Hey Bulls, Do You Want To Play The If Necessary Games? Bench Hinrich!
By Ronald Agers
Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
First things first. I want to tell everyone to check out the new graphics out on Pippen Ain’t Easy. They are outstanding and very easy to the eye. As a guy that also works in television sometimes I can tell you the word upgrade is not a word that you want to hear. In this case, upgrade is welcome and very appreciated. Thank you FanSided! Now that I have won some brownie points, let’s get to work. Along with the new look of the Pippen Ain’t Easy website, it easier to take a look and find all of the playoff previews with all of the matchups before Game one. It also has the breakdown on all the Bulls offensive flaws that was pointed out IN DETAIL after the Bulls lost their season finale to the Charlotte Bobcats that cost them the third seed in the Eastern Conference standings. If you read them you will notice that every thing that was pointed out has pretty much happened in the first two games of the series. With the 101-99 loss to the Washington Wizards, the Bulls have now lost five straight home playoff games and six straight playoff games overall. On one hand, I am sorry that the Bulls are in this mess because it didn’t have to be this way. But on the other hand, it is satisfying to be right. The Chicago Bulls are down 0-2 in this first round matchup for one reason and one reason only…in the last five minutes of regulation and overtime in Game two, the Bulls can’t throw the ball on the ocean standing next to Davy’s locker. This team has gone from being the favorites to win this series to candidates to being swept. One thing I can say is that we here at Pippen Ain’t Easy saw this coming. If you don’t believe me read all of the matchups while checking out the cool graphics.
If you are new to Pippen Ain’t Easy, you are not aware of the brutal honesty that this website uses to analyze the Bulls. For the last week or so, I have been very vocal on how the Bulls have a very flawed offensive system. Furthermore, I’ve also have mentioned that the Bulls depend on their defense to bail themselves out of games. Finally, there is a rogue fan club that has called out Tom Thibodeau on how he handles the minutes of Carlos Boozer. All of these things have been ignored and now the Bulls are on a three game losing streak going back to the season finale vs. the Charlotte Bobcats. The Bulls have lost every single game the exact same way and at the same time in the games. That would be the lack of execution in the half court offense. The Bulls have no one (who Thibodeau will play in the fourth quarter) that can do these things in crunch time…
1) Score the ball
2) Draw a foul and get to the line
3) Draw a double team to provide spacing for the Bulls shooters (to use this term loosely)
I got a lot of criticism from some about my articles. Now the Chicago Bulls are looking at a season finale on Sunday in Game four. Since the Bulls have made absolutely no adjustments in the first two games of these playoffs, there’s some hope. Now that the Bulls are desperate and I’m on record being right thanks to this Pippen Ain’t Easy website. Maybe everyone will pay close attention to what I have to say. If anyone wants to forward this to the Bulls coaching staff, feel free. Here’s what the Bulls need to do to have a chance in Game three…
For the grace of all that is good in this world, please put Kirk Hinrich on the bench!!!!!!
This is a question for all of the Pippen Peoples, Bulls fans, The Legion of Booz, the Leroy-alists, and my esteemed colleague Ashley Wijangco. What NBA franchise puts a slow guy that can’t stay in front of quick guards (Like that John Wall guy…he seems to apply in this situation) can’t run the Bulls offense to the point that your center initiates the offense and can’t shoot? I’ll wait. Kirk Hinrich has quietly put the Chicago Bulls in position to watch Inside the NBA and see their “Gone Fishing” graphic on Monday night. In game one he shot a team high 16 times not getting the front line involved in the second half. The Washington Wizards have found a defensive plan that has worked quite well. Let’s get Hinrich to drive to the hole and make him finish at the rim. In the last five minutes of both games he has gotten his shot blocked, he’s missed lay ups along with the normal bricks he throws up from the outside. The defining moment of Hinrich’s play for the first two games in Chicago was summed up in the final moments in overtime in Game two. Hinrich drives to the basket, closes his eyes and misses the layup. (For the record, Nene didn’t foul him.) He then goes to the free throw line and well let’s do it this way…we here at Pippen Ain’t Easy is all about the Pippen Peoples and teaching. Answer this multiple choice question.
When Kirk went to the free throw line in a very important game and missed both free throws what did he do?
A) Helped his team
B) Evened the series
C) Choked
If you answered “C” gold star for you. But it’s bigger than that. Kirk Hinrich at this stage in the playoffs is killing the Bulls offense. The man needs to come off the bench. The Washington Wizards will offer him a tour of the White House AND the Washington Monument just so he will shoot the ball. He had two ridiculous turnovers trying to pass the ball to Carlos Boozer in the first quarter of Game two that went the other way for layups. He allowed John Wall to get in rhythm after he was subpar Game one. To top all of this off, he is the reason why the defense is breaking down. Wall’s penetration is setting up players for open shots, like that dude Bradley Beal. Did anyone notice that he shot pretty good. He finished with 26 points. John Wall had 16 points, five rebounds, sevens assists and three steals. Now does anyone want to talk about that defense again? I want everyone to take another look at the picture again. Kinda symbolic ain’t it.
It’s not over Pippen Peoples. Pippen Ain’t Easy will have total coverage of the happenings in Chicago. Kirk Hinrich was first, but definitely not the last to have the light shined on him for the issues the Bulls are having. Keep it locked on the best source for Bulls news, previews and reviews. Don’t forget! Leave the comments. This is your chance to be heard!