2021-2022 IGT Masterthread

[Scoot26]

Wasn't terribly surprised, though was clear there was just no defense that was gonna stop Brooklyn. Bulls offense utterly died in the 3rd Q. I gave up once Brooklyn went up 20 and went to bed. Brooklyn shot essentially lights out in this game, and those games are always going to be hard to win. Bulls lost the battle in nearly everything in this game.

Harden looked like the Harden I remember and not the lackadaisical player he was in the first two matchups. Bulls had nothing to throw at KD once DJ Jr got out.

Bulls really gonna need to find a replacement for DJ Jr. Either he tore his ACL or hyperextended his knee. Either way, he's likely out for a long time.

It's one game, but yeah, these games are small previews. At more full strength, we know the Bulls can hang with Brooklyn, but it also won't be surprising to see Brooklyn put together games like this. The greater question is can the Bulls hang with Brooklyn for more than few games in a playoff series.

 

[DrGonzo]

My thoughts as a casual fan, not a student of the game: in a playoff series against the Nets, if the Bulls remember to show up - and I have no doubt they will - it will be much much closer. And they will still be overmatched.

 

[knoxville7]

Everyone forget the bulls won the first two games and one of those was a 20+ point blowout, just like last nights game was. The DJJ injury is more concerning to me than the poor 2nd half performance last night was.

 

[Scoot26]

Everyone forget the bulls won the first two games and one of those was a 20+ point blowout

Who forgot? I see many bringing it up in this thread.

 

[knoxville7]

Who forgot? I see many bringing it up in this thread.

It was more pointing out that 1 of our wins against them was also a blowout…not so much that we have two wins. I mention this because of how 2011 the bulls beat the heat in the regular season but then got beat 4-1 in the playoffs. Those regular season wins were by a possession or two, a ball bounces differently and it’s a different outcome type of game. Bulls blew out the nets once just like they have done to us now once. The other bulls win was by 4, so that’s one that could of ended up differently perhaps.

 

[knoxville7]

The whole, “last night was revealing” line due to them blowing us out, yet I doubt they said the same thing when the bulls blew them out

 

[Scoot26]

It was more pointing out that 1 of our wins against them was also a blowout…not so much that we have two wins. I mention this because of how 2011 the bulls beat the heat in the regular season but then got beat 4-1 in the playoffs. Those regular season wins were by a possession or two, a ball bounces differently and it’s a different outcome type of game. Bulls blew out the nets once just like they have done to us now once. The other bulls win was by 4, so that’s one that could of ended up differently perhaps.

The only sure indication of a potential beat down by the Bulls of Brooklyn in the playoffs would have been destroying them 4 times in the regular season while Brooklyn is at full strength. That's pretty hard to do against any team. Even the 2006-07 Bulls, who gave a ton of indications in the regular season they would beat the Heat in the 1st round had one massive blowout, two close wins, and then were beat down by the Heat themselves in the 4th game, before sweeping the Heat in the playoffs.

So really, it's never easy to gauge much at all, in either direction, in the regular season. All you get is ideas. Ideas generally have recency bias as well.

But then, generally you have two sets of people here. You have the optimist who sees the first blowout win and say things like "Bulls can beat anyone", while the pessimist will be more cautious and say something like "Lets see them do that again." Then when that game like last night comes, the pessimist comes out of their shell and say something like "yeah, I didn't think they were good."

 

[knoxville7]

The only sure indication of a potential beat down by the Bulls of Brooklyn in the playoffs would have been destroying them 4 times in the regular season while Brooklyn is at full strength. That's pretty hard to do against any team. Even the 2006-07 Bulls, who gave a ton of indications in the regular season they would beat the Heat in the 1st round had one massive blowout, two close wins, and then were beat down by the Heat themselves in the 4th game, before sweeping the Heat in the playoffs.

So really, it's never easy to gauge much at all, in either direction, in the regular season. All you get is ideas. Ideas generally have recency bias as well.

But then, generally you have two sets of people here. You have the optimist who sees the first blowout win and say things like "Bulls can beat anyone", while the pessimist will be more cautious and say something like "Lets see them do that again." Then when that game like last night comes, the pessimist comes out of their shell and say something like "yeah, I didn't think they were good."

And that’s fair. I look at it and say they each have one convincing win. Obviously, a lot depends on who all is healthy come a playoff matchup…but I can see the bulls hanging with those guys in a series. Not saying it’ll be easy or anything, but I think they can/do matchup well with Brooklyn.

I also think the 1 seed is a lot more important to the bulls than to Brooklyn. If the bulls can get the 1 spot, and Brooklyn and Milwaukee finish 2 and 3 in some order…then the bulls would in theory only have to beat one of those two teams in the playoffs. Milwaukee worries me more still than Brooklyn.

 

[Scoot26]

And that’s fair. I look at it and say they each have one convincing win. Obviously, a lot depends on who all is healthy come a playoff matchup…but I can see the bulls hanging with those guys in a series. Not saying it’ll be easy or anything, but I think they can/do matchup well with Brooklyn.

I also think the 1 seed is a lot more important to the bulls than to Brooklyn. If the bulls can get the 1 spot, and Brooklyn and Milwaukee finish 2 and 3 in some order…then the bulls would in theory only have to beat one of those two teams in the playoffs. Milwaukee worries me more still than Brooklyn.

As you said in another post, losing DJ Jr is more concern than getting blown out in this game.

Thing that worries me about Brooklyn, in addition to Milwaukee, is getting guys to throw at Durant. We were already down Caruso and Green, DJ Jr actually played well against Durant in the last game, but we basically were without all three in this game and got annihilated as McKinnie and Troy Brown Jr just fouled the entire game.

So while we can expect Caruso and Green back, I do feel like we need something else we can throw at Durant. Because if they struggle against guarding Durant, Giannis can go for 50 every game. In any sense, anyone we currently do have is undersized, so it may not matter.

Absolutely keeping the #1 would be a priority as it avoids a Milwaukee/Brooklyn matchup until the ECF (assuming they stay #1/#2).. though the Bulls have matchup issues with Miami too, in what could be a potential 2nd round matchup. But we don't have a true idea of what a Bulls-Heat playoff series looks like as both teams have had key players out both games.

I also wouldn't discount Philly from the worries list. There is plenty to worry about in the East.

 

[knoxville7]

As you said in another post, losing DJ Jr is more concern than getting blown out in this game.

Thing that worries me about Brooklyn, in addition to Milwaukee, is getting guys to throw at Durant. We were already down Caruso and Green, DJ Jr actually played well against Durant in the last game, but we basically were without all three in this game and got annihilated as McKinnie and Troy Brown Jr just fouled the entire game.

So while we can expect Caruso and Green back, I do feel like we need something else we can throw at Durant. Because if they struggle against guarding Durant, Giannis can go for 50 every game. In any sense, anyone we currently do have is undersized, so it may not matter.

Absolutely keeping the #1 would be a priority as it avoids a Milwaukee/Brooklyn matchup until the ECF (assuming they stay #1/#2).. though the Bulls have matchup issues with Miami too, in what could be a potential 2nd round matchup. But we don't have a true idea of what a Bulls-Heat playoff series looks like as both teams have had key players out both games.

I also wouldn't discount Philly from the worries list. There is plenty to worry about in the East.

Agreed on the need to find another guy with height and length and athleticism to help guard the Durant and Giannis issue the bulls have. Jerami Grant, perhaps?

and yeah, Miami and the 76ers are good teams that are capable of knocking the bulls out in the playoffs, but I wouldn’t say they would be favorites in a matchup or anything like Brooklyn and Milwaukee would be, I’m sure. Miami doesn’t present the size issue that the bulls struggle with at least. They have Bam and not much else for paint enforcers.

 

[clonetrooper264]

The thing with Brooklyn is that there's a lot of star power to deal with and not a lot of defenders on this team to help contain it. Sure we'd have Green and Caruso back in a playoff series, and if we're lucky we'll get DJJ back too. They're all still undersized to deal with Durant. We saw BD eventually basically call for a double on Durant whenever he touched the ball, but that inevitably led to Harden, Kyrie, or Patty Mills getting a wide open shot. And even if BD says play him straight, you're asking a lot of someone like Caruso or Green, as good defenders as they are, to guard the best offensive player in the league 1 on 1 with a height disadvantage. Could it work? Sure, but it's a question of can they do it for 4 games.

As as much as we can make excuses for not being healthy in this game, Nets were missing Kyrie in their first two games and arguably that is a much bigger loss. Heck they were missing 2 rotation big men who play major minutes normally (Aldridge and Claxton) in this game too. Sharpe has barely even played in the NBA and yet we couldn't stop a pick and roll with him and Harden and he ended up with 20 points. Does having Green and Caruso healthy equalize that? Maybe.

All that to say, could we beat Brooklyn in the playoffs? Yeah it's possible, but I don't think we're favorites in that series by any means. The thing there too is if Kyrie is allowed to play in home games because Nets just pay a fine and he's allowed to play.

It's not guaranteed doom and gloom, but we can't kid ourselves with this matchup. Push comes to shove in the playoffs, you bet on the star power and Nets have more of it.

 

[Scoot26]

Agreed on the need to find another guy with height and length and athleticism to help guard the Durant and Giannis issue the bulls have. Jerami Grant, perhaps?

and yeah, Miami and the 76ers are good teams that are capable of knocking the bulls out in the playoffs, but I wouldn’t say they would be favorites in a matchup or anything like Brooklyn and Milwaukee would be, I’m sure. Miami doesn’t present the size issue that the bulls struggle with at least. They have Bam and not much else for paint enforcers.

I think Bulls/Miami are more closely matched. Series could really be rated as a toss up.

Sixers give the Bulls that inside paint problem with Embiid, and their shooters can hit threes. Bulls played them twice in early November, so I feel like much has changed for both teams since then. I'm interested in seeing their next matchup.

But with the Sixers, they're basically Embiid and very good role players. They're also coached by Doc Rivers, who has a habit of failing in the playoffs.

 

[DrGonzo]

The only sure indication of a potential beat down by the Bulls of Brooklyn in the playoffs would have been destroying them 4 times in the regular season while Brooklyn is at full strength. That's pretty hard to do against any team. Even the 2006-07 Bulls, who gave a ton of indications in the regular season they would beat the Heat in the 1st round had one massive blowout, two close wins, and then were beat down by the Heat themselves in the 4th game, before sweeping the Heat in the playoffs.

So really, it's never easy to gauge much at all, in either direction, in the regular season. All you get is ideas. Ideas generally have recency bias as well.

But then, generally you have two sets of people here. You have the optimist who sees the first blowout win and say things like "Bulls can beat anyone", while the pessimist will be more cautious and say something like "Lets see them do that again." Then when that game like last night comes, the pessimist comes out of their shell and say something like "yeah, I didn't think they were good."

Harden has been performing below his career average this year but was closer to what you would usually expect last night. Irving is just starting to get plugged in. In that sense I don't think recency bias = inaccurate.

 

[Scoot26]

Harden has been performing below his career average this year but was closer to what you would usually expect last night. Irving is just starting to get plugged in. In that sense I don't think recency bias = inaccurate.

Harden definitely looked more like the old superstar Harden last night.

 

[MassHavoc]

Unless they are into that sort of thing…can’t be giving them something they like!

apparently they were. Which is no surprise being in NJ

 

[knoxville7]

Looked like an ACL.

Only 2-4 weeks thankfully

 

[knoxville7]

apparently they were. Which is no surprise being in NJ

Psssst…they aren’t in NJ anymore lol

 

[Scoot26]

Psssst…they aren’t in NJ anymore lol

I finally stopped making this mistake.. oh .. last year.

 

[MassHavoc]

Psssst…they aren’t in NJ anymore lol

The will always be jersey trash in my heart

 

[clonetrooper264]

Golden State Warriors (30-11) at Chicago Bulls (27-12)

Projected Starters

Chicago Bulls

PG - Lonzo Ball
SG - Zach Lavine
SF - DeMar DeRozan
PF - Troy Brown Jr
C - Nikola Vucevic

Golden State Warriors

PG - Stephen Curry
SG - Jordan Poole
SF - Andrew Wiggins
PF - Juan Toscano-Anderson
C - Kevon Looney

Injury Report

Chicago Bulls
Alex Caruso - Out (Health and Safety Protocols/Foot)
Javonte Green - Out (Adductor)
Tyler Cook - Out (Ankle)
Patrick Williams - Out (Wrist)
Derrick Jones Jr - Out (Knee)

Golden State Warriors
Klay Thompson - Out (Rest)
Gary Payton II - Out (Back)
Draymond Green - Out (Back)
James Wiseman - Out (Knee)​