Bobby Portis,

[1highhog]

Here's a good article about Bobby Portis, http://www.blogabull.com/2016/3/7/11170522/rook-week-bobby-portis

[Cinco de Hogo]

Not a good defensive player?  This is what I continually have problem with in CMA system.  Defense is the key yet we don't play good defense.  Is it the system r the quaility of player we get...how can you say that when talking about an NBA 1st round pick.

[Biggus Piggus]

Portis always was a score-first player.

[1highhog]

So far this Season, Portis hasn't been the best at defense but I think he'll come along.  I keep up with every game he plays and so far he sure hasn't shied away from shooting the ball per minutes played.

[poloprince]

Not a good defensive player?  This is what I continually have problem with in CMA system.  Defense is the key yet we don't play good defense.  Is it the system r the quaility of player we get...how can you say that when talking about an NBA 1st round pick.

This is said about basically every rookie that enters the NBA. It has absolutely no bearings on any college system. It's called having to adjust to the NBA game. He may not ever be a dominate defensive player, but he will improve in time. Defense in basketball is overrated anyway. The rules changes are geared more towards scoring. The officials control the game and they call travel, fouls etc at their leisure.

[Cinco de Hogo]

This is said about basically every rookie that enters the NBA. It has absolutely no bearings on any college system. It's called having to adjust to the NBA game. He may not ever be a dominate defensive player, but he will improve in time. Defense in basketball is overrated anyway. The rules changes are geared more towards scoring. The officials control the game and they call travel, fouls etc at their leisure.

Look while I don't disagree with you, you can't simply white wash every little thing and be taken seriously about the big picture.

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

Look while I don't disagree with you, you can't simply white wash every little thing and be taken seriously about the big picture.

https://podfanatic.com/podcast/razorback-roundtable/episode/bulls-com-writer-sam-smith-says-bobby-portis-has-the-potential-to-make-all-star-teams

Listen to Sam Smith talk about the complex NBA help defense. Says every rookie struggles with adjusting to the NBA's style of help defense

[BRHogfan]

Not a good defensive player?  This is what I continually have problem with in CMA system.  Defense is the key yet we don't play good defense.  Is it the system r the quaility of player we get...how can you say that when talking about an NBA 1st round pick.

Portis was actually considered a defensive upgrade over Kingsley in College.  Portis was good at defense, for a college player, it just takes awhile to understand the NBA systems.

[1highhog]

Portis was actually considered a defensive upgrade over Kingsley in College.  Portis was good at defense, for a college player, it just takes awhile to understand the NBA systems.

Even though I hate the prick, Noah who plays the same position as Portis is a huge defensive presence so I think many critics of Portis compare the two, even though Portis is a rookie and Noah is like a 8 or 9 year Vet.  Portis falling in Chicagos lap when they already were loaded at his position didn't seem to allow him any minutes at all but he's carved out some this year with Noah getting hurt and Spelling Gasol at times.  Since I keep track of each game our former Hogs play, Portis has had some really good stat stuffers, then he'll have the occasional game like last night where he was barely used.  I think he needs to work on rebounding and his defense and if he does that he'll be in the league a long time.

[GS99]

Defense in basketball is overrated anyway.

Actually, the NBA is more defensive-oriented than ever and NBA defenses are quite complex.  Because of the rule changes and the awesome offensive players, you can't just grab and bump players and defense has become more complex and analytical. Almost all young players have difficulty adjusting. Portis is not a freak athlete who can make up for assignment lapses with quickness and leaping, so he's going to have to work really hard.

Even if he doesn't get good at defense, if he improves his shot selection he could be a productive bad-defense good-offense player like David Lee or Enos Kanter.  But he should be a better defensive player than those guys.

Watching NBA games I've heard a lot of announcers rave about how good Portis is going to be.  Just takes time for most players.

[XavierZane]

Here's another good article about BP.  Lots of good gifs in there of highlight plays from this season.

Personally, I've watched a lot of Bulls games this year and I've gone to some Bulls message boards and reddits afterwards.  I never hear anything negative about BP from fans or commentators.  Even when he makes mistakes, everyone recognizes that it's Rookie growing pains (or simply unbridled talent like the article above).  He shows promise too often and in too many areas to dislike.  He can score (7.3 avg., but season high of 20), he usually rebounds great (5.1 avg.; high of 16), he can get steals (.5 avg.; high of 4) and assists (.7 avg.; high of 5), and he hustles 100% of the time.  Even disgruntled fans, calling for a complete reshuffling of the team and office, usually put it like, "Keep Butler, Rose, and Portis; lose everybody else!" 

That said, BP still has room to grow.  He needs to work on shot selection, turnovers, and bulking up so he can become more of a presence down low. 

[azhog10]

The one and only thing that I thought Portis would struggle with in the NBA is his help defense. Here, he was one of the worst on the floor at help defense. It wasn't lack of effort, more about lack of being taught growing up where you should be when the ball is at a certain spot on the floor, if traps are called, etc. I had spoken to a scout here in Phoenix about Portis when he was with the hogs and he said the major knock on Portis was how long, or quick, he would take to adapt defensively to the NBA. He actually said the fact Portis has had to guard smaller players helps, but that he struggled off the ball defensively. There are pro's and cons to how we play defense, I'm not a fan of some of it, but it does force guys to learn how to play on the ball.

[hogsanity]

Not a good defensive player?  This is what I continually have problem with in CMA system.  Defense is the key yet we don't play good defense.  Is it the system r the quaility of player we get...how can you say that when talking about an NBA 1st round pick.

they give the appearance of playing good defense because they are always trapping and trying to deflect passes, but it is not good one one one or help defense. Effort does not equal sound defense.

[intelligence]

Here's another good article about BP.  Lots of good gifs in there of highlight plays from this season.

Personally, I've watched a lot of Bulls games this year and I've gone to some Bulls message boards and reddits afterwards.  I never hear anything negative about BP from fans or commentators.  Even when he makes mistakes, everyone recognizes that it's Rookie growing pains (or simply unbridled talent like the article above).  He shows promise too often and in too many areas to dislike.  He can score (7.3 avg., but season high of 20), he usually rebounds great (5.1 avg.; high of 16), he can get steals (.5 avg.; high of 4) and assists (.7 avg.; high of 5), and he hustles 100% of the time.  Even disgruntled fans, calling for a complete reshuffling of the team and office, usually put it like, "Keep Butler, Rose, and Portis; lose everybody else!" 

That said, BP still has room to grow.  He needs to work on shot selection, turnovers, and bulking up so he can become more of a presence down low.

you should check out the bulls forum at realgm. they don't pull any punches.

pretty much what they say about Portis:

- bad defense
- not athletic enough
- shoots to often
- never will be an allstar
- eventual starter at PF
- rebounding machine

etc.

most of their posters want bobby to be pushed into a role player on the team. few think he will be an all star, though he clear is the "alpha" on that team already. he should be a number 1 or number 2 scoring option in the NBA, he's far too talented to end up a role player. basically they are a bunch of ignorant armchair qb's who know jack about basketball.

FWIW, they trash hoiberg and every other player on their team constantly as well.

[intelligence]

FYI, if you're wondering why bobby hasn't been playing he's out with a left orbital contusion. got poked in the eye. gametime decision for tonights game.