Can the Bulls survive having Ben Gordon?
In the return of Big Ben to Detroit, it appears as if the Bulls’ little Ben is going to make the difference in this playoff series, in which the Bulls trail 1-0 with Game 2 here Monday.
That’s because, even if no one among the Pistons cares to say so, what was most obvious in Detroit’s 95-69 dismantling of the Bulls in Game 1 was that the Pistons intend to attack Gordon with their bigger, stronger guards and chase him out of the game.
Gordon was quickly in foul trouble against the more muscular Chauncey Billups and finished with seven points on 2-of-9 shooting. The Pistons gave a sneak peek of this strategy in the last regular-season game — won by the Bulls — as Gordon also had foul trouble and scored two points.
Basically, they’re challenging the Bulls to find someone Gordon can defend.
Whomever you put him on, that’s whom we’re going to. See if you can stop it.
It’s the issue that has long hung over Gordon’s future with the team and left some to believe Gordon is best suited to be a sixth man, which he was in the first half of the season.
This series could be a referendum on his Bulls future.
“Gordon and [Luol] Deng, those are their two guys they rely on for scoring,” Pistons coach Flip Saunders noted. “When you’re going against guys who are scorers, you have to make them defend. You can’t let them rest on defense.”
Gordon was able to do that in the first round against Miami because Jason Williams had virtually no role in the offense. And even as Miami attempted to trap Gordon on the pick-and-roll and use Eddie Jones, a bigger guard, Miami’s defenders weren’t quick enough and Gordon was able to free himself with movement.
Detroit’s guards are more active, physical and involved in the offense, especially Billups.
“Our defense was great, swarming, helping each other, talking, the zone was great,” Billups said Sunday. “Our defense was locked in. When we play defense like that, I don’t think anyone can beat us.”
Trying to take out the opposition’s main scorer or principal or secondary figure is nothing new.
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It was the annual formula for the Bulls’ championship teams of the ’90s, whether it was Mark Price, Magic Johnson, Kevin Johnson or Karl Malone. It’s having the players — and the philosophy — to do it.
Saunders is similar to former Pistons coach Chuck Daly.
Daly was famous for seeking out advantageous matchups instead of playing a system. When he found one that worked, he would go to it until the team adjusted.
“I like to exploit matchups depending on who we have who might be going and who they are guarding,” Saunders said. “Also, we have different guys do different things. Rip (Richard Hamilton) is our energy guy. If we’re bogged down, give him the ball off movement and let him go to work.
“‘Sheed (Rasheed Wallace) has the ability down in the block. If we think the tempo of the game is getting too quick, we’ll try to get the ball into Chris’ (Webber) hands to run our offense. If we think we’re in a situation where Chauncey is being pressured, we’ll let T.P. (Tayshaun Prince) initiate the offense. If we think we’re in a situation where we can exploit a pick-and-roll, we’ll let Chauncey run pick-and-roll.”
The Bulls use Kirk Hinrich on Hamilton, who is taller than Billups and more active. But Billups used his advantage in strength and size to attack Gordon, drawing him into fouling. Billups is a better post-up player, so the Bulls could move Gordon onto Hamilton, who is in constant motion and will run Gordon through numerous screens and shoot over his 6 feet 7 inches.
It’s doubtful the Bulls would put Gordon on Prince because of Prince’s size and post-up ability, which would also force Deng to chase a guard.
I’d have Gordon guard Webber in a Don Nelsonesque maneuver to bait the Pistons into trying to have the immobile Webber score. Webber is an excellent passer, so the Bulls couldn’t afford to help much. Can Webber get 25 or 30 on you anymore? Would it even be worth a try?
There was much talk at Pistons practice Sunday of effort, energy and focus, how the Bulls will come harder and it just being one game and it’s a long series, yadda, yadda, yadda.
One big difference was that the Pistons, who often act like preppies at a pig roast, reverted to their ditch-digging defensive form of a few years back and took the game and the Bulls seriously. Despite the margin of victory, they weren’t happy with their missed layups and their 15 turnovers because they average the fewest turnovers in the NBA. They insist they’ll be better in Game 2.
The Bulls will be as well, but how much will depend on Gordon’s ability to stand up to the attention he’ll get from the Pistons.