Chicago Bulls - Welcome to Hoiball

[jmcole33]

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Kemba Walker Leads Hornets Comeback Win
Chicago, IL - Kemba Walker was aggressive all night, scoring 29 points and dishing out 8 assists in front of a packed United Center crowd, in a 96-91 victory over the home team.

The Bulls were up by 12 after one and expanded the lead to as much as 16 before the Hornets started to claw their way back into the game. The comeback wasn't as furious as it was persistent. After a dominant first quarter, the Bulls play turned sloppy and effortless. The Hornets took back the lead with three minutes left in the final quarter for the first time since the opening minutes of the game.

Pau Gasol on what needs to be different next time the Bulls start the game hot, "We need to step on other teams' throats when we get out to a quick start. The job isn't done after one quarter. We need to play hard for 48 minutes, and tonight we didn't do that." Gasol had one of his better games of the season, scoring 13 points and grabbing 16 rebounds.

The three days rest looked like a blessing for this Bulls team as they got out to a fast start, with Jimmy Butler scoring 11 of his team high 19 points in the first quarter. But the hot shooting would stop, and the aggressiveness wasn't far behind. This was a very winnable game, that was squandered in the second half.

Seems to be a theme so far this season.

Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls
Nov 13, 2015	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Charlotte (4-4)	17	26	25	28	96
Chicago (4-4)	29	22	21	19	91

Charlotte Hornets
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Kemba Walker	39	11-23	1-5	6-7	6	8	1	0	0	29
Jeremy Lamb	35	4-10	0-2	8-8	7	5	3	0	0	16
Nicolas Batum	40	5-16	1-4	2-2	6	3	1	0	3	13
Marvin Williams	30	2-5	1-1	1-2	7	3	1	0	1	6
Al Jefferson	34	8-13	0-0	0-2	8	1	3	0	0	16
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Brian Roberts	11	3-5	1-2	1-1	1	1	0	0	0	8
Tyler Hansborough	11	2-2	0-0	0-0	4	0	0	0	0	4
Jeremy Lin	20	1-4	0-1	0-0	0	5	1	0	0	2
Cody Zeller	20	1-1	0-0	0-0	3	1	0	0	2	2
Troy Daniels	-- DID NOT PLAY --
P.J. Hairston	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Frank Kaminsky	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Spencer Hawes	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		37-79	4-15	18-22	46	27	10	0	6	96

Chicago Bulls
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Derrick Rose	36	8-13	1-3	0-0	1	4	3	0	1	17
Jimmy Butler	34	6-14	0-3	7-7	4	4	1	0	1	19
Mike Dunleavy	19	1-4	1-2	0-0	2	0	0	0	0	3
Joakim Noah	32	2-2	0-0	2-4	6	3	0	0	3	6
Pau Gasol	29	6-13	0-0	1-1	16	2	2	0	0	13
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Taj Gibson	16	1-3	0-0	1-2	4	1	0	0	2	3
Kirk Hinrich	16	1-4	0-2	1-1	1	2	0	0	3	3
Nikola Mirotic	25	5-11	3-4	1-2	3	1	0	0	0	14
Doug McDermott	23	3-7	2-3	2-2	2	1	0	0	0	10
Aaron Brooks	5	0-0	0-0	1-1	0	1	0	0	1	1
Tony Snell	5	1-3	0-0	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Bobby Portis	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Etwaun Moore	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		34-74	7-17	16-20	44	19	6	0	12	91

[jmcole33]

Looking for some suggestions from everyone - It is no secret that this Bulls squad is very front court heavy. Joakim Noah, Pau Gasol, and Taj Gibson are not "stretch forwards" by any sense of the word. Nikola Mirotic is the only stretch player I have - which makes him most valuable to my offense.

Hoiberg's offense is designed as 4 out 1 in, so when Mirotic isn't in the game at the 4, I have a non-stretch player out on the perimeter. This limits their effectiveness (obviously) and kills my offensive efficiency. I find myself passing to a wide open Gibson or Noah at the three point line and being unable to make a play other than passing the ball right back.

The offense runs the best with Mirotic in at the 4. That said, I think it makes sense to start to looking at options for the trade deadline (depending where I'm at.. but I'm not expecting to be contending for a championship with the team as it's currently constructed).

Taj Gibson is the most likely candidate and I'm looking for a wing scorer with an expiring contract. My thoughts heading into next season are I would get rid of Taj's big contract and let Pau walk along with the wing I sign for the remainder of this season. Hopefully this gives me enough for a max contract player (or at least pretty close - I have to look at the numbers).

I would love some suggestions from you guys if you think this is a good course of action or if I should switch up my thinking.

[Tekkonkinkreet]

Could you perhaps have Mirotic at the 4 and Snell at the 3? Snell isn't too bad on D and then that gives you a better scoring option in Mirotic. Also I would be tempted to give Brooks more minutes than Hinrich and possibly bring Portis into the rotations.

In relation to a trade. Chandler Parsons would be a great fit but don't think Dallas would move him. Perhaps an option like Evan Turner or Anthony Morrow?

[jmcole33]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tekkonkinkreet

Could you perhaps have Mirotic at the 4 and Snell at the 3? Snell isn't too bad on D and then that gives you a better scoring option in Mirotic. Also I would be tempted to give Brooks more minutes than Hinrich and possibly bring Portis into the rotations. In relation to a trade. Chandler Parsons would be a great fit but don't think Dallas would move him. Perhaps an option like Evan Turner or Anthony Morrow?

That's definitely something to think about. I think Dunleavy is solid starting because of his solid defense and shooting. I'm definitely going to go with the hot hand from game to game in terms of Snell/McDermott going forward. I like Hinrich because of his size defensively, but AB has the ability to score big. Also, I definitely feel the need to get Portis into the rotation, but I haven't found any room for him (which a trade would also help to create).

I do like the sound of Evan Turner as he can create and his contract is up after this year.

No moves will be in the short term, as I'll have to wait until the All star break to see how the league is shaking out and who might need a big.

[jmcole33]

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Around the League
Chicago, IL - The Bulls sported a 1-1 record this week, squeaking out a win against the 76ers and then dropping a game against the Hornets. The Bulls still have not hit their stride and they are currently sitting at 4-5.

In Other News:

-Early rumors indicate that Durant wants to return to OKC.

-Curry dropped 30 as the Warriors dismantled the Nets, winning 115-75.

-Kevin Durant (West) and Nicolas Batum (East) are the POTW.

-The Spurs are sporting a five game win streak, and the Cavs have stretched theirs to six games.

-Russell Westbrook posted his second triple-double of the season - 21 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists.

-Orlando Magic re-sign Evan Fournier to 3yr/$13.69M deal.

Injury Report:

-Marc Gasol (Broken Right ankle) out 4-6 weeks

-Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Broken leg) out 2 months

-Tobias Harris (High Left Ankle Sprain) out 2 months

-Jarrett Jack (Severe Right Ankle Sprain) out 2-4 weeks

NBA League Leaders - Updated: Nov 14, 2015
Points Per Game		PPG	Rebounds Per Game		RPG
	1. Kevin Durant	32.4		1. Deandre Jordan	16.2
	2. Damian Lillard	29.6		2. Jonas Valanciunas	14.2
	3. Kyrie Irving	26.3		3. Andre Drummond	13.8
	4. Steph Curry	25.9		4. Hassan Whiteside	12.8
	5. Paul George	25.7		5. Greg Monroe	12.7
Assists Per Game		APG	Steals Per Game		SPG
	1. Russell Westbrook	11.4		1. Isaiah Thomas	3.0
	2. Damian Lillard	11.2		2. C.J. McCollum	2.8
	3. Kyle Lowry	10.0		3. John Wall	2.5
	4. Chris Paul	9.7		4. Eric Bledsoe	2.4
	5. Reggie Jackson	9.6		5. Avery Bradley	2.4
Blocks Per Game		BPG	Field Goal Percentage		FG%
	1. Roy Hibbert	3.6		1. Deandre Jordan	71.8%
	2. Marcin Gortat	2.9		2. Tyson Chandler	64.1%
	3. Marc Gasol	2.8		3. Rudy Gobert	63.0%
	4. Deandre Jordan	2.7		4. Steven Adams	61.1%
	5. Brook Lopez	2.6		5. Andre Drummond	59.6%
3 Point Field Goal Percentage		3FG%	Player Efficiency Rating		PER
	1. Eric Gordon	54.8%		1. Kevin Durant	30.7
	2. Andre Iguodala	53.8%		2. Dwyane Wade	27.0
	3. Jamal Crawford	53.3%		3. Steph Curry	26.8
	4. Mike Dunleavy	51.9%		4. Karl-Anthony Towns	26.8
	5. P.J. Tucker	51.9%		5. Damian Lillard	26.3

[jmcole33]

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Pacers Race Past Bulls
Chicago, IL - If anyone thought that the five point loss to the Charlotte Hornets was the worst loss of the season, I would urge them to change their mind. The Bulls played their worst game of the season, by far, losing to the Pacers 113-95.

Paul George put up 42 big points and handing out 9 assists, and outplayed Jimmy Butler in every facet of the game. George Hill also had a big night with 24 points and 9 assists.

But this wasn't about the Pacers. This was about the other guys. 17 turnovers. 20 less field goal attempts. Soft play across the board. The Pacers got whatever they wanted all night long.

"I don't have an answer for you, ask him" Jimmy Butler said after the game, giving a nod in his coach's direction. Butler's not-so-subtle hints about his disapproval over the firing of Tom Thibodeau have become even more not-so-subtle. "We didn't play hard. We didn't play smart. We aren't very good right now." These are harsh words this early in the season coming from the Bulls best player and one of the leaders out on the floor. But it's not just the fact that the Bulls record is 4-6, it's the fact that they don't look like they have any interest being out on the floor together.

It's dark times for this "title contender". The lone bright spot tonight was Tony Snell who scored 20 points in 24 minutes.

Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls
Nov 16, 2015	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Indiana (5-5)	29	28	25	31	113
Chicago (4-5)	19	25	22	29	95

Indiana Pacers
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
George Hill	38	9-14	4-5	2-5	7	9	0	0	0	24
Monta Ellis	36	6-21	1-4	0-0	7	5	4	0	2	13
Paul George	36	19-30	4-6	0-3	5	9	0	0	1	42
Lavoy Allen	33	2-3	0-1	0-0	2	2	3	0	0	4
Ian Mahinmi	33	2-4	0-0	0-0	11	1	1	5	1	4
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Myles Turner	17	3-4	0-0	4-5	1	0	2	1	0	10
Rodney Stuckey	16	3-7	0-2	1-2	1	4	1	0	0	7
Greg Robinson III	14	2-6	1-3	0-0	1	2	1	0	0	5
Solomon Hill	15	1-4	0-0	2-2	5	0	1	0	0	4
Shayne Whittington	1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Joseph Young	1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Rakeem Christmas	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Chase Budinger	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		47-93	10-21	9-17	43	32	13	6	5	113

Chicago Bulls
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Derrick Rose	25	2-10	0-1	4-4	6	5	0	1	2	8
Jimmy Butler	32	6-13	1-1	4-4	5	0	0	0	3	17
Mike Dunleavy	17	0-1	0-0	0-0	1	2	1	1	0	0
Joakim Noah	25	3-5	0-0	1-2	5	2	0	0	0	7
Pau Gasol	23	4-8	0-0	2-4	11	1	0	0	3	10
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Taj Gibson	19	2-3	0-0	2-3	4	1	0	1	2	6
Kirk Hinrich	13	1-2	0-0	0-0	0	3	1	0	0	2
Nikola Mirotic	20	2-5	1-2	0-0	6	1	0	0	2	5
Doug McDermott	15	3-6	0-0	1-1	3	1	1	0	1	7
Aaron Brooks	17	3-7	2-5	3-4	1	0	0	0	0	11
Tony Snell	24	6-10	3-5	5-6	4	2	1	1	2	20
Bobby Portis	5	1-3	0-0	0-0	2	0	0	0	0	2
Etwaun Moore	5	0-0	0-0	0-0	1	0	0	0	1	0
TEAM TOTALS		33-73	7-14	22-28	57	18	4	4	17	95

[jmcole33]

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Bulls Can't Hold off Suns, Lose in OT
Phoenix, AZ - The Bulls dropped their third straight game, losing 118-113 in OT against the Phoenix Suns.

Brandon Knight went for 40 points, 7 assists, and 5 steals, and the Bulls seemingly had no answer for him. He dominated from the tip and kept the Suns in the game until they finally took the lead halfway through the fourth quarter. Eric Bledsoe also chipped in with 17 points and 10 assists.

The Bulls played much better this time around, but turnovers plagued them from pulling away. Any time they looked poised to push the lead to double digits, they would throw an errant pass and lead to an easy bucket for the home team.

When asked about his team's turnover troubles, Fred Hoiberg said, "It's a problem. We need to take care of the ball. We're not even giving ourselves a chance to put the ball in the hoop when we turn it over." Chicago gave the ball away 15 times just two days after turning it over 17 times against the Pacers.

The Bulls are playing their worst basketball of the season at the worst possible time. Friday they head to the West Coast to take on Steph Curry and the defending champs. If the Bulls keep playing like they have the last two weeks they're going to lose by 30.

Chicago Bulls at Phoenix Suns
Nov 18, 2015	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	OT	SCORE
Chicago (4-6)	18	30	24	30	11	113
Phoenix (5-4)	23	25	22	32	16	118

Chicago Bulls
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Derrick Rose	36	7-18	0-0	2-3	5	8	0	0	4	16
Jimmy Butler	39	9-16	0-1	1-1	7	3	0	1	1	19
Mike Dunleavy	21	3-6	2-5	0-0	6	0	2	0	0	8
Joakim Noah	37	4-9	0-0	3-4	11	4	0	2	2	11
Pau Gasol	33	5-12	0-1	4-4	11	0	0	2	3	14
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Taj Gibson	15	1-3	0-0	0-0	5	2	0	0	0	2
Tony Snell	33	4-8	1-1	6-6	6	3	0	1	0	15
Nikola Mirotic	21	4-13	3-6	7-7	5	0	0	0	2	18
Doug McDermott	13	1-1	0-0	0-0	1	0	1	0	0	2
Aaron Brooks	17	3-6	2-3	0-0	1	0	1	0	1	8
Kirk Hinrich	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Bobby Portis	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Etwaun Moore	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		41-92	8-17	23-25	61	20	4	6	15	113

Phoenix Suns
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Brandon Knight	39	18-32	2-7	2-2	3	7	5	0	2	40
Eric Bledsoe	37	6-20	2-5	3-5	6	10	3	0	0	17
T.J. Warren	36	4-8	0-0	6-7	9	2	0	0	1	14
Markieff Morris	31	6-16	1-5	0-0	4	1	1	0	1	13
Tyson Chandler	35	2-2	0-0	1-3	11	1	2	3	0	5
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Alex Len	15	5-7	0-0	0-0	6	0	0	1	0	10
P.J. Tucker	17	3-9	2-5	1-2	3	1	0	0	0	9
Archie Goodwin	17	2-3	0-0	0-0	3	2	0	0	1	4
Jon Leuer	21	1-5	0-1	1-2	5	1	0	0	0	3
Mirza Teletovic	5	1-1	0-0	0-1	2	0	0	0	0	2
Devin Booker	12	0-1	0-1	1-1	0	1	0	0	0	1
Sonny Weems	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Ronnie Price	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		48-104	7-24	15-23	56	26	11	4	5	118

[jmcole33]

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Bulls Run Out of Gas in Oakland
Oakland, CA - The Bulls played the defending champs tough for three quarters, but ran out of gas down the stretch to lose 108-98. Steph Curry led the way with 26 points and 11 assists.

The Warriors were without "Splash Brother" Klay Thompson but their frantic pace was too much for the Bulls. The starters asked to come out of the game earlier than usual and they never seemed to catch their breath.

"I thought the guys played tough," Frank Hoiberg admitted after the game. "I know moral victories are lame, but I really feel like this is a game that we can build on." The Bulls were plagued with turnovers for the third straight game. Too many times the ball becomes stagnant and players trying to create causes sloppy ball handling and decision making.

Derrick Rose finished with 21 points, and a flurry of athletic finishes at the rim. At one point during the third quarter he scored 10 straight points, keeping the game close.

Rumors made their way into the media lounge after the game that the Memphis Grizzlies had offered Vince Carter and Matt Barnes for Taj Gibson and Cameron Bairstow. Hoiberg said that he had heard of the trade rumors, but there was no decision made.

On the surface it looks like a good deal, giving the Bulls two expiring contracts and two players who can make a difference on the floor, and getting rid of a player in a log jammed front court, along with Taj's contract.

Is it wise to make a trade so early in the season without weighing more offers? There are sure to be several for Taj or maybe even Pau Gasol or Joakim Noah. Time will tell if the Bulls want to stick with this core of players or start making changes.

Chicago Bulls at Golden State Warriors
Nov 20, 2015	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Chicago (4-7)	28	20	24	26	98
Golden State (10-3)	21	31	25	31	108

Chicago Bulls
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Derrick Rose	26	8-11	0-0	5-5	2	4	1	0	2	21
Jimmy Butler	31	8-17	1-1	0-0	3	1	0	0	2	17
Mike Dunleavy	21	0-2	0-2	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Joakim Noah	25	2-3	0-0	3-4	8	6	0	0	0	7
Pau Gasol	26	3-7	0-0	2-2	9	0	3	1	0	8
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Taj Gibson	20	4-6	0-0	0-0	7	1	1	1	1	8
Tony Snell	24	3-7	1-3	2-2	2	0	0	2	2	9
Nikola Mirotic	25	7-14	4-7	2-2	3	0	1	1	3	20
Doug McDermott	19	1-6	0-3	1-1	3	1	0	0	1	3
Aaron Brooks	23	1-6	1-3	2-2	2	6	1	1	1	5
Kirk Hinrich	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Bobby Portis	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Etwaun Moore	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		37-79	7-19	17-18	42	19	7	6	15	98

Golden State Warriors
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Steph Curry	37	12-20	1-4	1-2	3	11	2	0	2	26
Harrison Barnes	37	11-18	1-2	2-4	3	1	0	0	1	25
Andre Iguodala	33	2-7	1-4	2-2	5	4	0	0	2	7
Draymond Green	40	7-18	1-5	0-2	12	2	0	1	0	15
Andrew Bogut	31	2-5	0-0	0-2	9	3	2	3	0	4
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Brandon Rush	19	4-6	2-3	0-0	4	4	1	1	0	10
Festus Ezeli	17	4-4	0-0	1-1	5	0	2	0	0	9
Shaun Livingston	15	4-5	0-0	0-0	3	4	1	0	3	8
Ian Clark	11	1-7	0-3	2-2	0	0	0	0	1	4
James-Michael McAdoo	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Kevon Looney	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Jason Thompson	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Marreese Speights	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		47-90	6-21	8-15	51	29	8	5	9	108