Carlos Boozer & the Playoffs

[Gunzaan]

With the playoffs right around the corner, am I the only one who is a bit concerned about Boozer's play and his potential for getting better for the playoffs?

The pace of playoff games are obviously slower and half-court play will become a premium. Boozer has played very sub-par defense and if he doesn't pick it up on that side of the ball, then he better start scoring 20+ per game so that the offense can open up.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the way he is playing now isn't okay. I just really think that a HUGE key to any deep playoff run means that Boozer is going to have to pick up his game on one side of the ball.

 

[zack54attack]

Boozer struggled as of late. The Bulls are going to need to give Rose help. He can't do it all alone. Guys like Deng, Boozer, Korver, and Noah really need to step up and play.

Anyone else agree that Boozers defense is bad....possibly real bad.

 

[Anytime23]

Im a bit worried but im willing to wait a few more games until i really get concerned. All i know is that he has some good playoff experience and i think he'll give his best when that times comes. But i am concerned with his defense against the possible PFs he'll be facing(Bosh, KG, STAT and God willing Gasol).

 

[Anytime23]

Boozer struggled as of late. The Bulls are going to need to give Rose help. He can't do it all alone. Guys like Deng, Boozer, Korver, and Noah really need to step up and play.

Anyone else agree that Boozers defense is bad....possibly real bad.

Deng and Korver have been helping Rose. Deng has just struggled the past couple of games. Korver is inconsistent from night to night but im sure we know what we're getting from him by now.

and yes, everyone knows Boozers defense is bad. We all knew this before he was in Chicago. Its always been the knock on him besides his injury concerns.

 

[TopekaRoy]

All i know is that he has some good playoff experience and i think he'll give his best when that times comes.

This. As I've stated elsewhere, i get the feeling that Boozer can turn it up anytime he wants to. Whether it's laziness or just conserving energy so that it's there when needed, I don't know, but I think he will come through in the playoffs. Boozer is like an emergency reserve tank of gas for the Bulls. It'll be there when you need it.

 

[TopekaRoy]

Another thing is that Boozer and Noah haven't really played together a lot this year, and instead of complementing each other's games they are kind of cancelling each other out. They have 10 more games to work on that and hopefully will gel by the time they get to the playoffs.

 

[Chi-Town Brahma]

I'm not worried about Boozer. He knows the stakes come playoff time. Plus, the added fuel of having Thibs as coach & playing with the most glued together unit he has played with in his career, he will be ready.

 

[AE23]

to dog it on D from night to night in the regular season is one thing, theres guys that can pick him up, but in the playoffs, you want your top 5 out there as much as possible playing hard, having said that, i think hell turn it up on the offensive side of the ball, when the game slows down.

 

[Diddy1122]

There's no need for panic. Boozer is not 100% right now & it's obvious. He's already even said when he first came back, that he is just playing off his teammates & getting his rhythm back. I think he'll be fully healthy & back to his usual self come playoffs.

However, I have noticed that he rarely gets the ball in the post anymore. He gets one look during the course of a play & if it's not there, the ball swings. This, to me, is the biggest reason why he's not beasting like he did earlier in the year. They need to make more of a concerted effort to re-enter that ball into the post & not just give up on it so easily.

 

[Gunzaan]

However, I have noticed that he rarely gets the ball in the post anymore. He gets one look during the course of a play & if it's not there, the ball swings. This, to me, is the biggest reason why he's not beasting like he did earlier in the year. They need to make more of a concerted effort to re-enter that ball into the post & not just give up on it so easily.

Excellent observation.

 

[Rose2Boozer]

Boozer is a player with obvious negatives, but the only thing about him that truly scares me is his durability. Whether it's coming down the stretch of the regular season or in the playoffs, his health, and history of injury is never far from my thoughts.

On the court, I think the Bulls have to do a better job at getting him touches in the post. Boozer is undersized, but he still can draw foul against opposing frontcourt players at a high rate. Thibs should look at how the Jordan Bulls use to give the first three or four possessions to the big just to get them into the flow of the game. I think doing that with Boozer would be the best thing for him and this Bulls team.

 

[clonetrooper264]

But i am concerned with his defense against the possible PFs he'll be facing(Bosh, KG, STAT and God willing Gasol).

Chances are Noah will take a lot of those assignments anyway so we won't have to deal with that too much. The Lakers present a Catch-22 of sorts with Bynum and Gasol both being pretty good post options. IMO Noah still takes Gasol, but Boozer on Bynum doesn't make me feel all that great either.

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

What I am worried about most is which 5 guys are going to get the heavy bulk of minutes in the later rounds of the postseason. I really think that main lineup should be Rose-Brewer-Deng-Boozer-Noah.

A lot of teams try to trim their rotation down to about 8 guys. I am not sure if the Bulls will be able to go with less than 10 guys...

Rose, Watson
Bogans, Brewer
Deng, Korver
Boozer, Gibson
Noah, Asik (Thomas)

That entire 2nd unit is pretty important and it will be hard not to disrupt the chemistry if you take them apart.

 

[Anytime23]

I agree with you on the lineup Rami and i wouldnt shorten the rotation. You look at most championship teams, the one thing they have in common is depth and we've got it.

 

[AE23]

after todays game, he not instilling much confidence, shape up Booz.

 

[zack54attack]

Ugh... Rose can't have 10 TO's and expect too win. He kept us in the game with 31.

 

[Shakes]

I posted this in the game thread, but probably relevant here. I don't expect Boozer will do more than he's doing now in the playoffs. I'm not going to rag on Boozer too hard though, since I think the evidence shows he has to be hurt.

It's been 25 games now since Boozer did his ankle against the Heat, which matches up with the 25 he played before that point.

Boozer pre-ankle: 20/11 on 54%, 15 games 20+ points, 16 games 10+ rebounds, 14 games with 5+ free throws
Boozer post-ankle: 15/9 on 49%, 4 games 20+ points, 9 games 10+ rebounds, 6 games with 5+ free throws

Pretty clear to me the guy is playing hurt, it's just too big a drop off happening at exactly the time of the injury for it to be a coincidence. Unfortunately it's an ankle sprain which usually only heals in time, so even shutting him down until the playoffs probably wouldn't help.

 

[nwfisch]

I posted this in the game thread, but probably relevant here. I don't expect Boozer will do more than he's doing now in the playoffs. I'm not going to rag on Boozer too hard though, since I think the evidence shows he has to be hurt.

It's been 25 games now since Boozer did his ankle against the Heat, which matches up with the 25 he played before that point.

Boozer pre-ankle: 20/11 on 54%, 15 games 20+ points, 16 games 10+ rebounds, 14 games with 5+ free throws
Boozer post-ankle: 15/9 on 49%, 4 games 20+ points, 9 games 10+ rebounds, 6 games with 5+ free throws

Pretty clear to me the guy is playing hurt, it's just too big a drop off happening at exactly the time of the injury for it to be a coincidence. Unfortunately it's an ankle sprain which usually only heals in time, so even shutting him down until the playoffs probably wouldn't help.

He also got hurt against the Bobcats on a flagrant foul. Mentioned in earlier forums, Thibodeau and Rose need interventions to allow Boozer to get the ball.

 

[Shakes]

He also got hurt against the Bobcats on a flagrant foul. Mentioned in earlier forums, Thibodeau and Rose need interventions to allow Boozer to get the ball.

Pretty sure that was the same ankle, which is typical for ankle injuries, until your tendons in the ankle tighten up (which takes time) you're more likely to roll it again.

 

[Gunzaan]

Chicago Bulls: Chicago Bulls looking for ways to boost Carlos Boozer's offense - chicagotribune.com

A post about Boozer in the Trib.

Great observations about Boozer playing hurt, Shakes. Nonetheless, it looks like he is going to be playing hurt in the playoffs. And unfortunately, there aren't any excuses in the playoffs either