SB Nation Chicago - Features

What To Watch This Summer Now That The Bulls Are Done: An SB Nation Chicago Roundtable

2012-05-16T13:01:13Z

The SB Nation Chicago staff discuss what they are looking forward to watching now that the Blackhawks and Bulls have both been eliminated from their respective playoff.

Bobby Loesch (@bobbystompy):

With the Blackhawks dead and the Bulls, well, dead, I can't help but think where we go from here as Chicago sports fans. College football is about 100 days away, and while that can be our gateway drug to the Bears opener, we're faced with the prospect of nothing on Chicago's (major) sports horizon except -- gulp. big gulp. -- baseball. And as someone who's seen the Cubs in person (twice) and a dozen Sox games on TV, it's not a prospect I'm ready to face. Outside of Harper and Hamilton, the game hasn't really grabbed me.

So what about sports without a local focus? There's the remaining part of the NHL and NBA playoffs, right? I'm pretty much out on the NHL playoffs unless the Kings or Coyotes make some noise in the finals, but the NBA playoffs have me riveted, particularly the Western conference. It's kind of nice to watch these games without thinking what it 'means' in the context of Chicago's title chances. Instead of getting nervous as KD, Russ, and Harden dominate the Lakers, we can just marvel at their on-court genocide. On the other side of the conference semis, I look forward to the Spurs dismantling the Flop City Clippers. I've never felt more confident about an NBA series outcome in a long, long time. The East might be weak, but the C's and Heat are fun, and that should be a decent series as long as at least some of the key players stay healthy.

After NBA wraps, we should be pretty close to the summer Olympics. I bet those'll be fun. Though USA Hoops definitely has lost some luster with no D-Rose* and no Dwight Howard on the team. Just a month ago, I remember thinking this group could be better than the original Dream Team. Now? Nah. Plus Spain loses Rubio. God, injuries suck. But still, we'll have those dudes. And Phelps. And Usain Bolt. Should be pretty tidy.

And though no one else is, I'm a tennis guy, so we've got the French and Wimby on the horizon, too. Maybe life's not so bad.

(* - Is it possible or even probable Rose won't be the starting PG on the 2016 Olympic team? Has his international window closed before it ever fully opened? Maybe life is so bad.)

Ricky O'Donnell (@TUP_Ricky):

Since no one else will, I suppose I can defend local baseball for a minute. I mean, it's still pretty uninspiring, but the Cubs and White Sox are each *much* easier to take in this season than last season. Last season was waterboarding. The White Sox were "All-In", a supposed contender in the A.L. that never got its head above .500, much less threaten for even a division title. The Cubs were straight up hopeless. This year? Local baseball is a lot less repulsive.

The Sox are back to doing Sox things, which means they'll stay around .500 all season and make a vague push to win the division in the last two months. I'm not allowing myself to get too excited quite yet, but it certainly seems like they'll at least keep my attention. That's a very underrated quality in a baseball team, given that the season is 18 years long. Adam Dunn is back to being Adam Dunn: hitting .240 with a great OPB, a bunch of homers and a ton of strikeouts. Do you realize he already has more homers this year than last year? That's remarkable. It's also nice to see Alex Rios and Jake Peavy rise from the grave. I was ready to write off South Side baseball this year, but seeing all three of those guys turn in major comeback seasons has been pretty fun. All three are off to great starts. Will it last? Who knows, but each has a proven track record. And have you seen the A.L. Central? The Detroit Tigers are under .500 and the Cleveland Indians are leading the division! Right, right....don't get excited quite yet. Still: the Sox are kinda fun.

The Cubs were described to me by a friend as the "easiest bad team to watch, ever". They don't make dumb mistakes. They're great at pitching, defense and base running. Problem is, the Cubs can't hit at all. But it's still nice to see shortstop Starlin Castro develop into a true star. The ascent of first baseman Bryan LaHair has been the top story in Chicago baseball through two months. Who knows if LaHair will be able to keep it up, but his production thus far has been relatively amazing. And with Theo, the Cubs aren't so hopeless anymore. This is a throw-away season, no expectations. That's got to be a nice, stress-free feeling for Cubs fans.

Aside from that, I'm definitely all-in on the West of the NBA Playoffs. I love the Clippers, love the Thunder. I think I'm rooting for the Thunder. More than anything, I'm rooting against the Heat. It's nice to have common enemies.

I'm not a huge Olympics guy, but I'm sure I'll get into it when it's closer. The Rubio injury was a huge bummer for me. I think I might have rooted for Spain over the USA if Chris Paul was named starting point guard over D. Rose. I guess that isn't a concern now, and Rubio getting hurt really sapped a lot of my enjoyment out of the entire tournament. It'll still be fun, though.

What are you looking forward to, Z?

Z.W. Martin (@ZWMartin):

During the first round of the NHL playoffs, my roommate had a few friends in town. They happened to be Canadians and, like all Canadians, loved hockey. The weekend turned into one large discussion of how our cultures differed. Guns, alcohol prices, weed and hockey were the things we primarily discussed. At one point I proclaimed: "If the Blackhawks lose, my hockey playoff viewership will decrease by about 80%." I have been true to my word. Playoff hockey is still fun, exciting and intense to watch even if you don't have a horse in the race. It's just that I won't go out of my way to view it anymore. If it's on, I'll watch.

The NBA playoffs? I haven't watched a second of it since the Bulls' exit and probably won't watch another until next season. The NBA without the Bulls is like watching The Rolling Stones without Mick Jagger. Sure, there's still good music being played, but without the frontman, it's just three guys playing the same three chords over and over again. The NBA, to me, is very boring. I will actively change the channel if it's on my TV.

As you both know, baseball is kind of my life. I can honestly say I've watched more non-Chicago MLB games than Cubs or White Sox contests. I fall asleep to 'Quick Pitch' every night and try to watch as many games on MLB Network or even -- gasp -- ESPN that I can. I like to watch teams that I am not intimately familiar with. It makes me a better fan/coach/writer/annoying-guy-at-bar.

This is my favorite time of the year for baseball. The Chicago sports landscape isn't bogged down with needless updates from Bourbonnais. Right now, the only teams in Chicago that are ACTUALLY PLAYING are baseball teams. Use this time to learn about your local teams. About the sport you may have neglected. It's great. Really. I promise. Go to a game. (Tickets are STILL available for Friday's White Sox/Cubs game.) Experience what you've missed. Trust me. It will be worth your time.

As for the Olympics... I'm actually really excited, but for selfish reason. It's the only time of every-other-year that I can be a true asshole. A REAL American and not feel bad about it. It's also pretty cool to watch sports you don't normally get to view. Basketball in the Olympics is whatever to me because I get to see basketball at the level or better every night for what seems like eleven months of the year. The niche sports, the swimming, the running, whatever, are the true joy of the Olympics. I will really get into a truly stupid sport and I can't wait.

Plus, the Commies at the IOC have deemed baseball a non-Olympic event for some reason, so I really have no sport in the fight and will just enjoy the entire experience. It's seriously something to look forward to, even if you are an un-American, Nihilistic hipster like Ricky.

Poll

What are you looking forward to the most in the summer of 2012?

Luol Deng Will Play For Great Britain In The Olympics, And Deserves Chicago's Support

2012-05-15T13:00:32Z

Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng will delay wrist surgery to play for Great Britain in the Olympics. Even though Deng will likely now miss the start of the 2012-2013 NBA season, the small forward has earned the right to play.

The Chicago Bulls forged some serious regular season triumphs this year, though a January 21 win over the Charlotte Bobcats probably isn't a memory anyone is currently holding dear. The Bulls improved to 15-3 that night with a 95-89 road victory over a Charlotte squad that would go on to secure the worst winning percentage in league history. But if a win over a team as punchless as the Bobcats could ever be termed 'gutsy', this was it.

The Bulls were without Derrick Rose, who was battling turf toe, the first in a long list of injuries that would eventually sabotage the 2011-2012 season. Joakim Noah sat out too, this time with a left ankle sprain. Also missing were reserves Taj Gibson (ankle sprain) and John Lucas III (groin strain). Still, the Bulls had "more than enough to win with" months before their relentless coach's war cry proved to be doomed.

Small forward Luol Deng turned in a titan of a performance. Deng finished with 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the win. He played 40 minutes, as even against a historically lowly team like Charlotte, coach Tom Thibodeau refused to ease off the gas pedal. After the game, it was determined Deng had torn ligaments in his left wrist during the victory. Who knows how much further damage Deng did to his wrist by staying on the court that night.

Deng would miss the next seven games before returning to the Chicago lineup. He was advised to have surgery to fully repair his wrist, a procedure that would have sidelined him for about three months. Deng saw something special brewing with his team and opted to gut it out. He didn't want to jeopardize his availability for what was seeming to be a long playoff run. When asked about the injury, Deng talked only about dealing with the pain. He put the team before his own health, because with him in the lineup, the team had a chance at winning the championship.

Deng would play the rest of the season with the injury. As the regular season concluded, it was Deng who led the NBA in minutes at 39.4 per game. Whether it's more of a testament to Deng's toughness and sacrifice or his head coach's own maniacal way of dealing with injuries is up for debate, but the small forward's fortitude isn't. It never was.

Luol Deng has come so far, and we're not yet beginning to get into his astounding backstory. It wasn't long ago that Deng's $71 million contract was viewed as a title-preventing albatross. Think: Alfonso Soriano, Ben Wallace, and current teammate Carlos Boozer. If Deng's contract doesn't look like a bargain now, it's certainly impossible to argue he's overpaid. NBA players: they make lots of money. Deng isn't the only one.

Deng has given the Bulls everything over the past two years. To deem him the 'glue guy' almost reads as a diss. Glue guys aren't supposed to double as All-Stars. This season, that's exactly what Deng became for the first time in his career. While some argued the honor wasn't fully deserved, no one could discount the small forward's contributions to the team since Thibodeau took over two seasons ago.

There's a reason Deng plays so much: the Bulls desperately need him. His size, instincts and versatility has helped make him the best defensive player on the NBA's best defensive team. He also developed a three-point stroke the moment he seemed doomed to a life of shooting long twos. On a Bulls roster devoid of shot creators and shot makers outside of Rose, he is one of the few players capable of going off for 20 points on a given night. Was Deng better during Thibodeau's first season? Of course, but the fact that he was even on the court this past one -- and still playing an absurd amount of minutes at a high level -- can't be discounted. Luol Deng makes the Bulls go.

This is why it's a shame that Deng's dedication to the team is now being called into question. Deng will put off the wrist surgery he likely needs for a few more months to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics this August. Deng will be the focal point of host country Great Britain, a basketball team which will compete in the Olympics for the first time since 1948. This means Deng could be out of the Bulls' lineup until December.

Chicago Tribune columnist David Haugh wrote a largely fair and level-headed column on Monday about the bind the Bulls find themselves in. The only thing I disagree with is the opinion at the end.

With Rose slated to miss at least the first few months of next season as he recovers from the torn ACL that prematurely ended Chicago's playoff run, the Bulls are within right to urge Deng to consider skipping the Olympics to make it back in time for the start of the 2012-2013 campaign. It's what any smart business would do. As Haugh wrote:

I understand England gave Deng and his family the opportunity of a lifetime. But the Bulls gave Deng generational wealth in 2008 when they signed him to a $71 million contract. Deng's $13.3 million salary calls for him to make $162,000 per game next season. I doubt he plans to pay back the Bulls for any games he misses by opting to delay surgery.

It's hard to argue with the logic here, and any Bulls fan would certainly want Deng back on the court for Chicago at full strength as early as possible. This team has already dealt with too many damn injuries. But if anyone has earned a special exception, it's Deng. He's going to play in Summer Olympics, and Chicago shouldn't hold it against him. We should be proud of him.

It's a honor that clearly means a lot to Deng. As he recently said after the Bulls were eliminated:

I just know I’ve got the Olympics ahead of me, since I was a kid growing up, it's something I always wanted an opportunity to be part of. the fact that it’s in my hometown that I grew up in a country that gave me opportunity to even be here, I’m looking forward to it."

For Deng, playing in the Olympics would be a culmination of an often frantic life journey that brought him to Chicago in 2004. He came so far to get here.

Deng grew up in war-torn Sudan, where his father was a member of parliament. Trapped in a civil war, Deng's parents fled to seek political asylum in England. After a spending a few years in Egypt, Deng was reunited with his parents in London at age nine. That's when his basketball career began to take off.

By now, you know the story: Deng's first love was soccer, but he was too tall. Instead, Deng was taught basketball by fellow Dinka tribe member Manute Bol. When he came to the United States at 14 to play high school hoops at New Jersey's Blair Academy with Charlie Villanueva, he was already on the radar of NBA scouts. After one season at Duke, Deng was chosen by the Bulls with the seventh pick in the 2004 draft. He seems like he's been around forever, but he's just now entering his prime. He's only 27. His story is still being written. He also has a reputation as one of the NBA's true good guys, as he's involved in numerous charity ventures in Africa and the UK.

The opportunity in front of Deng is not only deeply meaningful on a personal level, it's also exceedingly rare. He's been rumored to carry the country's flag during opening ceremonies at the Olympics. Can Bulls fans really fault him for choosing to delay his surgery for a few months in good faith?

I don't think so. Besides, Deng would be scheduled to return to the Bulls before Christmas. He'll have more than enough time to recover and be ready to go when Rose returns and the Bulls start making another playoff run. The Bulls aren't going to miss the postseason even if Deng sits out until December. They could be the best No. 5 seed in a long time. And as these Bulls have proven the last two season, seeding isn't as important as health.

Haugh's column ends with a simple question:

Who deserves Deng's allegiance more, the Bulls or the Brits?

Though complicated, to me one simple question answers another: Who signs his checks?

Under normal circumstances, sure. But if anyone has earned a special pass, it's Deng.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of SB Nation Chicago and the founder of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Follow him on Twitter or reach him at richardpodonnell@gmail.com.

Chicago Bulls Notebook: An Obituary

2012-05-11T17:31:35Z

The Chicago Bulls saw their season come to an end in the first round of the NBA Playoffs on Thursday night with a 79-78 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 6. SB Nation Chicago editor Ricky O'Donnell would rather remember the good times.

For the sake of clarity, yes, other losses in recent local sports history qualify as decidedly 'more heartbreaking' than the one the Chicago Bulls suffered last night, a 79-78 defeat in Game 6 to the Philadelphia 76ers to end their season. The Bears' NFC Championship loss to the Green Bay Packers will probably always be the one that stings the most, personally. The Blackhawks' Game 7 loss to the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the 2011 playoffs to prematurely cut short their title defense also comes to mind. Perhaps even the way the Bulls bowed out of last season, in five close games with the Miami Heat, counts as more painful. The Cubs are an entire category unto themselves. But, all things considered, it's hard to fathom a playoff run has ever been more devastating to the state of a franchise and the collective psyche of a fanbase than the one the Bulls just concluded.

If Derrick Rose's torn ACL in Game 1 was like suffering a terminal wound, the Bulls' eventual demise on Thursday in Game 6 was the twisting of the knife. We were already down, we were already defeated. Somehow, you're still fooled into thinking it hurts just as bad.

If that sounds overwrought, it probably is. But if there's ever a place to be over-the-top morbid -- for something, you know, as frivolous as professional sports -- it's in times like these.

A bad sports loss is uniquely melancholy. When it happens, you can feel it, physically. In your blood, in your bones. You try to eat, but food tastes like chalk. You try to laugh, but just want to cry. You can momentarily drink away the pain, but that time-tested method of coping only inevitably makes things worse. Being a sports fan is an often joyless experience, and losses like the one the Bulls suffered on Thursday cements it. I have no idea why so many of us choose to spend our leisure time in this way. It can't be healthy.

The Bulls were so close to winning Game 6. If the officials don't wave off a second quarter three-pointer from Taj Gibson that came just a tick after the shot clock expired, the Bulls would have won. Had C.J. Watson not foolishly passed to Omer Asik in the final seconds of the game with Chicago holding a one-point lead, the Bulls (probably) would have won. If Asik doesn't blow both free throws. If Spencer Hawes' foul on Asik was rightfully called a flagrant. If Carlos Boozer finishes 2-for-11 from the floor instead of 1-for-11.

The Bulls were so close.

Ultimately, it wouldn't have mattered. The Bulls' incredible 2011-2012 season ended with Rose's torn knee tendon, a universal truth we all accepted at the time. The Bulls were not winning anything of note had they found a way to defeat Philly in Game 6. It only would have served to delay future elimination. But there are still plenty of things about losing to these 76ers that considerably sucked. I can't stop thinking about the graphic. From now until the end of time, whenever a top seed is in jeopardy of losing to an eight seed, we'll see "Chicago Bulls - 2012" as an example. There's also the pesky fact that these 76ers were pretty terrible. They were good enough to defeat the Bulls without Rose and Joakim Noah, but just barely. A small, pathetic part of me looks forward to seeing them curb-stomped by Rajon Rondo in round two.

Another part of me considers what happened last night a mercy kill. I have watched plenty of basketball in my 24 years, and this series was about as poorly played as any of it. I have covered more competent high school Catholic League games (lies). The castrated Bulls and fully healthy 76ers were simply each too good defensively and too flawed offensively to create an entertaining brand of basketball. These games were nails on a chalkboard. Perhaps we're fortunate we don't have to watch that garbage anymore. If you love something, give it away.

In the end, the 2011-2012 Bulls go down with an asterisk, a denotation written with a heavy heart. This team was a contender, until they weren't. They overcame so much. Derrick Rose missed 27 games, Richard Hamilton missed 39, Luol Deng missed 12 and played the rest of the season with torn ligaments in his wrist. The Bulls still won 50 games, tied for the most in the NBA. They had homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs. That would qualify as a remarkable regular season if everyone was fully healthy.

Don't forget the good times, because there were many. John Lucas III besting LeBron and the Heat in March. C.J. Watson and Kyle Korver keying a second victory over Miami. Rose's straight nasty buzzer-beater against the Milwaukee Bucks. Remember the early season 19-point fourth quarter comeback against the Atlanta Hawks? Don't forget Deng's tip-in to defeat the Toronto Raptors at the buzzer in overtime, don't forget the first game of the season, when Rose powered a comeback to topple the Lakers on Christmas day.

In times of loss, it's always best to celebrate life, not mourn death. The 2011-2012 Bulls gave us plenty to celebrate. They were a great team, and I loved watching them. They might look different next year, though I have my doubts. We have an eternity to focus on next year, though. Now, I want to remember these Bulls for what they were: a valiant, tough-as-hell, overachieving bunch who had a legitimate chance at a championship cut short by injuries. I will never forget this team. Unfortunately, they'll be remembered for circumstances surrounding their demise than the qualities that made them a joy to watch.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of SB Nation Chicago and the founder of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Follow him on Twitter or reach him at richardpodonnell@gmail.com.

How The Cubs Will Make Chicago Sports Fun Again

2012-05-11T12:34:51Z

It's truly been a year to forget when it comes to Chicago sports, but SB Nation Chicago's Satchel Price is banking on some low-stress Cubs baseball to make him feel better.

I sat there, staring in disbelief at my Twitter feed like thousands of other Chicagoans. The words left me with such an empty feeling that you’d assume we were talking about a friend or loved one: "MRI reveals Bulls PG Derrick Rose has torn ACL. He will miss remainder of season."

And that was that. My mental bags were already packing themselves, because right at that moment everyone knew the Bulls’ season was done-zo. These last few playoffs games have felt like watching the final episodes of a TV show that’s already been cancelled.

And yet, sitting here, I know I’m thinking the same freaking thing as every other Chicago sports fan: "How the heck can this happen again?"

The disbelief, the raw frustration, the ridiculous attempts to talk oneself in believing that, "Hey, maybe this is our Tom Brady Moment," these things already happened. This city already went through this process of grieving, bargaining and acceptance before. Derrick Rose was supposed to be the man that closed the brutal wounds opened by Jay Cutler’s hand.

Instead, Rose’s knee has just re-opened the wounds, as if the sports gods wanted to make sure that we all remembered 2011-2012 as the most brutal, disappointing Chicago sports season ever. That's definitely how I'm going to remember it.

Now, this isn't to say that there weren't highs, like those ridiculous nights when John Lucas III would forget that he had spent years utterly failing to impress anyone in the NBA. But does anyone really care considering how low the lows have been?

I don't know exactly when it happened. Maybe it started when Cutler went down, or when those nasty thoughts started creeping in during the NBA regular season that maybe Rose simply isn't built to play 80+ professional basketball games every year. But by the time Rose was laying nearly lifeless on the ground in Game 1 versus Philly, I had come to realize one thing: Chicago sports stopped being fun for me at that point.

Almost impossibly, I’ve found myself having more fun going to Washington Wizards games at school than following the Bulls recently; when the Wiz win, it’s such a pleasant and often surprising delight. But when the Bulls win, lately, I’ve just felt relieved that my team didn’t drop by just to disappoint me again.

Maybe I’m just being too pessimistic as a fan. Admittedly, I’m not used to rooting for teams with expectations. I grew up with Jim Miller’s Bears, Ron Mercer’s Bulls and Kerry Wood’s Cubs*, so the status quo was mediocrity peppered with sporadic success. It’s a whole different ballgame when you’re expecting to win, and I couldn’t really relate to that until I began to experience it.

*Notice how incredibly lame those names are. Like, beyond simply not being especially good. Who the hell was sitting at home in 2002 thinking to themselves, "Man, I'm so lucky that I get to go watch Ron Mercer and Fred Hoiberg ball it up tonight!"

But frankly, this is why I’m so comforted by the prospect of a summer watching Chicago baseball. Finally, the stakes won’t seem so high, the implications of every failure nerving me to no end. In 2014, when the Cubs lose, I’ll be pretty pissed, like I am now about my other teams.

That’s just how I’m wired as a fan, to genuinely care to an occasionally unreasonable level. But for now, I’ll let the Cubs be mediocre, enjoying the classic concoction of defeats at Wrigley and delirious hope abound.

I always thought being a Chicago sports fan was hard because our teams never won anything. I was dead wrong, because there’s honestly something oddly calming about rooting for bad teams. The bad team is like a good friend that’s just not outgoing enough: you know they’re going to be there for you and everything, but things would be that much better if you could go out and have fun together. They’re not exciting, but they’re dependable, and sometimes that’s all you need when every other part of life is chaos.

After what happened to Cutler last year, and then Rose this spring, I don’t think that I’m going to mind rooting for that kind of team. The Cubs might not get my heart churning this season, but I’m pretty sure it needs repair anyways after what’s happened over the past year. A nice day at Wrigley might just be the reminder I need that sports can be more than chest-bumping, rump-thumping competition.

This isn’t to say that I’m done being that other kind of fan. When Cutler and Matt Forte hit the field in the fall, I know precisely what I’ll be doing every single Sunday afternoon. When Rose is back on the court calling the shots, I know I’ll be the one yelling at people to shut up while they’re showing replays of another one of his hyper-athletic jamplosions. I’m crazy about this stuff.

But right now, as a fan, I’m also exhausted. It’s not easy to put so much into it, only to sit there at the end knowing the fight’s over before you even got to throw your best punches. I don’t mean to sound overly emotional, because I know what I’m going through is trivial compared to Derrick or Jay, and it’s especially trivial compared to a whole lot of other stuff in this world we inhabit.

Being a fan, though, this whole "big-expectations-oh-wait-injury-hahahaha" thing is beyond tiring. It’s downright painful, like watching your little sister practice on the piano for hours every day only to break her hand on the day of the big recital. But the Cubs, they’re just hanging out right now, taking whatever wins come their way. Frankly, that’s the kind of attitude I could use a little of this summer.

Satchel Price is a newsdesk contributor for SB Nation Midwest and a feature columnist for SB Nation Chicago. His baseball writing also appears on MLB Daily Dish and Beyond the Box Score. For more of his splendid whimsy in display, follow him on Twitter.

2012 NBA Playoffs: Bulls Persevere Past Philly To Force Game 6 (Chicago Bulls Notebook)

2012-05-09T16:33:14Z

The Chicago Bulls grinded out a 77-69 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night to stave off elimination. SB Nation Chicago editor Ricky O'Donnell writes it wasn't pretty, but the Bulls will take it.

Before Game 5 tipped off on Tuesday at the United Center, Comcast SportsNet reporter Aggrey Sam noted there was a "last day of school feeling" among the media at the stadium. A day earlier, Tribune beat writer K.C. Johnson told WSCR "we all know this has a funeral feel to it."

Given all of the distinct mountains that formed over the course of the Chicago Bulls' blazing 50-win regular season campaign, best in the NBA, it seemed curious those around the team sensed a premature demise, even if their logic was sound and their reasons were obvious. The Bulls had lost three straight to the 76ers and were without reigning MVP Derrick Rose and firecracker center Joakim Noah. The offense was downright limp; their shoulders, according to these same reporters, were collectively slumped.

Sportswriters are often faulted for reading too much into defeated body language, though I assume that type of tangible difference in posture is striking after being around the same dudes for six months. But while chalking up Chicago's 77-69 victory over the 76ers on Tuesday to stay alive in 2012 NBA Playoffs to some "ability to overcome" narrative seems obvious, it doesn't strike me as accurate. Yes, the Bulls' brought their own signature take on "grinder ball" to the UC last night, but this wasn't the type of inspired victory that shoots new life into a desolate scenario.

The Bulls battled and the Bulls survived on Tuesday, which is all that matters. But, more than anything, Game 5 only served to reinforce what the previous three games of the series also showcased: these two teams -- the depleted Bulls and the fully healthy 76ers -- are not particularly good. The Bulls did enough to win on Tuesday to extend their season, but thank goodness they were matched up against a troupe as poor as these 76ers.

If this opponent showed a pulse, Game 5 could have been the living wake those covering the team suspected.

Chicago certainly deserves much credit for their astounding defensive effort in Game 5. It's not like the 76ers are the Bobcats or the Wizards -- there's talent here, and the Bulls held it to 69 points in a potential closeout game. That they did this without Noah, their best defensive player, might rank as one of this team's greatest accomplishments all season. But the Bulls' very real problems were not fixed in Game 5. If anything, a slew of astounding, clutch three-pointers from Luol Deng and a few falling rainbow jumpers from Carlos Boozer served as a bandage over a bullet wound. These Bulls still aren't good, and it's becoming obvious that without Rose and Noah, they never will be. For a night, it didn't matter.

When basketball is at its best, it's the most engaging sport our planet has. It's graceful and elegant. It can make you believe in the power of the human body; it can almost be like watching a very convincing magic show. But the brand of basketball Bulls-76ers has turned into doesn't fit any of this. Instead, it more closely resembles NFL football: one long war of attrition, with toughness, strength of will and the ability to withstand a blow to the body serving as the most essential components to victory.

The Bulls were the more brute, determined team on Tuesday and won because of it. Philadelphia missing all of those three-pointers helped, too.

Game 5 did feature a handful of spirited performances out of our Bulls. Taj Gibson's four blocks in the second quarter crushed Philly's soul during a miserable 10-point period for the 76ers. Gibson was also the main character in a first half scrum that some will lazily credit as one that breathed new life into the team. That Gibson returned in the fourth quarter after badly rolling his ankle in the third quarter is perhaps the most distinct moment of the game: just as a familiar feeling of dread started to wash over the fanbase, Gibson returned and helped Chicago secure the victory.

He wasn't alone. Ronnie Brewer deserves adoration in this space as well. He played 29 minutes in Game 5, more than Kyle Korver and Richard Hamilton combined, after not playing at all in Game 3. He caused havoc defensively. He reminded us that he's a part of this team, which is perhaps his greatest accomplishment of all.

The Bull still have their problems. Philly held a 24-11 edge in free throws last night, which becomes more disconcerting when Chicago only made four of them. This team has a way of making things very hard for itself offensively. The Bulls don't get out on the fast break, they don't get easy buckets at the foul line. It all goes into making this one of the least aesthetically-pleasing NBA playoff series I can remember. This might not be "basketball as fun", but it certainly fits our own bizarre definition of "Chicago Tough".

The Bulls travel to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Thursday. If they can find a way to win, it's difficult to imagine them losing Game 7 at the United Center. But Chicago's decidedly gutsy Game 5 victory didn't do much to instill confidence. This is trench warfare, and that isn't changing. Another sloppy, hard-fought game is ahead of us. Win it and I might start to get excited.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of SB Nation Chicago and the founder of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Follow him on Twitter or reach him at richardpodonnell@gmail.com.

Are The Bulls Finished? An SB Nation Chicago Roundtable

2012-05-08T17:25:38Z

The Chicago Bulls face elimination tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 5 at the United Center. Can Chicago win without Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah?

Z.W. Martin (@ZWMartin):

The following is something that I did not expect to write: The Bulls are down 3-1 to the Philadelphia 76ers. It still seems impossible after a 50-16 regular season and number one seed in the East. But then Derrick Rose went left and his knee right and the next thing you knew the Bulls were being out-Bulls'd by Elton Brand and the 76ers. I vowed to watch these playoffs with the joy of a child, but I thought Chicago would find a way into the second round. Now? It's just depressing.

Ricky, you said on Monday in your weekly Bulls Notebook that you still believed the Bulls can win. I'm curious on a more thorough level why? What have they shown you in the last three games to persuade you? To me, at least, it looks like Philly is the harder working, more athletic and talented team. Bobby, do you agree with Ricky? Why or why not? Does Doug Collins bother you as much as he bothers me? Will Batman die in The Dark Night Rises?

Ricky O'Donnell (@TUP_Ricky):

I closed my most recent Bulls Notebook by saying my belief that the Bulls aren't dead yet is more of a vote against the 76ers than a vote for the Bulls. I'm glad to see other people on this bandwagon. On the occasion of Game 5, Chicago Tribune beat writer K.C. Johnson told WSCR "I'm really fascinated to see this game because you can't get past the fact that Philadelphia isn't that good."

Matt from Blog-a-Bull added: "The fact that the Sixers aren't very good throws a wrench in any confidence of prognostication."

Yeah, Philadelphia sucks. Unfortunately, so do the Bulls when you take away Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah while C.J. Watson and Luol Deng trudge through injuries. This is not the same Bulls team we saw secure the best record in the NBA during the regular season. The laundry is the only thing that remains constant. It's resulted in a level a play that's almost been an insult to sport. Basketball at its best is a blast. This first round series between Chicago and Philadelphia has legitimately been hard to watch. If sports are ultimately about entertainment, you won't find much here. I really can't say I'm looking forward to Game 5 tonight.

It's interesting that people around the team have noted how low the Bulls' spirits are. Perhaps it's understandable for a team that has fallen so quickly, but it's rare to see it spelled out so clearly. The Tribune's David Haugh said:

Monday at the Berto Center convinced me the only place the Bulls truly believe they are going anytime soon is on vacation. It could begin as early as Tuesday night or as late as the weekend, but the vibe suggested it definitely will start soon and beating the heat will take on new meaning for Bulls players.

In the same WSCR interview, Johnson said Game 5 has a "funeral feel to it".

Does that mean the Bulls have given up? I find that hard to believe, but who knows. We're not around the team.

As Blog-a-Bull said today, I really don't think "effort" has been the problem. Any team coached by Tom Thibodeau is going to show up to play. The question is whether the Bulls have enough talent to beat the still crappy Sixers. To which I say: I don't know. Maybe? These Bulls have just overcome so much this season that I really can't see them going out in such a whimper. I don't know how they're going to win tonight, but I expect them to. It might take a vintage Rip Hamilton performance, or another barrage of Kyle Korver threes. Someone is going to need to lift their game offensively to new heights.

Ultimately, I just can't count on this team to roll over when the competition is so uninspiring.

Z.W. Martin (@ZWMartin):

I can't believe you just quoted David Haugh. Yuck.

Bobby Loesch (@bobbystompy):

There are probably 84 things to address, but I'll try to limit this to a few. What's odd is I've legitimately looked forward to every game, then all of this horrible stuff happens, and I become more miserable than ever. But here's what I think.

1) Rip/Korver Crunch Time: It's staggering to me Hamilton hasn't been able to crack the crunch time lineup yet. As it is the playoffs. Like, right now. Korver supporters -- and I'm certainly no basher -- will point to his offense giving him the boost over Rip, but if you've watched these post-Rose Bulls play, you'll know Korver isn't getting even half the looks he got when the floor was more properly spaced. While Korver's defense hasn't been awful, keeping Rip on the bench still seems curious. While Hamilton isn't in his prime anymore, he's still a 20 PPG playoff scorer. No one else on the Bulls can touch that. It's a truly impressive statistic. Maybe Thibs doesn't put an emphasis on the past like that. You do have to let go at some point.

2) The Bulls can absolutely win Game 5: For all of the struggles and heartbreaks, Chicago has played close the majority of the time in this series. This 'funeral' stuff is sobering to hear, but to imply they'll just bow out completely seems unfair. The idea of the 'best' team in the NBA essentially getting swept without their best player seems almost unreal to me. Then I remember Noah has been out, too, and it makes a bit more sense. Still: tonight is on the table. I swear it is.

3) Carlos Boozer: I had to stop that sub-heading at just his name because if I gave myself more words, it likely would have ended with "Is The Worst At Everything" or "Will Kill Me" or "Is A Super Travesty" or "Should Be Nicknamed 'Rabbit Gigolo' Because He Blows So Many Bunnies", and we probably don't want that. We definitely don't want that.

History will probably look at Boozer's performance in this series as quite legitimate. On paper, he's been among the Bulls top scorers, and his rebounding has been solid, but if you actually watch the games, you can see these specific moments of super failure, where it makes you question why you'd ever watch basketball on television with a team-oriented rooting interest. Like when this pass happened, for example. Nobody throws that pass. NOBODY. There was a legitimate time where I leaped out of my chair and screamed "F--K YOU" at the television during Game 4, and it was an almost uncontrollable action. It came out of me like a sneeze or cough. It's probably because his game makes me ill like that.

But let's not pin it all on one lousy pass. How about him dribbling the ball out of bounds during crunch time in Game 4? Analysis: awful. Boozer boosters will point to shoddy officiating -- even Matt at BaB said as much -- but I'm not buying. I watched that game, and while there were bad calls, it wasn't enough to swing anything. When you are in reach to win a game on the road, you can't let things like that happen. Great players hit the shot, good players maybe hit the shot, pretenders at least put themselves in a position to brick the shot. Boozer somehow can't even get that far. This fact crushes my insides. I don't even know where we go or what the hell to do anymore.

Enjoy Game 5.

NBA Playoffs 2012: Bulls On Brink Of Elimination After Game 4 Loss In Philly (Chicago Bulls Notebook)

2012-05-07T12:30:08Z

The Chicago Bulls are a game away from elimination after losing Game 4 to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday afternoon. SB Nation Chicago editor Ricky O'Donnell examines the swift nature of the Bulls' downfall.

As the Chicago Bulls impressively laid waste to the regular season slate despite a roster decimated by injuries, one of Tom Thibodeau's favorite cliches started to feel like a working thesis, if not an outright motto. Regardless of who was missing on a night-to-night basis, or how many times he'd already muttered the phrase in the same week, Thibodeau gamely answered questions on the status of his banged up team with same seven words: "We have more than enough to win."

Thibodeau's steadfast refusal to recognize even the most obvious built-in excuses had many painting the Bulls' coach as an emotionally stunted android. He was a ready-made meme. But Thibodeau was never oblivious to personnel impairments just as he isn't heartless, neither anatomically or anecdotally. Thibs simply believed, at least outwardly, what every coach has to: that if he could mine maximum effort and execution out of the players on the court, his team could conquer whatever amount of adversity was thrown its way. As the Bulls ran out to an 18-9 record in games without reigning MVP Derrick Rose, it became difficult to question his confidence. But in the aftermath of Chicago's 89-82 Game 4 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday afternoon to drop to the brink of elimination, it's becoming abundantly clearly for the first time all season that the coach's favorite quote may be a bit off.

The Bulls conquered plenty this season, but their latest set of hardships for once appears too colossal to overcome. The Bulls -- the top seed in the East and the team with homecourt advantage throughout the entire postseason -- are fighting for their playoff lives, down 3-1 to the 76ers. The current professional basketball outlook in Chicago is unmistakably bleak. It can all end so abruptly on Tuesday at the United Center in Game 5.

Rose's torn ACL in Game 1 turned the Bulls from a tried-and-true contender to a feisty and likable underdog overnight. Few expected Chicago would actually have trouble getting out of the first round, but that's exactly what has happened. Without Rose and starting center Joakim Noah, who badly sprained his ankle in the third quarter of Game 3, Thibodeau's team simply doesn't have enough talent to win in the playoffs.

After seeing the way this team has persevered and overachieved throughout Thibodeau's reign, it's hard for me to slam my fist and demand more out of the current troupe. The Bulls were unlucky all season, which only served to foreshadow the team's star-crossed playoff run. It takes a phenomenal amount of good fortune to win a championship. Whatever team wins it this season will certainly be able to count the Bulls' TKO'd roster as a break. This team could have won it all, but wasn't given a fair shake. Given that realistic title windows are constantly shrinking, it's a true local sports tragedy that a team so admirable never got a second chance to test its mettle against the Miami Heat.

The Heat have hung like a storm cloud over Bulls' entire campaign, but LeBron and D. Wade are the furthest thing from Chicago's mind at the moment. Figuring out a very uninspiring Philly team is the top concern, and it's fleeting. After another putrid offensive effort in Game 4, the Bulls' MASH unit has just one chance left to right the ship. If they slip up again, the season will be over.

Unlike the rest of the series, Game 4 was devoid of obvious narrative. Game 2 featured a swift and bruising third quarter run from the 76ers to place the first seeds of doubt. Game 3 had Noah's injury and the Bulls' own remarkable execution failures in crunch-time. On Sunday, Chicago lost simply because it wasn't good enough. No need to get cute with it.

Many in this city will pin blame on officiating, and it won't be misplaced. Faulting referees for wins and losses is never honorable, but the game's final minute (most notably) featured several questionable calls that went against Chicago and turned the tide towards Philly. Of course, if Thibodeau's team could hit a jump-shot, they never would have found themselves at the mercy of the officials.

Chicago and Philadelphia are both tremendous defensive teams, but the complete offensive abyss that has developed during the series is more of an indictment on shot makers and creators on each side rather than defensive perfection. These games are hard to watch. If stomaching this builds character, we'll all be stronger humans for enduring this nightly parade of bricks and turnovers when it's finally done.

The Bulls out-shot Philadelphia on Sunday by making exactly 40 percent of their shots. That isn't a typo. Chicago, who finished Game 4 34-of-85 from the field, was actually the more proficient shooting squad. But a gaping free throw disparity that proved glaring late and a pair of three-pointers by Philadelphia point guard Jrue Holiday sealed the 76ers' victory and put Chicago on the precipice of elimination.

While it would be hard for any team to play without its two best players, and with another All-Star playing through torn wrist ligaments, the Bulls' performance in this series has only shone a light on very real roster construction and personnel problems with this team.

It's easy to be fooled into believing Carlos Boozer, he of the $75 million contract, had a fine effort in Game 4. His box score reads 23 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. But Boozer also had five turnovers and blew multiple fourth quarter possessions with missed shots and bone-headed basketball plays. It's still too early to think about next season, there's plenty of time for that, but the option of amnestying Boozer should be seriously considered by the Bulls this off-season. He is certainly one of the chief culprits in Chicago's abrupt downfall.

The Bulls also need another scorer, likely in the backcourt. This is at times apparent even with a healthy Rose. Without him, Chicago's lack of dependable scoring options is almost sad. C.J. Watson is a fine backup, Rip Hamilton is coming to the end of a mighty career. This team needs to find another Ben Gordon. Whether that player exists on the trade market or in free agency (O.J. Mayo?) remains to be seen, but Chicago's weakness will continue to be obvious until it's corrected.

The Bulls now need to win three straight games to avoid being eradicated from the 2012 NBA Playoffs in the first round. It may sound crazy, but I do still believe they have a chance. It's more of a vote against this lousy 76ers team than a pledge of confidence towards Chicago's own hobbled crew. The Bulls come back to the United Center for Game 5, where they should be able to win. It's not like the Bulls were run off the floor in the last two defeats. Unless Philly plays flawlessly, like they did in the second half of Game 2, Chicago will have a decent enough chance against the 76ers however long the series lasts.

The Bulls are ultimately doomed, everyone knows it, but a first round exit is too feeble under any conditions for a team that has proven itself so determined. Whether the Bulls can delay their own death will be decided by their own preparation and proficiency. Even as this series has turned into a living wake, I still can't fully write off this team just yet.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of SB Nation Chicago and the founder of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Follow him on Twitter or reach him at richardpodonnell@gmail.com.

NBA Playoffs 2012: Scant Thoughts On Bulls-76ers Game 3 (Chicago Bulls Notebook)

2012-05-05T20:00:24Z

The Chicago Bulls fell to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 3 on Friday night. We have some thoughts on what went wrong.

With Derrick Rose's torn ACL in the final moments of Game 1 serving as the starting point, the Chicago Bulls' first round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers has turned into one of the most frustrating, hard-to-watch local sports happenings in recent memory, at least thus far. This is becoming Caleb Hanie filling in for a sidelined Jay Cutler all over again. Each game feels like a new low.

If Rose's season-ending knee injury created an open wound in the collective heart of Chicago, losses in Game 2 and Game 3 have amounted to pouring salt in the gash. Philadelphia's third quarter run to steal Game 2 at the United Center was bad enough, but what happened in the fourth quarter of Game 3 felt even worse.

The Bulls out-rebounded Philly 48-43 last night, and the margin was much wider most of the night. The Bulls had 22 assists, the 76ers had 13. The Bulls blocked twice as many shots and held Philadelphia to a woeful 34.2 shooting percentage on the night. The 76ers took 14 three-pointers and made one of them. The Bulls led by 14 points in the fourth quarter. And yet, it's Philly who wins Game 3 79-74, and takes a commanding 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The top-seeded Bulls are in real jeopardy of falling to an eight-seed.

Did we mention that Joakim suffered a severe ankle sprain and might not play again the rest of the series? Gah. Game 3 was certifiably miserable. Here are some stray thoughts of pure sports depression.

1. Tom Thibodeau has done a remarkable job as the coach of the Bulls in his two seasons in Chicago. If I had to give him a grade, it would be an A+. There is no one else I would rather have coaching this team. He might be nearly as irreplaceable as Rose. With that being said, I think Game 3 is on him.

There were so many curious decisions. From bringing back Noah twice and possibly further damaging his sprained ankle to his insistence on playing John Lucas III over C.J. Watson and Carlos Boozer over Taj Gibson throughout the fourth quarter, Thibodeau made some highly questionable choices in Game 3. He was being overly stubborn, and it hurt his team. That all of this comes in the shadow of leaving the oft-injured Rose on the court in Game 1 up 12 points with 90 seconds remaining only adds fuel to the fire.

2. Thibodeau's handling of Noah in Game 3 was completely inexcusable. Here's what Noah did in the third quarter:

He was clearly in pain. Joakim Noah is a tough hombre. He doesn't let out such guttural cries or show weakness if it isn't warranted. He was hurt and shouldn't have played. I'm sure he told Thibs he could go but the coach should know better. Noah re-entered the game immediately, hobbled around. After getting pulled to get his ankle taped, he came in again in the fourth. I suppose putting him in the first time is defensible, but leaving him out there in the second stint wasn't. Thibodeau let that linger for way too long when it was very obvious Noah couldn't go.

There was a possession during Noah's second stint when the Bulls kept grabbing offensive boards as Noah waited at the top of the key, clearly unable to fight for rebounds (ie: play!) because of his injury. Thibodeau should have called a timeout and gotten Noah out. He didn't. On the ensuing 76ers possession, someone on Chicago should have fouled immediately to get Noah out. This was obvious. Again, they didn't do it, and Noah had to run-limp over to make the foul himself, in the process hurting his ankle even worse. Horrible, on a number of levels. Thibodeau should have taken a timeout before it ever got that far.

3. I know C.J. Watson was terrible last night. He played 20 minutes and shot 0-for-4 from the field. He didn't score. His defense wasn't great, either. But Watson is a better player than John Lucas III by miles. He should have been the point guard in the fourth quarter, as Philadelphia started to close the Bulls' 14-point lead. Instead, Thibodeau left Lucas out there. Lucas was consistently overmatched, but it didn't matter. Thibs was too stubborn to make the change.

He'd likely chalk it up to "rotations", but I can't buy it this time. Watson should have been out there. With Lucas in charge, the shotclock feels like it's constantly expiring. The Bulls didn't need a spark, they needed a steady hand. That's what Watson can provide, and what Lucas will never be able to.

4. Carlos Boozer's final line of 18 points and 10 rebounds looks fine enough, but he was putrid in Game 3. Boozer needed 17 shots to get those 18 points, and hoisted numerous bricks in crunch-time. His defense was, of course, horrendous. Taj Gibson has played fourth quarters over Boozer for the Bulls all season. Last night, Thibodeau let Boozer brick the Bulls into abyss.

I certainly understand the need for scoring, but Boozer didn't have it last night. Why not go with Watson,Gibson, and Kyle Korver, who also sat in the fourth last night? Hindsight it 20/20, sure, but this looked obvious enough at the time. This isn't second guessing, it was first guessing.

5. You know who would have been huge in Game 3?

Miss u, Big Sexy.

Ronnie Brewer didn't even play. Think he'll be here again next year when the Bulls so clearly need another big?

Something else the Bulls clearly need: another shot-creator. If the team wasn't seriously considering amnestying Boozer before, they should be now.

Ricky O'Donnell is the editor of SB Nation Chicago and the founder of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential. Follow him on Twitter or reach him at richardpodonnell@gmail.com.