The result: The Raptors (17-28) snapped their seven-game losing streak at the Bulls’ (18-26) expense, blowing the home team out by the score of 114-94.
The good: Well…the earth didn’t open up and swallow the Bulls. So there’s that, I guess. Oh, and Tyrus had a highlight reel dunk over Jermaine O’Neal:
The bad: Suffering their fourth straight defeat in a 20-point home blowout (by a team that had lost seven straight) right before starting a seven-game Western Conference road trip. Letting the Raptors shoot almost 57 percent from the field for the game. Failing to get a hand in the face (or anywhere in the general vicinity) of the freshly-returned-from-injury Jose Calderon, who had a “John Stockton on steroids” game (23 points on 9-of-10 shooting and 10 assists). Missing nine free throws (22-for-31).
The ugly: Getting outscored 23-4 in the final 6:19 after being down only 91-90. The 23 turnovers that translated into 27 bonus points for the Raptors. Joakim Noah, who’s Greg Kite-like performance (zero points, 0-for-0 from the field, 0-for-2 at the line, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 turnovers and 6 fouls in 14 minutes) brought the boo-birds out of the United Center rafters.
Coaching wisdom: Said Vinny D: “I thought our energy to start the third quarter was not good. We are not good enough to do that. We have to play with high energy and play together.”
Extras: Recap, Box Score, Play-By-Play, Shot Chart, Photos.
I made the unfortunate decision of attending this game last night and became more frustrated as each minute elapsed toward its doomed end. A few things of note:
This is not hockey Vinny. So many substitutions in the final 6 minutes when you need to have a consistent flow on the court for the players. Kirk in for Rose. Rose for Kirk. Kirk for Ben. The game ends with Ben Gordon, the teams leading scorer that game, on the bench. When Rose is off the floor, the Bulls just stand around. Kirk dribbles… dribbles some more… dribbles again… and that’s that! I remember last year and a few years past when Skiles would go with the three-guard set of Duhon, Kirk and Ben. If Vinny has such a hard time making up his mind he should just throw all three out on the floor. I mean we made the freaking playoffs that way before. It was obvious Greg Kite Jr was non-existent and Tyrus only showed up in the first quarter so go small and use the three-guard with Deng and Nocioni. We did it in the past and won, why not now?
Another observation. The Thabo Sefolosha experiment/experience is over. Ever since Vinny and friends (most likely a Paxson initiative) decided Thabo was gonna get play over Larry Hughes I have taken a keen interest in his play. The verdict is in: He is guilty of having Zero offensive ability. Not only does he seem to have trouble making any sort of moderately difficult pass but his dribbling ability is that of an infant after a mashed-pea dinner. It’s over Thabo. Larry Hughes may truly be a jerk but I have to feel very sorry for him having to be subjected to watching this man take his spot and continually implode on the court.
So what has to give? You have to wonder about the initiative of both Paxson and Vinny. If I am interested in winning basketball games I am not trying to showcase players for trade or others to see how effective they can be on the court. Unfortunately, that seems to be the case right here. I know this: Either Kirk has to get traded or Vinny needs to start playing all three guards together (Kirk is the only one logisitcally sound for a trade). If I am a head coach of a basketball team and my goal is to win games then I play the best guys and whether I am a rookie head coach or Phil Jackson (I miss you!) I am in my GM’s ear letting him know what I expect to be done, regardless if he is my superior. Change must happen. If not through trade than through on the court decision-making, and that means utilizing the talent effectively. If Vinny doesn’t have what it takes to do it than get someone else who will. If Paxson is so in love with himself that he overvalues his talent and blows trade opportunities again like he did in the past than we need someone else who will grab the Bulls by the horns and do it. But we need change… we can believe in…