The last time you were even posting on this forum was when you were so staunchly in-favor of a Deng/Noah for Anthony trade.
And I still would be/am.
In a second.
Noah wasn't to blame for the loss yesterday at all. The guy played 45 minutes and produced in every way he was expected to.
You clearly still can't read. I never "blamed" any loss on Noah.
I asked how much of a factor Noah has been this series. Valid question. He's averaging 5ppg and 8rpg. On the flip side I asked hypothetically how much more of a factor would Anthony have had seeing as our biggest need is a dymanic/reliable wing scorer who can create. Congrats on missing the entire point of that part of this exchange.
And that Noah comment spoke to the bigger issue of all of a sudden a guy that this baord wouldn't trade for Carmelo they will now trade for Dwight...and still potentially leaving us a whole at the wing. I was pointing out knee jerk reactions of fans in terms of being willing to trade players.
Also, you could probably school me here on the NBA, I'm a football guy. Many forget that the Bulls were one bad call away from the finals w/o Jordan
They weren't
that close. That Hue Hollins call wasn't in a deciding game...and wasn't even in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Most fans knew going into the season that we were still a year away. Can a low 1-4 set be run effectively w/Rose and a D. Howard?...or do we need to reincarnate Pippen so to speak?. Looking at how that O is run, it appears either positional player would work.
First the simple answer: Yes. Then again an elite big like Howard will more than likely make any set more effective. With Howards improved offensive game the defense has to respect the post a bit more and that would open up some more space on the wings and in corners for jumpshots.
However, the Bulls still need a true two #2 guard. A low 1-4 is going to be more effective when you have a wing capable of curling to the basket, catching and shooting from the wing/corner or creating off the dish. More often than not in a low 1-4, at least the way I've always run it, taught it, and been taught is that the second pass of the second penetration will be the best shot most times.
You'll have the initial penetration of the guard, kick to wing wing either has a look or secondary drive and you have screens and cuts off the back side. The Celtics run a really good variation of it with Rondo, Pierce and Allen at times.
Factor in that Rose can now hit threes/jumpers and it adds another variable to Rose curling back out of a screen after his initial pentration as well. When you face a team like the Heat who can defend Rose with James or Wade and not require the rest of the defense to help much then having stationary shooters on the edges doesn't do much good as the defense isn't required to help much and those shooters don't get many, if any, open looks. For that set to be effective against a team like the Heat you need someone capable of secondary penetration to make the defense shift, rotate, and work. Also, if that wing can pentrate you set yourself up for a possible "short close out" by the defense and that initial receiver has a bit more room, chance, and better look to get that shot off. Right now the way the Bulls are set up they don't have a viable penetration option off the first pass and with the defense not having to help much and being able to take hard closeouts at guys on the wings it's a tough set to have succeed at that high of a level.
