Tom Thibodeau might as well be the ringmaster of one of the most difficult coaching/managing jobs in the NBA.
In one circle, he has Derrick Rose and his minute maintenance. The growing frustration over his in-and-out-of-the-lineup status continues to be a storyline that prevents the Bulls from being considered among the league’s elite. Rose shows flashes of what he used to be but has never quite gotten all the way there.
In the second circle, you have the Bulls continuing to rally together on the defensive end, implementing Thibodeau’s exacting defensive style and rallying in the weak Eastern Conference to get back to the Playoffs again and again. Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson are defensive, well, Bulls who make every shot difficult and punish people in a 1990s style whenever they come into the lane.
In the third circle, you have the emergence of Jimmy Butler as a potential superstar player. The guy who has stepped into the light brought out by the Derrick Rose darkness.
So look past the Kevin Garnett try to eat Joakim Noah’s hand” href=”https://thecomeback.com/crossoverchronicles/the-locker/watch-garnett-try-to-eat-noahs-hand.html” target=”_blank”>antics of Noah battling Kevin Garnett and the continued question marks about this team’s offense and Thibodeau’s exacting style, this is still a really good team. A really good team that wins games. Continually.
The Bulls completed their Circus Road Trip 4-3 with a 102-84 win over the Nets at Barclays Center. And it was done in typical Bulls fashion.
| Score | Off. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
| Chicago | 102 | 105.2 | 54.3 | 20.6 | 20.6 | 49.3 |
| Brooklyn | 84 | 84.4 | 38.4 | 14.0 | 10.0 | 27.9 |
Jimmy Butler (CHI) — 26 pts.; Pau Gasol (CHI) — 25 pts., 13 rebs.
Bojan Bogdanovic (BKN) — 13 pts.; Jarrett Jack (BKN) — 12 pts.
Game to Watch (12/1): Heat vs. Wizards, 7 p.m.
Come one, come all, and see Thibodeau direct Derrick Rose to 14 points on 5-for-12 shooting in 26 minutes.
Here now, see the Bulls hold the Nets to 37.2 percent shooting and blow out one of last year’s Playoff teams. Joakim Noah the Garnett-tamer holding the former Big Ticket to seven points on seven field goal attempts.
Low and behold, the finale, Jimmy Butler scoring 26 points on 7-for-12 shooting. A true model of efficiency.
Somehow this Bulls team keeps ticking and keeps working so well together. Thibodeau will not let them stop. And he may run some players into the ground, but he finds a way to keep the team afloat. More than afloat, he finds a way to keep the team a championship contender. And there is no stopping this group.
At least not early on this season. Not while every other team in the East is figuring themselves out. The Bulls know who they are and like some teams out West, know they can step up when needed.
The Bulls’ toughest road trip is over now and they are a solid 11-6, ready to take their place atop the East.
Come one, come all.
