Once again the Chicago Bulls' season will be defined by injuries to their starting lineup. After losing Derrick Rose for an entire season last year, the team was hoping to have a lineup at full strength to start the 2013 season. However that is not the case and now the team's front office is stepping to limit player's minutes on the court.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau is an excellent coach, but he is guilty of playing certain people more than he may have to. In his fourth season with the Bulls, Thibodeau is a proven champion on the court, but is struggling with limiting players who are struggling with injuries. As both Luol Deng and Joakim Noah battle health setbacks, the front office is stepping in and telling Thibodeau how long they should be playing for.
According to Mitch Lawrence at the New York Daily News, "Tom Thibodeau is one of the NBA's top coaches, but when it comes to managing minutes of his top players, he is going to get some help. Even if he doesn't want it. The Bulls' front office has been taking an active role in telling Thibodeau how he'll dispense minutes to Joakim Noah, among others. And these are two parties that have had their differences in the past."
The intrusion may be key to keeping the stars of the team healthy throughout the entire season, but if they begin interfering with day-to-day practices, the Bulls may have a big problem on their hands. Thibodeau would not take too kindly to someone stepping in one his coaching techniques.
Not only is Noah suffering from a groin injury, but Rose is now struggling with a sore neck. The Bulls star admits that right now he is not playing well and the team should blame him for struggles. He will not admit to rust being a factor, but merely just poor play.
"You can call it whatever you want to call it. I would have to [say] I'm not playing well right now," Rose said, via ESPNChicago.com. "For me, just continue to go out there and take the shots that they're giving me. I told you, I'm going to wait but I'm going to have that breakthrough game. Turnovers, missed shots, missed communication on defense. I just can't wait to get in my groove. But I can't hang my head; I know I've worked too hard for that, so it's going to come."
Thibodeau is not pressing the panic button when it comes to poor play or injuries. He believes that right now the team is playing poorly and struggling with simple mistakes, but he believes with more time in the gym, everything will turn around.