NBA '17

[CubillanSandwich]

The Bucks / Cavs game tonight was very entertaining.  Great crowd.  Great players hitting shots.  Really a showcase for the NBA.

The Bucks can really D it up in spurts.  Liggins defending Korver was fun to watch.  Loudest I've seen the BC since the Darvin Ham days.  Light it up, Light it up.

[wadesworld]

https://mobile.twitter.com/DavidDunn21/status/943356764036190208?s=09

Hey LeBron, you mad bro?

[MUfan12]

Great building last night. Couldn't believe the Bucks let them back in with LeBron on the bench.

Kidd telling Midds to miss that last FT was... curious.

[copious1218]

Great building last night. Couldn't believe the Bucks let them back in with LeBron on the bench.

Kidd telling Midds to miss that last FT was... curious.

Was wondering if someone could explain that last play decision to me.  I thought it was a terrible decision.  Take the 4 point lead.

[MU82]

I didn't see the game because I don't live in Wis or Ohio and I don't have NBA TV. But I did see the long highlight video that ESPN ran. It looked like it was a heck of an entertaining game, which is fairly rare this early in an NBA season but which showcases how very good the NBA can be. (And often is at playoff time.)

And yes, that missed FT? It wasn't just curious, it was stupid. Would have loved LeBron's heave to have gone in just so Kidd would have had to answer for that.

[wadesworld]

Was wondering if someone could explain that last play decision to me.  I thought it was a terrible decision.  Take the 4 point lead.

The guy is a total moron, that's the only explanation.

Kidd was asked the question in his post game press conference.  I watched his answer on YouTube but am struggling to find the video now.  I may miss a word here or there, but as close to word for word as I can remember, his explanation was:

"Me being a gambling guy, I'll take my chances with them needing to hit a shot from the other end of the court rather than them being able to inbound the ball to half court, hit a half court shot and get fouled and go to the line for a 4 point play."

Uhh...what?!

[MerrittsMustache]

The odds of the Cavs making a full-court heave is 1%. The odds of the Cavs inbounding, hitting a 3 and getting fouled is 1.1%. He was just playing the percentages.

[GB Warrior]

The guy is a total moron, that's the only explanation.

Kidd was asked the question in his post game press conference.  I watched his answer on YouTube but am struggling to find the video now.  I may miss a word here or there, but as close to word for word as I can remember, his explanation was:

"Me being a gambling guy, I'll take my chances with them needing to hit a shot from the other end of the court rather than them being able to inbound the ball to half court, hit a half court shot and get fouled and go to the line for a 4 point play."

Uhh...what?!

If you outsmart yourself on a regular basis, you're probably not that smart. But the players seem to respond well to him (personally, not defensively), so be careful what you wish for.

This was a big win. It's a long season, but 4 straight losses would be brutal. We lost to a resurgent Bulls team and put up a fight against the Rockets, but a loss is a loss is a loss. Hopefully this stops the slide a bit. Good to have Snell back.

This team will continue to struggle with bigs that can stretch the floor (who doesn't??), but I don't see a way out of that other than trying to contain the damage. Trading for someone like Jordan doesn't fit that profile, so I hope to god they don't do it.

[DegenerateDish]

I don't think Jason Kidd makes it to the all star break.

[wadesworld]

I don't think Jason Kidd makes it to the all star break.

I pray you are right. But I won?t believe it until I see it. Way too tight with the owners.

[MUfan12]

I don't think Jason Kidd makes it to the all star break.

He shouldn't, but he'll make it to the offseason before they pull the trigger.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Glad to see the Bulls are losing some games again.  Lavine is coming back soon so hopefully they can trade Mirotic and get some kind of asset. 

Thus far, I will say I was wrong about the trade.  Butler has been a beast in Minnesota but Markannen and Dunn, although inconsistent, have been much better than I expected.  We'll see how Lavine plays coming off his injury. 

I'm still pessimistic about the front office and the overall rebuild but hopefully I'll be wrong again. 

[JWags85]

Glad to see the Bulls are losing some games again.  Lavine is coming back soon so hopefully they can trade Mirotic and get some kind of asset. 

Thus far, I will say I was wrong about the trade.  Butler has been a beast in Minnesota but Markannen and Dunn, although inconsistent, have been much better than I expected.  We'll see how Lavine plays coming off his injury. 

I'm still pessimistic about the front office and the overall rebuild but hopefully I'll be wrong again.

Markannen has been good and Dunn has been a surprise.  But I still think this all comes down to the 16th pick.  That could be Justin Patton or Jarrett Allen, who could make Lopez much more expendable for the rebuild.  Or Anunoby who has played very well in Toronto or Ferguson who looks like another volume scorer in the making in OKC.  Sending that pick along with Butler to the TWolves was so dumb and what made me not trust the deal or the front office.  Those 3 players can all turn out well, but if Butler keeps playing the way he has, and Justin Patton comes back from injury to be a productive piece moving forward, the Bulls lose that deal unless Markannen becomes an All Star and Lavine takes a BIG leap.

[wadesworld]

Markannen has been good and Dunn has been a surprise.  But I still think this all comes down to the 16th pick.  That could be Justin Patton or Jarrett Allen, who could make Lopez much more expendable for the rebuild.  Or Anunoby who has played very well in Toronto or Ferguson who looks like another volume scorer in the making in OKC.  Sending that pick along with Butler to the TWolves was so dumb and what made me not trust the deal or the front office.  Those 3 players can all turn out well, but if Butler keeps playing the way he has, and Justin Patton comes back from injury to be a productive piece moving forward, the Bulls lose that deal unless Markannen becomes an All Star and Lavine takes a BIG leap.

Yup. I loved Markannen, but he seemed like a second Mirotic to me and there was no way they should?ve given a pick back to the TWolves.

Plus aren?t the Bulls the team that sold Bell to the Warriors? I wanted the Bucks to trade back and take Bell late first round. I think he?s going to be a contributor in the league for a long time.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Markannen has been good and Dunn has been a surprise.  But I still think this all comes down to the 16th pick.  That could be Justin Patton or Jarrett Allen, who could make Lopez much more expendable for the rebuild.  Or Anunoby who has played very well in Toronto or Ferguson who looks like another volume scorer in the making in OKC.  Sending that pick along with Butler to the TWolves was so dumb and what made me not trust the deal or the front office.  Those 3 players can all turn out well, but if Butler keeps playing the way he has, and Justin Patton comes back from injury to be a productive piece moving forward, the Bulls lose that deal unless Markannen becomes an All Star and Lavine takes a BIG leap.

Absolutely agree about the 16th pick.  Minnesota and Thibs was not going to walk away from Butler if the Bulls had held firm on keeping that pick. 

I read the Bulls didn't even work Markannen out, which seems completely inept if a Butler trade was a real possibility. 

I absolutely think Markannen has All-star upside.  Lavine can score but always gave it back on the defensive end.  This offense seems much better suited to his skill set, though. 

This could turn out to be a trade that works for both sides.  I would have preferred they kept Butler but they clearly had no clue how to build around him and I doubt they were going to trade him when his contract was up. 

Yup. I loved Markannen, but he seemed like a second Mirotic to me and there was no way they should?ve given a pick back to the TWolves.

Plus aren?t the Bulls the team that sold Bell to the Warriors? I wanted the Bucks to trade back and take Bell late first round. I think he?s going to be a contributor in the league for a long time.

Yes, the Bulls sold Bell to the Warriors.  Sounded like an ownership decision but selling talent on a rebuilding team is never a good idea.  The fan base hates the front office so much though they make it seem like they sold an All-Star. 

[DegenerateDish]

I've been surprised how good Dunn has been. You see this in the NBA though, where a young player gets a quick fresh start somewhere else, and develops.

[JWags85]

Yes, the Bulls sold Bell to the Warriors.  Sounded like an ownership decision but selling talent on a rebuilding team is never a good idea.  The fan base hates the front office so much though they make it seem like they sold an All-Star.

But they seemingly sold him to raise money for buyouts of players they should have never F-ing signed in the first place.

Bell isn't an All-Star, but he's getting 15 min a game on the best team in basketball and is very active with a ton of potential and athleticism.  If you had him, Portis, and Markkanen once you trade Mirotic, thats a nice young base at the F position. Id certainly rather have him than Felicio.

[DegenerateDish]

I love Doncic, I want him to be a Bull. I think he potentially could be one of the greatest Euro NBA players ever.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

But they seemingly sold him to raise money for buyouts of players they should have never F-ing signed in the first place.

Bell isn't an All-Star, but he's getting 15 min a game on the best team in basketball and is very active with a ton of potential and athleticism.  If you had him, Portis, and Markkanen once you trade Mirotic, thats a nice young base at the F position. Id certainly rather have him than Felicio.

No doubt about it.  I'd be very happy to have him on the team.  I was just saying the lack of faith in the front office exacerbates the response to moves like that. 

[Plaque Lives Matter!]

I love Doncic, I want him to be a Bull. I think he potentially could be one of the greatest Euro NBA players ever.

I remember us thinking that about Mirotic! Or maybe my close Bulls fans were delusional.

[StillAWarrior]

Not exactly the way that we want to see MU alums in the news.  Hopefully Jamil can get that worked out and can get back on track.

[GB Warrior]

I don't think Jason Kidd makes it to the all star break.

Here's the thing: Tell me who fires him. Who hires the next guy. For now, he's stability in a place where we otherwise have no guarantee of stability.

I'll wait until Jabari is back to start panicking. I'm dubious that he's an answer - he's even worse defensively than the current cast of characters - but let's see how it all gels. 

Right now, this team isn't ready to take on the big boys, but let's be honest. Sure, Toronto beat them up good, but Toronto might be pushing for the best in the East. Lots of time for guys to continue to develop.

[Spotcheck Billy]

I'm curious to see if how they handle Jabari, trade him or max contract?

[GGGG]

He?s not really max contract worthy is he?  If he thinks so I would trade him.

[GB Warrior]

I'm curious to see if how they handle Jabari, trade him or max contract?

I really don't want to be the one to give him a max contract, but I sense that we won't have a choice. 3-4 weeks won't be enough for him to build up sufficient trade value.