Bulls Review: Week 6: Dec 8th

Well the Bulls are at it again. They look sharp one game and then the next they look like the B team down at the YMCA. No consistency at all. They bury the 76ers on the road last Sunday only to lose to them back home on Tuesday. I picked the Bulls to split those to games, but after seeing the number they did to the 76ers on Sunday I thought for sure they would win against the same team two day later at home. There is no reason to also not win a game against the Bucks. The Bucks game was one the Bulls needed to win and they are lucky they beat the Wizards on Saturday or I might have had to take a break from watching them. It is really hard on the fans when the team is so inconsistant. We have know idea what to expect each night. Let's break down a few things shall we.

First, I would like to talk about Drew Gooden. I think he is a perfect example of the Bulls inability to play the same way twice in a row. I had Drew Gooden as my Player of the Week last week. I really thought that maybe the Bulls had a post player that was decent. For five games in a row he was averaging about 20 points and 10 rebounds and I was starting to get excited, but as a Bulls fan I should of heeded the warning as Gooden went on to lay two eggs the next two games. The 1 field goal game against the Bucks had me rethinking the Ben Wallace trade. OK, so it was not that bad, but the Bulls really changed their gameplan after that loss opting for a small lineup against the Wizards.

Drew Gooden is still by far are best post player and I really liked it when Vinny had him and Derrick Rose running the high sreen and roll two weeks ago. Gooden is a pretty good shooter and an equally good passer and I felt they had a good thing going. When ever Gray, Tyrus, or Noah would set a pick the other teams would just double Rose because these three can not seem to either hit the open jumper or drive to the bucket after the pick for the open pass and a layup. Gooden really is the only bigman I want to see setting the pick because other teams understand he can hit the open shot and this forces teams to make a gamble. Do they still double Rose and allow Drew the open look or do they not double Derrick and allow him to drive to the paint? The Bulls need to employ this scheme more often.

Something else that the Bulls need to be careful with is Derrick Rose's minutes. He is averaging over 38 minutes per game. He is bound to start wearing down at some point. My guess is some time in January. The Bulls are really going to need him in good shape if they really want to make a run at the playoffs. Kirk Hinrich should be returning come January, but he will be far from 100%. Infact I am not so sure he will be very effective until February or March and the Bulls could be out of the playoff picture by then.

I hate to beat a dead horse but the Bulls need to make a trade if they are looking to make it into the playoffs and for sure if they plan on getting out of the first round. Now John Paxson and company may just play the hand they have until this next summer or maybe even hold out until 2010. I sure hope they know more then the rest of us do because a few trades have taken place that the Bulls could have been part of. We could have went after Camby or Harrington. I understand that neither of them would make us a contender but it would have been a move in the right direction. We could have moved Hinrich and his contract out of town for Camby's expiring contract.

We still have options as of today. Chris Kaman was on the trading block a couple of weeks ago as the Clippers were trying to land Jason Richardson but that deal never got done. I think the Bulls should make a call to L.A. if you ask me. Also I came up with a trade on ESPN's trade machine that would package Tyrus Thomas and Andres Nocioni to the Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Charlie Bell. We all know how much Scott Skiles loves Nocioni, so this trade could happen. Also we would be losing a contract from a position that we have two large contracts. Those being Luol Deng's and Andres Nocioni's. We would still have money freed up by 2010 for a push for a Superstar like Wade or Bosh. I just hope Paxson is making phone calls because there is no reason not to try and shake things up a bit.

Now for this weeks Ups and Downs

Up - Luol Deng looks like his old self by posting 26-4-4 against the Wizards on Saturday.

Down - Drew Gooden goes 1 for 11 from the field in a loss against the Bucks.

Up - The same Drew Gooden plays a great game against Elton Brand and scores 20 points with 12 rebounds.

Down - The inconsistency of Nocioni. He scores 19 points one night and 1 point the night before. Sad, because I love Nocioni.

Up - Ben Gordon is putting up very consistant numbers lately, scoring 21, 18, 22, and 21 points in the four games last week. Who thought that he would be one of our most consistant players this season?

Down - Joakim Noah. Enough said.

Now for the Player of the Week

Ben Gordon. As well as Derrick Rose has been playing and even though Derrick did win the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Award, I still give a slight edge to Ben this week. I really could go with either of them and be happy but Ben has been a machine. He is not just scoring. He is playing at a very high level. He averaged 5.75 rebounds last week and 4.75 assists as well and lets not forget that his shooting has been lights out.

This weeks Predictions

At home vs the Knicks - Bulls 106 Knicks 100. Should be a high scoring game with little to no defense. I think the Bulls can keep up.

On the road vs the Grizzlies - Bulls 98 Grizzlies 93. Should be a fun game to watch. O.J. Mayo vs Derrick Rose should get national attention.

At home vs the Nets - Bulls 91 Nets 98. Bulls are bound to lose at least one game this week and Devin Harris has been the best PG in the east so far this season. D-Rose vs D-Harris will be great. We will get a chance to see what Rose is all about in this game.

Once again the Bulls could win all of their games this week, but I also said that last week and they went 2-2. The Bulls really need to be winning these games against all these subpar teams. Their schedule is only going to get harder with the Celtics, Jazz, and Pistons around the corner.

Written By ChiTownCliff
CBS Spoortsline community member

Bulls Review: Week 5: Nov 30th

As the weeks start to pile up here for the Chicago Bulls one word is starting to ring out loud in my mind. Average. They are good enough to keep close to most teams in just about every game, but do not have the talent or the passion to close out close games. They should have won their game against the Spurs last Wednasday, but when the tide started to turn in the fourth the Bulls looked confused and unable to adjust. I sense that this will be the trend this season and we are sometimes just going to have to get lucky to win games like we did against the Jazz. Lets take a look at the Bulls thus far and take some guesses at what the future may hold.

One thing that needs to be said right up front is that the Bulls need to keep the ball in Derrick Rose's hands at all times when he is on the floor. He just makes things happen and it has been a very long time since the Bulls have had a player that gives me peace of mind when they have the ball in their hands. About ten years to be exact.

The real problem seems to be two fold. One, the players seem to not all be on the same page and lack fire. One has to start pointing fingers in the direction of coach Vinny. The season is young and I expect that Vinny Del Negro will continue to be our coach for the next two seasons at least. The players also have to take some of the blame. They need to act like professionals. Highly paid professionals. Ben Gordon might be a good example of how to be a professional. I might not always like his shot selections but he does conduct himself like a Pro on and off the floor. I think Larry Hughes could learn a lesson from him. There seems to be a few attitude issues surfacing lately and on a team that appears to have some chemistry problems that could equate to a very long and hard to watch season.

I really hope that Luol Deng can get healthy pretty soon hear. So far this season one could say that he was a waste of a big contract or that he looks like he has lost all his passion. I have a real problem with convicting him of these charges until he is healthy. I think it is safe to say that he is not a number one option, but I still think he can be very effective. A few seasons ago he was averaging 18.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting over 51% from the field. I would be happy if he could just return to those kind of numbers. He does not have to be the leading scorer. Ben Gordon can have that role this season and if Gordon leaves this summer then Rose can step into that spot. If Deng can get healthy and return to his old self then the bulls might be able to win a few more of those close games.

All in all a Bulls fan can not be to unhappy right now. We are 7-9 going into tonights game against the 76ers and that is not all that bad. Most of are losses have been fairly close and if we do win tonight that will mean that we went 3-4 on the Circus Trip and that is pretty solid. The last time the Bulls won three games on the Circus Trip was two seasons ago and we ended up with 49 wins. I think there is still some hope for are team. I think we should expore a few trades for a bigman, but I would not be to unhappy to just sit back and watch the Bulls play as is. I think if we can get healthy and start playing with a bit more consistency then things could turn around for us. If Paxson can land a player like Chris Kaman or Andrew Bogut then that would be great, but if not I will be content watching Derrick Rose bloom.

I know there has been a lot of talk about the free agent class of 2010, but I think Bulls fans need to focus on the present a bit more and enjoy Derrick Roses rookie season. He has the makings of a superstar. 2010 will be here before you know it and the Bulls will have cap space to go after a superstar and I think they will land someone then. Maybe Chris Bosh or Amar'e Stoudemire but I am sure with a core of Derrick Rose and Luol Deng that we will be able to attract a big name. I think we could still make a trade in the near future to tweek our roster a bit, but I am not holding my breath.

Now for the Ups and Downs of the last week:

• Up- Larry Hughes hits a buzzer beater to give the Bulls a much needed victory on the road in Utah.



• Down- Bulls lose control of their lead against the Spurs and end up losing a game they should have won.



• Up- Derrick Rose and Drew Gooden show signs of being an effective pick and roll matchup.



• Down- Tyrus Thomas averaged 2.6 points per game in the three game he played in this week.



• Up- Drew Gooden averaged 19.6 points and 8.3 rebounds in those same three games.



• Down- Larry Hughes has attempted 52 three pointers thus far this season and has only made 8. He is only shooting 15.4% from beyond the arc. He needs to stay within 17 feet when he shoots.



• Up- Ben Gordon continues to score at will averaging 23.6 points for the week.
  
  

Player of the Week

I have to hand the award to Drew Gooden for a very solid week were he has stepped up and been the bigman that the Bulls seem to really need. He is playing with fire on both ends and looks like a very nice fit with Derrick Rose. Kind of a poor man's Williams/Boozer combo. I can only hope that coach Vinny sees this and starts exploring using the pick and roll with these two a lot more often.

Predictions

Bulls 96 76ers 99. As much as I would like to see the Bulls win 3 games on the Circus Trip I do not think it will happen. I think the 76ers match up well against us and it will be hard to win on their floor.

Bulls 103 76ers 97. Bulls rebound and win at home against the 76ers. Home sweet home.

Bulls 99 Bucks 91. I think the Bulls match up well against the Bucks and I see Derrick Rose having a big night.

Bulls 98 Wizards 94. This game could go either way, but I think the Bulls will take this one.

If all goes as I think it will then the Bulls will go 3-1 for the week and be at 10-10 by weeks end. The bulls have no real strong teams on the radar this week so they need to step up and win some games. They could conceivably win all four games or just as well lose two of them, but if they lose more then two game of the four then it will be a bad week in my eyes.

Written By ChiTownCliff
CBS Spoortsline community member

Trade ideas for the Chicago Bulls

Against the Warriors the Bulls went with a small lineup with Andres Nocioni at the power forward spot. It worked, but Bulls fans can not expect that kind of outing every night with a small lineup. I think Vinny will change his starters every night if needs be to attempt to hide the truth that the Bulls have a big hole on the roster. The Bulls need a starting big man with an inside game worse now then they ever have before. Derrick Rose is the future of the Bulls for sure, but he needs a real talent down low for him to become a top NBA player. The Bulls are deep with talent and should be able to pull off a trade of some kind this season. Here are a few ideas on what they could do.

One option would be the blockbuster route. I think the Bulls could target Dirk Nowitzki if the Mavericks continue to hover around or below .500. The season is young but if the Jason Kidd trade continues to look like a mistake and the Mavericks can not solidify themselves as a contender then the door could be open for a trade and the Bulls could make a very attractive offer.

I think the Mavericks would like to replace the two first round draft picks they lost in the Kidd trade, so the Bulls would have to offer at least one and maybe two 1st round picks right from the get go to show that they are serious. I think if the Bulls packaged two first round picks with Drew Gooden, Andres Nocioni, and Thabo Sefolosha that the Mavericks might make the trade. Gooden's contract expires this summer so the Mavericks would free up some money, and the Picks would get them back into the draft.

Another option is the two picks and Drew Gooden, Ben Gordon, and either Tyrus Thomas, Joakim Noah, or Thabo Sefolosha. With Gooden and Gordon the Mavericks would have two expiring contracts. That might be hard to pass up on.

The bottom line is if Cuban could let go of Dirk or not. Dirk has not provided them with a Championship yet even when he was surrounded by talent, so maybe Cuban would make the smart business decision and not be stuck in the mindset that Dirk has to stay. Like I stated though, this trade depends on the Mavericks not performing well by the deadline.

Another trade idea that would not be quite as glamorous but almost as effective would be to go after Chris Kaman. While I understand that Kaman is far from the player that Dirk is, he is never the less a very solid inside threat and that is just what the doctor ordered. The Clippers just picked up Zach Randolph and already have Marcus Camby, so they would not be hurt that bad by losing Kaman.

I think the Bulls would also have to include a first round pick to get the deal done. I would package Drew Gooden and Ben Gordon with one first round pick and I think the Clippers would jump on it. They would get two expiring contracts and a first rounder. The Clippers would also have to through in another small piece to make the numbers work, but it could get done.

John Paxson and the upper brass of the Chicago Bulls passed on making deals for Kevin Garnett and Pau Gasol. They need to make some kind of deal before the deadline. I would love to see them steal Chris Bosh from the Raptors or Al Jefferson from the Timberwolves, but that is unlikely at best. They need to focus their attention on teams that are struggling and have a solid big that we could make an offer for.

In the end the real problem is the real lack of solid big man in the league. If your team does not have one then you can expect to pay a lot for one, hence having to offer one or two first rounders just to get the door open to talks. The Bulls could just keep playing with what they have and wait until the big summer of 2010, but that is a big gamble. What if the Bulls can not pick up one of those prized players when that day comes. Then they will again be on the outside looking in for a long time.

Written By ChiTownCliff
CBS Spoortsline community member

United Center to be renamed "The Rose Gordon"

I understand that the title is corny but I thought it was funny. Anyways, the Bulls seem to have made the correct choice in drafting Derrick Rose first in the draft this year, but they just might have made a fatal error this summer as well. Some may say that the Bulls should have signed Ben Gordon to a lucrative contract instead of Luol Deng. I understand that the season is young and that Deng should come around sooner rather then later, but I have a hard time arguing against that thought process. Ben Gordon has been hands down the much better player this season and now CBSsports have Gordon at 11th in their Power Ranking for all shooting guards in the league. In case you are wondering, Derrick Rose is ranked 3rd amongst all Point Guards.

If Rose and Gordon continue to put up the numbers that they are then they both have a chance to be on the Allstar team. As games come and games go I am further convinced that Rose will not only win the Rookie of the Year Award, but I am starting to think he is a lock for the Allstar team. Ben Gordon is more on the outside looking in, but if he keeps scoring and playing defense then he has a real shot. It has been a long time since we had an Allstar in Chicago and I think we are going to get one this season.

Ben Gordon is averaging 21.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, while shooting 44.7 % from the field per game. He is shooting 38.3% from beyond the arc and shooting 88.3% from the line. He is a scoring machine and is putting up these numbers while only playing 33.4 minutes per game. He is doing quite well as the off guard with Rose at the point and I would like to see Ben handling the ball less and Rose controlling it more, but that will change with time. At the end of close games it should be Derrick Rose with the ball in his hand, because he is a player who can not only create his own shot but can create for others as well. Ben is still a bit one dimensional but he has been playing defense much better this season. I think Gordon should remain the starter as long as he continues to be as productive as he has been. I think Ben's scoring will slowly rise and could get into the 25 ppg range by midseason unless Luol Deng starts scoring and he could start requiring more looks. As it stands Gordon is having his best season yet.

Derrick Rose is having a most impressive rookie outing. He is averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists, while shooting 48.3% from the field. He is making few mistakes with the ball and his assist to turnover ratio is dropping game after game. Last night against the Lakers he had 9 assists with just 2 turnovers. That is pretty solid for a rookie on the road against the Lakers. He also scored 25 points.

I think the word has spread and everyone now knows that he is the real deal. Teams are going to start to press him harder and double him to get the ball out of his hands. It will be a real test of character and of just how good of a player he is to see how he adjusts.

The bottom line is that the Bulls have one of the best starting guard combos in the league and if Luol Deng can step up and get into gear and if the Bulls can make a trade for a better post player then they could be a real threat in the east. Until that happens we all just get to watch a young player dazzle us each night on the floor. I can handle that for a change.

What about you?

Written By ChiTownCliff
CBS Spoortsline community member

Bulls Review: Week 3: Nov. 16th

The week started off on the down side and then ended on a high note. They lost Kirk Hinrich for three months to an injury and signed Lindsey Hunter to fill his spot. With Kirk gone the Bulls seem to be finding themselves finally. They still look a bit shaky at times and sometimes they get stuck making a lot of quick outside shots. Kirk will be missed for sure , but with Hughes back in the lineup the Bulls look like they will survive. When they are driving and passing the ball they become a very difficult team to deal with. They almost won all three of their games this week. They barely lost to the Hawks and came from behind in an impressive win over the Mavericks and then ended the week controlling and in the end beating the Pacers. All in All it was a good week for Bulls fans, so let's take a closer look at what went down.

The first thing that must be discussed is the play of Ben Gordon. He has been putting up some real Allstar-like numbers in the past two weeks, and his 35 point effort against the mavericks was downright insane. He is really shining with Derrick Rose on the floor to take pressure off him. I really think the Bulls should have signed Gordon this summer , but hindsight is 20/20. I was like most who thought that Luol Deng was the must sign, but I am starting to think I might have been wrong. The season is still young, but Gordon clearly looks like the better player so far. His ability to create his own shot and his talent of blowing past opponents to the hoop is scary good and are both rare in this league. I really like him starting alongside Rose, but if we face a team with a taller shooting guard that has a post game then the Bulls should start Larry Hughes, once healthy of course, in his place.

The continued growth of Derrick Rose is the key reason the bulls sit at .500 right now. With out him the Bulls would surely not be doing do well. I would have to boldly say that Rose is the best rookie so far this season and by a pretty large margin. O.J. Mayo is about the only player close, but Rose is a complete player already. He is averaging 18.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists and climbing, and shooting over 46% from the field. If and when he gets his ppg up to 20+ then I think he will not only be a lock for rookie of the year, but should have a great chance at landing on the Allstar team. I am in awe at how fast his game is getting better and how he acts and plays like a savvy vet.

I would like to see the Bulls run some more high screen and rolls with Derrick Rose and Andres Nocioni. Those two have a special thing going and Rose really seems comfortable making the pass to the open Nocioni. Nocioni is also good at faking the shot, which most teams respect, and then driving the lane. In fact when any of the Bulls players start to drive into the paint good things seem to happen. Luol Deng's jumper has not been as pretty as it was in the past but when he drives to the hoop like he did against the Pacers then things open up for everyone.

The Bulls really are a team that is solid in the 1,2, and 3 spot. Drew Gooden has been serviceable as a power forward, but can not guard most centers in the league. Joakim Noah is too small and weak to be a effective center right now and Aaron Gray is as slow as they come and prone to foul instead of play defense. As much as I love some of the players that the Bulls have, it has become increasingly obvious that a trade needs to take place. Tyrus Thomas has had his moments but overall has not been the player we need him to be. He had a nice 15 foot jumper in the preseason but that has disappeared altogether.

It is really hard to figure out exactly who the Bulls should go after in a trade, but one clearly needs to happen. Ben Gordon's stock could be hitting a peak pretty soon here, so maybe the Bulls could trade him after all. The whole team is tradeable if you ask me except for Rose. I would trade Deng or Gordon for the right player. We need a big man and we need one in a bad way. If we had a good inside player then we could contend. John Paxson just needs to find a team that is underachieving and make a phone call. What about Dallas and Dirk or the Timberwolves and Al Jefferson? What would it take to get a deal like that done?

Let us look at the Ups and Downs of week 3

• UP: Bulls come back from a first quarter thrashing to beat the Mavericks.
• Down: Kirk Hinrich gets injured and is set to miss 3 months of play.
• UP: Ben Gordon continues to shine and scores 35 points against the Mavs.
• Down: Thabo Sefolosha has scored only 15 point total in the last five games.
• UP: Andres Nocioni has big game off the bench against the Pacers and scores 20 points with 11 rebounds and 2 steals.
• Down: Tyrus Thomas id shooting 28% from the field so far this season.
• UP: Derrick Roses averages slowly climbed all week long with one great outing after another.
• Down: Bulls allow Al Horford to have a career game at the United Center.
  

Player of the Week

Derrick Rose - Ben Gordon is a close second this week, but Rose has become Mr. Consistent. Something we have been missing in Chicago for a long time. You know exactly what you are going to get from him each and every night. He leads the team whenever he steps foot on the floor. Not bad for a rookie.

Predictions for the week ahead

With the Circus trip starting this week the Bulls will be up for some big tests and we should have a good idea what the Bulls are made of after the next two weeks.

• Bulls 94 Lakers 106- The Lakers are a couple of steps up the ladder of the Bulls as far as being a contender. The Lakers should own the Bulls in this game and the Bulls reserves will make the score look closer in the end then the game really was. Bloodbath.
• Bulls 101 Blazers 97- This should be a close game and it will take all the energy the Bulls have to win this game seeing as how it is the second of a back to back. Bulls need to win this game.
• Bulls 105 Warriors 111- This game will be a high scoring affair with the Warriors having the edge. If the Bulls can control the tempo then they could sneak out a victory here.

I think the Bulls have a chance against either the Blazers or the Warrior and should be able to beat one of those teams and end the week at 6-7. As Bulls fans we need to keep our fingers crossed.

Written By ChiTownCliff
CBS Spoortsline community member

A Rose Blooms in Chicago

Two weeks into the season and the Bulls are about as murky a team as any in the NBA. Winning some games against good teams by large margins and then letting leads slip away in the fourth quarter to other teams. Through all this fog one thing appears to be very clear. The Bulls finally, after 10 years, seem to have a real star on there hands. Yes, Elton Brand was great, but he is not the caliber of player that leads a team to new heights. The Bulls have not had a player that looks as good as Derrick Rose since you know who. Let's take a closer look at this Bulls rookie and see what makes him so special to a fan like me.

For the first time in a long time the Bulls have a player that looks like a winner. He is not just a great individual who does a lot of things well, he is a player that makes the players around him better. His insane speed causes countless problems for other teams. He is a great ball handler already. Most rookies looks shaky at best when they step onto the big stage called the NBA for the first time, but Rose looks like a savvy veteran already. He is by far the most consistent Bulls player right now. His assist numbers would be much better if his teammates could knock down their shots.

Let's look at his numbers for each game so far

• Game 1) 11 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 3 steals
• Game 2) 18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal.
• Game 3) 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists.
• Game 4) 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist.
• Game 5) 20 points, 7 assists, and 1 steal.
• Game 6) 18 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals
• Game 7) 17 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1 steal.

Now, it should be noted that he is shooting over 45% from the floor. I understand that these stat lines are not superstar level by any means, but they are quite impressive for a rookie players first 7 games. The key is consistency here. Rose looks to be going against the common thought process that a rookie will have his ups and downs. I think after just 14 days we have a good idea what to expect from Derrick. That is a rarity for a rookie, let alone a point guard rookie.

I am not an idiot who thinks that Rose will not have bad games this season, nor am I saying that he is a lock for ROY or a spot on the Allstar team. What I am saying is he looks quite good and he is only going to get better, and if the rest of the Bulls can feed off his energy and start hitting their shots then Rose will blossom into a star in this league much sooner then most people thought he would. That includes me. In my very own Bulls season preview Blog a month ago I had him averaging 8 points and 4 assists with Kirk Hinrich the starter for the whole season. I just could not see a rookie point guard making an impact so soon.

Before I let you go I will leave you with a few more stats to ponder.
These are the rookie stats of a few of this leagues recent great point guards. I am not saying for sure he will ever reach these players level, but it is still interesting:

Derrick Rose - 17.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 5.1 apg, 1.1 spg, .458 FG%, in 37 min. a game.
Chris Paul - 16.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 7.8 apg, 2.2 apg, .430 FG%, in 36 min. a game.
Deron Williams - 10.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 4.5 apg, 0.8 spg, .421 FG%, in 29 min. a game.

Written By ChiTownCliff,
CBS Spoortsline community member

Bulls Review: Week 2: Nov. 8th

The Bulls had their ups and their downs this week. They went started out with a solid victory over the Memphis Grizzlies and ended the week with a commanding win over the Phoenix Suns. In between they lost to the Magic and the Cavaliers. In both their losses they had plenty of opportunities to win but just could not stay focused. Let's take a closer look at what went down this week and what to expect in the near future.
The Bulls as a whole has a good week. I thought that they would struggle this week much more then they did. What seems to stand out is the Bulls inability to win games on the road. They play great team ball at home and tonight looked like a contender with their ball movement and their domination in the paint. One would have to expect this young team to have growing pains and those pains usually manifest themselves on the road. I am starting to really believe that with some more time together this team could start to gel under the floor leadership of Derrick Rose. I see them having troubles off and on until the new year where their schedule starts to get easier with more home games. The Bulls of recent years have always done good after the holidays and I still think the Bulls will make some noise.

One good sign is the play Luol Deng. He seems to have woken up a bit. He is not putting up huge numbers but he is starting to show us some signs that he is here to play. I was starting to worry is he had lost his heart with the gain of his new contract. I hope his play continues to improve, because the Bulls really need him to be a factor every night for them to take another step forward.

As far as Derrick Rose is concerned, I would not even consider him a rookie anymore. He truly has blown me away with his control of the game. he know when to slow it down and when to drive and when to make the dish. As the season progresses I think it will become clear to all as to why he was picked first on draft day. Beasley and Mayo are nice players, but Rose is the type of player that wins Championships. I find myself excited every time he has the ball, because I never know just what he will do. I know the season is still very young, but I would have to think he is now the front runner for rookie of the year. He is averaging around 18 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds while shooting over 45% from the floor. The vast majority of his scoring is also taking place in the paint, which is going to make things very difficult for other teams to deal with. The only real issue with him is he make a few bad choices with the ball sometimes that lead to steals, but that will fade as he matures.

As a team the Bulls look quite good on most nights, but they still lack size down low. Noah is undersized and Gray is to slow to deal with the athletic bigs in the league. Dwight Howard had his way with the Bulls down low. I really thought that the Suns would crush the Bulls because they have Amare and I could not see a way that the Bulls could keep him in check, but the Bulls just played great team defense and shut all the other Suns players down instead. This is the key for the Bulls to keep winning games. If they play with fire and passion and all stick to the game plan and play tough defense then they could win just about any game.

One thing is certain, the Bulls are deep and any one player can take over on any given night. Andres Nocioni has stepped up and had a few good games, and Ben Gordon can turn into an assassin at the drop of a hat. Gordon's game against the Cavaliers was overshadowed by LeBron James' great game, but it looks like Gordon has shaken off the rust and is ready to be a factor again. While the Bulls are deep they still need a go to guy and I think Rose could be that guy in the coming months. I thought it would take him at least a year to even start. I was dead wrong. He is looking more and more like our best player and that would be just fine with me. Deng has always seemed to be a really good second option and I think he will thrive not having the burden of having to be the main scorer on the team. In fact, with Gordon on the team, Loul can slip into the third option spot and I think that is even better for the Bulls. Rose and Gordon can create their own shots while Deng needs a play to set him up.

Let's look at the ups and downs of the week

• UP: Bulls play as a team and beat the Phoenix Suns at home.
• Down: Tyrus Thomas relies on way to many outside shots.
• Up: Ben Gordon is alive and scores 31 points against the Cavs.
• Down: Luol Deng goes 0 for 8 and scores 1 point against the Magic.
• Up: Nocioni comes off the bench and scores 20 and grabs 7 boards in the Magic game.
• Down: Kirk Hinrich looks like he is not fitting well on the Bulls as of late.

Player of the Week

Ben Gordon - Ben is looking better in each game and looks poised to start putting up some big numbers. Derrick Rose is playing well also, but Gordon get the slight edge this week. As a Bulls fan this is great news. One thing i will say is that I think Rose should have the Ball at the end of close games and the end of quarters. he is just a much better ball handler.

Predictions for the week ahead

• Bulls 101 Cleveland 95- I think the Bulls bounce back against the Cavaliers and win another game at home. Look for Gordon score 30+ again.
• Bulls 92 Hawks 99- The Hawks are a lot like the Bulls in many ways but are just playing at a high level right now.
• Bulls 97 Mavericks 103- We just do not seem to match up that well with this team. Dirk just kills us.

We have a chance to win all three games of course but I do not think the young Bulls are quite ready for a four game winning streak. Let's Hope the Bulls continue to impress us with their depth and growth. That is what it is all about right now.

Written By ChiTownCliff,
CBS Spoortsline community member

Bulls Review: Week 1: Nov. 1st

Well, the first week is over for the Chicago Bulls. They have played the Bucks and the Celtics with two very different outcomes. As a Bulls fan I was very excited after the Bulls held their own against the Bucks on Tuesday, and made a strong push at the end of the game to put a nail in the coffin. Then last night the Bulls had to face the NBA champions and were exposed for what they are. They are a average team that has a lot of talent and a lot to learn. Lets breakdown the ups and downs of the past week.

Rose looked better to me in the first game with the Bucks. Sure he scored 18 last night against the Celtics, but he had only 1 assist. The Bulls will not win games with Rose only making 1 assist. Against the Bucks rose had 9 assists and caused a lot of havoc whenever he was on the floor. Overall, Rose has been a breath of fresh air for the Bulls, and I expect to watch him only get better day by day and week by week.

Tyrus Thomas also had a strong game on Tuesday and looked as if he really was starting to figure things out. His shot selection was great and he was a beast down low, disrupting the Bucks the entire game. Then last night the Celtics got into his head and he just started jacking up crazy shots one after another.

Here are the ups and downs on Tyrus this week

• Ups- Tyrus leads the fast break against the Bucks and not only controls the ball like a Pro, but makes a timely pass for an open layup.
• Downs- Tyrus tries to back down his old friend Glen Davis then fakes one way and then turns the other for a ridiculous turn around fade-away. A miss of course.
  

Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich coming off the bench seemed to work nice against the Bucks, but with the savvy Celtics I think that Kirk should have been on the floor in the beginning. The Bulls had way to many turnovers at the beginning of both games, but with the Bucks you can always come back if you fall behind, but if you go down 10+ to the Celtics it become near impossible to regain a lead.

Luol Deng is a wizard. He is here one game and gone another. He was a leader and a machine in the game with the Bucks, but was nowhere to be found last night. He needs to take charge and demand the ball. Also, Vinny needs to run a lot more plays that give Deng an open look. He is our best shooter and needs to be taking at least 15 or more shots a night.
I think we have learned that the bulls depth will keep them in most games and they should be able to pile up victories against lesser opponents, but when facing elite teams like the Celtics we will get overwhelmed. Without a true leader, until Rose fully develops, the Bulls will struggle to stay .500.

Player of the Week

Derrick Rose- Looked good in both outings and appears to be the Bulls leader already. He will be a real asset if he can manage to keep his assist to turnover ratio in check. Overall, he has been the one real bright spot thus far.

The Week Ahead

Tonight the Bulls face the Grizzlies. This is a young team that has a good upside, but the Bulls should win this game at home. Next they face the Magic in Orlando. The Magic have lost 2 games already to weaker teams, the Hawks and Grizzlies. They should come out swinging. This will be a good test for the Bulls. Then the Bulls face the Cavaliers in Cleveland. I do not like the Bulls chances against this team. It could be a repeat of the Celtics game. Let's hope not. And finally, the Bulls play the Suns at home. The Bulls have a slight chance to steal a victory here, but it will not come easy. The Suns look good, but the Bulls seem to play much better at home then on the road.

Predictions

I would like to see the Bulls win 2 of the 4 games this next week. I think they could beat the Grizzlies and the Magic, but something tells me the Bulls will only win one and that game will be tonight against Memphis. Look for more of the same. Moments were the Bulls look lights out and others were you are forced to turn off the T.V. altogether and go to sleep in disgust.

Written By ChiTownCliff
CBS Spoortsline community member