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Bulls well-practiced in taking professional approach

By K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune –

CHICAGO — By now, several of Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau’s tenets are well-established.

Do your job. We have more than enough to win. Share the ball. Play inside out.

They may be cliches, but with the Bulls having the most regular-season victories in the NBA over the last two seasons, it’s hard to argue with their success.

Another one that’s uttered with frequency currently stands out, as the dog days of training camp take hold and the Oct. 31 regular-season opener approaches.

Begin with the end in mind.

Players talk constantly about the repetitive nature of Thibodeau’s practices. The only portion open to reporters indeed smacks of consistency — the same players assigned to the same baskets for final shooting practice.

This kind of attention to detail — not to mention, say, reviewing the next opponent’s fourth out-of-bounds option — could wear down those who are not committed and focused. But the Bulls locker room has been filled with professional players the last two seasons.

And those who are familiar with Thibodeau’s demands are making sure those new to them listen up.

“We’ve seen our success through his system, through his practice schedule, through his days off, through his regimen,” Carlos Boozer said. “We trust it because we’ve reaped the benefits. We tell the new guys coming in — and some of those vets are coming from losing programs, to be quite frank — to keep working. Be focused. It will pay off in the long run.

“Our end goal is to put a banner up. The work we do now will pay off later if we put everything into it. They’re taking heed to that. Guys are getting their lifts in, getting conditioning in, getting extra shots.”

A common joke around the Berto Center is that when practice ends, it really doesn’t. Players often are seen on the court in their assigned groups 30 to 40 minutes after reporters are granted access to the gym.

“I tell guys all the time, ‘Thibs is hard on us, but you can never get bored with success,’ “ said Nate Robinson, who played for Thibodeau in Boston. “He’s a winner and knows exactly what it takes to win. With Thibs, it’s all about repetition. The more we do it, the better we are at it. That’s something I love. So we fall in line and are ready to go.”

Thibodeau’s championship resume includes serving as Doc Rivers’ associate head coach when the Celtics won the 2008 title. And his long hours and attention to detail have been well-documented. His demands often are more mental than physical.

“He’s very strategic,” Boozer said. “He puts a lot of thought into his practice plan and game plan. We trust him because he puts the time in. Respect comes with success.”

With Derrick Rose out, success will be more difficult to achieve. But remember: Thibodeau always says the Bulls have more than enough to win.

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