Chicago Bulls: Are the Critics Being Too Hard on Their Shooting Guards?

If you haven't said or thought it, you've certainly heard or read it: "If the Chicago Bulls had a shooting guard they would be contenders." Somehow that thought manages to displace certain realities.

For instance, the Chicago Bulls actually have not one, not two, not three, but count 'em—four shooting guards. Secondly, they are actually first in the Eastern Conference right now, and as such, are contenders.

Now to be fair to the critics, what they mean is a "starting" caliber shooting guard, and what they mean by "contenders" is the ability to compete in the postseason. But the reason they say that the Bulls don't have a shooting guard and that they aren't currently contenders is because the Bulls have a "committee" approach to the shooting guard position: Keith Bogans starts, and Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver fill in minutes and finish. 

Brewer gets the most minutes, but he only gets 22. Korver gets 20, despite filling in at small forward as well. Bogans plays a little under 18. As a result, the production of any of the three isn't particularly overwhelming. People look at the 8.5 points per game Korver produces, tops among the three, and deduce that there's no production from the shooting guard position. 

This can be a short-sighted way to look at the position, though. After all, that's only viewing half the minutes. Since the Bulls have a "committee" approach, to analyze the full production of the three, you have to view the combined production of the three. 

I would also like to point out that since January, there's been an increase in production from the unit as a whole. I looked at the combined production of the three and adjusted it to 36 minutes per game to see what they would look like as a conventional single starter. 

The answer? You have a player who averages 11.5 points to go with 2.6 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. They are very similar to Aaron Afflalo, who is often mentioned as a "valid" replacement. He averages 12.9 points, 2.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 37 minutes a game.  Per 48 minutes, the trio average 15 points 3.5 assists, 5.3 rebounds. That's not great, but it's not awful. 

The thinking, though, is that the Bulls need someone to "help Rose stretch the floor." That's where people might be surprised. The fact is that Korver and Bogans are more effective three-point shooters than you might think. Well, you probably know Korver is effective, but Bogans is better than you might think. 

In fact, since January, Bogans has been pretty good from deep. Get this—his eFG percentage is .600. That's right, .600. Best on the team, even better than Korver, who lags behind at a "measly .590. Combined the pair of hit on 103 of 231 three point attempts in 35 games.

Believe it or not, this year the Bulls are already on pace to have their fourth best season ever from behind the arc, and considering their recent increase in production, they should reach the second most made in franchise history, and have a decent shot at breaking the franchise record—one that was set by the team that had "real" shooting guards like Ben Gordon.  

Defensively, Brewer is the strongest. Not just the strongest shooting guard on the Bulls mind you, but the strongest, at least according to his defensive rating in the entire NBA. His defensive rating of 98.1 is fifth best of any player period in the NBA. In a postseason, which could feature a series against Dwyane Wade or Kobe Bryant, I personally am liking the idea of having a guy with Brewer's defensive abilities on the team. 

The worst defender among the group is Kyle Korver, whose defensive rating is a relatively enormous 103. That puts him as 64th in the NBA. If you average the three together, you get a defensive rating of about 101, good enough for top 20. 

When you look at what the three give you in sum, you're talking about a player who, in 48 minutes, gives you 15 points with three treys on .550 eFG percentage, three assists and five boards a game, all while providing elite defense on the other end of the court. That's not Kobe Bryant, but it's not nothing either. 

Maybe the thing people need to do is stop wondering how the Bulls are going to compete on an elite level without the services of a "real" shooting guard, and start thinking about why the Bulls are competing on an elite level. Part of the reason is the production from Bogans et al, and it's time for the critics to stop bagging on the trio and start recognizing they aren't only winning with them, but the three are part of the reason the Bulls are winning.