Down The Stretch Vinny Forgot About Tyrus Thomas! Options

[Bullerwinkle]

I think the game would have been won in regulation had Vinny had Tyrus Thomas on the floor. The Celtics didn't have to worry about shot blocking and the middle opened up.

Oh well...you live and learn.

I hope Vinny has them mentally ready tomorrow. Not like the first game at the UC when they had 15 turnovers at halftime. This is a young team and he has to help them control their emotions.

If you ask me who's MVP so far...it's a toss up between Noah and Gordon.

[Balta1701-B]

Vinny does not like to play Tyrus down the stretch. The last 2 games he's gone with the 4 guard lineup at the end, with Noah and Miller alternating, which hasn't hurt us badly because the Celts are so depleted in their big guys.

Personally, I'd like to see him out there, but he still makes me nervous. I'm not sure yet I'm comfortable enough with his shot selection and decision making out there. Losing a game because Tyrus decides to take a couple bad shots is a real possibility. But then again, he was money in game 1 in the OT, and he's been putting up decent scoring #'s in the first half when VDN actually plays him.

I still don't like the small lineup as much as we use it, I still want him out there...but blah, I think after so many years of being pissed off at coaches for benching him and Noah I just don't have the energy for it any more.

One thing though...having TT switch on to Pierce after he was hitting jumper after jumper from the same spot over Salmons could have won that game.

[DutheDoduhon21]

had tyrus been in for miller on the last play, when he rolled to the basket he would have threw it down, got an and 1 , and the game would have been over.

[Chicago Bulls Fr...]

I feel more comfortable with Tyrus on the floor than I am Brad Miller. Miller has been a turnover machine in the series and he isn't strong with the ball. The little guys poke it away from him everytime and he's not passing well either. He's a better rebounder but Tyrus always has the edge in athleticism to out jump someone for an important rebound at any time in the game. I would have him out there in the end unless he's playing really bad.

[Balta1701-B]

Blog-a-bull is guessing that the Bulls have decided they're done with TT.

Game One (overtime): 28 minutes
Game Two: 20 minutes, sat nearly entire final 9
Game Three: 27 minutes, with last 7 being garbage time.
Game Four (2 overtimes): 39 minutes, sat final 4:30 outside of a couple defensive posessions, and sat both overtimes.
Game Five (overtime): 27 minutes, played last 24 seconds of overtime but sat the preceding 18 minutes.

...
So much for the development of Tyrus Thomas. Or at least the trust in that development. He's had some fantastic stretches of play this season, but if he can't get the trust of the coaching staff for these games, especially down the stretch, than how much has he really improved?

...
Remember, this whole debate over Tyrus playing in the playoffs was being said in the series against Detroit in his rookie season. And while he's doubled his playoff minutes since then, it doesn't feel like things have changed much.

But I don't feel the way I thought I would about it, which was ready to give up. Because he still shows that he can play, and it's just a coaching decision not to.

Then again, he's not exactly dominating Glenn Davis either.

And if he can't do that, or is held back in the opportunity to do so, this summer looks like the time to deal him. This team needs an upgrade, the 4 is the position for it, and the Bulls don't look like they're waiting for Thomas to make it himself.

I'd totally do some version of Hinrich/Deng + Thomas for Bosh.

[Balta1701-B]

OK, I'm convinced. No Bulls coach is ever going to play Tyrus Thomas. They instantly become obsessed with the small lineup, no matter what the other team does.

We simply can not trust our coaches to ever play him. The only way we're going to stop seeing 18 minutes straight of 4 guard lineups is to trade Thomas. Thomas plus something for Bosh. Please for God's sake, give me a PF that the coach will play!!!

[Sanitarium]

OK, I'm convinced. No Bulls coach is ever going to play Tyrus Thomas. They instantly become obsessed with the small lineup, no matter what the other team does.

We simply can not trust our coaches to ever play him. The only way we're going to stop seeing 18 minutes straight of 4 guard lineups is to trade Thomas. Thomas plus something for Bosh. Please for God's sake, give me a PF that the coach will play!!!

you have one... Noah



god that was painful to type

[Balta1701-B]

you have one... Noah



god that was painful to type

I could have lived easily with Noah and Miller in there together, esp. when Perkins and Davis were shredding us on the switches. Just something. Don't go down with the small lineup for 18 minutes! Argh!

[Chicago Bulls Fr...]

Tyrus just couldn't play effectively in this series because he wasn't physical. Perkins and Big Baby out muscled him to the point where he could only shoot jumpers and though he made some, he's still got to work on that this summer and be able to shoot a better % from the floor. VDN overplayed Miller tonight, I thought Tyrus atleast effected the game defensively tonight in the minutes he did play by blocking shots but he was a goat offensively.

[Balta1701-B]

Tyrus just couldn't play effectively in this series because he wasn't physical. Perkins and Big Baby out muscled him to the point where he could only shoot jumpers and though he made some, he's still got to work on that this summer and be able to shoot a better % from the floor. VDN overplayed Miller tonight, I thought Tyrus atleast effected the game defensively tonight in the minutes he did play by blocking shots but he was a goat offensively.

As far as I could tell...Miller and Noah were pretty much offensive Goats tonight too. As was Hinrich for most of the game, as was Salmons for a good long stretch. We were sacrificing defense but we weren't getting offense. And we really, really, really, really needed size on defense.

[Balta1701-B]

You know, I may as well put this link here too as a recommended reading.