Diss Guy(s): The Bulls’ Guard Corps
Once upon a time, there was a team called the Chicago Bulls, and everyone assumed they were screwed for a long time. Yes, they had quality frontcourt players, filled with hard-nosed, defensive stalwarts who could score, rebound and block as good as anyone, and a fan base who loved them and their hardworking ways deeply. They had a coach who legitimately could’ve won “Coach of the Year” each year, due to his defensive systems and ways to hold his high-paid players accountable. But things were restive in their kingdom. Their best player, Derrick Rose, had torn his ACL, and wasn’t predicted to come back to play for a long, long time. The rest of the team — clearly built around their fallen player, and constructed to fall below the luxury tax level — was held hostage by the salary cap and a dearth of dynamic lead guards. Once a contender, the Bulls looked like a team without hope; their most dynamic player and the man most responsible for their success laid up.
In order to survive, the Bulls needed to sign guards to help them stay afloat until their leader arrived. So they did, and no one was impressed. Where there was once Derrick Rose, C.J. Watson and John Lucas III — three guards who were beloved by all who saw them — there were suddenly four. Diminutive Nate Robinson was signed as a free agent from the Warriors, and the Bulls traded for Kirk Hinrich, their former lead guard before the drafting of D-Rose. They also signed Marco Bellinelli, a journeyman off-guard who had been coming off the bench in New Orleans, and promoted second year guard Jimmy Butler to the starting lineup. Four accomplished players, but no one who could realistically shake a stick at D-Rose, and without an obvious chain-of-command to organize their ranks.
But as we’ve seen thus far, competent systems can organize and empower players, and allow to combine their talents to create something that is much greater than the individual sum of their parts. Coach Thiboutot uses all four guards interchangeably (with Rip Hamilton, as well) to provide necessary ball movement, defense, and scoring. The four give the Bulls 34.4 points per game combined, and their four most efficient defensive lineups feature two or three of the guards. The result has been magnificent: a 26-16 record, good for third in the conference (first in the division), and the fourth best defense in the league.
By all accounts, D-Rose’s return is imminent. No one is going anywhere; they’re just getting him — and his MVP ways — back. With a strong system in place, and four wonderful guards ready to teach him everything he needs to know about their hard-nosed, never-say-die team, look out, league. Look out.
Miss Guy: Darren Rovell
No need to point out Darren Rovell’s hackery, Tom Ziller did a plenty fine job of it.
[View the story "Tom Ziller v Darren Rovell" on Storify]