Chicago Bulls need to stop talking and start playing

The Chicago Bulls keep playing well against good teams and playing down to weaker teams. They say the right things, but the time for talk is over and action to remedy that situation is at hand.

The Chicago Bulls faced the Los Angeles Clippers without their top player, Blake Griffith, who was out with a broken hand. It should have been a game they played well and won.

Things did not go as planned, however. After playing them tough for about half the game, the Clippers took over and ran away with a 27-point victory. It was an embarrassing loss for Chicago.

It has been a long-running narrative for the Chicago Bulls this season. They have nice wins against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, but also have losses to the Charlotte Hornets (TWICE), the Phoenix Suns (who just fired their coach) and Monday night to the Utah Jazz.

Head coach Fred Hoiberg echoed that sentiment after the loss on Sunday. “I’ve been saying this all year: I hate to sound like a broken record,’’ he said. “We’re a really good team when things are going well. We go out there and play with a swagger and a confidence, but we lose that. We lose that when things aren’t going well.’’

Jimmy Butler talked earlier in the season about the team being too soft, and put much of the blame on Hoiberg’s coaching. There was said to be a battle between Butler and Derrick Rose on who is the current leader of the team.

Well, Butler won that battle, but now the way they struggle is now on HIM as well. He talks a good game, but so far his leadership skills have not been on display. He wants to be a leader? He needs to make sure HE helps make his teammates play better and harder on a more consistent basis.

Pau Gasol and Rose also spoke about the Chicago Bulls’ lack of discipline and fire at times. “We’re not discipline,’’ Gasol said. “It’s true. It’s a fact. We’ll have to prove if we can or not. We’re disciplined at times. But the lack of consistency is very noticeable. It’s nothing new. There’s no discovery here.’’

Said Rose, “It’s been the story of the year, but like I said if I could put a finger on it, I swear I would. I watch a lot of basketball, and the only thing I can think of is just that effort, and sticking with the game-plan.’’

The time for talk is over. We are heading into the All Star break soon, and some of these struggles need to be taken care of. The race in the Eastern Conference is super close (thirteen of the fifteen teams have a legitimate chance for a playoff berth), so a loss here or there can mean a top-three seed or a bottom-three seed.

It appears that the Chicago Bulls as composed now will probably be the same after the trade deadline, except for the return of Mike Dunleavy. These same guys need to get it together and stop playing down to their opponents.

The Chicago Bulls also need to grow a backbone. When things get difficult, they wilt. Things are going to get tough at times during a long NBA season, and the team needs to play through those tough times. If they cannot take some pressure, they might as well pack their bags and go home.

Most view the Cavaliers as favorites to win the East and they should be favorites. They are not a powerhouse, though. They have their own problems, and they can be beaten.

I hope that whatever problems Butler and Rose had are taken care of. These two players are dynamic and together they can carry the Chicago Bulls.

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The question of who is the leader is pretty much answered, so Butler needs to take that mantel. It is not enough for him to say they aren’t on the same page — he has to MAKE SURE they get on the same page.

Hoiberg has been using a variety of lineups, trying to find the right combination of players. That is to be expected when you are a new coach and running a new offense.

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Let’s see if the Chicago Bulls’ players keep quiet and just start to get things done. The East is up for grabs, and talk is cheap.

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