New Coach's Motion Offense Draws Raves

[lethalweapon3]

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20101013/sports/710149795/

The new motion offense is working well...

it's safe to say coach Tom Thibodeau's motion offense has promoted ball movement and player movement during the preseason.

In wins over Toronto and Washington, the Bulls averaged 27 assists. As a comparison, the highest assist total in the NBA during the preseason is 30 by Philadelphia.

The way the Bulls are set up, it's not important that Rose averages 10 assists, because he should be the team's leading scorer. Noah led the way with 8 assists against the Raptors.

“Everybody's loving the offense, Rose said. “It's great. If I don't have the ball, I'm always moving. Everybody is moving, so that it's hard to guard. We're looking pretty good right now.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/ct-spt-1014-bulls-chicago--20101013,0,7874481.story

...the universal locker-room ravings for Tom Thibodeau's offensive sets are bordering on harmonious and, at the very least, are redundantly respectful.

To wit:

Derrick Rose: "We have a motion offense and everybody is loving it."

Kyle Korver: "We don't run basic plays. Every set has a specific scoring option and secondary options as well."

Joakim Noah: "Thibs is putting us in positions where we can do our thing. We're sharing the ball pretty well."

Luol Deng: "Everybody is sharing the ball. Everybody is moving. Nobody is standing around."

The Bulls are exhibiting so much offensive synchronization, you half expect to be greeted with "Kumbaya" the next time you visit said locker room.

That's what 47.7 percent shooting — including back-to-back 52 percent efforts — will do. The Bulls also are averaging 23.8 assists through four exhibitions.

"Thibs is not talking to us in practice about moving the ball; it just comes with his offense," Rose said. "The offense is made where if you don't have a shot, you move it. It's great. If I don't have the ball, I'm always moving. It's hard to guard."

"They tell me to put pressure on the defense every time I come off a pick-and-roll," Rose said. "Every single time they want me to attack. I just come off and make somebody come toward me and then kick the ball out.

"I'm more comfortable. I hope that you see that when I'm on the court. I guess it comes from playing years in the league with pick-and-roll. I'm not thinking. If a defender comes toward me, wherever he's coming from, that's where the ball is going."

Of course, a big difference is Rose no longer merely is making plays off a high screen-and-roll, which represented the main staple of former coach Vinny Del Negro's sets. That play will be used — particularly when Carlos Boozer, an excellent screen-and-roll player, returns — but so will sets featuring Rose playing off and moving without the ball.

~lw3