It is no secret that one of the concerns I have about the Bulls offense is how little offense Ruben Guerrero is giving the team. Based on his offensive output through four games, Guerrero is basically a "role player". This made no sense to me since he is a 7-foot, 235-pound junior center who starts each game.
Through four games Guerrero has attempted 22 shots (5.5 per game) and made 11 of them. As the picture below shows, thus far, all but one of his shot attempts has either been close to, or at, the basket.
The next image shows the shots made (circled) and missed. The shots that appear along the baseline were shots at the basket -- either tip ins, dunks, layups etc.
Next I did some minor "film" study on Ruben Guerrero and noticed a few things that I thought I would share.
To illustrate No. 4 I'll describe a play from the game against Rider.
With 13:09 remaining in the first half, Bulls were running a half court play that many teams use called "Horns". It is a high pick and roll play where the Center and the Power Forward set up screens on either sides of the top of the key. The point guard decides which screen he is going to use and the play goes from there.
On this particular possession, the point guard (Bibby) went to his right and used the power forward's screen. Guerrero then rolled to the left low block, then cut across the lane to post up on the right low block. Guerrero did a nice job posting up and sealing his man on this play.
Bibby then threw a bounce pass to Guerrero who juggled the pass which not only allowed his defender to get better position on him but also allowed a help defender to double down on Guerrero.
At this point Guerrero's best option is to kick it right back to Bibby, because Bibby's man started to double down on Guerrero but when he saw a teammate get there, he started to turn back to Bibby who was now open.
Instead of passing back to Bibby and re-posting, Guerrero uses a drop step to the baseline and attempts to make a reverse layup.
However, once Guerrero drop stepped and pivoted to the baseline he should have seen Tulio Da Silva, wide open in front of him, cutting to the basket. In my final pic you can see that not only does Da Silva's defender have his back to Da Silva but there is not a single Rider defender within seven feet of any of the Bulls. Guerrero could have safely passed the ball to any of his four teammates (Da Silva was just the easiest pass to make) to keep this possession going.
The result: Guerrero attempts a reverse layup but a help defender (No. 14 who left Da Silva alone) got his hand on the ball on Guerrero's way up. The shot never got off, the official called a jump ball and since the possession arrow favored Rider this became a turnover.
Three games from now Jahmal McMurray will be back on the floor. If Guerrero can give the Bulls a a low post presence who can make 60 percent of his shots, that in turn should lead to more three-point shooting success by Bulls perimeter players. Additionally, if Guerrero is even a threat to score down low he should draw multiple defenders (as in the pic above), then all he has to do is make a good decision with the basketball.
Through four games Guerrero has attempted 22 shots (5.5 per game) and made 11 of them. As the picture below shows, thus far, all but one of his shot attempts has either been close to, or at, the basket.
The next image shows the shots made (circled) and missed. The shots that appear along the baseline were shots at the basket -- either tip ins, dunks, layups etc.
Next I did some minor "film" study on Ruben Guerrero and noticed a few things that I thought I would share.
- He does not do a very good job of consistently posting up on the low block, sealing his man and calling for the ball.
- He does not have good hands and often doesn't catch the ball cleanly
- His teammates do not pass him the ball very often (probably a byproduct of No. 1 and No. 2)
- His decision making needs some work
To illustrate No. 4 I'll describe a play from the game against Rider.
With 13:09 remaining in the first half, Bulls were running a half court play that many teams use called "Horns". It is a high pick and roll play where the Center and the Power Forward set up screens on either sides of the top of the key. The point guard decides which screen he is going to use and the play goes from there.
On this particular possession, the point guard (Bibby) went to his right and used the power forward's screen. Guerrero then rolled to the left low block, then cut across the lane to post up on the right low block. Guerrero did a nice job posting up and sealing his man on this play.
Bibby then threw a bounce pass to Guerrero who juggled the pass which not only allowed his defender to get better position on him but also allowed a help defender to double down on Guerrero.
At this point Guerrero's best option is to kick it right back to Bibby, because Bibby's man started to double down on Guerrero but when he saw a teammate get there, he started to turn back to Bibby who was now open.
Instead of passing back to Bibby and re-posting, Guerrero uses a drop step to the baseline and attempts to make a reverse layup.
However, once Guerrero drop stepped and pivoted to the baseline he should have seen Tulio Da Silva, wide open in front of him, cutting to the basket. In my final pic you can see that not only does Da Silva's defender have his back to Da Silva but there is not a single Rider defender within seven feet of any of the Bulls. Guerrero could have safely passed the ball to any of his four teammates (Da Silva was just the easiest pass to make) to keep this possession going.
The result: Guerrero attempts a reverse layup but a help defender (No. 14 who left Da Silva alone) got his hand on the ball on Guerrero's way up. The shot never got off, the official called a jump ball and since the possession arrow favored Rider this became a turnover.
Three games from now Jahmal McMurray will be back on the floor. If Guerrero can give the Bulls a a low post presence who can make 60 percent of his shots, that in turn should lead to more three-point shooting success by Bulls perimeter players. Additionally, if Guerrero is even a threat to score down low he should draw multiple defenders (as in the pic above), then all he has to do is make a good decision with the basketball.
