Under Tom Thibodeau, the Chicago Bulls play tough, hard-nosed defense. It’s what they do. Just like under Scott Skiles. As for the Vinny Del Negro years in between, well not so much. Anyway, this Chicago Bulls team, despite their awful 13-18 record, is still pretty exceptional on D. They’re second in the league in points per game allowed. Team defense is not the main issue to work out. You know that it’s the 30th ranked scoring offense.
But we’ll save that discussion for another time. The Chicago Bulls play physical, and with a ton of effort on the defensive end; making up for the talent gap between their players and the NBA elite level scorers. Thibs bunch has the ability to shut down even those who can create their own shot; sometimes.
The Bulls are -1.1 in point per game differential and despite being well under .500 still hold the #7 seed in the Eastern Conference right now. The Chicago Bulls are 0-5 this season when their opponent shoots better than 50% from the floor and 50% from beyond the arc. They are 0-7 when they allow their opponents to score more than 100. Luckily, it doesn’t happen very often. So the Chicago Bulls like to keep the tempo down and the pace slower. Thibodeau’s bunch does not want to get into shoot-outs because they will not win them.
Dallas Mavericks Head Coach Rick Carlisle on the Chicago Bulls defensive effort versus his team last weekend: “These guys are very physical. They get up on our ball handlers and can cause problems.”
Mavs forward Shawn Marion “they’re a tough and clean, physical team. They believe in playing you very very physical.”
What needs to be shored up more is the perimeter defense. It’s what the Bulls defenders are weakest at. Doesn’t mean it’s bad though. Still rather solid, and getting better. Bulls guards are getting better at closing out spacing on opposing shooters.
“The big thing is I don’t want our opponents to have the big advantage with the three point line. Initially, we were giving up a lot,” Coach Thibodeau said.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also an analyst for multiple news talk radio stations across the country; with regular weekly segments on NBC and Fox Sports Radio. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks) and RSS Catch him Tuesdays talking Illini and Northwestern for KOZN 1620 The Zone, Fridays talking Chicago Bulls and Bears for WAOR 95.7 The Fan