Grizzlies spoil Rose's return to Memphis

Rudy Gay scored 29 points and Hakim Warrick added 21, both matching their season highs, as the Memphis Grizzlies won their third straight with a 103-96 victory over the Bulls on Friday night.

[Al B]

Rudy Gay is the exception. The guy can play well & we couldnt stop him, which is fine... but Hakim Warrick? C'mon you have got to be kidding me...

Once again no help from our bigs cost us the game. Its the same ol' story- great shooting and scoring by our back court while Drew Gooden plays 2 positions PF and Center... and sometimes SF when Deng is not in the game.

[ceez]

I blame tyrus thomas for this loss cause he should play like warrick.and i blame aaron gray cause.. he's aaron gray.

[Nada Surf]

I blame Bulls' management for forcing Del Negro to keep playing Gooden, Gordon and Hughes will strong defenders like Sefalosha and Thomas sit...
This is a good loss for the Bulls.
Once they FINALLY realize they can't win with this group, they will play the young guys.

[terry t]

all you have to do is look at who is in the game when leads slip away. you will notice that it's the same guys. i won't name names, but they know who they are. and so do the coach.

[Lamar]

The Bulls need to get it together, they should have blown out the Grizziles. Okay Gordon was hot in the first quarter, he pick up two fouls in the first, when he went out of the game your first option should be Deng, not Hughes, Gooden unless he is posting up. Deng is a weak bum, gettingt manhandled by Gay & Warrick. Get Arron Gray out of the starting lineup, too slow & too soft, Ive never seen a 7 footer lay the ball of the glass that much & pump fake. Vinny brought Gordon back to quick in the second, on his third foul he should of let the guy go. Please someone tell Rose to play better D. Gordon PLAY DECENT d ON mAYO. bUT WHAT Gay did lastnight thats what Deng should be doing, Deng is overatted & overpaid. Now too all the Gordon haters, who think the Bulls can win without Gordon now. We lost too the Grizzlies. Deng cannot carry a team at all. Make a trade soon. Almost forgot about larry, He killed about three momentum plays.

[Rod from Tennessee]

Is anyone surprised? Luol Deng misses in close, makes Rudy Gay look like an all star, and the Bulls scorers can't stay out of foul trouble. Throw in the usual nothing you get from the Bulls reserve big men, and you have another day at the office for the Paxson follies.. But don't fret Bull fans, the team will be back at the U.C. real soon, and all of you can run back over there, sell out the place as usual, and show Reinsdorf your appreciation for the Paxson follies. Sometimes i think the only ones more foolish than the great GM Reinsdorf keeps employed, is the fools who keep feeding their pockets. Hasn't anyone ever heard the only true way to voice your displeasure is through the owners pocketbook, but perhaps Bulls fans enjoy watching losers. Even the freaking Lakers, where a game is truly an event, wouldn't stand for watching the garbage Bulls fans are forced to watch.

[John Paxon]

Rod from Tennessee wrote:

Is anyone surprised? Luol Deng misses in close, makes Rudy Gay look like an all star, and the Bulls scorers can't stay out of foul trouble. Throw in the usual nothing you get from the Bulls reserve big men, and you have another day at the office for the Paxson follies.. But don't fret Bull fans, the team will be back at the U.C. real soon, and all of you can run back over there, sell out the place as usual, and show Reinsdorf your appreciation for the Paxson follies. Sometimes i think the only ones more foolish than the great GM Reinsdorf keeps employed, is the fools who keep feeding their pockets. Hasn't anyone ever heard the only true way to voice your displeasure is through the owners pocketbook, but perhaps Bulls fans enjoy watching losers. Even the freaking Lakers, where a game is truly an event, wouldn't stand for watching the garbage Bulls fans are forced to watch.

Rod keep your thoughts in TN. Those tickets were purchased in the Jordan years not recently so some of the same people have owned those seats for 10 years. You can have Rudy Gay any day over Rose. Call me when the Grizzlies win 6 championships. I did not even know Grizzlies were in TN? There not your team is so bad they keep a name and dont even have any creative thoughts to change the name.

[Timmothy Hardaway]

You guys above are all basically right on. It's about time that: 1)the fans and fat-cats who continue to go out and support this pitiful franchise at the UC are called out ... their support validates the mediocrity and excuse for basketball we see night after night; 2)the home-boy protection the Bulls get from Neil and Stacy night after night ... someone tell them to call the games objectively ... when a Bull player is hurting the team, say it; 3)get some toughness on the front line and get rid of the weak sisters who either can't or are unwilling to rebound, put-back, attack the rim, inflict hard fouls, or intimidate down low .... that means get rid of Deng, Noah, Gray et al.; 4)re-think the strategy of Gooden and his mid-range jump shots ... when he's out there, there is no one, repeat no one who can get an offensive board; 5)show me one trace of swagger, cockiness, boldness, defiance or "in your face" mentality-behavior from anyone on this sorry squad ... it just doesn't exist and is a vital ingredient to success in NBA ... until they get it, they don't have a chance. Their body language is a give away to the soft, good character, stoic, apathetic bunch that Paxson has assembled. There is no chemistry, no chutzpah, no evidence of bravura or joy ... and there hasn't been for years. Time to go get some thugs, characters, personalities, and players with an attitude. No more weak sister, sissy Bulls basketball .... pleeeeeze.

[dils]

Anyone on these boards that cotniue to lay the blame at the feet of Thomas Noah, Gordon, and Sefolosha will have proven that they aren't watching the games. Look you can't blame a guy for not playing well when that guy doesn't play. Everyone who saw that game knows that Thomas should have been on Warrick. Period. The guy barely played. Just like Sefolosha should have guarded that rookie PG in San Antonio that lit the bulls up. This is a coaching and management problem. Not a player problem. It's coacing that decideds to let Gooden shoot 20 foot jumpers instead of making him stay in the paint. It's coaches that let Hughes take shots after one pass and not in the flow of the offense. It's coaching that has decided not to invest in Sefoloha at small forward but let Deng and Noce go out there and play there regular helter skelter games. And it's management that gave the wrong players the wrong contracts and as a result are now hamstrung finacially. By the way, would it be so much to ask for Pax to roll out of bed and see what it would take to get a mid-level player like Milicic? probably not much. But at the rate he's going, I wouldn't even trust him to do that!

[Nada Surf]

terry t wrote:

all you have to do is look at who is in the game when leads slip away. you will notice that it's the same guys. i won't name names, but they know who they are. and so do the coach.

Gooden, Gordon and Hughes are those names.

[Nada Surf]

dils wrote:

Anyone on these boards that cotniue to lay the blame at the feet of Thomas Noah, Gordon, and Sefolosha will have proven that they aren't watching the games. Look you can't blame a guy for not playing well when that guy doesn't play. Everyone who saw that game knows that Thomas should have been on Warrick. Period. The guy barely played. Just like Sefolosha should have guarded that rookie PG in San Antonio that lit the bulls up. This is a coaching and management problem. Not a player problem. It's coacing that decideds to let Gooden shoot 20 foot jumpers instead of making him stay in the paint. It's coaches that let Hughes take shots after one pass and not in the flow of the offense. It's coaching that has decided not to invest in Sefoloha at small forward but let Deng and Noce go out there and play there regular helter skelter games. And it's management that gave the wrong players the wrong contracts and as a result are now hamstrung finacially. By the way, would it be so much to ask for Pax to roll out of bed and see what it would take to get a mid-level player like Milicic? probably not much. But at the rate he's going, I wouldn't even trust him to do that!

Well said, Mr, Dils!

[Boston BullsFan]

Many thought that Noah and/or Thomas would struggle to score points but wasn't the biggest knock on the guys that they were only good defensive players and we needed at least one back to the basket big man?
It looks like Pax is going to be a part of helping Portland be a perennial contender in the West. Letting Aldridge and Roy slip through the cracks.
The Irony is that in the Krause days the team that won 15 games and was much criticized had 3 All-Stars on it but they didn't work well together. Even though they set many records for scoring futility they usually held opponents to low scores as well.
I think we are all hoping Pax makes a real trade before the deadline next year.

[dils]

Nada Surf wrote:

<quoted text>Gooden, Gordon and Hughes are those names.

Almost in agreement. I wouldn't include Gordon in that list of names. But I would say that when Hughes and Noce are on the floor together, the offens gets stalled. Unfortunately Gordon has to play point while Rose is resting so Gordon is getting a lot of blame he probably doesn't deserve at that point in the game. The real problem here is Deng. Gordon is going to get blamed because he scored 18 in the first and didn't play the second because of foul trouble but when Gordon or Rose sits, that's when Mr. 71mil has to step it up.

[mack the knife]

Well said Mr. Dils. I have never understood why Tabo is kept on the bench. Thabo always gives his all and his scoring isn't that bad.

[Big Time]

Here is a note to the Bulls' Bigs. Collectively you have enough fouls to make your presence felt. Knock someone down and "throw it down" big fellas. And Coach, if Grey does anything other than keep the ball high on a rebound and putback, take his a** out! For the swingmen, if you hit 2 consecutive mid-range shots, please take it to the rack. Stop falling in love with the Jay. Guards, if #1 is on the court with you, leave running the offense and handling the ball up to him. Noce, if you're having a problem at home, leave it there. Your b****in' on the court is getting old and kills the flow. And Coaches, now that you've juggled with the line-up for a 4th of the Season, it's time to clarify everyone's role and establish a smart rotation. Front office, please get us some front court athletes and guys who recognize how priviledged they are to get paid handsomely to play a kids game on one of the best stages in the world, Chicago.

[Mr Arkansas]

Al B wrote:

Rudy Gay is the exception. The guy can play well & we couldnt stop him, which is fine... but Hakim Warrick? C'mon you have got to be kidding me...
Once again no help from our bigs cost us the game. Its the same ol' story- great shooting and scoring by our back court while Drew Gooden plays 2 positions PF and Center... and sometimes SF when Deng is not in the game.

Excuse me......Hakim Warrick is a player my good man. Syracuse wouldn't have won the NCAA mens championship a few years ago without him.....and Carmello Anthony! The man can play and when he's doing well off the bench, our benchplay is good!

[Mr Arkansas]

John Paxon wrote:

<quoted text>
Rod keep your thoughts in TN. Those tickets were purchased in the Jordan years not recently so some of the same people have owned those seats for 10 years. You can have Rudy Gay any day over Rose. Call me when the Grizzlies win 6 championships. I did not even know Grizzlies were in TN? There not your team is so bad they keep a name and dont even have any creative thoughts to change the name.

Yes John,the Grizzlies are in Tennessee......The Memphis Grizzlies baby! We fans here in Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee know it!

[Stratmaster]

As a transplant from Chicago to Memphis, I of course was in attendance to watch the Bulls (once again) lose in Memphis. They looked bored to be playing.

Vinny has a long way to go. At one point Gray was so gassed he on multiple trips couldn't run back from the defensive side to the offensive side in time to get into the set. Yet Vinny left him in for several minutes after that.

Deng looks absolutely horrible. Got caught on a couple of occasions dribbling into double teams he should have seen coming. Missing easy looks.

gordon was Gordon. I am not a fan but he did what is expected... a hot stretch of shooting followed by silly fouls and bench time. At least he only gave up two turnovers in 28 minutes.

Seeig them live for the first time this season reinforced that we have a team full of role players, withan exceptional rookie still learning the NBA.

[Flynn Robinson]

Stratmaster wrote:

As a transplant from Chicago to Memphis, I of course was in attendance to watch the Bulls (once again) lose in Memphis. They looked bored to be playing.
Vinny has a long way to go. At one point Gray was so gassed he on multiple trips couldn't run back from the defensive side to the offensive side in time to get into the set. Yet Vinny left him in for several minutes after that.
Deng looks absolutely horrible. Got caught on a couple of occasions dribbling into double teams he should have seen coming. Missing easy looks.
gordon was Gordon. I am not a fan but he did what is expected... a hot stretch of shooting followed by silly fouls and bench time. At least he only gave up two turnovers in 28 minutes.
Seeig them live for the first time this season reinforced that we have a team full of role players, withan exceptional rookie still learning the NBA.

Mr. Stratman, you play a Stratocaster? If so, you play a mellow tune cause your comments are dead on and have been noted here on these boards for months about this Bulls team. We're going on nearly a half of the season and the coaching staff is still trying to find a rotation that has chemistry and plays a cohesive game. They're still trying to inflict punishment or pat them on the back by adding or taking away minutes or doling out DNPs, coach decision. This has gotten so darn old .... it's been going on for five if not more straight years and we still have this same incompetent front office making the same bad drafting decisions, bad trades, and horrible long term contract signings. We're paying inconsistent, soft, show up-don't show up players like Deng $100 million and signing Capt. Kirk up for 20 years. And then this entertainment starved metropolis keeps pouring millions every year into paying for seats, parking and concessions to watch these jokers. We've gone through the obligatory mid-season coach firings; we've gone through several broadcast teams ... all to pony up the front of "change" and all we're left with is a crew that makes you want to puke after watching them look bored and indifferent on most nights. I say recruit a few thugs off the streets of Chi-Town, put them in Bulls uniforms and let them play street style. It would be a lot more entertaining.

[Stratmaster]

Flynn Robinson wrote:

<quoted text> Mr. Stratman, you play a Stratocaster? If so, you play a mellow tune cause your comments are dead on and have been noted here on these boards for months about this Bulls team. We're going on nearly a half of the season and the coaching staff is still trying to find a rotation that has chemistry and plays a cohesive game. They're still trying to inflict punishment or pat them on the back by adding or taking away minutes or doling out DNPs, coach decision. This has gotten so darn old .... it's been going on for five if not more straight years and we still have this same incompetent front office making the same bad drafting decisions, bad trades, and horrible long term contract signings. We're paying inconsistent, soft, show up-don't show up players like Deng $100 million and signing Capt. Kirk up for 20 years. And then this entertainment starved metropolis keeps pouring millions every year into paying for seats, parking and concessions to watch these jokers. We've gone through the obligatory mid-season coach firings; we've gone through several broadcast teams ... all to pony up the front of "change" and all we're left with is a crew that makes you want to puke after watching them look bored and indifferent on most nights. I say recruit a few thugs off the streets of Chi-Town, put them in Bulls uniforms and let them play street style. It would be a lot more entertaining.

Haha! Well, I am not sure about the street thugs thing, but yeah, I have seen street games that seemed more exciting than last night. I honestly felt like I was watching pre-season exhibition basketball; it was very strange.

Yep, I play a stratocaster, although the Les Paul Custom Black Beauty is my favorite guitar... "LesPaulMaster" just sounded a bit strange.