues to play this poorly.
The Jazz didn’t prepare well for this game, but the in-game coaching seemed spot-on. As the game wore down, the Jazz ground out some advantages, especially in the low post. Our entire second unit was beat like a drum down low, and the team really missed Noah’s defense.
The 4th quarter was a grindy, defensive affair, with neither team really getting an edge. In fact, the Jazz had a few opportunities to win it or tie it at the end, and couldn’t convert.
Taj Gibson was understandably out for this game, as was Hinrich. Not one who needs an excuse to play Jimmy Butler 43 minutes, Thibs made Jimmy Butler play 43 minutes.
The weaknesses and strengths of the Bulls are becoming very evident. The entire second shift needs to play better defense. The starting 5 of the Bulls is one the very best lineups in basketball, and they create a nightmare for all different types of teams. They are big down low, but both Gasol and Noah are great passers. They are quick on the perimeter, and both guards can slash and score from anywhere in the circle. To a man, they are a plus defender, though the guards can give points away from time to time. If the team can stay healthy (which it can’t – their chief weakness), the Bulls are very deep, very talented, and the easy pick for the best team in East (maybe the 5th best team in the West).
Bulls play Denver tonight, which should be a fun game. They have 4 starters at 11+ PPG, none over 16.3. Denver is not a great defensive team, and they try to exploit their opponent’s worst starter. Um…. good luck with that.