Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose: Who Are These Guys and Why Are They Good?
At the start of the season the Chicago Bulls were expected to be good, but not this good. Projections had them winning anywhere from 41 games to, at the most optimistic, somewhere near the low 50s. Some, thought they could compete for the No. 4 seed, if they stayed healthy, but that was the most optimistic.
Instead the Bulls have set a pace to win 58 games, and claim the No. 2 seed in the East. They are the hottest team in the East, and suddenly people are starting to recognize them as a real contender. They've done so in spite of key injuries and having a healthy lineup for a fraction of their games.
They've been beating up on the best teams in the NBA too. Unlike another team assembled this summer but with a lot more fanfare, they have been dominating the elite. Against the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma Thunder, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs, they have won their last 10 games.
The Bulls have gone somewhat under the radar, but they keep winning. Now it raises the question, "who are these guys anyway, and why are they so good?" In the following slides I'll introduce you to the Chicago Bulls and explain how, with each player's clearly assigned role, the Bulls have been assembled to be a complete team, and why they are so formidable.
Coach: Tom Thibodeau
1 of 14
Some have argued the coach doesn't make much of a difference in basketball. Tom Thibodeau is proof to the contrary. There are few people on the planet, if any, who know the game better than Thibs.
His genius is what went into assembling this particular collection of talent, and it's his defensive strategy that has been the fundamental structure of them winning. The system works like "five men on a string" and operates with a heavy emphasis on help defense.
By constantly closing on the ball, opponents rarely have an opportunity to throw up unchallenged shots, particularly from inside the lane. That has led the Bulls to giving up the NBA's lowest field-goal percentage and three-point percentage.
The Bulls are also third in the NBA in defensive-rebound percentage meaning that their opponents do not get a lot of second chances. Those things combine to mean that the Bulls give up the fewest points per 100 possessions of any team in the NBA.
Offensively, the Bulls run a system that's a combination of a drive-and-kick offense and a flex offense, with the point guard driving into the lane and breaking down the defense, and then either taking the shot or kicking it out.
Some misunderstand this offense as it's all Derrick Rose handling the ball all the time. That is the catalyst for everything that is set up, but there's a decent amount of ball movement involved as well. The Bulls actually rank 13th in the NBA in assists and have more assists per game apart from Rose than the Celtics do apart from Rondo.
Chicago is a team with their foundation on defense, and a "good enough" offense which is improving as the team gets used to playing it. Thibs is the architect of the team, and along with Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs a leading candidate for Coach of the Year.
A big surprise to a lot of people is what a terrific job he's done of getting the players to believe in his system and accept his coaching. There's little question he deserves a tremendous amount of credit in his first year as a head coach. In fact, it's arguably one of the best first-year coaching jobs in the history of the NBA.
Rasual Bulter
2 of 14
Rasual Butler was recently signed by the Bulls after he was bought out by the Los Angeles Clippers. While he has yet to step on the court with Chicago, he should be getting some minutes before long.
He's a wing player with a decent three-point shot who brings effort on the defensive end of the court. He should get time at both shooting guard and small forward. He'll help the Bulls to spread the court a little more when Kyle Korver is struggling to find his shot and give a little more relief to Luol Deng who is among the leaders in minutes played.
Brian Scalabrine
3 of 14
Brian Scalabrine is the 12th man on the bench, but don't think that means he doesn't have value. He's not just a good luck charm or a victory cigar either, though he's been a bit of both of those things as well.
His primary purpose on the team is that of an unofficial player-coach. He's familiar with the defensive system from playing with Thibs in Boston. As such, he's as much of a coach as a player. He's a big part of the reason the chemistry was so great with the Celtics too.
Kurt Thomas
4 of 14
Kurt Thomas, nicknamed "Big Sexy," is one of the backup centers for the Bulls and per Tom Thibodeau, the best low-post defender on the team. The second-oldest player in the NBA, he was the one who stepped into the starting spot when Joakim Noah went out with injury. His play was instrumental in keeping the Bulls in the running for the top seed while Noah recovered.
Thomas isn't playing much since Noah returned for two reasons. First, Thibodeau didn't want to disrupt the chemistry of the second unit when Noah returned by replacing Omer Asik in the second unit. Second, it benefits the Bulls to keep Thomas rested for the postseason when he'll be needed.
Omer Asik
5 of 14
Omer Asik is the lone rookie on the Chicago Bulls. The 7' Turk was the player every team wanted when the Bulls were shopping before the trade deadline. He's been showing why the Bulls didn't want to part with him of late, too.
Since the All-Star break he's been averaging seven rebounds, and had the two biggest games of his young career. Against the Miami Heat he grabbed 11 rebounds on Feb. 24, and then set a new career-high against the Orlando Magic with 13 on March 3. His defense and rebounding show a lot of promise, and as the kid grows he'll provide the Bulls with one of the deeper middles in the NBA.
C.J. Watson
6 of 14
C.J. Watson is the backup point guard. He runs the second team well enough but not spectacularly. When the Bulls needed him the most, though he really stepped up. Derrick Rose had to miss one game with a neck injury and Watson scored 33 points in his lone start.
Watson is also an excellent defender. A big part of the Bulls' success is the defense their bench provides. They give up the fewest bench points per game in the NBA and Watson is a part of the reason why. He guards his opponent well, staying in front of him and not giving up the clean shot.
Kyle Korver
7 of 14
Kyle Korver is the Bulls fifth-leading scorer and three-point specialist. He owns the NBA record for three-point shooting in a season with the .536 average he had last season with the Jazz. He helps the Bulls to stretch the floor when defenses are trapping Rose.
Not fast or athletic enough to keep up with most of the shooting guards in the league, Korver has improved defensively this year, and while he remains something of a liability, his effort is obvious. Through sheer hustle he will make defensive plays from time to time in spite of his physical shortcomings.
Korver's biggest moment for the Bulls this season was when he hit the three-point shot that won the game for the Bulls in their first game against the Heat.
Ronnie Brewer
8 of 14
Ronnie Brewer has been an outstanding defense player for the Bulls and is called on whenever the Bulls really need a stop. While technically not the starter at shooting guard, Brewer plays the most minutes at the position and tends to be the one who finishes games.
His defensive rating of 98.0 is fifth-lowest in the NBA. Time and again Brewer comes up with timely steals, forces bad shots and generally is a nuisance to anyone he's guarding. He is somewhat akin to a less- thuggish version of Bruce Bowen.
On the offensive end Brewer is not a star, but he's excellent along the baseline. When defenses forget about him he'll sneak up along the baseline to catch a pass and make a shot. Brewer adds 6.7 points per game for the Bulls, but he's not there for his offense.
Taj Gibson
9 of 14
Taj Gibson, or "Mini-Booz" as I like to call him, is the backup power forward for the Bulls. When Carlos Boozer was out at the start of the season, Taj stepped into the starting lineup and performed as well as could be expected, averaging 10 points and seven rebounds as a starter.
Additionally, Taj is another outstanding defensive player. He owns the fourth-best defensive rating in the NBA. He is constantly frustrating opponents in the paint, and aided by his 7' 4" wingspan, is an outstanding shot blocker, averaging 2.6 blocks per 36 minutes.
His offensive game is a little up and down, and since suffering a concussion earlier this season he has seen a real dip in his scoring. He is still averaging 11.7 points per 36 minutes, though. If he can bolster his post game he has the potential to be a legitimate NBA starter.
Keith Bogans
10 of 14
The most maligned of the Chicago Bulls is in the starting lineup by default. While Korver's offense is good enough to be a starter, his defensive prohibits it, and while Brewer's defense is outstanding, his offensive game is short. Bogans is, at best, average at both, but not bad at either.
Perhaps if the Bulls were a worse team, he wouldn't look as bad, but he is without question, the worst player in the starting lineup, and the contrast perhaps makes his shortcomings even more manifest. It's not Bogans' fault that he's starting though.
He doesn't need to contribute much, and when he does the Bulls win. The Bulls are 16-2 when Bogans scores at least six points in a game. Perhaps it's that stat that makes Bulls long for a better scoring shooting guard. When there's even minimal production from the spot, the Bulls are almost unbeatable.
Luol Deng
11 of 14
Luol Deng is only 25 years old, which might come as a surprise to some since he's in his seventh season. This year he is having his best year yet as a pro. He is emerging as one of the elite defenders in the NBA, and is the third scoring option on the Bulls. On both sides of the ball he is pivotal to the Bulls' success.
While there were many Bulls fans who spent the last few years bemoaning his contract and wondering how the Bulls would ever be able to unload it, this year he's started to live up to its worth. He has found his niche in Thibodeau's system.
Averaging nearly 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game, he's been plugging in wherever the Bulls need help. He's turning into one of the big underrated stars of the game. His defense is outstanding, and if the world is fair, he'll make his first all-defensive team this year.
Usually taking the other team's best players, he has effectively defended everyone from LeBron James and Kevin Durant to Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant. How many players in the NBA can do that?
Offensively, he doesn't do anything at a superstar level but he does everything well. Since he's added the three point shot to his game, he does a little bit of everything, scoring, passing, rebounding and defense, it's all there in his game. He
Historically he's had trouble disappearing late in the game, but of late he's really started to change that.
He hit the big three-point shot to beat Miami, their last game in Chicago, and then he brought his talents to South Beach where he sank 3-of-4 free throws to beat the Heat again. Then last night he once again hit two big free throws that put the Bulls ahead for good against the Hornets.
The more Deng shows up at the end of games, the better the Bulls will be. He is truly the "X" factor of the team.
Joakim Noah
12 of 14
Joakim Noah is one of those players who is impossible to define by the stat sheet. Sure, he's a terrific rebounder and you can see that by looking at the box score, but that only scratches the surface of what he brings.
The perfect illustration for what Noah brings can be seen in the Miami game. When Chris Bosh set the pick on Luol Deng, it left Noah in the switch to guard LeBron James in isolation with the game on the line. The result? James was forced into taking a bad shot and the Bulls win the game. How many centers in the NBA are athletic enough to do that?
Sure he averages over four offensive rebounds per game and 13 total rebounds per game, but again, that's only part of the story. His incessant energy keeps him constantly fighting for every ball and frustrating opposing big men.
Furthermore his offensive rebounds so often result in successful second-chance points for the Bulls. He's either tapping it back out to Derrick Rose or tipping the ball back in. He dives on the floor, he goes after every ball and he just does every one of the "little things" that don't show up. In short, he's the player that you hate if he's not on your team and the player you love if he is.
Carlos Boozer
13 of 14
For years the Bulls have been searching for a low-post scorer. In Carlos Boozer they have found one of the best in the NBA, and that's why he was the first power forward on their wish list. He's an outstanding back-to-the-basket player and is able to finish with either hand.
His first two games with the Bulls were a bit of a struggle as he had to adjust to a new team, a new system and an entire training camp with only one practice with them under his belt. Since his third game back, though, the Bulls are 35-10 and have beaten the NBA's elite teams with consistency. In fact they have beaten the top four seeds in both conferences 10 straight games without a loss.
While Boozer's defense is not outstanding he is learning to play in Thibodeau's system. You may be surprised to learn that he has the sixth-lowest defensive rating in the NBA. While he's a long way from being a defensive star, he has shown that he can exist in a good defensive system which was a big concern coming into the season.
He deserves a lot of credit for the Bulls rise back to elite status and will be crucial in their playoff run.
Derrick Rose
14 of 14
Derrick Rose was the lone representative for the Bulls in the All-Star game, and is looking more and more like the MVP of the NBA. In an age of prima-donna athletes he's the very antithesis of the age. His humble attitude is genuine and is the thing that everyone who spends time with him raves about.
His game is anything but humble though. The word, "killer" is the word that's been used to describe him on the court lately. He's the guy who takes over games and drives daggers into the hearts of his opponents. Time and again, he's come up with big plays to help his team this season.
On four separate occasions he's drained the shot that either won the game or sent it into overtime this season. The biggest came against Houston when he sank a three-pointer to send the game into overtime and eventually win the game. In terms of total stats in clutch time, his 101 points, rebounds and assists are the second-best in the NBA.
If you want to know the story that typifies Rose, it's the one where he was on his way out of the parking lot after a game. Seeing three teens walking, he pulled over his pickup and thanked the young men for coming to the game and wearing his jersey. It's that type of attitude that makes it so easy to cheer for this team and this player.
