What was it we saw last night from the Chicago Bulls? Was it a case of reading one’s own clippings and feeling just a little too good? Was it a team that lacked the killer instinct to progress in the NBA playoffs? Or was it just an off night where turnovers and missed shots were more prevalent than rebounds and defense?
The Bulls blew a 17-point halftime lead after dominating Atlanta in the 1st half – falling 83-80. It was clearly the tale of two teams. The first 2 quarters were indicative of a team that is aiming for 50 wins. One where defense was the lifeline to a 50-point half, where hustle was the key and energy was not lacking. Everything changed in the 2nd half, as the Bulls appeared to let their proverbial foot off the neck of the Hawks, who could barely breathe at the time.
The Bulls settled for jumpers. Where was the low-post game? Was Carlos Boozer on the floor? Can they run an offensive set around Noah and/or Omar Asik and/or Boozer? "I think the effort was there, I just think we came out too loose in the second half," Bulls center Joakim Noah said.
We haven’t seen many nights like this from Rose, who finished with 6 of the Bulls’ 16 turnovers (other 4 starters accounted for 6 turnovers as well). He was a paltry 5-of-21 from the field, including 0-for-6 behind the 3-point line. The worse part of Rose’s line: only 3 free throws! That’s right! The guy who isn’t afraid to get hammered by Dwight Howard, managed only 3 free throws in 37 minutes.
The killer instinct they displayed against Washington a few nights ago was not evident in Atlanta – but it had better re-appear if the Bulls want to continue what has been a great season … so far."I made some careless passes where they led to fast breaks. This game was definitely on me, but I think I'm definitely going to learn from it and get better for it."
The Bulls allegedly have an advantage over their Eastern Conference counterparts due to size and depth. Where was that advantage in Atlanta? And if that wasn’t working – why didn’t we see Rose and Luol Deng attacking the basket and collecting fouls – a recipe for winning basketball all season?
I’m a big fan of Tom Thibodueau. Derrick Rose is likely the MVP. But in order for this team to advance in the playoffs, they’ll have to learn from a game like this. In the NBA, there a seldom easy wins – you can’t take anything for granted. Teams like the Spurs and Celtics can grab a 17-point lead and they have the know-how to ride out the rest of the game for a “W” – but the Bulls aren’t there … yet.
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