Chicago Sports Then and Now

Luol Deng and the Chicago Bulls are already showing signs that this could be another roller coaster season.

This years Bulls team is reminiscent of the 2002-06 Detroit Pistons teams.

I’m not saying that they mirror each other in every facet of the game, because that is the farthest from the truth.

Maybe I should rephrase that.  This years Bulls team is like a poor man’s 2002-06 Detroit Pistons team.

Derrick Rose is a more talented point guard than Chauncey Billups, but Billups was more seasoned and played his role better.  John Salmons has a similar game to Rip Hamilton’s, but the difference is that the Pistons played to all of Hamilton’s strengths and the offense made Rip Hamilton who he was instead of him having to make it himself.  Luol Deng can match Tayshaun Prince’s length.  His defense is not up to the same level, but it’s not too far off.  The power forward position is where the teams truly differ.  Either with Taj Gibson or Tyrus Thomas, we don’t have the scoring threat that the Pistons had with Rasheed.  And, at center, we have the young Ben Wallace in Joakim Noah.

The one glaring hole I see in the Bulls being like those Pistons teams is that the offense they played was their strength, because they could play good defense.  If this Bulls team wants to slow the game down, and score in the 80s each night, it could end up being a long season.

Sure, we can beat the likes of Charlotte and Milwaukee (without Michael Redd), and get somewhat lucky against a struggling Cavaliers team.  But, we don’t stand a chance against the likes of the Celtics and Heat.  And, that could be telling for the rest of this season.

The Bulls need consistent performances night in and night out from Derrick Rose.

This Bulls team does not have the defensive talent to play games in the mid-80s.  They need to open up and run.  They don’t shoot well enough to only take 70 shots a night.  Derrick Rose needs to push the ball, drive to the hoop and either take the layup or dish it out to a shooter.  If they adopted the Mike D’Antoni style of play where they shoot within eight seconds, and put up 90 shots a night, they will have a chance at winning more games by outscoring their opponents.  You aim for that style of play when you have streaky shooters on your team with a point guard who can get into the lane whenever he wants to.

Obviously, they don’t have the shooters that fit into that style of play, but it’s not like they have the right players that fit into the system they are running now, where defense is going to win games, so why not try an overhaul on the offensive style?

At best, this is a .500 team that slips their way into the playoffs and exits in the first round.  I just hope that they draft right next season.  More than that, I am hoping they hit hard in this upcoming free agent pool of 2010.  They might be in one of the more favorable positions for next seasons big free agency swing, seeing as how they will have almost $30 million coming off the books at the end of this season.  The team would have enough money to sign one of the big names (Wade or Bosh seemingly being the favorites at this point, although I’m not a huge fan of Bosh coming to Chicago), as well as another mid-level player (maybe a Leon Powe, Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes, or Udonis Haslem type).

I do not want you to take this as me giving up on the Bulls.  I still think they have enough talent to be an above average team, but the way they are playing isn’t showing me that they have what it takes quite yet.  I know that they have some injuries, and some players are still playing into shape, but even when all things are well with the team, I don’t see them being among the elite in the East.  And, that is just in the East.  Once you add the Lakers, Spurs, Portland, San Antonio, Dallas, and Denver to the mix, one can really see how unprepared we are to run with the big boys.

Still, I scream out Go Bulls whenever I can!