Chicago Bulls – The Numbers*

• Defensive Efficiency: 97.4 (1st)
• Opp. TS%: 50.9% (1th)
• Opp. Assist Rate: 18.21 (2nd)
• Opp. Turnover Rate: 13.64 (11th)
• Defensive Rebound Rate: 76.10 (2nd)
• Block Rate: 6.1 (3rd)
• Opp. Free Throw Rate: 29.7 (11th)
• Opp. Three Point Rate: 19.7 (27th)

Chicago Bulls – Strengths

Pick And Roll Defense

The Chicago Bulls are one of the best teams in the league when it comes to stopping the pick and roll, both the ball handler coming off of screens and the roll man.  According to Synergy, the Bulls are top 5 in both pick and roll defensive categories.  What it all comes down to is the Bulls ability to “swarm” the basketball and force misses/turnovers (the following was pulled from my Bulls’ PNR defense post over at SBNation):

Here, you have Jerryd Bayless coming off of a screen set, taking the basketball to the middle of the court.  Taj Gibson steps up and meets Bayless as Derrick Rose goes over the screen.

Just like with the Celtics, you have two defenders committed to defending the basketball.  This leaves the screener open, and Omer Asik steps up to pick him up.

As the pass gets made, Asik is right there in the screener’s face, defending him.  Eventually, the ball is forced to be kicked out to start the offense again (where the Raptors try another pick-and-roll that fails).

Just like with the Celtics, there are sharp rotations here on this pick and roll.  As Asik steps up to defend the roll man, his man flashes from one block to the other, trying to create confusion and mess with the Bulls’ rotations.  Instead, Gibson simply drops down and picks him up after the pass from Bayless gets made.

On this play, the Pistons run a pick-and-roll and the Bulls dedicate their three defenders to it with Rose and Kurt Thomas playing the ball handler and Carlos Boozer stepping up to the roll man.  Boozer leaves his man, meaning Luol Deng needs to leave his man in the corner to pick him up.  That happens as the basketball gets deflected out of bounds.

Closing Out On Shooters

The Chicago Bulls are the best team in the NBA when it comes to defending spot-up opportunities for the defense.  According to Synergy, the Bulls are first in the league in terms of PPP allowed in this category, holding opponents to 37.7% shooting.  In addition, the Bulls only give up threes on 19.7% of their opponents shots, that is 4th lowest in the NBA.  In my opinion, the Bulls are one of the best teams in the league when it comes to helping in the paint, and then recovering to shooters:

How the Bulls help is what allows them to close out on the shooter.  Here, as the pick and roll takes place, the only pass the Bulls are giving up is a cross court pass, knowing that they can recover in time.  That is exactly what happens as the ball goes to Ryan Anderson.  Taj Gibson, Anderson’s man is able to recover and contest the shot because of the distance on the pass.

Chicago Bulls – Weaknesses

Transition Defense

The Bulls’ defense is so good, that the only weakness that I can find is something that they are average (and not above average) at doing.  Instead of being in the top ten of PPP allowed, the Bulls are just 17th in the league, allowing 1.15 points per possession.  Where the Bulls really get hurt is when teams look to get three point shots in transition:

When teams get an advantage on the Bulls (in this particular case the Celtics have a 4 on 3 break), the Bulls have a tendency to sink into the paint a little too much.  This is what opens up the kick out pass behind the three point line.  Here, Korver stops the basketball, and you have two defenders in the paint.  One needs to try and get out to the three point line before the pass is made to contest the shot.

Indiana Pacers – The Numbers*

• Defensive Efficiency: 103.5 (12th)
• Opp. TS%: 53.0% (9th)
• Opp. Assist Rate: 19.03 (5th)
• Opp. Turnover Rate: 12.65 (25th)
• Defensive Rebound Rate: 73.97 (15th)
• Block Rate: 5.8 (6th)
• Opp. Free Throw Rate: 30.9 (10th)
• Opp. Three Point Rate: 20.5 (23rd)

Indiana Pacers – Strengths

Defending Off Ball Screens

When defending players coming off of off ball screens, the Pacers are one of the best teams in the league.  The Pacers hold opponents to just 35.9% shooting and a PPP of 0.793, which is 3rd best in the NBA.  The Pacers have length at a lot of positions, and that is what helps them challenge shots:

Their size is what allows them to bother shots that normally would be considered open.  Here, Granger gets a pindown screen set on him.  Granger gets off of it, but not in time to get out to Williams completely, however Granger’s length is what lets him get a hand on the shot, bothering it enough to force the miss.

Post Defense

In the post, the Pacers are able to hold their opponents to just 42% shooting.  Their best post defender seems to be Jeff Foster, who holds opposing players to just 30% shooting.  In fact in 94 post up attempts, opponents have scored just 61 points.  Foster is able to succeed because he has perfect technique:

Here, Foster is going up against the bigger Emeka Okafor and he just does everything correctly.  He uses his hands to try and keep Okafor from getting strong position, and once Okafor gets the basketball, he takes his hands off.  Okafor tries to back him down, and instead of pushing off, Foster absorbs the contact with his body and gets his hands straight up in the air, contesting the shot and forcing a miss without fouling.

Indiana Pacers – Weaknesses

Isolation Defense

With the Chicago Bulls being the best isolation team on the offensive end of the court, the fact that the Pacers are one of the worst Isolation defenses (29th in terms of PPP) in the league is really going to hurt them this series, especially considering who is the worst isolation defender on the Pacers.  That is Darren Collison, the team’s starting point guard.  Collison allows 1.16 points per possession when the opponent isolations him, with any number over 1 being terrible, this number is especially terrible.  It is hard to think of someone so quick as a poor one-on-one defender, but Collison’s size really hurts him.  Look at how a player with the size of John Wall (who’s size and playing style is comparable to Rose) can easily bully him with the basketball:

Here, Wall makes the catch and Collison is right up on him.  Wall simply drives on a straight line, takes Collison to the spot he wants to be on the court and hits the floater.

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*All numbers come from the fantastic website Hoopdata.com