2010 NBA Chicago Bulls Carlos Boozer Injury Broken Hand Effect On Rose Chemistry

   Only days into 2010 NBA Training Camp, the Chicago Bulls have lost their new star power forward Carlos Boozer for approximately 8 weeks with a broken right hand. According to team sources, the injury occurred at his home when he tripped and fell.  What will this do to the chemistry between this group of players who are being called title contenders by experts across the sports landscape? Will this have any affect on the way the team gels as soon as the season really starts to get revved up?

   The schedule heading up to Boozer’s return, which would be early December looks like the team could have some losses on their record. For instance, the Bulls “Circus Trip” tour will already had taken place. Every year the circus comes to the United Center and the team has to go on a grueling road trip for a straight week. They face teams like the Lakers, Mavericks, Spurs, and Suns.

   The actual travel alone will take a toll on the team, but the teams they face are very competitive. We all know how the Bulls seem to falter during this time, which all teams would struggle with. However, it also in way builds the team and gets them experience and familiarity on the road when they are trying to survive together through that timetable of games. It is kind of like the adage “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”.

   The NBA season really starts to get intense after Christmas as soon as network television starts covering games on Sundays. The games from this time until the All-Star break in February are where teams start to sort themselves out and make a run at the playoffs.

   If Carlos Boozer was brought here to be a scorer like he was in Utah, it will all hinge on the relationship and cohesiveness with Derrick Rose. Utah point guard Deron Williams was a player who could facilitate Boozer to make him a productive player. The time spent together on the court does mean a lot between the point guard and his biggest scoring threat. Like Rose, Williams is one of the premier point guards in the NBA. Will the team develop a different culture without the main three of Rose, Noah, and Boozer playing until later in the season?

   Like a quarterback who needs to get the timing and routes right with his best receiver, a point guard is always demanded to have great vision, but experience with that player improves the tendencies of the duo when games are on the line. Having that stability and trust between the field general and the team makes championship teams. The point guard and the leading scorer on the team have to recognize where they are going to be on the court, without any confusion or thought. It should be instinctual to generate success.

   Carlos is a career 20 and 10 guy who watched his stats rise when the trade from Cleveland to Utah took place. His point totals went up because of the play of Williams, who found him open in the post and in part to the half court style of offense that Jerry Sloan runs. Derrick Rose and the coaching staff could look to use some of the nuances of the Utah system to have Noah and Boozer become a great tandem with Rose navigating the ship.

   Injuries during training camp can really put limitations on the optimism of the team when every franchise has hope of winning the division or a playoff berth. Will the newly developed maturity of the young Rose and the better polished Noah be enough when they get Boozer back in the mix to find where they all fit in the puzzle? If they would have had the chance to get the ball rolling early in the season and get the team culture identified, the Bulls could really be a threat in the Eastern Conference.

   Keep an eye on how the early loss of Carlos Boozer affects the team. If they are triumphant without him, the confidence and momentum could be increased with the return of Boozer or Carlos might have trouble getting the chemistry on his new team. If the team gets below .500 and questions arise, who will be to blame? This could cause internal problems, which could affect the play on the court. Will it be hard for Boozer to take a leadership role if other players like Noah have been on the court earning that respect and status from the players and coaches?

   New coach, New (but injured) players, New outlook...