Newsflash: Chicago Bulls Rely Too Heavily on Jumpers
This is painful to see. I mean in my gut I know we are a jump-shooting team that can’t hit 3s. I know it. But part of me always thinks that we are getting some points in transition and Rose gets a lot of his points around the basket (lately at least). Alas, thanks to Hoopsdata’s painstaking and painful research, the point has been proven mathematically:
As a team, the Bulls shoot 36.1 percent on long twos which is well below the league average of 39.6 percent. That might not seem like a big difference on the surface but in the last four years, only this year’s New Jersey Nets and the Isiah Thomas-led New York Knicks of 2006-07 fare worse from this area. So if you’re scoring from home, the Bulls love taking shots from a zone where they rank 118 out of 120 teams. Not only that, even though the Bulls frequent the long range shot, they almost never launch where the payoff is higher in 3-point land.
Gross. The article goes on to discuss how Luol Deng is the main culprit from 16-23 feet (37.2% on 7.1 attempts a game). It also points out that Deng and Thomas are terrible pieces to put next to Rose. I don’t entirely disagree with him, and it shows exactly why we miss Ben Gordon so much. With everyone taking long 2s and missing them, defenses are packing it in near the basket and allowing the Bulls to fire away. If we had just one guy who could knock down the 3 consistently (Salmons and Hinrich do NOT count this season, and Pargo doesn’t make 3s anymore for some reason), that would help Rose get to the basket more and open up lanes for Tyrus to attack the rim.
So what does this mean for the Bulls? Well Hoopsdata seems to take a dump on everyone’s wish for Bosh or Boozer, since a big man in love with the long jumper seems to be the last thing we need. Joe Johnson anyone? Obviously LeBron or Wade would be ideal, but Johnson could be the perfect fit next to Rose. He can knock down the 3 and defend the other team’s bigger guard. Think about it.
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Comments
Comment from Basketball Enthusiast
Time January 19, 2010 at 3:46 pm
It’s funny how Hoopsdata can write this article, and explain why the Bulls suck so much, and then go ahead and post another study on how the bulls are one of the most improved teams in the league over the past two weeks (http://www.hoopdata.com/recent.aspx?aid=117). We owe this surge surprisingly to a revitalized offense, where we see a 1.7 higher offensive efficiency (largest gain over the past two weeks in the league), and an effective FG% that has risen .8% (second largest increase over the past two weeks). Obviously our defense has improved as well over the latest hot streak. We have seen our defensive efficiency gain .3 (a negative number is good on Defense). We also seem to be causing more turnovers (our opponent TO rate increased .2) and are rebounding the ball better (our opponent offensive rebound rate shrunk by .6).
Overall while this post by Stormin’ Norman paints a very bleak picture, it is worth noting that we have displayed incredible improvement in January. However, we don’t need the above numbers to show us that, all you need to do is look at our January record: 5-3!
Comment from devin
Time February 7, 2010 at 12:24 am
hey i am i big fan off the Chicago bulls and i no y’all look in for a shooting guard and and a elite power forward Gerald green is a good pick up that can help y’all out hes 6-8 shooting guard playing for Russia right now . great athleticism hes been around the league but still i think hes a good pickup if y’all dnt. get noting in the trade deadline he can less fell in to this summer please just give him shot
Comment from devin
Time February 7, 2010 at 12:34 am
hey i am big fan of the Chicago bulls and i no y’all need a shooting guard and a elite power forward trade dead line come up if y’all what to save a little money for what of the free agents this summer, pick up Gerald green hes on the Russia team that will be a good add cause he 6-8 can play the shooting guard and the small forward great athleticism he bein around the league two three team but he still year and can play he just need to prove it on a NBA team so please comment me back thanks…
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Comment from Nels
Time January 19, 2010 at 1:40 pm
It’s funny how there are guys who can make the longest two on the floor, but seem unable to step back to make it a three. I’ve long contended that the extend of Deng’s range is heel on the three-point line, but now it appears that even that is too far. Woe.
Also D-Wade makes about a three a game, so I think he could still work. But, yeah, Joe Johnson and his 1.8 threes per game could be good. Especially since Wade, Bosh, and Boozer aren’t going to want to come play for the Bulls. Which sort of begs the question: is Joe Johnson going to want to come here?