They have no backup point guard for the next three months. I actually like the pickup.

They have no backup point guard for the next three months. I actually like the pickup.

I finally get to watch a Bull's game tonight!

this is going to be a long year. Rose is BY FAR the best player on the court. Deng sucks. Nocioni sucks. Gordon sucks. Thabo not only sucks, but may be the worst player in the league.

How is Aaron Gray anyway? I've liked what he's brought the few times I have seen him, but I can't say I have enough info to form an opinion.

1. Has Derrick Rose exceeded every conceivable expectation?

Yes, yes and yes. Yes. Yes. Absolutely yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Unequivocally, 100 percent, yes. As God as my witness, yes. May I get struck down by lightning if I'm lying, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Allow me these three points:

A. His worst-case scenario ceiling? Micheal Ray Richardson without the coke problem. (And if you don't think that's a big deal, remember that a clean Sugar knocked the Fo-Fo-Fo Sixers out of the '84 playoffs by himself.) As for the best-case scenario ... I can't jinx it so I won't go there. Just know that I wouldn't change a single thing about his game other than giving him a reliable jump shot (which should come soon), which doubles as the craziest thing about Rose right now: He's beating guys off the dribble WHO ARE ALREADY PLAYING OFF HIM BY FIVE FEET!!!!!! Do you realize how absurd that is?

B. I always judge players by one question: Would I like playing with him? And I'd love to play with Rose. ... Too bad I was washed up 10 years ago. But to watch Rose's unselfishness slowly rub off on such a messed-up, immature, overpaid, poorly coached, terribly put-together Bulls team has been one of the most random shockers of this season, right up there with Vince Carter looking like Vintage VC again; Jason Thompson being a great pick; Jason Kidd morphing into a Nash-like defensive liability; Marc Gasol being semi-competent; the poor Hawks fans getting suckered in by one of Flip Murray's infamous November hot streaks; the fact that Alexis Ajinca could ever get drafted in the top 20 of an NBA draft; and Tim Thomas being involved in a trade that was delayed because someone else had a heart problem.

Because of Rose (and to a lesser extent, Vinny Del Negro's ongoing Shooter/"Hoosiers" routine which continues to deliver the goods comedically), the '09 Bulls became one of my go-to DirecTV teams even though I can't stand watching 80 percent of the guys on the team. Remember the days when we were worried that we wouldn't have an adequate starting point guard for the USA Olympic Team? Now we have Paul, Williams AND Rose? Holy schnikes.

C. I can't think of another sports example to match this one: Bulls GM John Paxson completely butchering an unbutcherable (I just made up that word) situation in Chicago, heading toward the chopping block, then getting bailed out at the last minute by 1.5-percent odds in the 2008 lottery. This was nothing less than a GM Death Row pardon. Incredibly, they still have one of the five worst roster situations in the league -- Ben Gordon will leave tread marks fleeing after the season, Andres Nocioni, Luol Deng and Larry Hughes have unwieldy/untradeable contracts, and two high lottery picks (Ty Thomas and Joakim Noah) look like ninth men at best. But none of it matters because of Rose. If I were Paxson, I would hug him every time I saw him. Right now, Derrick Rose is like a $500,000 Maybach parked in the driveway of a $200,000 house in the middle of nowhere. Let's hope we still aren't saying that in three years.

The Sports Guy got it right.

Agreed, except for the reliable jump shot part. He knocks down a much higher percentage of open shots than I thought he would. He can't really catch and shoot, though. Offensively, he reminds me of Tony Parker right now, except he's bigger and a better passer.

Yeah, he's about a middle of the pack jump shooter statistically for guards. That's a decent comparison except Parker is a much much better shooter.

Oh my god that block on Miller by Rose and then the crossover. So sick, just filthy.

Rose crossover. So sick, just filthy.

Andre Miller should retire after that. I would retire. I would have walked straight to the locker room and never be heard from again.

Andre Miller should retire after that. I would retire. I would have walked straight to the locker room and never be heard from again.

He came back at him with 28 and a W for his team.

He's a better man than me.

Sigh...

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune....se-injured.html

Nocioni brings nothing to this team. Inconsistent on offense and completely non-existent on defense. I'm so happy we're paying him $8M/year.

I agree for the most part. People confuse playing hard with being a good defender. He is a well below average NBA player that really doesn't add much besides below average shooting, average defense, average rebounding, and a guarantee to piss off the refs at least 3-4 times a game with his nonstop whining.

yes agree he is an average player who is better suited in a different system. And why the hell is noah starting, seriously when that guy is out there we are at a disadvantage on offense because you don't have to guard him.

He hasn't started the last couple of games, but between him, Ty Thomas, and Aaron Gray it doesn't really matter who starts since they all suck.

Thomas at least has hope to be a decent NBA player, unlike the other two.

Since there's no New Jersey Nets thread, I feel this is the best place for this because we're playing them.

I now see how Devin Harris is able to average 24 ppg and something like 14 free throws per game; he gets every call. He has barely been touched going to the basket, yet has 10 free throw attempts in the first half. Rose got mauled on his last layup and got no such call. I think Harris is a talented player, but if this game is any indication, he has gotten some generous calls.

don't worry soon rose will be getting those calls.
anyone know when their next game is? and what channel will it be on, i've seriously only been able to watch one game all year

don't worry soon rose will be getting those calls.
anyone know when their next game is? and what channel will it be on, i've seriously only been able to watch one game all year

12/16 @ Charlotte, 6pm ct- Comcast Sports Chicago
12/17 vs LA Clippers, 7:30pm ct- WCIU
12/19 @ Boston, 6:30pm ct- Comcast Sports Chicago
12/20 vs Utah, 7:30pm ct- Comcast Sports Chicago/NBA TV

Wow...is there a more useless player in the league than Noah?

aaron gray?

At least he can catch the ball when someone throws it to him and has something resembling offensive skills. Noah gets pushed around, has no offensive skills whatsoever, like, worse than Ben Wallace, can't defend in the post cause he's too skinny, and can't defensive rebound because he's too skinny. He tries hard and can offensive rebound. That's it. Period.f

Most useless players in the league:

1) Noah
2) Stephon Marbury
3) Gray

sad two of the players in your list was actually drafted by the bulls.

lol the list was kind of a joke, i can't comment on the uselessness of every player in the league because I don't watch all the bench players on every roster nightly. I will say that Noah is for sure among the top 5 worst NBA players that is currently in a rotation, and Gray is also well into the bottom half.

joakim noah is the epitome of the third or fourth best player on his college team, bad pro. Only most times those players go in the second round and not in the top 6 of the NBA draft so we are noticing a lot more with this pick.

3-13 on the road. nice.

Nocioni is officially my least favorite player in the NBA. What a POS.

And your appraisal of Noah in college is unfair. He was an excellent college player (and being the 3rd best player on that team was not like being the 3rd best player on other teams. Back to back champions and all). Everyone knew Horford would be better but most people agreed that Noah was a lottery pick. Stuff happens. At least Rose is clearly the goods.