Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesIt's hard to believe but the Chicago Bulls pretty much controlled a game against one of the NBA's better teams with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah scoring a total of 17 points.This was the best team win the Bulls have had this season, Carlos Boozer's best game by far and overall, the first real look at what the Bulls can be. Derrick Rose's production was down in terms of scoring, but he still controlled much of the offensive pace of the game; his speed was still setting up everyone. The movement away from the ball by both Luol Deng Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
and Boozer was active and precise, giving Rose plenty of opportunities to pass off the ball underneath the basket. Boozer's production was outstanding, with 29 points and 12 rebounds. One play in particular was an indication of better things to come from Boozer, an over-the-back circus shot, that also drew a foul call.Boozer is giving the Bulls exactly what they are giving him $80 million for, an offensive presence in the paint. Then, if the middle was jammed up there were wide open players out by the perimeter. Kyle Korver hit two three-pointers and scored 13 overall, Deng hit one and even Keith Bogans hit one, on a shot where he was so open he had time to take a nap. In addition to his perimeter shooting, Deng did a much better job of putting the ball on the floor and going to the rim without getting out of control. Was this the Bulls best overall performance this season?Was this the Bulls best overall performance this season?Yes67.4%No32.6%Total votes: 236For the first time this year, the Bulls looked like a team that could score from Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
anywhere, and with anyone. It was the most even, steady offensive performance by the team this year.The Bulls weren't just impressive on offense either. In fact, it's possible they were even more impressive on defense. Rose kept the young Thunder superstar, Russell Westbrook, in check, holding him to 15 points on 7-18 shooting. Boozer looked comfortable for the first time in the defense, and with Noah sitting much of the game due to foul trouble, filled in spots at center. Along with the other big men, he did a nice job of forcing out the ball to the perimeter. From outside, the Thunder did not do very well, as the Bulls for the first time were on the spot, getting hands in faces from behind the arc, holding Oklahoma City to 4-19 on threes. Deng did a much better job of defending the NBA's leading scorer, Kevin Durant, than the 29 points may indicate;Durant scored most of his points from the free-throw line, going 14-14 from the charity stripe. From the start of the third quarter to the five minute mark of the fourth, the Bulls played straight out shut-down defense, limiting the Thunder to just 25 points over 19 minutes of play. It was over that stretch that the Bulls just grabbed control of the game, and there was little question about the outcome for most of the second half. If there Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
was any criticism, it was that the Bulls let up near the end, and were outscored by eight points in the last three minutes of the game.Still, on the whole it was the Bulls best team effort of the year, and was very promising of things to come.Certainly the Rose/Boozer tandem is looking like what we'd been hoping for at the start of the year.
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25 Dec 10 Phoenix Suns Need Defense To Rise to the Promised Land
内容: Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesThe Phoenix Suns are one of the most dominant offensive teams in the NBA, but also one of least dominant defensive teams.Since the 2004-2005 NBA season, the Suns have averaged 109.5 points per game, but during the same time period they have given up 104.5. From the 2003-2008 the Suns were led by Mike DAntoni, who instilled the famous seven-seconds-or-less offense, and they were constantly a contender in the talented Western Conference. They reached the playoffs almost every year and multiple conference championship Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
series but always fell short.There was one thing missing from the team: defense.The Suns could score on anyone, but anyone could score on them. Something had to give. The Suns argued with DAntoni about paying increased attention to the defensive end, and following the 2008-2009 season, DAntoni was gone. His successor, Terry Porter, lasted half of the ensuing season and was replaced by Alvin Gentry.Under Porter the Suns were supposed to have been a better defensive team with the addition of future-Hall of Fame big man Shaquille ONeal and the presence of players such as Amar'e Stoudemire, Matt Barnes, Jason Richardson and Steve Nash. But they were no better than previous seasons, and Porter was fired. Porter instilled similar concepts as DAntoni but with a few significant changes; the seven-seconds-or-less offense was gone, and the team ran more half-court offense.Under Gentry the team has reverted to running more, but there has been an increase on defensive attention. The Suns gave up 107.5 points per game in the 2008-2009 Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
season and 104.9 points per game in 2009-2010. That almost three less points given up per game, which could be the difference between a win and a loss in a close game.During Gentry first full season (2009-2010), the Suns surprised the league with their offensive efficiency and improved defensive ability. They reached the Western Conference Finals but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.The Lakers were much larger than the Suns and used their height to perfection. The Suns couldn contain the likes of the twin towers, 7-footers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. They exposed the Suns defense and stopped the Suns offense with superior defense. The Suns held strong the first four games, but the last two games showed how the Suns need a better defense to succeed at a high level.This isn the first time they lost to defensive-minded teams, either. They have also dealt with the San Antonio Spurs on multiple occasions, and until the second round matchup with the Spurs in last year playoff series, they hadn been able to get past them since the 1999-2000 NBA playoffs.But the Suns once again faltered when matched with a dominant defensive team in the Lakers. They showed that no matter how explosive an offense is, there has to be at least an average defense behind it, or the team Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
won win the title.The worst points per game allowed by an NBA champion was 98.4 points per game by the 2008-2009 Los Angeles Laker squad. The 2008-2009 Suns allowed 107.5 points per game and missed the playoffs. This is testament to the fact that defense wins titles.The Suns won be there anytime soon if they don focus on defense more.
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