With roughly a third of the regular season in the books, I thought it would be an interesting time to take a look around the league and see who is over performing based on previous expectations.
Luol Deng
Rumor: Bulls Looking To Trade Luol Deng
According to reports out of Chicago, the Bulls are dangling Luol Deng in front of teams prior to the draft to gauge his trade value.
HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: It's hard to imagine the Bulls without Deng, but when you consider he is slated to make $13.3 million dollars next season, it's definitely a possibility.
Video: Luol Deng, not Derrick Rose, scores winner against Hawks
HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The world thought Derrick Rose was getting the ball. After all, it was late in the fourth quarter and the game was close.
Well, they were wrong.
Instead the Chicago Bulls turned to Luol Deng on a smart back-door play against those pesky Atlanta Hawks.
Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
The Bulls have 99 problems and the Heat is just one.
Derrick Rose’s Chicago Bulls have been eliminated from the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals at the hands of the Wade/LeBron-Bosh Miami Heat, 4-1. Chi-Town is fighting through some pain right now, but there shouldn’t be any. At the beginning of the season, there were not many people on the Bulls’ bandwagon. The hype grew as the wins piled up. The bandwagon grew yet many were not convinced. Rose won MVP and that’s when all hell broke loose. Tom Thibodeau received Coach of the Year. Beating Indiana and Atlanta were good. However, facing Miami caused the bandwagon to break. People keep saying that getting an upgrade at the shooting guard position over Keith Bogans is all that is needed to get the Bulls over the top to win it all.
2010 – 2011 Fantasy Ballers Small Forward (6-10)
The top 5 small forwards are top heavy. The bottom 5 holds their own. There is usually a huge drop off in talent from 6-10. That is not the case thus far. Even Linas Kleiza earned some recognition right here. Andrei Kirilenko’s mug shot on the big official site is scary. You want basket? He get basket. If they die, they die. The picture is intimidating.
How are the Bulls Winning? Five Reasons Why
With more than half of the season complete the Chicago Bulls are not only in first place of the Central Division, but have the largest division lead (13 games) of any NBA team. With free agent stud acquisition Carlos Boozer missing 15 games and resident stud Joakim Noah missing 21 and counting, how in the world are they winning?
The 2010 Top 10 “Stay Away from these Guys” NBA Fantasy Players (10-6)
When the dust settles after a fantasy draft, we kick ourselves in the teeth with our picks. Why did I draft this guy in the first place? Why did I reach? We ask ourselves that all the time. The guys on this list are inconsistent or gets injured a lot. Or both.
Video: Luol Deng and South Sudan a reality-check for NBA players and owners
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Right now, NBA owners and players can't find a way to split $4 billion in annual revenues.
If this seems petty, it's because it is. Especially when compared to the plight of those participating in a basketball camp in South Sudan, the world's newest nation.
Fortunately, Luol Deng, a Sudanese immigrant and small forward for the Chicago Bulls, appears to have his head on straight. Perhaps, others associated with the NBA can return to reality –and soon.
Click the video provided by Yahoo, watch Deng in action as camp counsellor in South Sudan, and get at us with thoughts in the comment box below.
--Oly Sandor.
Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
Video: Luol Deng's game two Hail Mary
HoopsVibe`s Very Quick Call: In game one, Taj Gibson`s dunks sparked the Chicago Bulls.
In game two, Luol Deng`s three-quarter court buzzer beater was equally impressive, but didn`t have the same impact for the Bulls, who lost to the Heat.
Anyway, watch Deng`s Hail Mary shot and get at us with thoughts in the comment box below.
--Oly Sandor.
Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
Should Chicago roll the dice on Rudy?
From what I've heard it's in Portland's hands now for what they want. I've heard the Bulls have a pretty good shot, but nothing matters until it's done. Let's not overstate Fernandez, who always has sounded better than he has performed. But he'd be an excellent addition, and as I wrote Monday the No. 1 guy I'd still pursue.
Link
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: They're already contenders, so why risk it?
The Chicago Bulls have had a terrific summer, signing Ronnie Brewer, Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Kurt Thomas, and CJ Watson. The six-time world champions already had Luol Deng, Taj Gibson, Joakim Noah, and Derrick Rose.
These new additions plus the old nucleus should position the club to compete in the Eastern Conference. Adding the wrong piece - like a talented but temperamental perimeter player - could be disastrous, though.
Why roll the dice on Rudy Fernandez, who performed and pouted through two up-and-down seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers?
Fernandez, a star in Europe, couldn't handle sitting behind All-Star Brandon Roy. It didn't matter that he was a key reserve on a promising squad. And it didn't matter that he was in a terrific market, either.
There wasn't enough shine in Portland, which led to Fernandez recently taking his trade requests public, something European publications had hinted at for months.
Chicago must tread carefully with Fernandez. The Spanish swing's athleticism and shooting could fit; however, he may struggle as a blending piece behind Boozer and Rose.
Unfortunately, they may not have a choice. The Eastern Conference is in arms-race mode, with the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Orlando Magic outdoing each other with signings and trades.
To keep pace in the Eastern Conference, to have any chance of advancing to the NBA Finals, Chicago will have to take the risk and acquire Fernandez.
He better make it worth their while.
--Oly Sandor.
Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
LeBron James: It Wasn't a Charge
LeBron still didn't agree with the charge call after the game.
"I saw him backpedaling," James said. "Me as a driver, I'm watching the defender's feet. I'm seeing if he's stationed or is still moving. To me, I felt like he was still backpedaling, and as soon as I saw him backpedaling, that's when I decided to take off. They called a charge. I haven't seen the replay, but I know exactly what I've seen on the court with the defender right in front of me."
Joakim Noah said he was concerned Deng would get whistled after seeing James' shot go in.
"I think one of the refs was about to call a block and then he looked at the other ref because he wasn't sure, and the other ref—thank God—called a charge," Noah said.
LeBron James May Sit out Rest of Regular Season
LeBron James' regular season could be over.
James was one of four starters missing for Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers. With home-court advantage already clinched throughout the playoffs, coach Mike Brown didn't rule out his healthy superstar also sitting against Orlando on Sunday and Atlanta on Wednesday.
"There's a chance," Brown said. "I talked about that with my staff and I talked about it a little bit with him, too. We'll take that one game at a time and see how it goes."
James, who missed Thursday's game at Chicago, was joined on the bench Friday by starters Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison and Shaquille O'Neal and reserve Daniel Gibson.
Jamison was injured Thursday when Chicago's Luol Deng stepped on his right foot during a drive to the basket. Jamison grimaced in pain when it happened, but by Friday was walking without a limp and taking part in pregame shootaround.