Couple of random links as we head into the home stretch before tonight's game:
- Jason Maxiell gets some love from the Chicago Sun-Times, as well as me over at the FanHouse (and big head nod to Tim for the video).
- Everyone expects the Bulls to play better tonight ... but is that enough? Scott Skiles is having doubts:
"The question, though, is better good enough?" coach Scott Skiles said. "We're playing a great team here. We more than likely will have to be exceptional and not just better than we were."
- I question whether Big Ben really cares about beating his former teammates.
- You'd think a 26-point loss would send the Bulls scrambling to make adjustments, but Chris Duhon and Luol Deng don't think that's needed:
[Says Duhon,] "For the most part, though, we're pretty much going to stick to our game plan."
Luol Deng was a bit more adamant on the point.
"It's a matter of playing our game," he said. "We don't need to make any adjustments."
- Maybe so, but Skiles has some advice:
''At least know what the [expletive] you're doing!'' he yelled to his players.
- Yes, Ben Gordon can score when he's open ... but what he does he do the rest of the time? Whether he's matched up on Chauncey Billups or Rip Hamilton, the Pistons have a Jameer Nelson-esque advantage. Says Scott Skiles:
"We're having a hard time finding somebody he can guard in the starting lineup," Skiles said. "He's got to address that."
Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune recommends going to extremes:
I'd have Gordon guard Webber in a Don Nelsonesque maneuver to bait the Pistons into trying to have the immobile Webber score. Webber is an excellent passer, so the Bulls couldn't afford to help much. Can Webber get 25 or 30 on you anymore? Would it even be worth a try?
- A commenter on Blog-a-Bull wants to see more offense from Ben:
Ben Wallace has to be aggressive offensively, but I don't mean Nocioni aggressive. Detroit is not going to let him wait and find open players. He has to catch it and go to the basket right away to beat Detroit. If he catches wide open within ten feet of the rim, he has to take that little jumper of his. A Wallace miss is better than him holding the ball in this series. Him holding the ball leads to turnovers in the backcourt. If he takes shots in the offensive flow then the Bulls can keep the pace up. It will also create offensive rebounding opportunities.
Ben Gordon on Webber? Ben Wallace shooting jumpers? Chicago-land isn't panicking at all. No sir, not one bit.