Too Early to Pull the Plug?

 On Friday, the Bulls lost 147-144 to the Pistons in quadruple overtime.  Obviously, there was plenty of offense; defense, not so much.  On Saturday, the Bulls travelled to New York, where they lost to an average Knicks’ team.  After the game, Jimmy Butler sounded off.  “I believe in the guys in this locker room, but I also believe we probably have to be coached a lot harder at times.”  Hello, Fred Hoiberg. 

Hoiberg is trying to make the jump to the NBA from the college ranks.  John Calipari and Rick Pitino precede him in that regard, to mixed results.  Pitino was good with the Knicks and bad with the Celtics while Calipari didn’t do much with the Nets.  Right now, the Celtics’ Brad Stevens is enjoying rave reviews after a successful run at Butler, but how to put this?  Fred Hoiberg doesn’t look to be the second coming of Brad Stevens.  And Stevens had the advantage of growing into the job.  The Celtics were in deep rebuilding mode when they hired him in 2013.  The Bulls are expected to challenge for a title, now if not sooner.

It’s early yet, but, still, things aren’t looking good for Chicago basketball.  Butler and Hoiberg had a heart-to-heart talk yesterday, then played the woeful Nets at home.  New Jersey had been 1-12 on the road this season.  Make that 2-12 after surprising their hosts, 105-102.  Somewhere, Tom Thibodeau is smiling.