| Team | Poss | Off Eff | eFG% | FT Rate | OR% | TO% |
| CHI | 93.7 | 0.886 | 39.0 | 35.1 | 33.3 | 20.3 |
| ATL | 93.7 | 1.259 | 55.1 | 23.9 | 25.6 | 8.5 |
Here's the latest example of why I should remember not to make predictions:
I suspect the Bulls have hit rock bottom.Oops.
The Bulls weren't as dreadful defensively as Toronto were last week but the Raptors at least scored frequently in that game. Chicago (Derrick Rose's 15 point, 6 assist first half excepted) laid an egg at both ends of the floor. The only reasonable explanation for their lifeless incompetence is a not especially admirable* desire to see their head coach relieved of his responsibilities.
*It's not especially reprehensible either. Vinny Del Negro's bad at a job he never should have been given.
Thus, for the second time in eight days, I'm reluctant to draw any conclusions about the Hawks' dominant performance because their opponent performed so miserably. That the Hawks are accelerating the downward spirals of other teams is, of course, a very good thing in the grand scheme of things so we'll complement Jamal Crawford on his hot hand, Josh Smith and Al Horford on their efficient scoring, solid rebounding, and excellent passing, Marvin Williams on the second straight game in which he's made a real difference on the defensive glass, congratulate Mo Evans on his offensive explosion in garbage time, Jason Collins on his first points of the season, and give Joe Johnson a pass on his 16-shot, 12-point, 3 turnover, 5 assist, countless dribble night on account of his being excellent in the last competitive game the Hawks played.
It's nice to be on the other side of another laugher, to have the other team be the one in disarray, drifting aimlessly, its fans calling* for the coach's head, and regretting** recent first-round draft picks. I'm sympathetic, I'm grateful, and I know that if I were even to think that the Hawks might not receive another real test until they play the Jazz on the 18th, I'd get another reminder of the sort with which this recap began.
*with reason
**also with reason...Taj Gibson and James Johnson?
4 comments:
thoughts on the teague, johnson, evans, crawford, and bibby line up woody put on the floor at one point???
It was seriously weird watching the non-Rose/non-Noah Bulls mail this game and then tuning in to watch the Rockets--who have, what, half the Bulls' talent? 2/3rds?--choke the life out of the Cavs. NBA-viewing whiplash.
Anybody else more than a little aggravated with ESPN pairing Marc Jones with Jackson and Barry? Those last two are always happy to go off on whatever the hell tangent crosses their minds, and so naturally the WWL matches them up with the play-by-play man in their stable MOST likely to ignore calling action in favor of asking for color opinion on some leaguewide trend. Result: even in the first quarter, we never get analysis of a given play; we get analysis of where that play fits into the player involved season-long narrative, i.e. how much Josh Smith has improved, how Joe Johnson can still create out of nothing, how Horford is developing his post moves ... NEVER actually "this is the Hawks/Bulls scored here."
Sorry for the rant, but Jones is a pet peeve of mine.
this is HOW the Hawks/Bulls scored here, sorry
Wow why did Chicago take James Johnson over Lawson, Teague (the far better prospect out of WF), or if they didn't want a PG, why not take Blair?
Hindsight's a @#$%^.
But this still can't be as bad as passing on Jennings for Jordan Hill.
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