Before Carlos Boozer played his first game in a Chicago uniform, the Bulls were 9-6. In the 12 games since, the Bulls are 9-3. It’s true that his first two games — against the Magic and Celtics — were disasters. However, the Bulls are 9-1 in the last 10 games.
Before Boozer started suiting up, the Bulls were hitting about 34 percent of their three-pointers. With him on the floor, they’re shooting better than 41 percent from downtown. It’s reasonable to suggest that having an inside scoring threat is creating more open shots.
In the 15 pre-Boozer games, the Bulls were giving up 98.5 PPG. Not bad. But in the last 12 games, they’re surrendering only 90.7 PPG.
On that subject, Boozington isn’t known for his defense, but he’d tied for second on the team (with Ronnier Brewer, Taj Gibson and Omer Asik) in Defensive Rating at 98. Joakim Noah has a D-Rating of 97.
Pre-Boozer, Luol Deng was shooting 43 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc. Post-Boozer, Deng is shooting 51 percent from the field and 46 percent on threes. Now that he’s the third option on offense, Luol’s scoring efficiency has increased dramatically.
Additionally, Derrick Rose’s three-point accuracy increased from 34 percent to nearly 47 percent.
Mind you, I’m not saying Boozer is directly responsible for every uptick in the team’s performance. There are other factors, such as a general downward trend in strength of schedule. But his presence on the floor — not to mention his 19.1 PPG, 8.4 RPG and 55.4 percent shooting — have made the Bulls a much more well-rounded team.
I was very skeptical of Boozer at first especially with him getting hurt even before the preseason started. I was extremely disappointed that we got Boozer instead of Amare or Bosh. I take back everything negative I have ever said about Boozington. He is a PERFECT fit for this team. He may not be the ideal height but dude is a straight banger down low. I am extremely impressed with Booz espicially with how fast he was able to contribute after he returned from his injury. I’m expecting big things this year for this team. I’m also going to buy myself a nice #5 jersey. Keep doin your thing Boozington!!!!!
I always love articles that make reasonable, well stated, and well backed points. Yours certainly does that here. Boozer is helping in so many ways, and I think his defense has been underrated.
I know Sloan is a defensive minded coach and all, but Okur is horrible, and playing with him never worked well for Booz. His DRtg when playing with Millsap was always much lower than with Okur. I don’t recall the exact numbers, but the difference was sizable enough.
It’s an interesting link from Booz to D-Rose jump in 3 point shooting, but it seems valid.
The most pleasant surprize about Boozer for me is his defense. Either Thibs performed a miracle or Booz got a bum rap on his defense. He is providing very solid team defense.
While I would rather see Bogans get his PT during the second and third periods, as long as he is only playing 12-18 minutes I don’t care when he plays. Brewer and Korver should be getting the bulk of the SG minutes. Although Korver seems to be getting time at SF with Brewer at SG. What ever, it seems to be working.
I really like the flexibility that this roster has. I think this team can be very, very good when healthy.
I think what we are being shown is that Boozer certainly has the ability to play good defense (individual and team). From what I have heard from a smattering of Jazz fans is that he has slept on defense, at times, or in general.
What comes from that is his current investment in the team. I can imagine that watching Rose and Noah do their thing and carry this team, in such dynamic fashion, no less, has inspired him to play his best on both sides.
Like the rest of us, no doubt, he smells the success. He understands he is on the right side of the arc with this team and that must feel good and make it easy for him to contribute.
Merry Xmas to us all … hehe
what did you expect from a 260 pound alaskan polar bear with pivot post moves and a wet jumper ?
HMMM good thing this was christmas cause i feel like the bulls gave the knicks and the fans there somethig to be happy about that game the last 8 mins was horrible the bulls played who was that team in Red on the court geez something sitcked up the court and it was the bulls…
Lets get it started ready or not its time to get some kind of deal done we need another scoring threat period and this problem I don’t think is not gonna go away thought maybe brewer would step up he really has not bogans nope and korver does not get enough time on the court most of the time, choices
1) Rip hamilton big time scorer would free up space on floor might be able to get him for a number one or two pick alone if not see if they would take brewer or bogans if they like take em both
2) O).J. Mayo might be time to part with
gibson as much as it pains me to say it but if it is what it takes to get him then sry Taj but we need more scoring
3) J. R. smith probally not gonna get mello not saying I would not want him but not at the price of mortgaging big part of the team besides smith wants to come home to chicago would be nice fit…
4) throw an offer out there for a shooting guard with like say
t gibs first pick n boagans or mix and math to make it work see who bites
our bulls need some other scoring threats and need them now our coach as much credit goes to his D game style lets just say he has not impressed me that much from what vinny did with the team while he was here i am sure vunny would have just as many wins now if he was still the coach here coach TT time to step up yr game and show some more coaching skills not sure if you really are cut out for a head coaching job but I am watching still waiting for you to show me why you were better choice than Mo cheeks , byron scott and others also even vinny del negro ppl here in chi love you when yr doing good let you know when yr doing bad and most of all will run you out if you don’t show improvement and maybe even run you out even if you do improve winning some games is not gonna cut it and if we do not go past the second round then i consider this year to be a big dissappointment and coach TT has to take most of the blame along with paxton and Gar period … peace
Ummmmmm, we’re 19-10 right now. If we make free throws like a normal NBA team, we’re probably 22-7 or 23-6. Add in Boozer/Noah injuries, and we could be 24-5 or 25-4. Please, tell me again why we need a huge change on this team?
Oh yeah, Boozer is working out VERY well so far. It has been a nice surprise all year to watch both Korver and Boozer play defense when none was expected at all.
no one said huge change but still its no secret the two guard just is not doing what most two guards do hat is score now with that being said one must look down the road don’t tell me about this team having to jell anymore its time to make some moves and one isat the two guard now…….
i think Booz is playing with a chip on his shoulder…he’s probably heard enough criticism when he signed with CHI, and then the injury to begin the season was prob the icing on the cake…let’s hope he keeps it up.
Sorry Chitown4life but I could not disagree with you more over the job coach T has done. To me the team looks focused and is playing much better as a unit on both the defensive and offensive end. Sure there is more talent but the polish to their game as a unit is much improved. What I mean are players seem to know where they need to be on both ends of the court to be successful. While I was not a Vinny hater I think it is a huge stretch to say Vinny is or was as good of a head coach as coach T. I hate watching sloppy basketball and poorly coached teams and this is the first year I have been pleased with the coaching and overall play in a very long time.
I do agree with you that it would be helpful to get a SG that can score and especially hit the 3 ball. However, to give up Taj might put this team in a huge hole if one of our starting bigs gets hurt just like Noah has. So I am not sure we have the luxury of being able to trade Taj right now. However, trading Brewer and Bogans with a pick to get a quality SG like Mayo or Hamilton does sound very appealing at this time.
@ savage
1) vinny coach the clippers winner ( Clippers )
2) if vinny had the talent he has now would he not have improved as a coach as well as quality wins as he had already done
3) are D was already pretty good b4 our new coach came Noah is a beast on D would make any coach look good on the D side…..
4) lets not forget this is also our new coaches first year of being a head coach…
5) I do not dislike our new coach just think vinny got a bum deal especially considering he went to the playoffs two str8 yrs with the team he had which was not as good as are current team…….
6) point being if we do not go at least to the second possibly even the third round what did we really gain in our new coach besides his name vinny at least get us to the first round and we had one of the best series in the NBA history with boston so besides he got hired right away another point you may want to consider ppl do not hire just becuase there were lots of oher coaches out there they could have hired they chose vinny also Rose liked vinny as well as the other players on the team so come with facts not just yr opion………..
&) last but not least should our new coach be fired if he does not get us past the first round this year with the players he has now, also might want to consider new genral management to go along with his firing if that is your answer, they were lucky to have rose and noah here and deng else boozer would have not come here he did not come because of the coach that iis for sure and not cause of what Gar and pax did they just tried to get somebody and throw alot of money at them after the big three .
I am happy with boozer but the knicks got Amaree and he would of fit nicly here with rose also soz just a thought but tell me what you think savage… Peace
I liked Vinny too but to me at least it is clear that he did not have the type of experience coaching as Coach T has had and it shows in a better performance on the floor. Remember Boozer was out for some time we still won games and now we are winning without Noah which has to say something about the players and the coach.
Regarding not getting Amare, he is talented no doubt but the financial difference between the two must also be looked at Amare signed a 5 year contract, each year he gets paid more with the average coming to $19,965,000 and his final year paying him $23,430,000. Boozer on the other hand signed a five year contract each year getting paid more with an average coming to $15,000,000 the final year paying him $16,800,000. That is a big difference in salary each and every year. To me Boozer is clearly in the elite class of PFs in this league and I would probably prefer to have him with his current contract over having Amare with his monster contract. It allows for much more flexibility to add talent. In the final year it is nearly a 7 million dollar difference with an average difference of nearly 5 million a year that is a lot. Just my take on it though…
@ savage great points about the money in the last yrs of contracts but the simple fact is do we want to campare saleries or get victories and also with rose on the court this team is compeditive with or without boozer and vinny probally would have them winning about as good as they did with coach T the thing I am saying coach t has not shown me much as being a D coach yes the players play hard but still lots of rebs ging against the bulls and inside scoring check the stats on that …peace
I guess well have to agree to disagree on Coach T.
On the other point…The thing about the NBA is victories and the overall success of franchises have a lot to do with the salaries they take on or chose not to take on. In this case I was pointing out that the talent gab between Booz and Amare is not enough to warrant the gap in salary obligations thus making their decision to go with Boozer a good one in my opinion.
@ savage not saying i don’t like boozer just saying the bulls almost waited too long trying to get one of the big three and missed out on almost everyone I am happy to have boozer here he plays hard love it , just saying our coach in my eyes has not done anything special you can only hide behind the players for so long eventually the caoch has to take his fair share of blame too wonder when he will cause he does not have to start bogan first of all and next could be looking to get korver more into the game early he is short with him on the court shooters need shots period …also if we do not get a solid 2 guard we are in trouble Rose is great boozer is great deng is good and noah well hard player always and some scoring but we need a solid 2 guard and we need one now , so that the focus is not always on rose and boozer…. the wait is over to see if one of the three will step up to be thaty guy bogan brewer and korver time to make some trades no more talk deal needs to be made today …
Like I said have to agree to disagree on that one. 20-10 and still Bulls fans have to complain about something. I am just glad to finally be watching the Bulls winning games and playing good basketball!
@ Chitown4life, Like I said have to agree to disagree on that one. 20-10 and still Bulls fans have to complain about something. I am just glad to finally be watching the Bulls winning games and playing good basketball!