Have you ever seen someone build a crane?
I was thinking about this while driving through the city the other day, and I came to the conclusion that the only way to build a crane must be by using a crane. Then I looked it up, and apparently you do need a crane to build a crane. Trippy (#WHOBUILTTHEFIRSTCRANE?).
If any of our readers are in construction, fill me in on this conundrum.
Time for bullets!
I pointed this out in yesterday’s bullets, but I’ll go ahead and remind you: The Chicago Bulls have a pretty favorable schedule throughout the rest of this month. Five of their six remaining games in January are against below .500 teams, which has accounted for 15 of the Bulls 16 victories so far this season. On the slate this week will be the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, and Cleveland Cavaliers. Since the Bulls have a great opportunity to win all three of these games, I’m going to assume they lose all of them. Now, I can’t be disappointed!
I kid, I kid. Of course, I’m never going to blatantly cheer for this team to lose. Do I care if they lose anymore this season? Eh, not really. Do I want them to rattle off a three-game winning streak? Sure. I’ve addressed this issue before, but I’m rooting for an outcome that results in change AND player development. The more this team can win, the more likely it is these players see some level of growth moving forward. If this team misses the playoffs (which feels 99.9% likely), that embarrassing failed narrative along with the dip in attendance should (*knocks aggressively on wood) provoke change at a fundamental level in the front office.
But I’m not going to sit here and hope this team loses every single game, that’s just not the way my sports-brain operates. Not to mention, combine the newer NBA Draft lottery odds and the underwhelming nature of this year’s draft class, and tanking to be one of the worst three teams in the league isn’t as intriguing of an outcome as it may have been last year (Ja Morant and Zion Williamson). I guess all I’m saying is, losing is fine at this point, but I’m not going to be happy about it.
Also, I’m not necessarily worried about this team winning enough that it substantial hurts them. I mean, they REALLY stink, guys:
While we’re kind of on the topic of player development, is anyone trying to help Lauri Markkanen?
NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson has been all over Markkanen’s inconsistent play this season, and he wrote about it again last night. According to Johnson, 53% of Markkanen’s attempts this season have been 3’s, which is up 11.5 percent from last season. I feel like all players and coaches close to Markkanen have praised his versatile skill set, yet the Bulls continue to have him stand behind the 3-point line and chuck up shots. So frustrating.
And speaking of chucking up a lot of 3’s, the Bulls tied their franchise record with 48 3-point attempts last night (knocking down 14). Boylen says that was all part of the game plan, so no worries, they actually executed quite well!
Boylen thought as long as the Bulls made 17 3’s, they’d beat the best team in the NBA. Sure. No-brainer, right? Now listen, I know there’s probably (hopefully?) a little more to it than what he said in that brief post-game presser, but I mean … come on. That’s a frustratingly elementary (not to mention unlikely-to-succeed) strategy. And yet he just lays it out there like it’s some obviously brilliant plan that requires no follow-up.
In other and more cool basketball news, Damian Lillard went off last night and scored 61 points! Oh, how I wish this man was on the Bulls. *sigh*
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1219500069516447745?s=20
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