[TomBoerwinkle#1]

Bootsy Collins said You Can't Fake the Funk, but Tyson is Trying to Shake the Funk

LOS ANGELES—Tyson Chandler was back home, where he usually presses and plays poorly. But the Bulls' $62 million man has been playing poorly most of the season, which has upset him as well as Bulls coach Scott Skiles.

"I've been, pretty much from the beginning of the season, really mentally fatigued," Chandler said before Sunday night's 96-93 victory over the Lakers. "I'm a real emotional person, and when things are not going well for the team and I don't feel I'm playing well or like I'm capable of playing, it kind of all adds up.

"The organization made a big promise to me, so I want to get out there and be successful and help my team win. I'm disappointed in myself."

Chandler, the Bulls' only 7-footer, had just five blocks in the first eight games and had gone five games without a block before getting one Friday night against Seattle. But he had 15 rebounds to go with six points Sunday night.

"It's very simple," Skiles said. "We need him to run the floor, defend his spot and protect the basket with some shot-blocking. He has not run the floor yet like he did last year. He appears to get fatigued quickly.

"We feel we're not asking too much. Hopefully he's not expecting too much and putting undue pressure on himself. I'd like to see 14- or 15-rebound games, three or four blocked shots out of him.

"We've seen him have 22 rebounds. He's having nights he's out there eight or nine minutes and gets one rebound. So we've chosen to go in another direction when that happens."

 

[WookiesOnRitalin]

I think Skiles analysis is correct here.

Tyson is just seems to be a half step if not a full step behind from last year. Tyson just needs to get motivated and not from anyone else but himself. His mental fatigue is his own doing and he knows it so he feels like he's banging his head up against a wall.

If I was Tyson Chandler, I'd start figuring out what's really causing this strain and what he can do to solve it because at this point it is out of the hands of the coaching staff and the organization. He needs to dig deep and bust through this. There is just no other way.

 

[rebelsun]

Looks like a case of I Just Got Paid And My Motivation Went Out The Window Syndrome.

 

[mizenkay]

didn't chandler in his preseason fluff interview on bulls.com say he wanted to step up and be a leader or some such thing?

a "leader" doesn't admit mental fatigue NINE games into an 82 game season.

what was so mentally draining for him? being paid or picking out wedding china?

anyway, i was pleased to see the chandler of last season finally show up last night. those blocks in the 4th were huge and game changers. like we're used to.

c'mon chandler. suck it up big guy!!!!

 

[yodurk]

didn't chandler in his preseason fluff interview on bulls.com say he wanted to step up and be a leader or some such thing?

a "leader" doesn't admit mental fatigue NINE games into an 82 game season.

what was so mentally draining for him? being paid or picking out wedding china?

anyway, i was pleased to see the chandler of last season finally show up last night. those blocks in the 4th were huge and game changers. like we're used to.

c'mon chandler. suck it up big guy!!!!

Exactly what I was thinking. But if he plays like he did against LA, I could care less.

 

[anorexorcist]

putting a guy in a position he's never played before will do that.

-Z-

 

[TomBoerwinkle#1]

putting a guy in a position he's never played before will do that.

-Z-

Chandler has more than a passing familiarity with the Center position. It not like the Bulls are trying to groom the seven footer to play point.

 

[anorexorcist]

^^he's been a PF all his NBA career...playing C in high school is one thing, but playing C in the NBA? Totally different story. 225-235 pounds says he doesn't fit there and we will trade for a big, either putting him or Sweetney back on the bench (and my money is on him since Sweetney is our most consistent player right now)

And thats not necessarily a bad thing, i mean he kicked *** last season coming off the bench, so did BG. Some guys shouldnt start and some guys shouldnt play C. simple as that. we seem to want to learn this the hard way.

-Z-

 

[TomBoerwinkle#1]

He hasn't typically started at center for the Bulls, but he has played some center every year, spelling Curry. He has always been listed as a F/C. He is not being thrown into an altogether unfamiliar situation at all.

BTW, I was doing a google search on Tyson and came up with an interesting tidbit.

Anybody know that his middle name is Cleotis?

 

[madox]

BTW, I was doing a google search on Tyson and came up with an interesting tidbit.

Anybody know that his middle name is Cleotis?

Straight outta Compton...

 

[yodurk]

^^he's been a PF all his NBA career...playing C in high school is one thing, but playing C in the NBA? Totally different story. 225-235 pounds says he doesn't fit there and we will trade for a big, either putting him or Sweetney back on the bench (and my money is on him since Sweetney is our most consistent player right now)

And thats not necessarily a bad thing, i mean he kicked *** last season coming off the bench, so did BG. Some guys shouldnt start and some guys shouldnt play C. simple as that. we seem to want to learn this the hard way.

-Z-

He was the primary backup center last season. And other than defending bigger, more clumsy, and less talented big men, there is little to no difference when it comes to playing "center" or "power forward" in Skiles' system. He's made it clear that the 4 and 5 are interchangeable offensively.

I don't understand why a player's struggles are automatically the fault of his position or some other thing the coach is implementing. How about we hold the players accountable for not playing well. Tyson needs to play better, and only Tyson can make that happen. Same for Ben Gordon.

 

[jbulls]

He was the primary backup center last season. And other than defending bigger, more clumsy, and less talented big men, there is little to no difference when it comes to playing "center" or "power forward" in Skiles' system. He's made it clear that the 4 and 5 are interchangeable offensively.

I don't understand why a player's struggles are automatically the fault of his position or some other thing the coach is implementing. How about we hold the players accountable for not playing well. Tyson needs to play better, and only Tyson can make that happen. Same for Ben Gordon.

But we're not talking about Chandler's offensive struggles, are we? Chandler can score 8 a game for all I care. I think it's pretty clear he's more effective playing the 4 on defense which BTW, he did last night, when he also had his best game of the season...

 

[MightyMouse1984]

Looks like a case of I Just Got Paid And My Motivation Went Out The Window Syndrome.

LOL

 

[yodurk]

But we're not talking about Chandler's offensive struggles, are we? Chandler can score 8 a game for all I care. I think it's pretty clear he's more effective playing the 4 on defense which BTW, he did last night, when he also had his best game of the season...

The way I see it, Chandler has distinct advantages whether he plays the 4 or the 5. If he's defending the 4, he has a big advantage with his length. As a 5, he has an advantage with his speed and athleticism. From what Skiles has said, and I agree, is that Chandler has not been in the best shape, nor has he used his athleticism to his advantage so far. He should be beating opposing 5's down the floor each and every time. There just aren't many centers who can match him there. And the fact that he's gained strength and weight really makes him more of a center, IMO. Mutombo has always been a pretty skinny center as well. I think Chandler is in the same mold, and could very well be just as good when it's all said and done.

 

[jbulls]

The way I see it, Chandler has distinct advantages whether he plays the 4 or the 5. If he's defending the 4, he has a big advantage with his length. As a 5, he has an advantage with his speed and athleticism. From what Skiles has said, and I agree, is that Chandler has not been in the best shape, nor has he used his athleticism to his advantage so far. He should be beating opposing 5's down the floor each and every time. There just aren't many centers who can match him there. And the fact that he's gained strength and weight really makes him more of a center, IMO. Mutombo has always been a pretty skinny center as well. I think Chandler is in the same mold, and could very well be just as good when it's all said and done.

I guess I just don't see it that way. I think Chandler is at his most impressive defensively when he's guarding guys like Nowitski, Garnett, Webber etc...The league is full of skilled bigs now and Tyson is one of the only guys who can match up with them physically. Mutumbo was not a similar defender early in his career. He never could've stepped out and did the job Tyson did on Odom last night, and he was much better in the post.

Chandler should be beating opposing 5's down the floor every time, but I don't think he's ever going to be a very good finisher, in transition or otherwise. After seeing Chandler on Odom yesterday it blows my mind that anyone would think his best position is center. We're paying him 60 million plus to be exceptional, and guarding 5's in the post isn't what he's exceptional at. He never has been and I would be surprised if that changed.

 

[yodurk]

I guess I just don't see it that way. I think Chandler is at his most impressive defensively when he's guarding guys like Nowitski, Garnett, Webber etc...The league is full of skilled bigs now and Tyson is one of the only guys who can match up with them physically. Mutumbo was not a similar defender early in his career. He never could've stepped out and did the job Tyson did on Odom last night, and he was much better in the post.

Chandler should be beating opposing 5's down the floor every time, but I don't think he's ever going to be a very good finisher, in transition or otherwise. After seeing Chandler on Odom yesterday it blows my mind that anyone would think his best position is center. We're paying him 60 million plus to be exceptional, and guarding 5's in the post isn't what he's exceptional at. He never has been and I would be surprised if that changed.

Adjustments can always be made based on matchups. I would never paint him as a strict 5 when there are situations where he would defend certain 4's better.

But in general, I think Tyson's biggest strength is his help defense. By defending against the many incompetent 5's in the NBA, he can usually cheat off his man to go help around the basket and contest shots. I think it's very important to keep Tyson within 8-10 feet of the basket at all times, mostly to help on D and contest shots, but also so he's in position to snare rebounds. Let's also remember that he's only 23 years old and is still filling out. He will always be skinny, but he's gotten noticeably stronger over the past few years and that will only continue to improve.

 

[mizenkay]

fig.1: tyson's mojo


block, rinse, repeat.