Butler questions Hoiberg's style after loss to Knicks
Once the Bulls and Pistons reached the third overtime on Friday at the United Center, it seemed pretty safe to say if the Bulls couldn't beat Detroit, they were staring straight at a two-game losing streak.
The Bulls eventually lost in four overtimes and, as expected, they didn't have much left in the tank on Saturday. They started fast, but didn't put up much of a fight in a 107-91 loss to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
A couple of positive notes were a strong performance by Joakim Noah starting in place of Pau Gasol. Noah finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Gasol stayed in Chicago to rest.
Rookie forward Bobby Portis got his first extended playing time of the season and delivered in a big way, with 20 points and 11 rebounds in just 23 minutes of action.
On the negative side, forward Doug McDermott left the game early due to soreness in his right knee.
Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose started against the Knicks after playing 56 and 54 minutes, respectively, the previous night. Minutes weren't an issue Saturday because the Bulls weren't competitive and pulled the starters early.
The frustration of playing 89 fruitless minutes in just over 24 hours got to Butler, though. After the game, he questioned the coaching style of Fred Hoiberg.
“I believe in the guys in this locker room but I also believe we probably have to be coached harder at times,” Butler told reporters in the locker room. “I'm sorry, I know Fred is a laid-back guy and I really respect him for that but when guys aren't doing what they're supposed to do, you have to get on guys, myself included.
“It's on everybody. But I just think when it's coming from (Hoiberg) it's a lot different. It's different when a player is telling another player, and a coach is telling a player. I know it's really not in him like that, but I think at times that's what we need.”
Butler's comments could be construed as constructive criticism. But they are eye-opening because of the controversial decision by Bulls management to fire Tom Thibodeau after five playoff seasons and hire Hoiberg from Iowa State.
It's early and the Bulls could be better, but they're not doing badly at 15-10 with several narrow losses. Last year under Thibodeau, the Bulls were 16-9 after 25 games.
“It's not even about being coached a certain way for five years,'' Butler said when asked about Thibodeau's style. “It's about making everybody do their job. We weren't doing what we were supposed to be doing, what we wrote up on that board before the game, and nobody spoke up about it. I did, probably not enough times, but I think (Hoiberg) has to hold everybody accountable, from the number one player to however many guys we got. Everyone has to do their job.”
It sounds like Butler was frustrated because he felt some teammates weren't following the game plan. Of course, he used the phrase, “do your job,” one of Thibodeau's favorite lines.
There have already been clear signs that the transition from Thibodeau to Hoiberg has been a struggle for the Bulls. Hoiberg was expected to bring a faster pace and more scoring. That part hasn't kicked in, but the Bulls have been very good defensively, which was always Thibodeau's specialty.
The Bulls continue to be a work in progress and getting into town at 4 a.m. following a four-overtime loss doesn't make doing your job any easier.
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