Bulls/Heat SBNation Video Breakdown

[Rosh]

I'm not disputing that. He was bar none the MVP of that game and noticeably stepped up his defense. I'm just intrigued by how much he still misses on the defensive end and how much the team (and by extension, Thibs) covers up most of his deficiencies from game-to-game.

I wish there was a breakdown of the whole game because I'd watch the crap out of it and it'd be nice to see each defensive play in context, but it's not 'hate'. That's such an overused word. They went on to plug his great play in the pick-and-pop game and how it more than made up for anything on the defensive end (which was above his norm).

[Doogolas]

Super early? He's 32 games into an 82 game season, that's roughly 40% in. And even if he does fall back down to Earth, playing him based off of how he may perform in the future is ridiculous. You play him like the 40% shooter he is right now. This isn't a 3 game sample, it's 30+.


That's the whole point of Thibodeau's defense. He would rather have a contested shot at the rim rather than a decent at worst three-point shooter taking an open three. The help defense is supposed to rotate over to deal with LeBron driving past Boozer, it isn't a one-on-one defense.



Point it out in the video and let's take a look.

Shooters do that though. Rose was 30+ games in and shooting 40% a couple years ago as well. Hell, LeBron just last year was drilling 3's at 41% through this many games last year.

Shooters very often start the season hot when their legs are fresh. Things slow down considerably after the All Star Break when their legs get tired. You play LeBron the same way you always play him, I'd rather have him shooting 3's off the dribble than driving to the hoop. All day, every day.

I'm too lazy. It was somewhere in that last three minutes though. But honestly, it's not worth watching it again, IMO.

[Iggz53]

It's the same thing with Boozer from when he first got to Chicago til now, his defense just plain sucks, everyone knows it and it's not ever gonna change.

It was nice to see him take advantage of his interior skills against Miami because that's really the only way to beat them. He needs to show up this way offensively in the post-season against them.

[Iggz53]

Kind of. Bosh's was an outside three yes, but there are two issues here:

1) LeBron's shooting 40% this year doesn't mean anything. It's super early in the year, he'll come back down to Earth (like Rose did a couple years back). Not to mention the fact that he's a much higher percentage 3 point shooter when he's assisted than when he takes them off the dribble (as most people are) and like last year he's taking fewer unassisted threes and thus fewer altogether, which is why his percentage is higher. Boozer backing off and letting him dribble into a three isn't a bit deal. He's not that good at them and let's be honest, Boozer can't stay with James, if he steps up James will blow right by him.

Secondly, there as at least one occasion where he mentioned it with Boozer and James DID take a long two, rather than a three.

So either way, I think he was being overly critical of Boozer out of bias.

Yeah, that's the one piece of analysis I thought was dumb. If Boozer steps up, LeBron has a 100% chance of making the shot. If he's switched on someone like LeBron, I have no problem with him baiting him to take a jumper. Best thing that could come of it anyway.

[Rosh]

Shooters do that though. Rose was 30+ games in and shooting 40% a couple years ago as well. Hell, LeBron just last year was drilling 3's at 41% through this many games last year.

Shooters very often start the season hot when their legs are fresh. Things slow down considerably after the All Star Break when their legs get tired. You play LeBron the same way you always play him, I'd rather have him shooting 3's off the dribble than driving to the hoop. All day, every day.

Good thing it's after the All Star Break, right?


You can't predicate your argument based off of how he will do in the future, you base it off of what he's been doing till then. LeBron posted his best 3PT% clip last year and was noticeably better with this three point shot and again is shooting it with good accuracy this season.

The way it was pointed out in the video wasn't a huge blemish on Boozer; rather where Boozer was at was no man's land. Ideally, Boozer steps up a bit, LeBron bites and drives and meets 1 or 2 men who have rotated over from the weakside forcing LeBron to give up the ball.

[Shammyguy3]

Kind of. Bosh's was an outside three yes, but there are two issues here:

1) LeBron's shooting 40% this year doesn't mean anything. It's super early in the year, he'll come back down to Earth (like Rose did a couple years back). Not to mention the fact that he's a much higher percentage 3 point shooter when he's assisted than when he takes them off the dribble (as most people are) and like last year he's taking fewer unassisted threes and thus fewer altogether, which is why his percentage is higher. Boozer backing off and letting him dribble into a three isn't a bit deal. He's not that good at them and let's be honest, Boozer can't stay with James, if he steps up James will blow right by him.

Secondly, there as at least one occasion where he mentioned it with Boozer and James DID take a long two, rather than a three.

So either way, I think he was being overly critical of Boozer out of bias.

Sorry Rosho, I'm more in alignment with Doogs on this one. Lebron driving opens up the Heat's 3-pt shooters. Who would I rather want to shoot an open 3? Lebron as he dribbles into it, or a guy like Allen/Battier/Chalmers with their feet set after the rotation meets Lebron in the paint, leaving extra ground to cover to get back to the arc and contest the shot

[Rosh]

I'm trusting one of the best 3PT defensive teams to make their rotations correctly, so I would not give a 40% shooter that open of a three.

[Shammyguy3]

Shane Battier is shooting 40% from 3-pt land this year too, on more attempts, and is a better spot up shooter over his career than Lebron is at pull-up 3s. Ray Allen needs no explanation.

[kingbrentg]

Yeah, the anti-Boozer bias is pretty apparent like others have said. And I have to agree with Doogs and shammy on those LeBron shots. I'm not feeling the Noah praise for allowing Bosh to take the largely open shots (and the one with Wade), yet the nitpicking on Boozer for basically doing the same, rather then let him blow past him.

Boozer isn't a great defender, and no one is going to mistake him for one, but a lot of the criticism and hate he gets is overblown. Don't see a big deal with the "hand contests" this guy pointed out either, with the amount of distance he was from the play (Deng was already contesting one, and he was behind 2 other guys on the other). Maybe he should've, but eh. I find it hard to believe that he'd be that dense if Thibs has consistently told him to get a hand up on those plays, that he'd still blatantly refuse to do so. Those plays also put him in a better position for a potential rebound where he was out of position to contest them anyway.

And actually the guy even contradicts himself as well. "The more outside shots Wade and LeBron take, the better it is for the Bulls", but at the same time calls out Boozer giving him long shots.

[Ezio]

Exactly Brent. Actually watch his previous Bulls games breakdowns, this guy does not like Boozer at all.

[Rosh]

And actually the guy even contradicts himself as well. "The more outside shots Wade and LeBron take, the better it is for the Bulls", but at the same time calls out Boozer giving him long shots.

I think he's referring to outside 2s, not threes. He makes it pretty clear that that's what Thibs like to force.

Regardless, I think it was a really cool breakdown. Boozer stuff aside, I love watching detailed analyses of plays. There's a lot going on that I don't pick up just as a fan.

[Flogger]

Shane Battier is shooting 40% from 3-pt land this year too, on more attempts, and is a better spot up shooter over his career than Lebron is at pull-up 3s. Ray Allen needs no explanation.

Battier was shook for some reason. He didn't want to shoot the ball at all. He passed up quite a few shots.

[kingbrentg]

Exactly Brent. Actually watch his previous Bulls games breakdowns, this guy does not like Boozer at all.

Agreed.

I think he's referring to outside 2s, not threes. He makes it pretty clear that that's what Thibs like to force.

Regardless, I think it was a really cool breakdown. Boozer stuff aside, I love watching detailed analyses of plays. There's a lot going on that I don't pick up just as a fan.

4:50 was a long two-point shot with driving lanes cut off pretty well. Only one was shown where LeBron took a 3 with Boozer switching onto him. In which there was a wide open lane to Boozer's right side that LeBron would've easily exposed had Boozer drawn up closer. It would've been tough for Jo to cover him there at the rim.

I agree with the idea though, it's interesting to watch and something to talk about, even though there are flaws and issues to point out.

[Doogolas]

I would love to breakdown some game film some time. I adore talking about Thibs' defensive scheme. It's one of my favorite things in all of basketball.