Set some screens, share ball and Bulls' offense will be fine
One of the great mysteries surrounding the Bulls is why they've had such a hard time capitalizing on the simplest of offensive strategies.
Setting an effective pick is something every basketball player should learn by the fourth grade. Most every night, the Bulls' opponent demonstrates how easy it can be: Set a screen, force the defense to make a decision and convert.
This issue was very apparent during Wednesday's 98-88 loss in San Antonio. The Bulls opened a 9-point lead in the third quarter, then stopped moving the ball on offense and gave up a 31-6 run to the Spurs.
When these Bulls struggle to score, they have a tendency to do things by themselves. Against San Antonio, the situation cried out for a pick to aid the offense, but it rarely happened.
This isn't a recent problem or a product of the new Vinny Del Negro-led coaching staff. The same thing occurred under Scott Skiles and Jim Boylan.
Rookie Derrick Rose is the one player on the roster who can consistently beat his man to the basket, but he has plenty to learn about using the screen-and-roll to his advantage. Maybe that's because the dribble-drive motion offense he perfected at Memphis was geared toward a single player beating his man.
"He's starting to read different coverages," teammate Drew Gooden said. "I believe in Memphis, they didn't run pick-and-roll one time, so this is new to him. For him to be our floor general out there controlling the ball and controlling the tempo of the game, we have to be patient."
Particularly perplexing is why the Bulls don't work harder to free up Ben Gordon with his outside shooting ability. Any kind of high screen can give him enough room to get off a shot.
So many times in the past few seasons, though, the Bulls left Gordon to fend for himself while the team struggled to find an open shot.
It was an encouraging sign that the Bulls set out to get Gordon open at the start of the third quarter in Philadelphia on Sunday. On the very first possession, Gordon curled around a screen and buried a 17-footer, then went on to score 8 straight points. The Bulls ran the same play at the start of the game but missed the shot.
Look for veteran guard Lindsey Hunter to stick around all season, because he can set the example for Rose. Twice in the Denver game last week, Hunter, who turns 38 Wednesday, was able to convert a screen-and-roll into a Tyrus Thomas dunk.
Sunday's 103-92 victory over the Sixers provided further evidence that the Bulls will look good on offense when they share the ball and show they are capable of being a serious playoff contender this season. A few screens here and there can only help.
• In case you missed it Saturday night, former Bulls guard Chris Duhon broke the New York Knicks' franchise record with 22 assists in a 138-125 win over Golden State at Madison Square Garden.
Richie Guerin had owned the previous mark since 1958. Power forward David Lee, who piled up 37 points, was the greatest beneficiary.
"That's what a point guard's supposed to do is get their team involved," Duhon said. "I love sharing the ball."
Duhon's performance is bound to make people wonder what might have been if the Bulls had done a better job pursuing former Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni, who chose the Knicks instead.