Bulls Better in 2012?

        After a 62-20 season, an appearance in the eastern conference finals, a coach of the year winner and the reigning MVP who would have thought the Bulls could be even better in 2012. As of this writing the Chicago Bulls have the best record in the NBA (39-10), a 3 game lead on the Miami Heat and the best point differential in the league (+9.1). I personally think the Bulls are better and more dangerous than they were last year for a few reasons; a better bench, a smarter Coach Thibodeau and a die hard belief in the system and trust in each other.


With Derrick Rose missing 14 games (and counting) with various ailments (toe, back and groin) and free agent acquisition Rip Hamilton missing 34 games (and counting) and Luol Deng in and out of the line up with a torn ligament in his wrist, the bench has been called upon to help keep this team afloat in the East. The depth and talent of the Bench-mob is no secret but the toughness and and fearlessness they’ve shown has been amazing. The emergence of some new faces have made this bench better than last years. Jimmy Butler, a rookie out of Marquette, didn’t see much playing time at the start of the season but, with the wrist injury to Luol Deng, Tom Thibodeau called on the rookie to provide energy and defense when needed. Butler is still only averaging about ten minutes per game but the hustle and heart he shows every time he steps on the floor has given him: A) Confidence and B) Thibodeau’s trust. The best part of the rookies game is his fearlessness. He shows no hesitation in guarding the super-stars of the league or attacking them on the offense. The other revelation on the Bulls bench has been journeyman point guard John Lucas III. To NBA fans outside of Chicago JL3 is know as “the small guy Lebron dunked over” but to Bulls fans he may be the scorer off the bench we have been looking for. After playing a major part in a Rose-less win over the Miami Heat, Lucas has seen the most playing time and production of his career. Over the last ten games Lucas has averaged 10.1 points per game on 48% shooting with an average of 16.5 minutes per game. With his confidence at a high it’ll be interesting to see what the Bulls plan for Lucas is when Derrick Rose is healthy again.

The early success of Tom Thibodeau almost makes the Vinny Del Negro years worth it. When Tom Thibodeau was hired I knew the Bulls defense would be good but I didn’t know how good. In 2010-2011 season the Bulls were top 3 in opponent field goals made, field goal percentage, 3-pointers made, 3-point percentage, defensive rebounds (4th in offensive rebounds), total rebounds, total points and points per game and as of this writing are 1st in rebounds per game and 2nd in points allowed this season. That stellar defense is the reason the Bulls have been so successful while lacking a true second scorer. Thibodeau’s system requires full throttle energy which can drain players in the course of a season as we saw with Derrick Rose in the eastern conference finals but Thibodeau has seemingly adapted his system and rotation in order to not tire out his players before the playoffs. Luol Deng is the defensive work horse Thibs has relied on in almost every defensive situation but even he has seen more rest (40.2 MPG in 2011 to 38.3 MPG this year) due to Thibs’ easing up on the gas pedal, especially in late game blowout situations. Thibs took a chance early in the season, with injuries to Deng, Rose and Hamilton, to see if the bench could step up and perform when needed and he hasn’t been disappointed yet. With a deeper bench, better rotation and enough rest Tom Thibodeau has coached the Bulls to the best record in the NBA (so far) and could possibly earn back to back Coach of the Year honors.


The Bulls are a very talented team but talent can only get you so far. On paper the Bulls are set up with 1 superstar, 3 very good players and a host of role players. The Bulls play with and intensity and focus that few (even more talented) teams can match. Its the belief in the system and each other that gives this team the confidence to truly believe they can beat anyone thats steps on the floor with them. From reigning MVP Derrick Rose down to human victory cigar Brian Scalabrine this team carries themselves with a humility that is rarely seen in professional sports these days. If one man goes down another steps up to pick up the slack. If you only get to play four minutes a night in full court pressure situations, there is no complaining. There is no whining about minutes or shot counts. If Carlos Boozer has to sit out a majority of the fourth quarter because of the need for defense, he sits and supports him team 100%. The majority of the roster is the same as last year and the additions that have been made don’t see major minutes, but everyone clocks in and does their job no questions asked. The Bulls are better because after a year together they know that even through tough losses, slumps and injuries if they work together and trust each other they can beat anyone.

Today’s society is such an “instant gratification” society (especially in sports) that if you don’t win immediately, you may be deemed a failure. This Bulls team is one of the top two or three teams in the NBA and this core group has only been together for two years. Imagine the growth not just of players but of Thibs as a coach in the coming years. This team was thrown together in 2011 with nine new players and a whole new coaching staff and they went to the Eastern Conference Finals in their first year. Its only year two but you can already see that time has helped the Bulls in both confidence and chemistry. And as far as I can see, this team can still get better in the coming years.


JxV