A 105-99 loss to the lowly Philadelphia 76ers sent the message loud and clear to the Chicago Bulls: They need to play defense. Not better defense. Just defense.
It was nonexistent last night, or the night against the New Jersey Nets. It really hasn’t existed since Dec. 18, when Joakim Noah left the lineup because of a thumb injury. In fact, just to push the matter, the concept of true defense was lost when Kirk Hinrich was traded to the Washington Wizards over the summer.
Defensive-minded Tom Thibodeau can preach about it all day long, and the Bulls can harp about how they need to improve in that area, but one way of learning it is to see your own teammate play it on the practice courts.
Keith Bogans and Ronnie Brewer were brought in with the idea that they will pick up the slack on the defensive end. Right now, fans are upset that Bogans is even playing, and Brewer isn't getting enough minutes to make enough noise.
The Bulls made a mistake when they let the 76ers get hot from the get-go. In the first half, both teams traded points, with the Bulls only up by two entering the third quarter. Philadelphia kept fire burning and outs ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Ros Dumlao
Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls: Lesson Learned After Loss to 76ers
January 8th, 2011 by Ros Dumlao Leave a reply »
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