The plan called for Eddie Robinson to be filling lanes on the fast break, for Ron Mercer to be hitting jumpers at his customary percentage and for a new-look offense to utilize allegedly improved athletic ability.
The plan certainly called for more victories.
But after 13 games, the Bulls find themselves with the same 1-12 record they had the last two seasons and similarly anemic offensive numbers. They are averaging a league-worst 81.2 points compared to last season’s average of 81.5 at the same point.
Now comes along a Pat Riley-coached Miami team that is also struggling offensively but is still known for playing physical, effective defense.
On the heels of a franchise-record-tying six-point third quarter against New Jersey on Tuesday night, is this a bad time to mention that the Bulls once scored their franchise-low 49 points against Miami?
In lieu of points, the Bulls are abundant in understatement.
“We need a couple of wins to start reidentifying some belief systems,” coach Tim Floyd said.
Floyd consistently preaches the need for “easy” baskets–those scored in transition, from the free-throw line or off offensive rebounds.
But the fast break is stagnant without Robinson, and Floyd said it’s likely Robinson’s second stay on the injured list with a sore left big toe will extend beyond the minimum five games.
Robinson’s presence helped. The Bulls averaged 93.3 points in his three games.
“We were more fluid,” center Brad Miller said.
Without him the Bulls don’t get to the free-throw line much, and when they do, they’ve been awful. Their 66.4 percentage is third worst in the league.
Some answers need to come from the half-court game. Smashing clipboards would be nice, but they need to be used to draw up answers on how to solve the offensive woes.
After a breakout game in Milwaukee, Mercer shot 7-for-28 in his last two games and is at 40.8 percent for the season as the focal point of opponents’ defensive efforts. Floyd said better screens are one way the team has tried to jump-start Mercer, a career 44 percent shooter.
“But there’s also a real trap to saying we’re going to get one guy involved,” he said. “There is nothing to heal emotions on a team like passing the ball and getting five guys involved.
“For the most part, we have tried to pass it. We just have not been shot-makers. That’s frustrating for every player. To our credit, for the most part we have not allowed that to affect how hard we’re playing.”
Key words? “For the most part.”
Blowout losses to Minnesota, Sacramento and New Jersey–by a staggering average of 39.7 points–have tested that theory.
“It’s difficult to play through lack of offense sometimes,” Floyd said. “There’s a frustration level.
“We went through a stretch [Tuesday] in the third quarter where we couldn’t draw iron. As a result you see us having these lapses in defensive transition. Or the ball’s going at the rim and we’re not competing as hard. Or we’re not fighting on post-ups as hard defensively. Or we’re not giving back-side help.
“Whether that’s not being a mature basketball team or a team that’s been beaten several times in close games, I don’t know. We’re not talented enough right now to not bring our full emotion to the court.”
Floyd said the poor numbers have been somewhat exacerbated by the blowout losses in that development took priority.
“Our situation is a little different with these young guys,” Floyd said. “If there’s an opportunity late to get those guys minutes and help them grow, I’m going to do it. … I’m liable to leave them out there for the entire final 12 minutes, even if things aren’t going well.”
Things aren’t going well.
Layups: Tyson Chandler practiced Wednesday after straining his back against New Jersey. The rookie was limited to six first-quarter minutes. . . . Robinson, shooting on his own at practice, sported the new “Erob” model shoe that Reebok wants to manufacture if Robinson signs an endorsement deal. Robinson, who earlier questioned if a different Reebok model worsened his injury, called the new model “more comfortable than my Air Jordans.”
