The Kirk Hinrich Syndrome

[BIZARRO]

Loving the Bulls right now. They are good, and have a chance to be REALLY good. But one of the things that can hurt them, other than injuries, is something I have long thought about, but have now coined as: THE KIRK HINRICH SYNDROME.

The Kirk Hinrich Syndrome is something that all coaches who coach Kirk Hinrich get afflicted by, including and especially Thibs in this case. It is where they fall in love with him and his work ethic/coach's son mentality/hustle at the complete expense of and with complete disregard at how inefficient and crazy his play is on the floor.

This syndrome allows Thibs to play him 27.7 minutes a game this season, though he hasn't shot 40% in any of the last 3 season. Down to an even lower 36.5% this year. Allows Thibs to play him 31 minutes in a recent game, and have him go 0-0 from the field. Or the game after watch him go 0-7 from the field, with a 0,1, and 2 statline. Or the fact that the Bulls other than him are playing VERY efficiently right now. His shooting perentage and inefficiency stick out like a sore thumb. Let's face it, Kirk though a nice guy, is way past it. And it wasn't too great to begin with.

But it is not even the stats, it's the style of play. He's just so haphazard out there in his manic intensity, it is impossible to create flow and let the team just FLOW when he plays. And get into a rhythm. And improve with any consistency. It is no coincidence that they are playing some of their best ball with him out and clogging the flow and disrupting the rhythm with his craziness.

It's always been amazing how smart coaches like Thibs have always been blind to him. It's the ultimate example of forest from the trees, as I feel they are too close with him at practice everyday and fall in love with his blue collar attitude.

Anyway, I can see him as spot relief at this point 10 minutes a game to come in and give some intensity when needed.

But the fact that the really great Aaron Brooks has avg. 20.3 minutes a game to 27.7 for the inefficient over the hill wildman Kirk this year is ridiculous. Completely ridiculous.

But yet again, another example of....The Kirk Hinrich Syndrome.

Please Thibs, lose the illusion. 10-12 minutes a game tops. The Bulls will be much better for it.

[stalkerforlife]

Hinrich plays a lot because of his ability to defend the 1, 2, and sometimes the 3.

His offense is irrelevant.

[navy]

Kendrick Perkins and Udonis Haslem fit the bill. Although, Kirk isnt quite as bad as those two.

[BIZARRO]

Hinrich plays a lot because of his ability to defend the 1, 2, and sometimes the 3.

His offense is irrelevant.

That ain't what I'm saying. And he ain't even close to a Tony Allen, or even a Jimmy Butler on D for matter to justify 27.7 minutes a game. In fact, he's pretty slow at his age. Hell, I can find lots of hard working guys his size in the league who can defend as well as him and have no O. Doesn't mean I want them playing 27.7 minutes a game. For the Bulls?

And 27.7 a game? When Brooks is playing 20? No way, just no way.

No offense, and mediocre 33 year old slow defense in no way warrant 27.7 mpg on this Bulls team. Especially when a champ like Brooks plays 20.

Sorry, just no way. It totally holds them back with inefficient minutes.

[nnn123]

Is anyone here a fan of on/off stats? For what it's worth, Kirk is leading the team this year in on/off per 100 possessions (last I checked). I don't know if it's just a crappy stat, or maybe there is something to be said for Kirk coming into the game and stabilizing the perimeter defense? Especially in a league that is run by point guards?

[stalkerforlife]

That ain't what I'm saying. And he ain't even close to a Tony Allen, or even a Jimmy Butler on D for matter to justify 27.7 minutes a game. In fact, he's pretty slow at his age. Hell, I can find lots of hard working guys his size in the league who can defend as well as him and have no O. Doesn't mean I want them playing 27.7 minutes a game. For the Bulls?

And 27.7 a game? When Brooks is playing 20? No way, just no way.

No offense, and mediocre 33 year old slow defense in no way warrant 27.7 mpg on this Bulls team. Especially when a champ like Brooks plays 20.

Sorry, just no way. It totally holds them back with inefficient minutes.

You must be black.

[BIZARRO]

You must be black.

That was good.

In seriousness I'm white, just going by what I see on the floor. The eye test tells me the Bulls are going to be much better, and would get into a much better rhythm, without him and his rhythm disrupting style of play. That's all.

[BIZARRO]

Is anyone here a fan of on/off stats? For what it's worth, Kirk is leading the team this year in on/off per 100 possessions (last I checked). I don't know if it's just a crappy stat, or maybe there is something to be said for Kirk coming into the game and stabilizing the perimeter defense? Especially in a league that is run by point guards?

I'm too busy looking at his 7.96 per with is 312th out of 341.

Don't fall into the Kirk Hinrich Syndrome man. Fans do it too.

It's his style of play which is the big thing that will hurt a Bulls team that will eventually thrive on flow. He's like a square peg in a round hole on that team.
Which is fine, just not for 27.7 mpg. More like 10-12 mpg.

[Heavincent]

He shoots 38% from 3 and is a good defender. He probably gets a few more minutes per game than he should, but Thibs is defensive minded, so it kind of makes sense I guess. Oh, and Rose is in and out of the lineup, so somebody has to get those minutes.

Derek Fisher was a starter for most of his career, and he wasn't really any better than Hinrich is right now.

[BIZARRO]

He shoots 38% from 3 and is a good defender. He probably gets a few more minutes per game than he should, but Thibs is defensive minded, so it kind of makes sense I guess. Oh, and Rose is in and out of the lineup, so somebody has to get those minutes.

Derek Fisher was a starter for most of his career, and he wasn't really any better than Hinrich is right now.

Every player has their good and bad points. Hinrichs at this stage of his career bad outweighs the good. His 312th ranked per, 36.5 total fg%, and declining defense don't warrant 28 minutes per game in this Bulls team.

He doesn't get "a few" more minutes than he should. He gets a lot more minutes than he should for his inefficiency and crazy decisions and low shooting perectage.. It's this glossing over that is a symptom of The Kirk Hinrich Syndrome and allows for less efficient basketball.

Is anybody seeing my point about his manic style of play disrupting the flow of the team? Or can anybody justify how Brooks to this point has played 20.3 mpg compared to Hinrich's 27.7mpg?

The proof is in the pudding. They're playing better without him.

[Kvnzhangyay]

same case as beverley, or even perkins to an extent

[BIZARRO]

same case as beverley, or even perkins to an extent

Agreed.

[JohnMax]

But it is not even the stats, it's the style of play. He's just so haphazard out there in his manic intensity, it is impossible to create flow and let the team just FLOW when he plays. And get into a rhythm. And improve with any consistency. It is no coincidence that they are playing some of their best ball with him out and clogging the flow and disrupting the rhythm with his craziness.

You just described Russell Westbrook

[ralph_i_el]

Loving the Bulls right now. They are good, and have a chance to be REALLY good. But one of the things that can hurt them, other than injuries, is something I have long thought about, but have now coined as: THE KIRK HINRICH SYNDROME.

The Kirk Hinrich Syndrome is something that all coaches who coach Kirk Hinrich get afflicted by, including and especially Thibs in this case. It is where they fall in love with him and his work ethic/coach's son mentality/hustle at the complete expense of and with complete disregard at how inefficient and crazy his play is on the floor.

This syndrome allows Thibs to play him 27.7 minutes a game this season, though he hasn't shot 40% in any of the last 3 season. Down to an even lower 36.5% this year. Allows Thibs to play him 31 minutes in a recent game, and have him go 0-0 from the field. Or the game after watch him go 0-7 from the field, with a 0,1, and 2 statline. Or the fact that the Bulls other than him are playing VERY efficiently right now. His shooting perentage and inefficiency stick out like a sore thumb. Let's face it, Kirk though a nice guy, is way past it. And it wasn't too great to begin with.

But it is not even the stats, it's the style of play. He's just so haphazard out there in his manic intensity, it is impossible to create flow and let the team just FLOW when he plays. And get into a rhythm. And improve with any consistency. It is no coincidence that they are playing some of their best ball with him out and clogging the flow and disrupting the rhythm with his craziness.

It's always been amazing how smart coaches like Thibs have always been blind to him. It's the ultimate example of forest from the trees, as I feel they are too close with him at practice everyday and fall in love with his blue collar attitude.

Anyway, I can see him as spot relief at this point 10 minutes a game to come in and give some intensity when needed.

But the fact that the really great Aaron Brooks has avg. 20.3 minutes a game to 27.7 for the inefficient over the hill wildman Kirk this year is ridiculous. Completely ridiculous.

But yet again, another example of....The Kirk Hinrich Syndrome.

Please Thibs, lose the illusion. 10-12 minutes a game tops. The Bulls will be much better for it.

Aaron Brooks is worse on D than Hinrich is on O

[tpols]

Aaron Brooks is worse on D than Hinrich is on O

This is true.

Drpms..

Brooks -2.9, Kirk 0

Orpms..

Brooks 1.7, Kirk -.5



I bet Thibs looks at defensive synergy stats and makes a reasonable conclusion.. Bulls are a defensive team first after all.