The Bulls are getting along splendidly

The 2009-10 Bulls really heart each other.

The 2009-10 Bulls really heart each other.

Last week, I said it seems like the players on this year’s Bulls squad really like each other. Well, I must have been onto something, because Mike McGraw of the Daily Heraldjust wrote an article about how much the players really like each other: “Since training camp began, players have been emphasizing how well they’ve gotten along. No doubt, the locker room is louder and livelier than it’s been in the past. Excessive laughter could be heard in the hallways even after a mundane Monday practice at the Berto Center. ‘The practices are fun,’ Joakim Noah said. ‘We’re having a great time together.'”

Added Lindsey Hunter: “It’s like family and that’s how you want it. It’s hard to get that, too, by the way. It’s really hard to get. It takes time to develop that and you have to put the right personalities in place where egos won’t come into play and if anybody has one, you have enough guys to put him in line. I think we really have the makings of having that special type of chemistry.”

Of course, best friends don’t always make the best teammates. So the question is, will the lovefest translate to team success? Kirk Hinrich addressed that: “We’ve got a good group of guys and we get along pretty well. Everybody’s kind of trying to use that as a reason why we’re going to have a much better year this year. But the bottom line is we have to take that onto the court. That’s kind of what we’ve been working on, offensively and defensively, having the chemistry out there where we can be one of the better teams. We don’t have an all-star or anything like that. We have to do it as a group and it takes a specific type of effort.”

Kirk has a point. The reality is, it’s probably relatively easy to get along right now, before the pressure of the regular season begins, before players stop getting minutes or fall out of the rotation, before fatigue sets in or someone suffers a major injury, before losing streaks and trade rumors (or trade demands)…basically before all the things that actively kill a team’s chemistry. So it’s extremely important for the Bulls to take advantage of the feel-good vibe out of the gate so they can avoid the early-season malaise that has doomed them to slow starts over the past four or five seasons.

Derrick Rose Update:The Great Poohdini still hasn’t practiced since injuring his ankle in a game against the Pacers on October 2. But according to Bruce Levine of ESPNchicago.com, D-Rose might return to practice by the end of the week. Said Rose: “I have fluid around my ankle and around my tendons. They’re just waiting for the fluid to get loose, so it can relieve some pressure on my ankle. Right now they’re treating it using a lot of [stimulation] on it. They’re massaging it and making me do a lot of things … for motion in my ankle and running on the treadmill. I’m kind of mad about my conditioning, but I have to do this to get back in shape.”

I know I shouldn’t worry too much about Derrick’s injury. I know the Bulls are just being cautious with him. But…I’ll sure feel a lot better when he’s back on the court.

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11 Responses to The Bulls are getting along splendidly

  1. docksquad33@gmail.com'
    docksquad33 October 13, 2009 at 4:29 pm #

    nice post. can’t wait for the season to start and can’t wait for drose to light fools up! go bulls! go drose!

  2. Joey.Goldberg@gmail.com'
    Joey G. October 13, 2009 at 6:36 pm #

    Great team camaraderie and chemistry, some of that is attributable to Vinny, right? I hope he can sustain it.

    Goal: Home court advantage for Round 1!

    Go Bulls!

  3. reggiemcglory@yahoo.com'
    Reggie McGlory October 13, 2009 at 6:57 pm #

    I still am holding back the good team chem n stuff call but as far as the talent outlook goes I think the team needs to see someone emerge as the guy the one who when all else fails they know he can do and get the Job done.
    We have not had such a goto guy such as this since ala MJ
    I hope that the front office is noticing this because all teams need the guy who can do it when all else seems lost meaning no one else can score this team has potential the next years free agency depends on this years team to make the players with the talent want to come n be a part of something special here n chicago the rose is a nice piece then there are other Kirk is a leader no question at the same time this has to be dengs make or break yr still will have some value if he does not pan out and we can have more money for cap room pax I hope you read this next yr is a year aways make some moves this year so that when the 2010 gets here even if we don’t make a big splash we still will have a big chance to win for the only thing that makes you a contender n great team is how you over come yr choices you make n and outside of playing the game I want to give tyrus a chance but his time is n limbo also he needs to take the next step also n this is his yr to make or break himself on the team also al Bg ben gordon is gone time for the new guy to make a name for hmself as the guy I hope someone does this year if not all the great picks the bulls have had past 6 or 7 yrs is for not make it happen Paxton yr a winner bring the ring back to chicago we derserve it now its up to you to make sure that happens this is the year so make it happen

  4. poo@ass.com'
    PJ October 13, 2009 at 8:21 pm #

    I’m fairly certain that James Johnson is gay. I could be wrong and he could just be Wyoming; I have little experience with them. However, his mannerisms in interviews and the like strike me as quite gay. Just keep that in mind next time you see an interview and I’m sure you’ll notice it. Also, Tim Duncan is gay as day…even has a tongue ring.

  5. stuart.dalrymple@gmail.com'
    AcidFiend October 13, 2009 at 10:46 pm #

    Reggie – dude you used ONE full stop in your entire essay. Learn to punctuate dude.

    Meanwhile Dengs contributions (or lack thereof) have me very worried right now :(

  6. LL-Smokes-Jays October 14, 2009 at 12:37 am #

    4 real Reggie, I read about 3 words of your novel and said to hell with this.

  7. BigWay@cox.net'
    BigWay October 14, 2009 at 8:58 am #

    No Wallace, No Gordon, Wala instant team chemistry. Just as I predicted.

  8. bscholtens@hotmail.com'
    Brad S. October 14, 2009 at 5:09 pm #

    Ha, Hahahahahahh!! – You guys are awesome!

    Seriously, I second (or in this case 3rd) the motion that Mr. McGlory be sent to the penalty box for excessive use of the run-on sentence. I tried, really tried to make it through that comment, but 2/3rds of the way through, my brain short-circuited and I started drooling on myself.

    Once I regained my senses, I started cracking up at the realization that we have group watchers that I will call the “intelligent comment police”. (ICP for short) I want in, please!

  9. bob.edwards47@yahoo.com'
    Boppinbob October 15, 2009 at 3:06 pm #

    PJ, I don’t really care what his tendencies are, if he can continue to perform the way he has in the preseason he could become a solid contributor for the Bulls. Take your hate someplace else.

  10. bob.edwards47@yahoo.com'
    Boppinbob October 15, 2009 at 3:09 pm #

    Hey Reggie, I had to read your post twice to make sense of it. You had some good comments but it was hard to get to them because you were too lazy to puntuate in any way.

  11. rossana-AHA@hotmail.c?om'
    DJ October 18, 2009 at 9:42 pm #

    The reason why this new Bulls team is getting along so well, then in the past years with Gordan, J. Rose, Elton Brand, Ben Wallace, and other players is because this time they are all in the same page: past the basketball to open players, then having one solid scorer like BG, everyone playing solid defense and they all want to win and play hard

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