This will be Bernie Bickerstaff’s second season as an assist coach for the Chicago Bulls. Last year the Bulls had two veteran assist coaches on the staff in Del Harris and Bernie Bickerstaff. This past off season Del Harris retired so Bernie Bickerstaff will be the most experienced assistant coach so I assume he will be the lead assist like we used to have under Scott Skiles with Jim Boylan.
Last season Vinny Del Negro made it clear he has to learn a lot about coach. You could see Bernie Bickerstaff and Del Harris in the middles of huddles and them taking players aside after plays during games. This season without Del Harris it will be up to Bernie Bickerstaff and his 30 years of NBA experience to help lead the team. Bickerstaff has done it all in his 30 years in the NBA. Before he joined the Bulls in 2008 he was the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Charlotte Bobcats and served as Head Coach & General Manager of the Bobcats from 2004 to 2007. Before his three year stint with the Charlotte Bobcatse he served 10 seasons as an NBA head coach for three different teams in Seattle, Denver, and Washington. While at Denver he was also president and general manager for seven seasons. He also spent 12 years as an assistant coach. In 1987 he won NBA Coach of the Year with the Seattle Supersonics. He has an NBA coaching record of 415-517 which is a .445 winning percentage. He ranks 33rd on the league’s all-time victories list. I am glad we have him on the coaching staff.
Showing posts with label Del Harris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Del Harris. Show all posts
Who should be doing opening tipoffs for the Bulls?
Drew Gooden has been doing the opening tipoff for the Bulls. This is because he was starting with Aaron Gray who can’t jump even though he happens to be 7”0. Gooden is out right now and the bulls are starting Noccioni in his spot. Nocioni can’t be the one doing the opening tippoff so their starting Jokaim Noah who is only starting because of the opening tipoff.
My question is where is Tryus Thomas? He just got back from an injury, but even before why wasn’t he doing opening tipoffs? Tryus Thomas is a great athlete and one of the best jumpers in the game, let alone on the bulls. Why hasn’t he been doing opening tipoffs from day one?
Tryus has been coming on strong lately by his two big games on December 13th and 16th where he scored 16 and 22 points respectively with 14 rebounds, 4 steals, and blocks in those two games. Then he was sidelined with a concussion and played five minutes in his first game back. In his last game he looked back to his form before the injury with 16 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. Thomas is very good on defense with rebounds, blocks, and steals; something the rest of the team is weak on so his presence should give the team a big boost.
With Thomas’s good play recently he should be getting the starting nod soon over Noah or Gray and then hopefully the light bulb will go off for Vinny Del Negro, Del Harris, and Bernie Bickerstaff to let him to the opening tip!
