Chicago Bulls: Editor’s Knicks Will Beat The Chicago Bulls
By Ronald Agers
You know something Pippen Peoples, I was worried for a second. I thought I had stepped in it. Wrote a check without sufficient funds. Now I think I’m good. The Chicago Bulls are in the Big Apple to face my New York Knicks in the new Madison Square Garden. It’s going to be an all nighter tonight. I think tonight will be fun for everyone. Ernie Padaon has already got the ball rolling writing a piece wrongly saying the Chicago Bulls will beat the New York Knicks.
Sorry Ernie, not happening.
But let’s get started on the great storylines about this games besides the entire Pippen Nation lined up ready to talk trash (comments are welcome, this is the format of the website. Keep it classy though.) if the Chicago Bulls win tonight. Either way Pippen Ain’t Easy will be here throughout the night for complete coverage from beginning to the end.
Mar 18, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan (left) and New York Knicks new president of basketball operations Phil Jackson speak at a press conference at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports
1) What has Phil Jackson come up with after rebuilding over the summer.
The one question that was surrounding the New York Knicks when Phil Jackson took over was how much control did he have in personnel decisions? It seems like complete control. James Dolan, the New York Knicks owner is notorious for meddling and it has shown with bad teams, salary cap restrictions and dysfunctional teams.
Now that Mike Woodson and his goatee products have hit the road, Phil Jackson brought in Derek Fisher to run the show as head coach. With the majority of coaching and personnel moves that the Zen Master has made, it’s obvious that the band is being put back together to run the triangle offense.
The Knicks set things in motion by trading away Raymond “FatMan” Felton to the Dallas Mavericks and replaced him with Jose Calderon. This is already a major upgrade. Calderon will run the offense without turning the ball over like Felton would have. Unfortunately, to cross the bridge, you have to pay the toll. The Knicks included Tyson Chandler in that trade and got back Samuel Dalembert. That hurts, but it’s an obvious salary cap move. Now that we all know that Jimmy Butler is out tonight with the thumb injury, things should run a lot more smoothly with Kirk Hinrich in the starting lineup for the Chicago Bulls.
Reminder…there will be a Hall of Hin”Bricks” meeting later on tonight.
Oct 14, 2014; Syracuse, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots the ball over Philadelphia 76ers forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (12) during the third quarter of a pre-season game at the Carrier Dome. The Knicks won 84-77. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
2) Carmelo Anthony might crack open a 40 on the Chicago Bulls tonight.
Let me tell you something Pippen Peoples. If Mike Dunleavy is guarding Anthony tonight, he has two fouls…like right now. Why don’t you ask the Charlotte Hornets what Melo can do in the Garden with inferior defenders guarding him. The have 62 things that they can tell you. With Butler out, the Bulls have no one that can stop Carmelo and he has enough motivation with the game being nationally televised and the spotlight being on him. It’s a perfect storm.
Oct 23, 2013; Wichita, KS, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) drives against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Derek Fisher (6) during the first half at Intrust Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
3) Welcome back D-Rose! We all missed you!
Forget those ten games last year. Rose came back too early and it showed. Now it’s official in my mind. Derrick Rose makes his return to the NBA tonight. Stay healthy D-Rose, the games are much more fun with you on the floor. Have fun and give the NBA fans a show that we’ve all missed for two years.
Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
4) Come back Pau Gasol! We miss you!
I was watching Inside The NBA last night and Shaquille O’Neal mentioned a great point. The Chicago Bulls lack a consistent second scorer. Well everyone assumed that it was supposed to be Pau Gasol. Umm, not in the preseason. Gasol has struggled on offense and we still don’t know if he can play with Joakim Noah as of yet. With the questions of Gasol even finishing games floating around, this situation will be interesting to watch.
Oct 19, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Doug McDermott (3) drives around a screen set by forward Taj Gibson (22) against Charlotte Hornets guard P.J. Hairston during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
5) Hey Tom Thibodeau! Can the rookies come out and play?
Now that Jimmy Butler is out of the lineup, it will be interesting to see if Doug McDermott gets some burn on the court tonight. We will see tonight if the “Thibby” plan has changed with the times. The message is clear, McDermott needs to be a major part of the second unit which is further weakened without Butler in the lineup.
Apr 29, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21), center Joakim Noah (13), guard D.J. Augustin (14) and forward Mike Dunleavy (34) huddle against the Washington Wizards in game five in the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
6) Will the Chicago Bulls roll out that grade school offensive sets from last year?
Trust me Pippen Peoples, if the Bulls have the same sets as shown in the preseason (or lack thereof) the Bulls are in trouble. The New York Knicks can let Rose go for 40 points tonight. Why? because the rest of the team probably won’t match him. The Knicks have a system that they use offensively and a dynamic scorer in Carmelo Anthony to bail them out. If J.R. Smith come to the game with a clue, the Bulls are in for it.
Ernie Padaon actually predicted the Chicago Bulls would score 95 points. PFFT! Not with that offensive structure. The defense has taken a step back, and Carmelo’s ego will have him showing off.
New York Knicks 106– Chicago Bulls 88.