Substitution Patterns Doom Bulls

By Matt Cobb | Mar 15, 8:40 AM

Jim Boylan's game strategy, now on display at the Art Institute of Chicago

Apparently, an 18-point lead, at home, against the 76ers isn't enough for the Bulls when their coach is Jim Boylan. Leading 88 -70 early in the 4th quarter, the 76ers blew past the Bulls for a 110 - 106 victory. That's a 40-point quarter if you're doing the math.

Preceeding the 4th quarter collapse, the Bulls had built their lead with the play of Thabo Sefolosha, Ben Gordon, and Joakim Noah. However, when Noah picked up his 4th foul near the 3 minute mark of the 3rd quarter, to the bench he went, never to return. After hitting key jump shots all game, Thabo wore a bewildered look as he took a seat during critical stretches of the 4th. Meanwhile, Ben Gordon was nowhere to be found on the court, with the Bulls struggling to gain any continuity on offense.

So for the better half of the 4th quarter, Boylan pooped out a lineup anchored by Drew Gooden at center and Kirk Hinrich running an ineffective point. With no shot blocking presence for the Bulls, the Sixers penetrated at will to get fouled or kicked it out to drain open threes. On offense, the Sixers trapped Captain Kirk on all the high pick-and-rolls, forcing Hinrich into several turnovers and the remaining Bulls into poor shots.

Despite some dubious officiating, the Bulls still gave this game away.

The 76ers smelled Boylan's stench of a strategy and knew the game could be stolen:

"Going into the fourth quarter, the Bulls' coach tweaked his lineup a little bit from the first half," 76ers forward Reggie Evans said. "He didn't play [ Aaron] Gray; he played the kid from LSU [ Tyrus Thomas]. They went small ball."

Another inexcusable loss.

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