Ex-Bulls player Gibson appreciates the UC even more now
Taj Gibson generated enough good will during his seven-plus seasons in a Chicago Bulls uniform to guarantee he'll always be a fan favorite.
"As soon as I got off the bus, I had a garbage truck driver pull up on me and just honk his horn and we had a whole conversation," Gibson said at Wednesday's shootaround. "That's how Chicago is. I always get love when I come back."
Gibson is making his usual contributions in Minnesota, averaging 10.3 points and 6.9 rebounds. Wednesday's game was his second time playing at the United Center as an opposing player. He was traded to Oklahoma City on Feb. 23, 2017, then joined the Timberwolves as a free agent that summer.
Gibson said playing in the 2011 Eastern Conference finals against Miami was the favorite memory of his Bulls years.
"There are so many good memories," Gibson said. "There were so many good things while we were playing here that it's hard to count. Seeing the sellout crowds every night, it gets no better than that. And you see how many seats are in this arena. It's a gigantic arena. You kind of take it for granted once you're away from it."
Thibs addresses firing:
Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau was fired by the Bulls in 2015. So naturally, he was asked to comment on the Bulls' decision to replace coach Fred Hoiberg with Jim Boylen on Dec. 7.
"Jim's a good guy. Obviously, you feel for Fred," Thibodeau said. "Fred's a good man too and it's part of the business that you hate to see. But Jim has worked as a long time as an assistant and he's gotten an opportunity that he's waited a long time for."
Both Thibodeau and Boylen logged about 20 years as an NBA assistant before getting their first shot at a head job with the Bulls. Before Wednesday's game, Boylen was asked if the two coaching styles are similar.
"I'm a little better looking, but other than that ... ," he joked. "I think we both care about our guys. I think we're both trying to get our players to honor the essence of the team, play for the team, play for each other. I think he's a competitive guy who cares about his guys. I think I am too."
Taj happy for Noah:
Minnesota is often called the TimberBulls, because of Taj Gibson, Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler and Luol Deng joining coach Tom Thibodeau in the past two years. But one ex-Bull who didn't join the party was Joakim Noah, who signed with Memphis a few weeks ago after spending a few months in NBA exile after leaving New York.
"I'm extremely happy that he was finally able to get over the hump he had in New York," Gibson said. "He worked extremely hard this summer while we worked out together. I saw the preparation and everything he put into the game this summer. So I'm happy he's back because he loves the game and is a great teammate."
LaVine won't attack Mack:
Zach LaVine noticed the popular video making its way around Chicago social media: Bears linebacker Khalil Mack dressed in a full red Bulls uniform, shooting some hoops.
"I saw that. He's big as heck," LaVine said. "I don't feel like taking a foul from him, I know that. He's off the charts athletically. If he put his mind to it, he'd probably be able to play in the NBA. He's that type of special talent.
"I saw him at the (Bulls) game a few weeks ago. He's a big dude. That's why I didn't play football."