The Chicago Bulls tipped off the season with a new coach this year. The hire of Vinny Del Negro was a surprise for all, as he has no coaching experience whatsoever. The Bulls General Manager, John Paxson’s hire brings a mellower mood to the young Chicago team compared to last year’s fiery coach Scott Skiles, who was fired just before Christmas. The Bulls team is guard heavy, which makes the offense designed for transition points. “We want to push [the ball] and use the athletes we have,” said Del Negro in an interview with Sports Illustrated. The acquisition of Derek Rose, a point guard out of Memphis, and the first overall pick in the draft has brought excitement throughout the city of Chicago.
Rose is currently leading all rookies in points and is drawing comparisons to Chris Paul, arguably the best point guard in the league. Rose has shown great control of the game and shows a great knowledge in knowing when to push the ball up court or slow the tempo down. Rose is currently the front runner in the short season for the Rookie of the Year award and is drawing rave reviews from many sports writers. Many fans are also thrilled in the way he is maturing for a rookie. Many times players get overwhelmed during their first year but Rose is fitting right in. Chicago’s front court, however, does not have a “go to” big man and lacks size in the paint. The acquisition of Drew Gooden midway through last season provides some scoring down low, but Joakim Noah and Aaron Gray cannot compare to other big men in the league. The Bulls lost one of their experienced guards, Kirk Hinrich, to a thumb injury, and he is expected to miss around three months. He will be greatly missed as a defender and for his leadership on the court, but fortunately the Bull have others ready to fill his shoes.
The season looks to be an entertaining one as the Bulls attempt to reach the playoffs, something they failed to do last year after three consecutive post season appearances. Through November 20th, the Bulls record is (insert record) and they are (what place) in the central division. The Bulls have high expectations this season, and anything short of the playoffs would be a disappointment.
By Patrick Backes, staff writer
