Gentry: Don't compare GSW to '96 Bulls
Alvin Gentry was the lead assistant in Golden State last season and the work he did to help lead the Warriors to the NBA title earned him the head job in New Orleans.
When it was suggested before Saturday's game at the United Center he deserves credit for the Warriors' success, Gentry couldn't ignore the obvious.
"Yeah, they really miss me, don't they?" Gentry said with a laugh.
The same could be said about Golden State head coach Steve Kerr, who took a leave of absence due to two back surgeries. With interim coach Luke Walton leading the way, the Warriors were seeking to stretch their record to 25-0 in Milwaukee on Saturday.
Asked to compare these Warriors to the 72-win Bulls team of 1995-96, Gentry deferred.
"I think it's very unfair to compare teams," he said. "They're completely different, the league is different now. I don't understand why we can't just accept greatness. That team here was a great, great team with great players. The team there is a great team with great, great players."
Bulls learning to run:
With the Bulls struggling to adjust to a faster tempo, New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry shared his thoughts on how it worked so well in Golden State.
"There are a lot of people that say they want to be a running team. There's a lot more to it than that," Gentry said. "You've got to be able to do it consistently and you've got to be able to spread the floor. You've got to be the best conditioned team. Then it's a whole new way of playing. Your big guys, you have them away from the basket probably more than they're accustomed to doing, but if it's going to be effective and you're going to play that way, then you have to have the middle of the floor open."
Derrick Rose suggested last week the Bulls aren't in good enough shape yet to run the floor consistently. So what are the Warriors doing that other teams are not?
"I just think it's something they do every day," Gentry said. "From the first day of training camp, with Steve (Kerr) there, this is the way we played and every day we came into practice, we did something to keep the floor spread. And they have the (right) type of players. Even their bench players are so accustomed to playing this way."
Bull horns:
The Pelicans were missing two of their top five scorers on Saturday. Forward Ryan Anderson was out with a stomach illness and guard Jrue Holiday had a lower leg injury. … Pau Gasol passed Isiah Thomas on Saturday for 60th place on the NBA's all-time list for minutes played. … Former Bull Michael Ruffin is a player development coach for the Pelicans.