Chicago Bulls go through more offensive droughts then the 07-10 Celtics.

[Megatron]

Good god. These guys go through bigger offensive drought stretches then the C's could ever dream of.

Every. Single. Game. These guys go through 5+ minute stretches where they cant score, usually when Rose has to rest. Hes going to have to play the full 48 during the playoffs for them to do well.

When Rose has to sit this team cannot score the basketball.

If we end up facing them at some point in the playoffs we are going to be able to take advantage with our multiple scoring options.

No wonder people refuse to call the Bulls a contender, Rose means as much to that team as LeBron meant to the Cavs.

[OsirusCeltics]

Good god. These guys go through bigger offensive drought stretches then the C's could ever dream of.

Every. Single. Game. These guys go through 5+ minute stretches where they cant score, usually when Rose has to rest. Hes going to have to play the full 48 during the playoffs for them to do well.

When Rose has to sit this team cannot score the basketball.

If we end up facing them at some point in the playoffs we are going to be able to take advantage with our multiple scoring options.

No wonder people refuse to call the Bulls a contender, Rose means as much to that team as LeBron meant to the Cavs.

I think the media/sportswriters have been talking about Chicago as a "lesser of two evils" dynamic since Miami is not the team thought they were.

Constantly saying "Oh wow, look out for Chicago, they are on the rise. Thats a team you don't want to get in a 7 game series with" Oh please, they don't scare me at all lol

The Bulls are a good team. They play great defense, one of the best in the league. But its their offense to me is mediocre and simplistic. They depend too much on Rose scoring 30 for them and are mostly a jump shooting team. No other consistent scoring options except Rose. And I never liked Boozer as a second option...or any option

Thibodeau is great coach, and that may be the reason they succeed. All the players beside Rose and Boozer are "system guys". They can't create offense on their own. Too robotic and predictable. Its nice and pretty to see Rose score 40 every night in the regular season, but that would inevitably wear him out in the playoffs. Especially when teams have time to scout them

[hpantazo]

Good god. These guys go through bigger offensive drought stretches then the C's could ever dream of.

Every. Single. Game. These guys go through 5+ minute stretches where they cant score, usually when Rose has to rest. Hes going to have to play the full 48 during the playoffs for them to do well.

When Rose has to sit this team cannot score the basketball.

If we end up facing them at some point in the playoffs we are going to be able to take advantage with our multiple scoring options.

No wonder people refuse to call the Bulls a contender, Rose means as much to that team as LeBron meant to the Cavs.

I think the media/sportswriters have been talking about Chicago as a "lesser of two evils" dynamic since Miami is not the team thought they were.

Constantly saying "Oh wow, look out for Chicago, they are on the rise. Thats a team you don't want to get in a 7 game series with" Oh please, they don't scare me at all lol

The Bulls are a good team. They play great defense, one of the best in the league. But its their offense to me is mediocre and simplistic. They depend too much on Rose scoring 30 for them and are mostly a jump shooting team. No other consistent scoring options except Rose. And I never liked Boozer as a second option...or any option

Thibodeau is great coach, and that may be the reason they succeed. All the players beside Rose and Boozer are "system guys". They can't create offense on their own. Too robotic and predictable. Its nice and pretty to see Rose score 40 every night in the regular season, but that would inevitably wear him out in the playoffs. Especially when teams have time to scout them

good post. Boozer is definitely a system guy, overrated imo, but he can kill us on the boards, although seems like everyone can do that to us

[Roy H.]

Chicago:  106.6 points scored per 100 possessions (16th), 100.0 points allowed per 100 possessions (1st)

Boston:  107.6 points scored per 100 possessions (14th), 100.3 points allowed per 100 possessions (2nd)

For those saying "Chicago doesn't scare me", or labeling them somehow as not being a true contender, look at the numbers.  The Bulls have a statistically better defense than us right now (if ever so slightly), and our offense is only slightly better.  They have an excellent defense, and we as fans should appreciate just how much of a difference maker an elite defense can be.

Yes, their offense struggles at times, but so does ours.  I would expect that if we matched up in the playoffs, it would be a low-scoring, close series.

[OsirusCeltics]

Chicago:  106.6 points scored per 100 possessions (16th), 100.0 points allowed per 100 possessions (1st)

Boston:  107.6 points scored per 100 possessions (14th), 100.3 points allowed per 100 possessions (2nd)

For those saying "Chicago doesn't scare me", or labeling them somehow as not being a true contender, look at the numbers.  The Bulls have a statistically better defense than us right now (if ever so slightly), and our offense is only slightly better.  They have an excellent defense, and we as fans should appreciate just how much of a difference maker an elite defense can be.

Yes, their offense struggles at times, but so does ours.  I would expect that if we matched up in the playoffs, it would be a low-scoring, close series.

I never look at stats. Never a good indicator of how well a team is playing or how good they actually are. I the only ones I respect are the ones that you count (points, rebs, assists, steals). Everything else is just stat guys with a calculator tryna predict whats gonna happen next. 

I watch the games and the Bulls are mediocre. No diversification in their offense, which makes them easier to guard and scout against

[greensamurai]

The Bulls are not mediocre. If we meet them in the playoffs, I expect another great playoff series like the one a couple years ago. Thibs knows are system well, and we know his system. Should be interesting, but I have a feeling we will win out, because we have more balance on offense.

Looking forward to KG on Noah, I think KG will handle him like he did Frye the other night after talking so much garbage whenever we play them. Should be fun.

[Roy H.]

I never look at stats. Never a good indicator of how well a team is playing or how good they actually are. I the only ones I respect are the ones that you count (points, rebs, assists, steals). Everything else is just stat guys with a calculator tryna predict whats gonna happen next. 

Huh...  So, how many points a team scores or allows is irrelevant?  Since you make a subjective judgment that the Bulls' offense is "simplistic", you can discount the fact that ours is only slightly better?

Here's a statistic that matters:  wins.  The Bulls have the second most wins in the Eastern Conference, and are on pace for 58 wins on the year.  That, coupled with their league-leading defense*, is reason enough to take them seriously.

* The Bulls are 1st in points allowed per possession, 1st in eFG% allowed, 1st in FG% allowed, 1st in 3PT% allowed, 3rd in defensive rebounding percentage, 11th in turnover percentage forced, and 10th in free throws per field goal attempt.  In other words, they're not a fluke.  Teams that play defense that well are *always* a force to be reckoned with.

[greensamurai]

I agree with Roy, those statistics are all good indicators of how a team is playing, and important to note. The one stat that I am leery on taking too much stock into is point differential. It can be telling, but it can also lie. Miami is #2 in point differential at 6.84, but the stat fails to show that they destroy weaker opponents and have a losing record (12-15) against teams better than .500

[Roy H.]

I agree with Roy, those statistics are all good indicators of how a team is playing, and important to note. The one stat that I am leery on taking too much stock into is point differential. It can be telling, but it can also lie. Miami is #2 in point differential at 6.84, but the stat fails to show that they destroy weaker opponents and have a losing record (12-15) against teams better than .500

Yeah, I think all stats need to be looked at in context.  The Heat have been a statistical anomaly, I think.  Historically, teams that blow out bad teams also perform fairly well against good teams.  With the Heat, not so much.

[OsirusCeltics]

I never look at stats. Never a good indicator of how well a team is playing or how good they actually are. I the only ones I respect are the ones that you count (points, rebs, assists, steals). Everything else is just stat guys with a calculator tryna predict whats gonna happen next. 

Huh...  So, how many points a team scores or allows is irrelevant?  Since you make a subjective judgment that the Bulls' offense is "simplistic", you can discount the fact that ours is only slightly better?

Here's a statistic that matters:  wins.  The Bulls have the second most wins in the Eastern Conference, and are on pace for 58 wins on the year.  That, coupled with their league-leading defense*, is reason enough to take them seriously.

* The Bulls are 1st in points allowed per possession, 1st in eFG% allowed, 1st in FG% allowed, 1st in 3PT% allowed, 3rd in defensive rebounding percentage, 11th in turnover percentage forced, and 10th in free throws per field goal attempt.  In other words, they're not a fluke.  Teams that play defense that well are *always* a force to be reckoned with.

One stat you overlooked: Regular Season
How far did the '09 66 win Cavs team and '07 67 win Mavs team go? Oh yeah, I remember.

Cleveland had all of those "stats" on their side and were either 1st or 2nd in those categories. That year and were clearly the favorite to win it all. But they lost to a better team in the Magic. Cleveland got exposed by their simplistic offense, and the Magic took advantage of their mismatches with Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis. Those imaginary stats had nothing to do with it

[Megatron]

Bulls defense and Rose's offense is what carries them.

You can have all the defense in the world, but if you cant score when needed you wont win when it matters. (Celtics Game 7 scoring droughts, we went through multiple 5+ minute droughts if I recall.)

[jdz101]

I dont see how defensive statistics came so early into a post about scoring droughts. 

Noah will soon experience the wrath of KG.

[Roy H.]

I dont see how defensive statistics came so early into a post about scoring droughts. 

Because multiple posters decided that because of the Bulls' average offense, we'd have an easy time with them in the playoffs or that they weren't a true contender.

It's relevant in discussing playoff matchups to point out that, statistically, we are almost identical to the Bulls on both offense and defense.  Also, with a defense as elite as the Bulls' is, anything can happen in a playoff series.

[snively]

Chicago:  106.6 points scored per 100 possessions (16th), 100.0 points allowed per 100 possessions (1st)

Boston:  107.6 points scored per 100 possessions (14th), 100.3 points allowed per 100 possessions (2nd)

For those saying "Chicago doesn't scare me", or labeling them somehow as not being a true contender, look at the numbers.  The Bulls have a statistically better defense than us right now (if ever so slightly), and our offense is only slightly better.  They have an excellent defense, and we as fans should appreciate just how much of a difference maker an elite defense can be.

Yes, their offense struggles at times, but so does ours.  I would expect that if we matched up in the playoffs, it would be a low-scoring, close series.

Crazy how much better they got defensively by adding Thibs and getting rid of Brad Miller. More than 5pts per possession better than last season.  Remarkable one season turnaround.  Thibs has to be the favorite for coach of the year.

[BballTim]

  Rose helps their offense a lot, they're 11 ppp better with him in. But the defense is just over 10 ppp worse when he plays. Other odd stat? Their defense is significantly worse when Noah's in the game.