Bulls' Deng still adjusting to Boozer
Luol Deng averaged 20.5 points in November, including a monster 40-point effort against Portland in the season's opening week.
Since Carlos Boozer joined the lineup Dec. 1, Deng has averaged just 15.9 points. That's understandable, since there are fewer shots to go around, but one problem the Bulls have faced recently is Boozer and Derrick Rose dominating the scoring.
Deng finally broke loose with 24 points in the Bulls' 90-77 victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday at the United Center. It was his highest point total since Nov. 26 at Denver.
“I think I got in a good rhythm early,” Deng said after the game. “I had good looks early. I got fouled, went to the free-throw line.
“Adjusting to Carlos is definitely something I've got to do. That's just learning Carlos — learning when he's in attack mode or when the defense is collapsing.”
Most Bulls fans probably wouldn't make the same player comparison, but Deng said playing with Boozer is similar to his time spent with a former teammate.
“It's just going back to when we had Eddy Curry,” Deng said. “It's very similar, dumping the ball inside. I'm getting used to my cutting game again — when to spot up, when to cut, just playing off Carlos. We're using Carlos a lot and he's going to get a lot of double-teams.”
Deng isn't the only player trying to get used to having a dominant low-post scorer. In the last eight games Boozer has averaged 26 points and shot 57.7 percent from the field.
Since the blowout win against Philadelphia on Dec. 21, no one from the Bulls' bench has recorded a double-figure scoring game.
“I think since Booz has come back, we've gone to a lot of pick and rolls, and it works,” guard Kyle Korver said. “I probably need to get more aggressive and make a couple shots to get some plays called for you.”
Any problems the Bulls have on the court right now are relatively minor. Since losing the first two games with Boozer in uniform, they've gone 11-2, even while center Joakim Noah missed the last five with a thumb injury.
Coach Tom Thibodeau skipped practice Wednesday for the second time in three days. The Bulls will host New Jersey on Friday afternoon and it may not be as easy as it sounds. Last season the Nets collected 2 of their 12 wins against the Bulls.
“Luol does a lot of things for our team,” Thibodeau said. “Sometimes they go unnoticed. His defense has been terrific all year. Even when he wasn't shooting well, I thought he was playing well. (Against Milwaukee), I think he had his energy back offensively. He was moving without the ball. He scores a lot of different ways.”
One byproduct of the Bulls' injury issues is Deng often stays on the floor with the second unit to play power forward. As of Wednesday morning, he ranked sixth in the league in minutes per game with an average of 38.9.
“It's fine,” Deng said. “As long as we keep winning the way we're winning, I'll play 48. I don't mind.”