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Friction Between Boozer And Noah/Rest of Bulls?


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“There are some things simmering beneath the surface with the Bulls,” Mark Schanowski of Comcast Sportsnet told The McNeil and Spiegel Show. “Joakim is out of sorts, and everyone is trying to figure out why. I think one of the issues is that he’s getting into a lot of early foul trouble because he’s trying to help his buddy No. 5 out. (Boozer) won’t move his feet, so Joakim is getting a lot of fouls. It’s the same issues that we saw last season. They’re going to cause some resentment within that locker room if they’re not resolved. Thibodeau, who demands constant, outstanding work from everybody else, doesn’t seem to do it as much with Boozer. I think that probably causes some friction.”

 

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/01/11/schanowski-could-noahs-struggles-stem-from-boozer/

 

Also, from Sam Smith:

 

Though of greater potential significance was the continued curiously feeble play of Noah with his fourth game in the last five with four points or fewer and just four rebounds, his second four-rebound game in the last four.

 

“We’re winning now,” noted Noah. “I’d like to do more to impact the game, but I’m not right now. I have to work harder.”

 

Boozer, who also had four points after seven against Minnesota Tuesday (though he had at least 20 in two of the previous three before that), didn’t want to get into the issue.

 

“It’s his (Thibodeau’s) decision,” said Boozer. “I’ll ride with it. As long as we keep winning everyone is happy. It’s up to him (whether I play in the fourth quarter). Me and Jo, we’ll just ride with his decision.”

 

I actually think it’s less an issue with Boozer, who is relatively close to what is realistic at 13.3 points and 7.9 rebounds, than Noah. At least what I expect from Boozer. Noah continues to drop balls, tries to gather himself before jumping, is out of position on defense and not reacting. That famous energy seems limited to rushing back and forth between interior players rather than running the court and showing big on defense.

 

As a result, Thibodeau has effectively benched both, though he would never do so openly and merely doesn’t play them to close games rather than explaining a new starting lineup.

 

It is interesting to see that, despite their excellent start, there seems to be some resentment between certain parts of the team and Boozer seems to be at the forefront of it all.

 

Do you see this escalating into a possible move that will see a major shakeup to the Bulls core?

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Boozer isn't really a part of the Bulls' core, in my opinion...just getting his, and all due to what everyone else is doing around him. He doesn't have to defend well, doesn't have to create for anyone, etc.

 

I wish Chicago would trade him. They'd be better off starting Gibson, and having a productive scorer (one that can create his own shot) somewhere else...maybe even replacing Boozer at the four.

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Boozer isn't really a part of the Bulls' core, in my opinion...just getting his, and all due to what everyone else is doing around him. He doesn't have to defend well, doesn't have to create for anyone, etc.

 

I wish Chicago would trade him. They'd be better off starting Gibson, and having a productive scorer (one that can create his own shot) somewhere else...maybe even replacing Boozer at the four.

 

For the second straight night, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah sat for the entire fourth quarter.

 

"It's nothing personal," Noah said. "I understand Omer (Asik) and Taj (Gibson) are playing great. I have to find a way to affect winning. … It's tough, but we're winning. I have to play bigger, play better defense, rebound better."

 

Boozer and Noah combined for eight points and 10 rebounds in just fewer than 45 minutes.

 

"That's just Thibs' decision," Boozer said of coach Tom Thibodeau. "You just ride with it and keep going. As long as we keep winning, everybody is happy."

 

Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/218228/Boozer_Noah_Sit_Out_Second_Straight_Fourth_Quarter#ixzz1jIXJtmDn

 

 

I say let Boozer and Kaman both come off the bench as they accent each other a lot better and Noah would fit in just well in Nola.

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