Okay, so, yeah this is off to a great start. New Chicago Bulls Head Coach, Jim Boylen has started off 1-2 but the record isn’t the issue. It seems that Coach Boylen’s hard nose coaching style isn’t sitting well with many of his players.
A players-only meeting was called after a blowout loss to the Boston Celtics, which saw the Bulls lose by a franchise record 56 points. During the blowout, Jim Boylen sat his starters for the final 21 minutes of the game and called the effort “embarrassing”.
"I think your play is embarrassing" -Jim Boylen 😳 pic.twitter.com/WhbKgTyvP8
— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) December 9, 2018
Jim compares his hard-nosed coaching style to legendary coach, Greg Popovich, who he worked for as an assistant coach from 2013-2015. It seems that the young Bulls players aren’t meshing well with this which prompted the meeting between players themselves, then another meeting between players and coaches.
Pt. 1 Jim Boylen discusses the player only meeting and the team meeting after the loss vs the Celtics #Bulls #BullsNation pic.twitter.com/B7H3OIjWai
— Tony Gill (@tonygill670) December 9, 2018
Pt. 2 Jim Boylen on trying to establish the culture he wants #BullsNation #Bulls pic.twitter.com/nbpuFKw8Wk
— Tony Gill (@tonygill670) December 9, 2018
Pt.3 Boylen on making sure the team maintains high standards #BullsNation #Bulls pic.twitter.com/8AZmwo58rE
— Tony Gill (@tonygill670) December 9, 2018
This just is not a good look for the first time head coach. It is only three games into his tenure as the Chicago Bulls Head Coach and the drama and dysfunction are everywhere. The Bulls are the second youngest team in the NBA and a team that has been riddled with injury. It’s going to take time for this team to gel, and working them to the bone and calling their play out to the media sure as hell isn’t going to motivate them.
In his first week as coach, Jim Boylen implemented 2 1/2-hour practices, 1 1/2-hour shootaround, had the #Bulls run suicides, used 5-man substitutions and has practice (currently) scheduled for Sunday after a back-to-back.
How many tricks/tactics are left in his bag?
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) December 9, 2018
Zach LaVine was visibly upset during his postgame media session. Zach said that the team has to listen to the Head Coach when asked about the final 21 minutes of the Celtics game. Here is a clip of Zach talking about yesterdays meetings.
Zach LaVine on today’s meetings. pic.twitter.com/4rYrYOvwyC
— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) December 9, 2018
At the end of the day, I have to be me and vent about this. I am so disgusted by what transpired Sunday afternoon. I am disgusted that it has already gotten to this point with Coach Boylen. Calling players effort embarrassing and running them ragged in practice isn’t going to translate to wins, it’s going to become a mutiny.
John Paxson and Gar Forman need to figure this out because the young core they built won’t last long if we already had to witness a players-only meeting. Young players already questioning their new coach isn’t a good look, but what has been in the GarPax era?
Hopefully, this meeting helped and the team can move forward from here, but something is telling me the circus is just beginning.
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