Interesting Article on Bulls Weakness & C's Trade

[FLCeltsFan]

Just came across an interesting article after last night's 76ers win over the Bulls. The author conjectures that Danny spotted a weakness in the Bulls and that is what led him to make the trade.  Here's a portion:

The Bulls are coming off a 97-85 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, who used athleticism on the wings to disrupt the Bulls offense, and found ways to get into transition, scoring 18 points off 17 Bulls turnovers.

The Celtics' Trade Deadline acquisition of Green can enable Boston to do the same in a potential Eastern Conference playoff matchup.

Green isn't the leap-out-of-the-gym guys you think about in terms of dunks, but he's very long and has above average athleticism to match his 6-foot-9 frame.

The fact of the matter is, the Celtics could have figured out the Bulls' weakness weeks ago, which prompted the trade. Sure, they might not have been able to sign Perkins at season's end any ways, but the trade gave the Celtics the option of going small -- something Rivers alluded to right after the trade.

"This gives us the ability to do what we did the year we won," Rivers said to Rich Levine of NECN.com. "and that is we can go small with Green at four and Kevin at five, and then Paul and Ray. And it spreads the floor. We've been trying to get that lineup since Posey left. I can't tell you how many times we did that in the playoffs. Every fourth quarter. We've haven't been able to duplicate that, and in some ways that's hurt Rondo."

Read more: http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-bulls-talk/2011/03/did-boston-know-of-bulls-weakness.html#ixzz1I1AKJVR3

[fairweatherfan]

It's an interesting idea, although I think the possibility of needing wings to guard LeBron and Wade for a 7 game series helped too.  Although I don't think one loss to an athletic team indicates a glaring flaw in Chicago.  Thibs is a good coach, I'd imagine he's got plans to counter that kind of approach in the future.

It's a real balancing act trying to keep enough horses up front to be able to bang with the Lakers while still having the wings to suppress Miami's strength and attack Chicago's weakness.  I hope we have enough to do it.

[wdleehi]

If the Celtics are making trade to match up with the Bulls, there is something wrong.



Nothing against the Bulls, but until they do something in the playoffs, you don't panic over them. 

[CelticG1]

If the Celtics are making trade to match up with the Bulls, there is something wrong.



Nothing against the Bulls, but until they do something in the playoffs, you don't panic over them. 

I hear what you are saying but I think being proactive with something like this (if this is what his intention) is a great move.

If Danny doesn't have the confidence that his team matches up well against another why should he wait to get proved wrong in the playoffs?

If this is truly what he believes and this is why he is paid to make decisions like that than you have to have faith in moves like that.

Just because Miami and the Bulls haven't done anything in the playoffs doesn't mean that they can't and won't

[wdleehi]

If the Celtics are making trade to match up with the Bulls, there is something wrong.



Nothing against the Bulls, but until they do something in the playoffs, you don't panic over them. 

I hear what you are saying but I think being proactive with something like this (if this is what his intention) is a great move.

If Danny doesn't have the confidence that his team matches up well against another why should he wait to get proved wrong in the playoffs?

If this is truly what he believes and this is why he is paid to make decisions like that than you have to have faith in moves like that.

Just because Miami and the Bulls haven't done anything in the playoffs doesn't mean that they can't and won't

Because the teams that have actually beaten the Celtics in the playoffs were teams with top big men.  That's why the Celtics brought in both O'Neals. 

[Boris Badenov]

This must be true, because ever since the trade Doc has consistently closed games with  a "Big 4 plus Green" lineup.

Oh, wait. He's never done that.

[Who]

Carlos Boozer can be vulnerable against quick forwards but other than that the Bulls matchup very well against small front-lines.

Joakim Noah is one of the quickest centers in the league and fully capable of switching to the four and defending on the perimeter. Taj Gibson is impressive quickness/agility and is an effective defender against undersized/perimeter orientated fours. Luol Deng is a big power three who is an effective power forward against undersized fours.

And they have Ronnie Brewer off the bench who can give their wings size/athleticism needed to matchup against bigger wings when Deng shifts to the four or is resting on the bench.

In terms of small backcourts, Korver and Bogans lack the quickness to matchup against small guards. However, Ronnie Brewer has enough quickness in addition to his size/length to bother those guards + Chicago is able to go small with CJ Watson and Derrick Rose to matchup against them.

The Bulls are fully capable of playing highly effective defense against those types of lineups.

[CelticG1]

If the Celtics are making trade to match up with the Bulls, there is something wrong.



Nothing against the Bulls, but until they do something in the playoffs, you don't panic over them. 

I hear what you are saying but I think being proactive with something like this (if this is what his intention) is a great move.

If Danny doesn't have the confidence that his team matches up well against another why should he wait to get proved wrong in the playoffs?

If this is truly what he believes and this is why he is paid to make decisions like that than you have to have faith in moves like that.

Just because Miami and the Bulls haven't done anything in the playoffs doesn't mean that they can't and won't

Because the teams that have actually beaten the Celtics in the playoffs were teams with top big men.  That's why the Celtics brought in both O'Neals. 

The eastern conference just changed drastically so you can't just sit on your hands. You can't get to the finals without getting through the East.

The Lakers didn't beat us because they have size they beat us because KG was hopping on one leg and had 3 rebounds in game 7. We also lacked depth of big men and Sheed had to play the whole game basically. We still have 3 seven footers just one of them is worse than Perk on defense

[jsingh1699]

It's an interesting idea, although I think the possibility of needing wings to guard LeBron and Wade for a 7 game series helped too.  Although I don't think one loss to an athletic team indicates a glaring flaw in Chicago.  Thibs is a good coach, I'd imagine he's got plans to counter that kind of approach in the future.

It's a real balancing act trying to keep enough horses up front to be able to bang with the Lakers while still having the wings to suppress Miami's strength and attack Chicago's weakness.  I hope we have enough to do it.

i think the area that thibs (and really any coach) cannot properly prepare for is transition defense, simply because, there is not set way to guard it. no one is sure how the ball will bounce off the rim after the shot, which guys will be up ahead of the pack. its hard to plan accordingly to that. i think thats why the author brought up that aspect of the bulls defense. it really could be a weakenss for any team's defense, except ours (since we have decided to take the no rebounding approach)

[Green Hell]

This must be true, because ever since the trade Doc has consistently closed games with  a "Big 4 plus Green" lineup.

Oh, wait. He's never done that.

This. I think I remember back to one game just after the trade in which Doc closed out the game the "Big 4 plus Green." You could see what a difference he made in the spacing and it always helps to have three 3 point shooters on the floor at the end of a game.

In regards to this article, I can see how important that will be in closing out game against Chicago as well as the Heat (and even the Pacers) in the playoffs where Bigs aren't going to be as important as having someone who can make an open shot. We really only need Shaq and JO against the Lakers who will leave their bigs in at the end of games to snatch offensive rebounds on Kobe's missed chucks. Against Miami and Chicago, those bigs will be used more to open game, help us build early leads by going to the paint, keep our starters fresh for the 3rd and 4th quarters.

At least thats what I'd like to think the plan is. Its a good trade in that respect because it really puts us in a position to make it out of the East while still having enough left to take on the Lakers but its really going to come down to if JO and Shaq can make it through a playoff series -- and if Green can close out games strong in the clutch.

[pearljammer10]

If the Celtics are making trade to match up with the Bulls, there is something wrong.



Nothing against the Bulls, but until they do something in the playoffs, you don't panic over them. 

Yeah i agree. Gain an athletic wing to beat the Bulls but loose our toughness and emotion when facing the Lakers? I see the idea behind it but Im not on board there.

[CelticG1]

If the Celtics are making trade to match up with the Bulls, there is something wrong.



Nothing against the Bulls, but until they do something in the playoffs, you don't panic over them. 

Yeah i agree. Gain an athletic wing to beat the Bulls but loose our toughness and emotion when facing the Lakers? I see the idea behind it but Im not on board there.

IMO you gotta work on getting out of the east before you worry about the finals. The Odds of facing the Lakers are a lot slimmer than facing Bulls and the Heat.

I think all you can ask for is to get to the finals to give you a chance at winning the title. You can't build your team hoping you will face 1 particular team that may or may not make it.

I don't think having Perk gave us an advantage at all against the Lakers. In fact I think both Gasol and Bynum have always had there way with him. Don't forget Bynum was playing on 1 leg against Perk while Perk was healthy and dominated.

Maybe just maybe we needed something else

[wdleehi]

If the Celtics are making trade to match up with the Bulls, there is something wrong.



Nothing against the Bulls, but until they do something in the playoffs, you don't panic over them. 

Yeah i agree. Gain an athletic wing to beat the Bulls but loose our toughness and emotion when facing the Lakers? I see the idea behind it but Im not on board there.

IMO you gotta work on getting out of the east before you worry about the finals. The Odds of facing the Lakers are a lot slimmer than facing Bulls and the Heat.

I think all you can ask for is to get to the finals to give you a chance at winning the title. You can't build your team hoping you will face 1 particular team that may or may not make it.

I don't think having Perk gave us an advantage at all against the Lakers. In fact I think both Gasol and Bynum have always had there way with him. Don't forget Bynum was playing on 1 leg against Perk while Perk was healthy and dominated.

Maybe just maybe we needed something else

You might want to check that.  In 08, Perk shut Gasol down.  In 10, the one game Perk misses, the Lakers destroy the Celtics on the boards.   



And Miami hasn't beaten the Celtics this year.  Why would Celtics change for them? 


Celtics are 2-1 against the Bulls this year.  Why would the Celtics change for them? 

[ejk3489]

If the Celtics are making trade to match up with the Bulls, there is something wrong.



Nothing against the Bulls, but until they do something in the playoffs, you don't panic over them. 

Yeah i agree. Gain an athletic wing to beat the Bulls but loose our toughness and emotion when facing the Lakers? I see the idea behind it but Im not on board there.

IMO you gotta work on getting out of the east before you worry about the finals. The Odds of facing the Lakers are a lot slimmer than facing Bulls and the Heat.

I think all you can ask for is to get to the finals to give you a chance at winning the title. You can't build your team hoping you will face 1 particular team that may or may not make it.

I don't think having Perk gave us an advantage at all against the Lakers. In fact I think both Gasol and Bynum have always had there way with him. Don't forget Bynum was playing on 1 leg against Perk while Perk was healthy and dominated.

Maybe just maybe we needed something else

You might want to check that.  In 08, Perk shut Gasol down.  In 10, the one game Perk misses, the Lakers destroy the Celtics on the boards.   



And Miami hasn't beaten the Celtics this year.  Why would Celtics change for them? 


Celtics are 2-1 against the Bulls this year.  Why would the Celtics change for them? 

Yeah but Perk only played in one of those games...they compiled one of the best records against the tops teams without him. So it's not like they really changed to match up against Miami/Bulls, the main guys are all still here.

It all comes down to how much Shaq and/or JO can give us imo.

[Roy H.]

So, we arguably match up better against the Bulls, and less well against the Lakers.  Yeah, that's a good reason to make the trade.

EDIT:  I should have read more of the posts in here before responding.  I'm just echoing what others have said.