Steve Greenberg ‏@SLGreenberg 5h5 hours ago

 

Derrick Rose on shoulder: "No effects. Nothing lingering." Jimmy Butler on ankle: "It's probably at 100%." #Bulls

I would argue that Pau doesn't love Thibodeau. Probably likes playing here but love is a little strong. Pau has been on championship teams in which every regular season game wasn't taken as seriously as it is here. I don't doubt for one second that there have been times throughout the season in which Gasol disagrees with the way certain things take place.

 

Go read the Shelbourne piece on ESPN that came out today. It's literally the exact opposite. Gasol came here because of Thibs, not in spite of Thibs.

 

Edit: a snippet from the piece:

 

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2015/story...bulls-win-title

 

When Gasol was being courted by the Bulls and Spurs in free agency, he says he spoke to Thibodeau and Popovich at length before he made his decision to leave the Lakers and sign in Chicago. He connected with both coaches in different ways. He loved everything about Pop. They share a taste for the good life. But he worried about longevity with the Spurs. There was no guarantee Popovich, Tim Duncan or Manu Ginobili would be there by the end of the three seasons he was signing up for.

 

Gasol is something of a basketball savant. His "basketball IQ" is off the charts. Jackson once told me how he and former special assistant Tex Winter explained the triangle offense to Gasol in one practice. Most players take months to grasp its intricacies. It's why Jackson rarely traded for players midseason. But Gasol picked it up immediately. His mind works that way. So when he got on the phone and started talking strategy with Thibodeau -- who prides himself on knowing every detail about every player and game before he walks in a room -- there was an instant connection.

 

Thibodeau joked with Gasol about scouting him for the 2008 and 2010 NBA Finals, when Thibodeau was Doc Rivers' lead assistant coach with the Boston Celtics.

 

"I told him I liked him a lot better in 2008," Thibodeau says as we walk together to the lobby of the team's hotel after a film session in Milwaukee. The joke is a little on the nose -- Boston won in 2008 and lost in 2010 -- but he's trying.

 

The coach belts out a hearty, deep-throated laugh, which is startling and infectious from a man who typically is so serious.

 

"I thought I had a great feel for who he was, because I knew how hard he was to stop. But you don't know the makeup of the guy," Thibodeau says, picking up with his answer on Gasol. "I'd read what Phil would say about him. What [former Grizzlies coach] Hubie [brown] would say about him. All the guys he played for. So you knew that this guy has a great IQ, pure-hearted, plays to win, brings the best out of people."

 

 

 

Gasol scored 18.5 points per game in his first season with the Bulls, his highest average since 2011. Mike McGinnis/Getty Images

 

What surprised Thibodeau when he spoke to Gasol this summer was the seriousness of his tone.

 

"He's a very proud guy and I think he felt he was more than a bench player," Thibodeau says, referencing Gasol's contentious, uncomfortable seasons under Mike D'Antoni in Los Angeles. "When we talked to him in free agency, I could see how highly motivated he was."

 

Gasol told Thibodeau he wanted to be pushed. Don't spare his feelings. He knew Thibodeau's reputation. The way he leans on his starters for 35 to 40 minutes every night. The long film sessions. The highly structured, always serious practices every day. And still, he came to the Bulls.

 

"I told him from day one that I like to be challenged," Gasol says. "I wanted him to challenge me. I came here to succeed. And I ended up having one of my better years as far as blocking shots, scoring and rebounding. I had an extremely good year."

 

Many believe Gasol has always needed someone to bring out his inner bullfighter. In Los Angeles, that guy was Kobe Bryant.

 

Edited May 6, 201510 yr by Jenksismybitch

As I said yesterday, the biggest issue I see right now is Thibs bringing back up the issue at the worst possible time. They won the biggest game for the franchise in the last 4 years, momentum looks great right now, and Thibs sits down with Woj and produces this interview that brings everything up to the forefront. If I'm a player, or obviously a front office staff member, I'd be PISSED, and they have a right to be.

 

Again, I'm not saying both sides aren't at fault, but Thibs needs to STFU right now and focus on coaching, not talking to his boy and playing the PR game.

 

Huh? I don't think he provided anything for that story, certainly not an interview. Most of those quotes were used by KC and others. I think those were from a press conference/media availability sessions, not one-on-one interviews.

Edited May 6, 201510 yr by Jenksismybitch

K.C. Johnson @KCJHoop · 3h 3 hours ago

 

With Jimmy Butler widely expected to win Most Improved Player, announcement Thursday, on-court presentation before Game 3 makes most sense.

 

 

 

 

You have to be out of your gourd to think Gasol hates thibs. Do you realize where Gasol just came from?

 

Thibs both

a) gives gasol plenty of minutes (he was on bench last 2 years!)

b) Made his offense feed pau with plenty of back to the basket stuff

 

I don't think Gasol one-on-one back to the basket is great basketball, but I DO think Gasol loves to do it.

Alright boys...lets play some damn good basketball and win game 2!!! In tribute to a historic poster, lets NUKECLEVELAND!!!

horrible start

 

it's like the last game in reverse

Edited May 6, 201510 yr by buhbuhburrrrlz

Noah 1-14 from the line in the playoffs.

Noah 1-14 from the line in the playoffs.

Is that right?! I know he's been bad but good lord?!!

Noah's regression has been amazing this season. 1 year left on his deal, I say trade him in the summer.

Cavs making everything, Bulls the opposite.

Suddenly Shumpert is Steph Curry.

This one is ugly.

Reminds me of '13 game 2.

UNLEASH THE SUAVE

You know you are getting your ass kicked when you see a 17 point lead and think "that's not that bad".

This one is over. See you in Chicago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope I'm wrong.

Every chump on Cle is hitting shots.

they may have a 70 point half.

 

Just get out healthy.

Yeah if they're gonna shoot like this, good night.

CHUMPert killing us

Thank you, TNT, for the super slo-mo of LeBron traveling before that dunk.

Well this isn't positive

We got the split. f*** it. We also win game 1 then lose 4 straight to Lebron it seems. They didn't even show up tonight.

20 pt first quarter lead

 

whittled down to 19 at the half