Five Observations from the Chicago Bulls Loss to the New Jersey Nets

The final score of 97-85 reflects a close enough battle between the victorious New Jersey Nets against the Chicago Bulls. Unfortunately, the game was over almost right after the opening tip-off.

The game featured Derrick Rose in his warm-ups again and Richard Hamilton in his suit which represents about 35 points missing from the Bulls lineup. Without the scoring, the Bulls came out flat and clueless in what was perhaps their most embarrassing game all season long.

It wasn't the final score, no not at all as even the best teams in the NBA has a clunker or two. Case in point: the Kings defeating the Thunder a few weeks back.

This loss was different, as it was a teaching moment for Bulls fans who have been quick to anoint them a great team. It was a game that suggests us to wait before we start planning a parade down Madison Avenue.

Here is what we have learned from today's loss to the Nets. 

5. Fast Guards Hurt the Bulls

The Nets PG Deron Williams had plenty to smile about versus the Bulls. For starters, he didn't have to face Rose. It was C.J. Watson he had to go up against, which allowed him to use his quickness to exploit Watson's lack of defensive awareness. This was a mismatch from the beginning as Watson does not have the game experience needed to handle Williams.

The illegal screens set by the Nets forward Shelden Williams and Kris Humphries also helped the perennial All-Star point guard get space to set up teammates.

C.J. Watson did his best to contain Deron Williams but there was not much that he could do.

4. The Bulls Get Very Little Respect from the Refs

I mentioned the illegal screens set by the Nets that were not called, but what about the lack of calls that went the Bulls' way in general?

What does Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau have to do in order to get the refs to call an over-the-back foul or a push? Joakim Noah went flying so often that we thought he had purchased a cape.

It was disturbing to see the Nets play a physical brand of basketball that bothered the Bulls from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Just from the first five minutes, there were at least five fouls in the post that should have gone against the Nets that and would have changed the outcome of the game because the physicality would not have been allowed.

3. Joakim Noah Allows Physical Play to Get to Him

I praised Joakim Noah a couple of days ago, but now I must admonish him. Noah was missing in action pretty much the entire game not because he was ineffective, but because he was bullied.

Normally, Noah welcomes physical play but in the Nets game he was pushed, held and punched around. As a result, Noah had zero points, six rebounds and was benched in the final 17 minutes of the game.

After appearing slow to recover on defense, Noah was burned by many of Kris Humphries' 24 points with most of those buckets coming off of jump shots. Humphries got into Noah's head early on with a push in the lane on one end and a face-up shot on the other in back-to-back sequences. It effectively harnessed Noah's confidence and gave the Nets a clear advantage going forward.

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2. Goodbye to Ronnie Brewer's Confidence and Kyle Korver's Green Light

Ronnie Brewer hit his first shot of the game and completely vanished afterwards. In terms of scoring, nothing is expected of Brewer because he is relied on for his defense and that was non-existent in the early stages of the first quarter and he was benched for it.

It has become clear that something is troubling Brewer. Perhaps it is the pressure of starting in place of the injured Richard Hamilton. Brewer must relax and play the way he is used to and regain his confidence.

I was actually pleased to see Jimmy Butler come into the game, but it should not have come under these circumstances. What bothered me about the entry of Butler was the fact that he played well enough to deserve more minutes. Instead, he was subbed out for Kyle Korver.

I am not a fan of Korver's willingness to shoot every time he touches the ball. There is no place for it as it disrupted the flow of the offense during the Bulls final run. I understand that he can stroke the three-point shot and the Bulls were in need of scoring but doesn't it hurt the team when Korver shoots even before he gets his feet set as noticed once the Bulls rallied to cut the Nets lead down to nine points in the fourth quarter?

1. While Derrick Rose Is Out, Luol Deng Should Be the First Option

Luol Deng is a darn good player who can score as long as he is aggressive. However, what I noticed during the Nets loss was that the Bulls ignored him in the first quarter. The first-time All-Star needs to be put in positions where he is the lead scoring option and playmaker for the offense.

Deng can carry the Bulls while Derrick Rose is out. He must be the leader of the team even when Rose returns to the lineup so that opposing defenses do not gang up on him. Having Deng in this role would give teams something to think about when playing the Bulls. That chance to continue to make Deng the focal point of the the Bulls offense came and went after fellow teammates ignored Deng in the corner on a couple of key possessions that eventually resulted in turnovers and terrible basketball.

All of this leads to my final recognition. 

Bonus Observation: Turnovers and Lack of Team Play

Untimely turnovers hurt the Bulls early and often, but what bothered me the most was what I chalk up to lack of team-play.

It was the "every man for himself" mentality that cost the Bulls this game from Watson not looking for the open man to Carlos Boozer not communicating on defense. They played a horrible game that probably will not spill over to the next game versus the Hawks. It was a wake up call to remind themselves that even the best teams lose games, but there are reasons why they lose that are teaching tools for the next games.

The most telling part of the game I must say was that the best player on the floor for the Bulls was just playing for a NBDL team just a week ago and that should never be the case but the facts are the facts.