Why can't Bulls pick up offensive pace?
Fred Hoiberg's arrival as head coach of the Bulls was supposed to signal a transformation from defensive-oriented crew to offensive powerhouse.
The Bulls were going to increase the tempo, shoot more 3-pointers and push the score well into the 100s — in theory, anyway — and begin to resemble the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
Needless to say, the up-tempo style hasn't kicked in. The Bulls will carry an 11-5 record heading into today's game against Charlotte at the United Center, but that's mostly because their defense continues to shine.
Here's a look at some relevant numbers:
• When it comes to playing with pace, the Bulls actually aren't that bad. They rank 10th in the league in possessions per 48 minutes. The leader in that category is not Golden State. Phoenix, Sacramento and Washington — 3 sub-. 500 teams — are the top three, followed by the Warriors in fourth.
• The Bulls rank 19th in points per game with 98.9. Their biggest problem offensively has been shooting percentage. They are 25th in that category at .422, with several regulars, including Derrick Rose, shooting below 40 percent individually.
• Thanks to the poor shooting, the Bulls are a lowly 27th in points per 100 possessions with 97.4. The teams below them are the three worst in the league — the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn and Philadelphia. Golden State leads this category by a wide margin with 113.7, according to nba.com.
Playing at a fast pace with a deep rotation and plenty of shots to go around sounds like a dream scenario for an NBA player. So why haven't the Bulls been able to do it?
Hoiberg is hoping it's just a matter of time.
“I think you look at all teams that went through change in the offseason, whether it's personnel or a coaching change, there's going to be an adjustment period,” he said Friday at the Advocate Center. “You have to continue to work and drill the habits you believe in. These guys will get better. I know that. I promise that. We'll continue to work and get better with our spacing and execution and hopefully take off.
“I thought when the ball went into the basket (on Wednesday against Denver), a lot of times we got a little stagnant as far as running down the floor. We put our head down for two or three steps and then flowed into it. We've got to get rid of that.”
An obvious place to lay blame is former coach Tom Thibodeau. The Bulls got used to playing at a relatively slow pace, in a defensive-minded style, and haven't been able to adjust. Rose went in a different direction.
“We know we can,” Rose said. “It's all about getting guys in condition, too. I don't know how many games we've played, but I think by 25, 30 games, I think everybody should be in great shape.”
Rose pointed out how Taj Gibson, who is playing fewer minutes than he's used to this season, ran individual sprints at the end of Friday's practice.
“Conditioning plays a huge part, especially in the NBA,” Rose said. “College teams, OK that's one thing. But in the NBA, you've got guys, they have their own routines with how they train. So you've just got to wait for them (to get in better shape).
“But we're all in it. We know where we want to be at the end of the year. We know that all this is experience, we're taking it one game at a time and that's all we could do right now.”
• Get the latest Bulls news via Twitter by following @McGrawDHBulls.
Bulls scouting report
Bulls vs. Charlotte Hornets at the United Center, 7 tonight
TV: WGN
Radio: ESPN 1000-AM
Outlook: The Bulls have already played Charlotte twice this season, losing 130-105 on the road Nov. 3, then winning at home 102-97 on Nov. 13. The Hornets (10-8) were rocked by Golden State on Monday. C Al Jefferson is out with a left calf strain. Charlotte's top scorers are PG Kemba Walker (17.6 ppg) and SF Nicholas Batum (16.8 ppg), who scored 28 in the last meeting with the Bulls. SG Jeremy Lamb averaged 17.5 points in the two games against the Bulls. For what it's worth, the Hornets rank last in the league in offensive rebounds.
Next: Phoenix Suns at the United Center, 7 p.m. Monday
— Mike McGraw