NBA Playoffs 2011: 7 Ways to Get Carlos Boozer More Involved in Bulls Offense
It's simple: The Bulls need Carlos Boozer to play better, or else this season will become a big bust in a heartbeat. Alliteration aside, this statement is true for a bevy of reasons.
Firstly, Boozer is one of the game's best rebounders on one of the best rebounding teams, meaning his presence is undeniable and irreplaceable. Secondly, he is the second scoring option right before Luol Deng, and is essential in taking the scoring burden off of Derrick Rose. Lastly, his constant yelling on the defensive and offensive end is a sparkplug for the rest of the team. Sure, many players yell on both ends of the court, but when Boozer does it, you know exactly when especially if you are watching him on TV. There are many more assets that he provides, but this is a short list of what he does so well when he is in the midst of playing his normal game.
It is no surprise that he has not played well so far in the playoffs. Granted, the Bulls are only one five game series in, but nevertheless, his performance both offensively and defensively have been suspect despite him averaging a base double double (10ppg, 10rpg).
This top seven list will focus on the things Boozer needs to do to re-establish himself on the offensive end of the court. Some of them are obvious, some not so much. Feel free to comment, debate, challenge my opinion, etc.
Credit goes to Synergysports for providing me with stats I posted and dlberry4 on twitter for giving me information on Boozer's post-up problems.
No. 7: Establish an Offensive Rhythm
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Sounds pretty typical, but it is necessary. Boozer's play during the first round against the lowly Pacers was less than consistent; he scored 12 or more three times and four or less two times (though he sat out most of game five, where he wad held to two points in 16 minutes of work). Rebounding was problematic as well, since he had 11 or more three times and six or less twice.
Thing is, with Boozer's foul trouble, it's hard to establish any sort of vibe, which means that in his stead, Gibson is playing major minutes. If Boozer were to limit his early foul trouble and exchange it for early offensive dominance, this could possibly lead to more interior defenders being utilized against him, making it easier for perimeter shots to be had.
But aside from early game establishment, Boozer simply needs to find his shooting touch. This means a great many things, like going harder to the rim, using his wide body to convert and-ones (only three and-ones for him, THREE, the entire Pacers series), hitting his mid-range rainbow more consistently, whatever. Boozer needs to do it, and he needs to do it now. If the Bulls have a shot, it depends on the play of their big man.
No. 6: Limit the Turnovers
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Let's be honest, Derrick Rose is a turnover machine from time to time. Whether it be a bad pass or a bad move to the rim or even a clean block, he gives the other team more opportunities to score. This doesn't make him a bad player by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a major blemish on his impressive resume.
Carlos Boozer and the rest of the Bulls, therefore, must limit turnovers themselves if they are to establish a better offensive tempo. Sure, Rose needs to work on this more than anyone else, but as the Bulls point guard and majority ball handler, mistakes are bound to happen. It is imperative that the Bulls truly work on keeping the ball in their hands at all costs, especially for the playoffs. It doesn't help that the Bulls are second in the playoffs in number of turnovers.
Against the Pacers, Boozer had 14 turnovers. While not horrid, this number can be drastically lowered. Boozer has a number of options here. Maybe he can dribble lower, watch for faster defenders coming from behind him, hold the ball closer to his chest when he is posting up, and much more. I'm no coach, but it seems as if sometimes he is just sloppy with the ball during possessions.
Again, this is not just Boozer's problem; it is the Bulls' as a whole. However, he is a part of this machine, and needs to iron out his own kinks if they as a collective unit are to be more effective.
No. 5: Dominate the Pick-and-Roll Matchup
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Boozer isn't necessarily the best pick-and-roll defender, as he is often slow with his defensive rotations and because of foul trouble has to lay off of defenders. However, on the offensive end, he is much better despite the fact that Rose is often the scoring beneficiary of the system. Boozer's wide body is an asset for the slim bodied Rose, who just weaves past the pick and sheds all other defenders with his incredible speed.
If Boozer and Rose play the pick-and-roll more than they have been, this opens the floor for many offensive opportunities. Though the interior would be clogged if the both of them engage in a pick-and-roll more often, Bulls' perimeter players get more spacing for easier shots.
Also, given Boozer's propensity to shoot longer jump shots, he would be a great option to have as the consistent designated pick man.
No. 4: Gain Confidence
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Look at that picture. Look at how happy he is. This is the Boozer the Bulls need if they want to make a serious title run. They need the dominant Jazz Boozer, the caveman Boozer, not the recessive foul-trouble Boozer who seems to defer to teammates more than he should.
Over the five game series, though, I could hear Boozer screaming through my TV set (at one point, while going up for a rebound, I heard him say "Give me that *blank*, but I'm sure he said much more). He still looked a bit fatigued. I would say that maybe the season and his injuries are taking its course, but as Derrick Rose said, "no excuses." Boozer needs to adapt this same mentality, get his confidence back and start earning the money Chicago is throwing at him.
I want to see bicycle kicks after a dunk, head bobbing after an and one, and more "Grab it Jo" comments during an offensive or defensive rebound. This series he just looks downtrodden and beat, and his play is a direct reflection of this. Once he re-establishes his confident mentality, he will be laughing at the fact that he let Hansbrough and Hibbert get the best of him during the five game series.
No. 3: PLAY DEFENSE
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Yes, this might seem to have little to do with his offensive production, but it actually relates to the earlier point I made about his confidence. Let's be clear: Boozer is one of the worst defending forwards in the game. His length is a problem, sure, but he has an overall lack of hustle getting to the attacker on a rotation and his pick-and-roll defense leaves everything to be desired.
Boozer can greatly improve his confidence if he knows that he can beat his opponent in the post on both ends of the floor. He can give himself the necessary psychological spark that would carry over into his offensive game, where he, if effective, is extremely difficult to stop.
Though defense has been a problem over his entire career, it doesn't mean he has not the room or time to improve upon it. His offensive tools can be translated into defensive success if applied correctly; for instance, since he is good with off of the dribble post moves, this means he has a good sense of timing, which is a major component to stealing the ball. This is a stretch, but anything can help Boozer at this point in his career.
Also, Boozer, though perpetually in foul trouble, could stand to take more charges and in general put his body on the line much more than he has in the past.
No. 2: Play Tougher
6 of 7Watch the video.
Does the footage look familiar? It should if you're a Bulls fan because Boozer gets blocked. A lot.
I know why, too. Boozer absolutely refuses to use his intimidating size and strength to take the ball to the basket forcefully. More often than not, when at the rim, he settles for his jump shot or a little floater. Those floaters get blocked so many times that I began to lose count a few weeks ago.
He has the power to drive to the hole with authority like LeBron James but doesn't use it. He has the the interior skill like Zach Randolph but lays off. He has the "touch" of Pau Gasol but isn't using it. I'm not trying to imply that he should be like these players, but he needs to re-establish the skill sets he is familiar with. He needs to do what he has been doing for years, something forgotten over the course of the latter portion of the year and extending into the playoffs.
Simply put, Boozer needs to be stronger, meaner, and less careless. Chicago brought him over for his offense, so he needs to use that body of his to draw more and ones, maybe pump fake more in the post because of his length issues, anything. He needs to finish at the rim and not settle for shots that either go or don't. Only three dunks attempted over the course of five games is unacceptable (correct me if I'm wrong on that one).
No. 1: Stay out of Foul Trouble
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"We have to figure out a way to keep him out of foul trouble. It is hard to get into a rhythm when you are picking up quick fouls. We are taking a good look at it to see if we can help him out so he can help us out." Tom Thibodeau has spoken.
It seems as if I have mentioned foul trouble in every slide up until this point, but it is for good reason. Almost all of the man's problems can be in some way related to the amount of fouls he produces: lack of minutes played, laying off defensively, laying off offensively, reduction of energy and more.
Even if the referees get the calls wrong, Boozer still needs to find a balance between aggression and smart play, a distinction he has yet to make outside of the regular season. If Boozer has any hope of playing the Pippen role this post season, he has to activate his regular season persona (well, before he started to lag off). He has to play smarter. He has to stop fouling, end of story.
And if he is going to foul, they need to be smart decisions that benefit the team, not careless fouls that take you out of a game six minutes in.
