Bulls answer Gasol’s plea for urgency
But they’ll be put to the test by tough schedule
Pau Gasol has been preaching urgency since he first put on a Bulls uniform last season.
Two championship rings give him plenty of support.
But even with the Bulls in the midst of a six- game winning streak and playing their best basketball of the season, Gasol isn’t ready to have a third finger sized just yet.
“The last eight games we’ve shown that [ urgency],’’ Gasol said after the 101- 92 victory over the Celtics on Thursday night. “Can we show it for the next 40- some games that we have left in the regular season and going into the playoffs? Can we continue to do that?
“We have a tough stretch coming up. Washington [ on Monday] is a tough team. Then we have four in five nights. So we’re going to be tested all along, and you have to prove that mindset, that attitude, that approach to the game every single night. So far, we’re on a good path, we’re right where we want to be. But, again, let’s see if we can consistently do that every night.’’
Gasol isn’t the only one who has pushed for that level of play. Former coach Tom Thibodeau tried to set the bar there all of last year, but he believed the group never completely grasped it.
With Gasol all but ready to opt out of his contract after the season, the 35- year- old doesn’t want a repeat of what happened last season. If this is his last run with the Bulls, the 7- foot center wants to make it a memorable one. He’s doing his part. “Pau has been unbelievable,’’ Hoiberg said. “I talk about Pau’s basketball IQ all the time. I truly think he’s one of the smartest players in this league, and he’s always coming over, he’s giving us suggestions on what we can do.’’ He’s doing more than that. With all the hype surrounding Jimmy Butler’s rise to stardom and Derrick Rose taking on a supporting role, Gasol has been a constant, averaging 16.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game.
Not only has he been a presence in the paint, but with teams paying so much attention to Butler and Rose, Gasol frequently is knocking down long open jumpers.
“I feel locked in, for sure,’’ Gasol said.
And while the Bulls are following Hoiberg’s offense as far as pacing and pushing the ball down the court, Gasol surprisingly said their success is more about the actions of the offense rather than a new philosophy. Actions they ran last season.
“A little bit in the beginning,’’ Gasol said when asked if the offense was an adjustment. “But now more and more we’re going to actions that worked for us last year and are working for us this year. So it’s just a balance, recognizing where our players can be most effective.
“We have tough guards to cover like Derrick and Jimmy. They are attracting attention. So if they take their penetration away, you have me popping and punishing you from outside. It’s just actions. We got to a point we recognized actions that work for us. Not so much of a specific offense we’re running. Just actions that we adjusted to the talent of our personnel.’’
Either way, it’s working. Now it’s about staying power.
Not always an easy sell for this team.