Jared Sullinger: "It's An Honor To Play Against Noah"

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2014/03/jared_sullinger_calls_it_an_ho.html



Jared Sullinger calls it 'an honor' to play against Joakim Noah; Tom Thibodeau thinks Chicago Bulls star should garner MVP consideration




Chicago Bulls' Joakim Noah (13) drives past Boston Celtics' Kris Humphries (43) in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Sunday, March 30, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Print Jay King | mjking@masslive.com By Jay King | mjking@masslive.com
on March 30, 2014 at 10:53 PM



BOSTON – In the past, the Boston Celtics didn’t always voice respect for Joakim Noah. Once, Kevin Garnett even called him a “nobody.”

But Garnett’s gone and Noah’s become the most uniquely dominant center in basketball. Before and after a 107-102 defeat at the TD Garden, the Celtics had all types of praise for the Chicago Bulls star.

“Honestly, he’s one of my favorite players to watch,” Jared Sullinger said after Noah’s line of 13 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists. “He does everything so hard. And I respect him, I really do. He’s a great passer, his shot’s starting to fall now and he’s so unselfish. And he plays hard. He gives you a lot of things that you don’t see in the stat sheet. Playing against Noah is an honor, but at the same time it’s pretty tough because he’s always active. Luckily we get to see him (Monday, when the two teams meet for the second straight day.)”

The Bulls have essentially turned Noah into a point guard, freeing him from the low-post shackles that bind many big men. He’s still expected to rebound and defend the rim (and he does), but he spends a lot of his time on the perimeter, looking for angles to find his teammates with bounce passes (like the following one that comes to you via Red’s Army blogger Jay Ouellette).





The result: Noah has been Mr. Everything for the surging Bulls, who hold a 41-32 record despite an injury to Derrick Rose and a trade of Luol Deng. The Celtics – like the rest of the basketball world – have noticed.

Avery Bradley kinda, sorta compared Noah to Garnett, while Brad Stevens pointed out that he loves Noah’s energy and ability to impact games in a variety of manners.

The MVP looks wrapped up as long as Kevin Durant maintains the ability to breathe, but Noah is gaining momentum as a name to fill out the rest of the ballot.

“It depends on how you define (MVP consideration). For us, I think he does (deserve it),” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said before the game. “What he’s meant to our team over the course of the season – we faced a lot of adversity. He helped lift the team up and he’s improved significantly, I think, offensively. The defense has always been great, the rebounding. And it’s more than just the passing. It’s his scoring now, he’s making quicker decisions. I think that’s helped us a lot.

"But the most important thing is just helping us win.”

Yes, Noah does that.



bob
MY NOTE: That's the half court, on the gallop, bounce pass I referred to in the post-game thread. If you don't think that's beautiful then maybe you should switch to dwarf-tossing or inchworm-racing for your spectator sport.


.

Noah's impressed me thus far in his career. He's a very well-rounded player that understands the game very well. Imagine if the C's had him.



KJ

There have been times when Noah's passing in the halfcourt have reminded me of Bill Walton.

He impressed me well before he was drafted.  Much to the consternation of one Boston.com guy who was all over me about Noah while I calmly flossed my teeth.  I believe he has now passed kindergarten and has matriculated into Idiot School.

Sam

Noah and Big Al would have been awesome together, those 2 with Pierce as the SF and Rondo, TA and Delonte sharing the backcourt with Perk coming off the bench....that team coulda contended. Big Al has strengths Noah doesn't have, post up, Noah has strengths Big Al doesn't have, mobility, handle, vision, both can board and Perk can come off the bench to further pound bigs in the paint. We would just need another shooter off the bench to further spread the floor, sure Danny could have found someone like a Posey or House or both.

I like this team!!!!

Sam we woulda rocked had we drafted Noah.

sam wrote:He impressed me well before he was drafted.  Much to the consternation of one Boston.com guy who was all over me about Noah while I calmly flossed my teeth.  I believe he has now passed kindergarten and has matriculated into Idiot School.

Sam

I remember that, who was that, dudder?

Cow,

No, it was someone named "No Trade" or something like that.

Sam