This past summer, the free agent frenzy of the NBA swept the nation. Fans had delusions of grandeur believing that stars like LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire or Joe Johnson might join their favorite teams. As is often the case, free agency can bring about more disappointment than satisfaction. LeBron, Wade and Bosh all joined forces in Miami, Amare Stoudemire signed with the Knicks and Joe Johnson stayed in Atlanta. The Bulls were left with a seemingly solid consolation prize in Carlos Boozer.
Boozer, an undersized Power Forward, had a reputation as a consistent low post scorer, who had little interest in playing defense. His ability to score in the post would give that the Bulls an element they’ve lacked for the last decade. While he’s lived up to his reputation as a below average defensive player, his low post scoring has been underwhelming at best. Oftentimes, the Bulls will throw an entry pass to Boozer which results in a contested fade away jump shot. When Boozer has had opportunities at the rim he’s lacked explosiveness and is regularly getting his shots blocked.
The Bulls, led by their stingy team defense and explosive point guard, have been able to overcome the injuries and inconsistent play of Boozer. They lead the Eastern Conference in wins and may reach 60 victories. Boozer, to his credit, has sensed the fan anxiety over his performance and has requested that the Chicago faithful “stay tuned.” While the Bulls may secure home court advantage in the East, they will need Boozer to play at a level he has yet to demonstrate consistently this season. If the Bulls season ends in disappointing fashion during a shortened playoff run, Boozer will have to play the best defense of his career, handling the criticism of heartbroken Bulls fans.
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