Living It All in 2013

As I try to reflect on what 2013 meant to the Bulls, it's not so easy.  In the past 12 months, they've experienced some nifty highs, awful lows, plenty of drama and everything in between.  While there are some teams both far better and far worse off than what they're experiencing now, a bit of everything was what we got from the Bulls this year.

When it began, folks were still optimistic Derrick Rose would return from his ACL rehab in time to give the Bulls the boost they needed in the playoffs.  The Bulls were merely just biding their time so the former MVP could surprise everyone just like Adrian Peterson before him.  Surely, he could face Miami when the time came.

In the meantime, Luol Deng earned his second straight All-Star selection and Joakim Noah his first.  We were amazed at how Deng seemed so subtle in his contributions and yet, was so important to the team's makeup.  Noah was having the best season of his career and having fun while doing so.  Without him, there wouldn't be nearly as much energy for the Bulls on game nights.

Things looked even better when the Miami Heat came to the United Center and saw their 27-game winning streak, the second longest in NBA history, be put to rest.  The Bulls did it shorthanded too, which gave the home crowd enough reason to make the arena as loud as it could get during a regular-season contest.  That's how they clinched a playoff spot too.

Meanwhile, Rose never returned despite never ruling out the possibility of doing so.  The whole situation became a PR nightmare for both camps, splitting both the media and the fan base as to what he should do.  If anyone had just said the right thing, all the turmoil could have been avoided, but it didn't happen, so we were left to the stupidity spouting from the mouths of many.  For many, the notion of Rose being a humble, hometown kid was gone.

While this was going on, the Bulls took a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets, capped off by a Game 4, triple-overtime win for the ages with Nate Robinson leading the way.  Then suddenly, Deng came down with a spinal tap and Kirk Hinrich had to sit with a calf injury, so the Nets unsurprisingly tied the series at 3.  All seemed lost heading into Game 7 at Brooklyn, but the stretched-out Bulls somehow shocked the world by earning their first-ever road victory in a winner-take-game.  There's no way it should have happened, but you can never count out a Tom Thibodeau-coached team.

That set up a second-round meeting with the Heat.  Still missing Deng and Hinrich, the Bulls would have been considered lucky to win one game in that series unless either of those players returned.  It began with LeBron James accepting the MVP award prior to Game 1.  Immediately following those festivities was the Bulls winning against the odds yet again.  They were in front of the defending champions 1-0 and now with the home-court advantage.

Just like in 2011 however, Miami stormed back to win the next four.  Among the lowlights for the Bulls were a team-playoff record for offensive futility in Game 2, frustrations boiling over, a few ejections and getting blown out of the United Center in Game 4 before much of the crowd even had a chance to sit down.  Their depth proved to be too short and you can never underestimate Miami's talent or will to win.  The result wasn't surprising, but it didn't make things any easier.

The offseason saw the key departures of Robinson and Marco Belinelli.  Only Mike Dunleavy was brought in via free agency and the Bulls used the draft to take Tony Snell and Erik Murphy.  Still, none of it compared to the prospect of having Rose for a full season.  Excitement around the Bulls going for a title was as high as it's been in the Thibodeau era.  This was a team that could challenge Miami's crown.

Unfortunately, we won't fairly know the answer to that now.  Rose was still getting back into his rhythm during the first few weeks, but early in the circus trip against Portland, he came up limping in his other knee.  We found out the next evening that it was a torn meniscus, which would result in surgery.  Though it was successful, everyone's worst fears were confirmed when Rose was ruled out for the season.  The championship dream was dead only a few days shy of Thanksgiving.

Immediately, many called for the Bulls to tank the season so they could have a shot at a big name in next year's draft class, thought to be the best since 2003.  Plus, with Deng's contract set to expire and Carlos Boozer likely to be amnestied, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.  However, the East is so godawful this year the Bulls might just back into the playoffs, especially if they don't trade any significant pieces.  Even that might not be enough as that would still leave a lot of talent on the roster.

If there's one part of the franchise really worth looking forward to, it's Jimmy Butler.  He was barely on my radar when I did my 2012 recap, but that has certainly changed.  He played his way into the starting lineup during last season and not only began every playoff game, but often played all 48 minutes.  He cemented his status as a swingman and has played well on both sides of the ball. 

Often, he's the player the Bulls look most to when they absolutely need him and most of the time, he'll deliver.  Whether the Bulls contend again next year or down the line, Butler will most certainly have to be a part of the core.  He has proven to be one of the big steals of the 2011 draft.

It's really hard to be a Bulls fan right now with all the uncertainty surround the team.  They look mentally exhausted from having to play out the rest of the season with the knowledge that they're no longer contenders.  It shows by the series of bad losses they've suffered recently.  No one can tell for sure if they'll trade anyone away, continue to go for it all or even see if Rose will return for a potential playoff run, which he won't rule out.

Despite this all, their unpredictability shows anything can happen with them, even a pleasant surprise.  Who are we to say something to change the franchise's fortunes for good won't happen in 2014?  It happened in 2008 when they received the top pick in the draft and selected Rose.  That worked out well, at least for awhile, right?

There's one more chapter of 2013 to write as the Bulls play the Toronto Raptors tonight, but the year's story has already been told.  We've felt every possible feeling as Bulls fans in the past 365 days and that's what following a team is all about.  Have a Happy New Year and may the hopes of good Chicago basketball be with you all.

Grizzlie Taming

Things sure look dark for the Bulls these days.  There have already been more blowout losses than any team would like.  Luol Deng remains injured and we just learned that Tom Thibodeau learned of his father's passing right after the Christmas win in Brooklyn.  The funeral was today, but it didn't stop him from flying to Memphis for tonight's game against the Grizzlies.

FedEx Forum has not been kind to the Bulls, who had won there just once since the 2005-06 season entering tonight.  But this game saw the Grizzlies playing catch-up late and falling short.  The Bulls will happily take this 95-91 victory.

The Bulls led by just two at the half, but came out strong in the third quarter, opening on a 20-4 run.  Memphis responded with a 24-8 run that extended into the fourth quarter.  An 18-point Bulls lead was cut down to two, but they seized control for good midway through the fourth when D.J. Augustin fired up a prayer behind the three-point line to beat the shot clock and hit it.  The Grizzlies didn't get any closer the rest of the game.

Jimmy Butler scored 14 of his 26 points in that glorious third quarter and finished the game knocking down 12 of his 14 free throws.  With Deng still out, the Bulls needed more offense from somewhere and they got it from the swingman battling through turf toe.  They also got production from Carlos Boozer, whose latest double-double was 21 and 10.  Augustin scored 10 off the bench and Joakim Noah grabbed 10 boards and tied Taj Gibson with a game-high four blocks.  The 10 blocks and 13 steals as a team were season highs for the Bulls.

The Bulls somehow kept their composure after the bad loss to Dallas this past weekend.  To go into a building unfriendly to them without Deng and find offense from their promising young gun in Butler and amnesty target in Boozer is pretty darn good.  Yes, the issues remain and fixing all of them won't be easy.  Games like this get the tanking crowd upset, but for those who just want to see a win, it's all good.

There's still one more game to be played before the calendar flips to 2014.  It will be at the United Center tomorrow against the Toronto Raptors.  I won't be able to recap that game, but I will sum up this maddening calendar year before I go to work.  2013 had its ups and downs, so it's worth taking a look at.  Until then, may your New Year's planning go smoothly.

Staying in Iowa

Yes, I know I'm a little late in talking about this, but better now than never.  Also, if you've heard me say similar things before, I advise you to stop reading now.  Otherwise, you know what this is about.

Marquis Teague was sent back to Iowa of the D-League not long after the Bulls' Christmas victory over the Nets.  This time, he'll actually suit up there as he wasn't summoned back the moment he landed.  His continued lack of production, the emergence of D.J. Augustin and Kirk Hinrich becoming healthy again made him expendable.  It was only a matter time before this happened again and we've finally come to it.

I know I've been harsh on Teague recently, but here, I'll go a little softer.  The Bulls knew they were drafting a young player who still needed work in 2012.  He still can't legally buy a drink in this country and his game remains a work in progress.  Unfortunately for him, that means he won't be getting minutes with this team anytime soon.  When Tony Snell is ahead in the rotation with a coach known for playing rookies very little, you know you have to take your game elsewhere for the time being.

I really do want Teague to succeed, but like most Bulls fans, I still have no clue what he's capable of.  He rarely sees minutes in Chicago and when he does, he looks like he should have stayed at Kentucky longer.  Staying on the bench routinely does him no good.  Playing in Iowa means he'll get to showcase his talent every game, whatever it is.

Whatever future the Bulls are facing, Teague appears to be part of it.  They just need a good idea of how to showcase him to the point where he can help the team as much as possible.  It's hard to judge a flower when it hasn't sprouted yet, so it needs a little sun and water to grow.  Teague still has his petals closed, unlike his brother Jeff, who might become an All-Star with Atlanta this year.  I apologize for being critical of him lately and these latest developments will hopefully help in the long run.

With the Dallas Mavericks in town tonight, Teague's fate will have to wait for the time being.  Until then, we shall go a little easier on the child.  Anyone disagree?

On the Nice List

The Bulls visiting the Brooklyn Nets on Christmas was a good idea at first.  Two marquee teams who faced off in an epic seven-game playoff series last season would be able to settle a score that was still fresh in their minds.

Then, age and injuries started to hit both teams and they got off to below average starts.  Just to make things crueler, Derrick Rose and Brook Lopez saw their seasons come to abrupt endings.  We were left with a match-up seemingly no one wanted to open presents in front of.

As expected, neither team looked very good in the first half, justifying the low ratings this game is likely to get.  Then, after leading 41-38 at halftime, the Bulls outscored the Nets 36-20 in the third quarter, cruising to a 95-78 victory.  Best of all, they'll still have time to spend Christmas back in Chicago.  This victory will only energize whatever celebrations they had planned.

Six Bulls scored in double figures, led by Taj Gibson's 20 off the bench.  His game included a couple of highlight reel dunks.  I'll confess I haven't seen a whole lot of what many have said is an impressive season on his part, mainly due to watching fewer games this year.  Still, nice to know he's been a bright spot in a disappointing year so far.

Of the five starters, only Kirk Hinrich failed to reach double-digit points.  Jimmy Butler led that group with 15.  Meanwhile, D.J. Augustin contributed from the bench too, scoring 13 to continue a run that only impresses me more as the games progress.  For good measure, he led both teams in assists with five, so maybe, the Bulls have found their replacement for Nate Robinson.

I realize this has been a difficult season for the Bulls, but it's refreshing to see them come out on top so easily.  After getting everything handed to them against Houston last Christmas, everyone was expecting a similar outcome given recent events.  Instead, Santa reached into his bag for an easy win when they needed it most.  Whether this jump starts a sleeping giant remains to be seen, but for now, our holiday as Bulls fans is a little brighter.

We also learned to be grateful we're not the Nets, who are making these Bulls look like one of the more successful teams in the league.  Besides losing Lopez, they have a head coach mere months after retiring as a player (Jason Kidd), two-thirds of a broken-down three-headed monster from the 2008 Celtics (Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett), nobody who's started every game, and horrible contracts that are forcing them into a record $180 million luxury tax.  While the Bulls' future looks dire, everything that's happened in Brooklyn recently could set the Nets back for years.

The Bulls can enjoy this for a couple days before they return to the United Center Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks.  The big story will be whether they can extend their first winning streak since before Rose went down.  Until then, Merry Christmas to you and your family and thank you for your continued reading.  God bless us, everyone.

A Deng Shame

As that dreaded word "rebuilding" continues to stick around the Bulls these days, one of the ideas that's been hotly debated is what to do with Luol Deng and his expiring contract.  If anybody gives the Bulls a decent return on the veteran star, the future on the West Side will be hopeful.  Now, it doesn't appear that will come into fruition for the time being.

While it isn't clear just how much teams would offer for Deng, we now know the Bulls are not seeking to deal him.  In fact, they remain optimistic they'll be able to re-sign him during the offseason.  That's an interesting tidbit considering he wants to stay with the Bulls and the demands for both sides are not in the same ballpark.

I know it seems like holding onto Deng would be a way of sticking to the status quo that hasn't seen as much success as we'd like.  Even I would hate to see the Bulls getting nothing if he walks away in free agency.  Really though, if they couldn't do any better than what they have now, is it really worth getting upset over?

It's true this front office hasn't made the most desirable decisions in terms of holding onto top talent.  Nate Robinson, Marco Belinelli and Kyle Korver come to mind.  However, keep in mind that they're not incompetent in their decisions.  Whenever they notice a discrepancy in one area, Gar Forman and John Paxson do their best to plug it up.  When Belinelli left, he was replaced with Mike Dunleavy.  Robinson came in for C.J. Watson and did more than we could have asked for.  They'll find a way to rectify this situation.

Of course, any attempts to get something for Deng will be easier said than done, especially with the upcoming draft class.  Teams actually want to be in the lottery.  Adding any kind of All-Star talent would hamper those efforts.  It would be best to deal to someone who is aiming to win a title now.  They wouldn't have to sign him to any long-term deal, but they might be squirmy about taking on the remainder of his contract, which isn't exactly pocket change.  There aren't many takers, so good luck to GarPax in finding a solution that will be cheap, productive and painless.

While they figure this out, the Bulls will play the Cleveland Cavaliers tomorrow at the United Center.  If it weren't for Kyrie Irving, I'd feel better about their chances.  This isn't a good time to be a fan obviously, but we just have to remain optimistic.  A nice early Christmas present would be a stop to the losing streak.  Will Santa hear our plea?

The Dum-Dums Are Out Again

When Derrick Rose went out for this season, my biggest fear that the Bulls' championship window would be closed was confirmed.  I should have known more that another fear would be realized, which is some people would take whatever swipes at Rose they could.  That was definitely realized thanks to a New York Daily News report that he's worried for his team's potential rebuilding plans.

This has caused a few personalities, notably Dan Bernstein of 670 The Score, to say much of the similar stuff that was blurted when Rose was rehabbing his torn ACL.  Among the accusations thrown his way includes his reputation as a humble kid from his hometown being nothing but a fake.  Others call him a coward for hiding behind B.J. Armstrong, his brother Reggie and others in his camp who have admittedly done a poor job in doing damage control whenever stories like this have leaked out.

Never mind that nothing in this report contained a direct quote from Rose.  If it merely implies that Rose is feeling these things, you'll hear every wild proposition possible, including dumping every prominent member of the organization to Rose going back to college to be a more intelligent human than what he's apparently been showing.

I'm not saying Rose is completely clean of this public relations disaster.  If you're going to just let these things happen, especially with the wrong people speaking for you, then you have your share of responsibility for others turning their backs on you.  Instead, people need to stop being so reliant on speculative reports and proposing moves that could only be fueled by gut reactions.

Only Rose can speak for himself.  If he keeps his mouth shut, the words of his family and his associates should be taken very gingerly.  They may or may not reflect how that actual person is feeling.  Sadly, that doesn't stop some from getting on their soapboxes and declaring they'll pay for Rose's ticket out of town or making some other dumb statement.

Pardon me for getting political here, but this is exactly the kind of thing that caused others to think poorly of Barack Obama before he disassociated himself from Rev. Jeremiah Wright during his 2008 presidential run.  The quick, easy solution would be for Rose to say his brother and others on his side don't speak for his personal feelings.  For all we know however, they could actually be encouraging him to tough out the rebuilding stage the Bulls are likely to take on, so everyone gets lumped in together instead.  It's sad, but this is who we are as a society.

I advise you all to choose your words wisely when talking about this issue.  It's a touchy one and ill-informed folks can quickly be swayed to one extreme or the other.  Good luck and may the sanity in sports be with you.

What's the Point?

Somebody explain to me how one of the Bulls' deepest positions at the beginning of the year has suddenly become a huge question mark.  Sure, the obvious answer is Derrick Rose's season ended, but who would have thought this team would struggle so much trying to fill in for the former MVP?  From additional injuries to struggling play to turnover at the position, there couldn't be a more jumbled mess there.

Since I last blogged on here (apologies for life getting in the way), Kirk Hinrich has been missing games with injury, Marquis Teague has continued to struggle and D.J. Augustin has been signed, causing the suddenly expendable Mike James to be waived.  All it's done is add to a series of problems for a team that currently sits only half a game out of the final playoff spot in the East.  That's a miracle for a team that's lost 11 of its last 14 games.

If it's not one injury plaguing the Bulls, it's another.  Jimmy Butler returned from his long break, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah got healthy, but now, Hinrich is missing games due to a bad back.  The result, in conjunction with Rose being out, only further convinces you Gar Forman would have been better off shelling out the dough for Nate Robinson.  You see Teague baring little resemblance to an NBA player with no signs of improving.  Augustin has done better, dishing out eight assists in Monday's loss to the Magic.  Even so, what does that tell you when he's the one trying to save the offense from embarrassment?

Don't get me wrong:  I like what Augustin has done so far during his Bulls tenure.  I just have my doubts of whether he can morph into Robinson 2.0.  He only had scoring averages in double-digits for the Bobcats because he played so often for them.  Since leaving Charlotte, he's had trouble finding minutes, which I suspect is for good reason.  Maybe this blind squirrel will find another nut here, but I don't like how he's one of the players trying to keep the Bulls afloat.  If he and Mike Dunleavy are the best players on the roster now, that doesn't speak well to the rest of the team.

There needs to be some kind of regular production at the one.  If the position that runs the offense isn't getting much together, that has to be one of the bigger reasons the Bulls are struggling to break 80 on a nightly basis.  I know everyone invested heavily in Rose handling that department, but given past events, they shouldn't have counted out the possibility that he might miss yet another season.  There's no excuse for point guards not to be able to run plays in their sleep.  Plus, they should know how to create opportunities for others.

I suppose I should cut Augustin some slack since he's still settling into his new home.  Hinrich also gets a bit of leeway for his health issues.  Maybe Teague just doesn't have what it takes to succeed at the highest level right now.  A trip to the D-League would hopefully do him some good, although his youth and inexperience could mean he hasn't hit his stride yet.

Those are all good reasons for struggles, but there's no reason a roster with as much talent as it has should be struggling to keep their record above .500, with or without Rose.  Somebody needs to raise their hand and say "I'll get this anemic offense rolling again.  Just follow my lead."  Otherwise, the drama that's been building here will reach the point where every relevant part of the organization is overhauled, and not in the smoothest fashion.

Of course, as this is happening, some Bulls fans are snug in their beds while visions of Jabari and Bradley dance in their heads.  Wake up, people.  I don't how many times this needs to be said, but even if the Bulls uncharacteristically decide to tank this season, it's going to be difficult. 

The East is bad enough that they could just back in.  It's also tougher to throw games than to win.  To paraphrase a line from the short-lived Comedy Central series That's My Bush, the Bulls are such losers they can't even lose.  Maybe they can still land Doug McDermott in the draft though.  That's who NBADraft.net has them taking at 15th right now.

The Bulls' next two chances to right the ship come on back-to-back nights as they travel to Houston and Oklahoma City respectively on Wednesday and Thursday.  They might be able to handle the Rockets, but Chesapeake Energy Arena has been a living nightmare for the Bulls ever since the Thunder became a regular contender.  You can look up the gory details yourself for that.  Regardless, pray for the point position to find a rhythm.

Why yes, this is also post number 200 for me.  Just like in my 100th post, let's count down the most viewed of my previous 99 as of this writing.

5) Dunked Out By Hot Clippers  - Dec. 12, 2012 (34 views):  The Bulls lose to the Clippers in a game that featured many dunks from the team that features Lob City.

5) Rose No Distraction - Feb. 27, 2013 (34 views):  As Derrick Rose continues his ACL rehab, people start to get a little stupid among both the media and fan base, even his absence is not why the Bulls are struggling.

4)  Selfish Recovery - July 4, 2013 (36 views):  Rose mentions he had to be selfish during his rehab.

3) Buckled - Nov. 26, 2012 (37 views):  The Bulls blow a 27-point third-quarter lead against the Bucks and lose 93-92.

2) Who You Gonna Call? Streakbusters! - March 27, 2013 (47 views):  Despite having fewer healthy bodies available, the Bulls end Miami's 27-game winning streak.

1) Guess We're Doing This Again - Nov. 24, 2013 (51 views):  Rose suffers a torn meniscus that will require surgery, which could end his season (spoiler alert:  it did).

Thanks for reading and hope you continue to do so.

At Least They Made a Game of It

The good news:  Joakim Noah returned to the Bulls' lineup against the New York Knicks after a one-game absence.  The bad news:  it didn't make a difference in the end result unless you count margin.  Perhaps it would have been different if Luol Deng and/or Jimmy Butler suited up, but it wasn't to be in an 83-78 loss.

Though the Bulls held a two-point lead after one quarter, the Knicks took over in the next frame and led by as much as 21 in the third quarter.  But, as Bill Wennington put it on the radio broadcast, New York is the kind of team that will let you back into games.  They did just that and the Bulls tied it at 74 late in the fourth.  They couldn't muster much offense after that though and they just looked lost at the most critical times.  The Knicks were only too happy to take advantage and end their six-game losing streak.

Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 30 points, hitting 11 of 12 free-throw attempts, and completed a double-double with 10 rebounds.  The only other Knick to reach double figures was Amare Stoudemire, who came off the bench to score 14 and grabbed nine boards.   True that there wasn't a lot of offense for the victors, but there didn't need to be with the struggles the Bulls have had.

Mike Dunleavy continued his recent trend of leading this team in troubling times with 20 points.  He was only 3-of-11 from behind the three-point line, but it was the largest number of long balls by anyone all night.  Carlos Boozer's latest double-double was 12 and 12 while Noah followed closely behind at 12 and 11.

 Taj Gibson also had 12 and Kirk Hinrich scored 11, but his shooting woes continued.  He shot 3-of-11 from the field and for the second straight game, he freely dribbled all over the court in the final seconds when the Bulls needed a bucket to tie.  By the time he got the ball to Dunleavy, the shooting specialist had to fire a prayer that didn't even find the rim and a 24-second violation was called.  This inability to find a go-to player not named Derrick Rose is becoming serious.  They don't even have Nate Robinson to fill that role anymore.

Injured, stretched out, not shooting well and failing miserably to go for the kill in close games, there's very little we can say about the Bulls that hasn't already been said.  They're definitely not doing this on purpose.  It's simply the story of what happens to teams that are put in similar situations.  When guys go out, you have lineups not used to each other and lacking the chemistry to put together a competent play that will allow the team to succeed.

There's not much talent left either.  When you have Marquis Teague trying to be a hero in the closing minutes, your chances of pulling it off are not very good.  I know I've been picking on the poor sophomore lately, but I'd like to hear from anyone who thinks he's helping the team in a way that doesn't include filling a hole.

It's pretty sad that our conversations about this team have come to this.  Sadly, this is the reality we've come to face as fans.  There are many others stories like this in NBA history.  We just happen to be living it right now.

Friday will be the latest chapter of this season that gone into a bit of a tailspin.  The Bulls will meet the same Milwaukee Bucks that dealt them yesterday's defeat.  Hopefully, they can find a win against a crowd that cares even less than the one that came to the United Center Tuesday.  Seriously, something good needs to happen and fast.

Boringly Ugly

Since this was one of a only a few days off I have coming in which the Bulls were playing at home, I enlisted my friend, WSCR personality Nick Shepkowski, to come with me.  He politely declined, citing the undesirable matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks.  Considering the slew of injuries that decimated the lineup and the outcome that was to follow, I have to thank Shep for saving my money and keeping me out of the cold.

Missing Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler and Luol Deng was bad enough, but we then learned before the game that Joakim Noah would be sidelined with a bruise right thigh.  That left a starting lineup that included Mike Dunleavy and Nazr Mohammed, which certainly would have made it tough for me to get excited during the pregame introductions.  It was even hard to feel disappointment at the end of a 78-74 loss.

Without their best player, veteran scorer, emotional leader and everyman, the Bulls looked like anything but a competing team.  They were inconsistent with their offensive schemes, not converting on second chances, missing rebounds they normally would have grabbed and showing enough urgency.  They tried their best with what they had, but the personnel just wasn't there to pull away.  The Bucks didn't exactly take control either.  They were just as stretched thin by injuries and didn't make anyone awestruck, but somebody had to win.

Few clutch plays were made on the Bulls' end and they mostly seemed to run into quality basketball more than find it themselves.  Even then, something ugly was attached.  One particular bad sequence saw them come up with a defensive rebound, but only after Milwaukee grabbed three offensive boards on that possession.  They somehow forced the Bucks to turn it over as they trailed by three with 13.1 seconds left.  Rather than the Bulls going for the tie, we saw Carlos Boozer's jumper blocked and the ball turned over after it was chased out of bounds.

John Henson led the Bucks with 25 points and 14 rebounds.  Though it wasn't the dagger, he hit a long floater in the final two minutes that appeared to be well-defended to the point where we couldn't see the rim, but it somehow fell through, stunning the United Center crowd.  Brandon Knight also had a double-double of 19 and 10.  Ersan Ilyasova came off the bench with 10.

Dunleavy scored 18 of his 24 points in the second quarter.  For awhile, it appeared he would be the one to lift the Bulls to an unlikely win.  Boozer's latest patented double-double had 21 points and 12 boards.  Snell, who has made the most of his opportunities to start recently, continued an impressive run by scoring 13.  Taj Gibson wasn't as hot as he's been, but still scored 10 and narrowly missed his own double-double with nine rebounds.

This setback is the latest of many the Bulls have had.  Aside from a dominant third quarter in Detroit two weeks back and the blowout win over Miami, very few things have gone right.  Even when it seems like an easy opponent is put in front of them, something happens to cripple them further, causing them to look nothing like the championship contender they were when the season began.  While there's plenty of time to right the ship, watching Bulls basketball in their current state is about as enjoyable as watching Marquis Teague finding his shot.

The good news is Jimmy Butler is moving even closer to trading in his bow tie for his game jersey (seriously, did you see how he was dressed tonight?).  Once he (or Deng or Noah) return, the Bulls will get back to some resemblance of a decent team.  To play this poorly in a year when the Eastern Conference is not very good should not be acceptable.  Tom Thibodeau knows this and will let his players know it until he's blue in the face.

There's not much time to dwell on this.  Tomorrow night, the Bulls will be in New York to take on the lowly Knicks, who are in even worse shape at the moment.  From injuries to accusations that they're definitely tanking the season, there's not much to be excited about there and this matchup will draw quite a few yawns.  Still, it would be worth watching Spike Lee shaking his head even further.

Earlier today, the Chicago sports landscape lost an innovative mind in Jim Corno Sr., who succumbed to cancer at age 66.  This was the man behind every local cable sports channel to date.  Thus, he was responsible for allowing us to watch Bulls games on cable from the beginning of the idea.  He leaves behind a legacy that will be tough to match and my prayers go out his family.

Another Heat Extinguishing

When I learned a Bulls-Heat matchup coincided with my trip to Minnesota to see the Blackhawks play the Wild, I was initially a little bummed.  Then, Derrick Rose went out, so the blow was somewhat lessened.  After watching the Blackhawks lose, I got to see most of the second half of Thursday's 107-87 Bulls win, so the night wasn't a total wash.

Carlos Boozer scored 27 and Luol Deng had 20, but the more telling stats were the team ones.  The Bulls shot 50 percent from the field, held the Heat to a season-low 41.6 percent shooting and Miami grabbed just nine rebounds in the first half.  While the Heat certainly did enough to shoot themselves in the foot, they were just as much a punching bag for a Bulls team that need someone to take all their recent frustrations on.  Who better than the defending champs?

Never mind that this was a victory the Bulls sorely needed after a bad road trip and a triple-overtime loss to the Pelicans afterward.  Also forget that Dwyane Wade sat this one out with an illness.  All this does is merely add to the legacy of the Bulls giving everything they've got every time they play Miami, regardless of stakes.  It's always enjoyable, especially when it comes in front of a bloodthirsty United Center crowd.

I won't pretend to know how the Heat choose to approach any given regular-season game.  I can't read one person's mind, let alone those of a whole basketball team.  Still, you have to wonder if this is just their way of conserving energy for when the games really count in the playoffs.  Depleted Bulls teams have gutted out wins against mostly healthy Heat teams before.  As we've seen though, it all changes when a championship is close by.  They will come out like a steamroller against the Bulls when they absolutely need to.

Don't get me wrong when I say I love whenever the Bulls knock off the Heat, regardless of what type of game is being played.  I just think it's gotten to a point where we have to recognize there are two kinds of Miami teams that come out with the Bulls.  No Derrick Rose means the defending champs should be handling the Bulls more easily.  Then again, they completely shut Rose down on opening night, resulting in a blowout victory.  A lot of it doesn't seem to make sense.  Of course, I'm just an outsider viewing these games on TV.  There's probably more to these games than we realize, so it's almost impossible to figure it out.

There was also the story of Rose not ruling out a postseason return, but that can be touched on another time.  I'm about to head to Target Field in below freezing temperatures, which is definitely unusual for December, but it's the Twin Cities, so that's acceptable here.  In the meantime, enjoy Saturday's game against the Detroit Pistons.  Hopefully, another blowout like the one against the Miami and the one in Auburn Hills last week is in order.

Teague's Strange Day

Only two years out of college, I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on how people change jobs within their companies or organizations.  Still, I'm going to guess it's unusual for someone to get demoted and then regain their old position on the same day.  That's exactly what happened to Marquis Teague on Tuesday.

One would have thought Derrick Rose's latest season-ending injury was a great opportunity for Teague to give the Bulls some valuable minutes at point guard.  Instead, a 1.2 scoring average and an inability to crack Tom Thibodeau's rotation gave the team reason to assign him to Iowa of the D-League.  It's an unprecedented move for the Bulls, but one they felt necessary. 

Then, it was announced Mike James will miss a week or two with a knee injury, so Teague was brought back to the parent club.  This is as good a second chance as Teague is going to get before he heads back to the Hawkeye State.

True, it's only Teague's second NBA season, he's only 20 years old and it took a little time for Jimmy Butler to earn regular minutes during his sophomore campaign a year ago.  But at least then, Butler had a few signs that he could be something special in the league soon.  Teague has not shown any of that.

In fact, it's probably common for casual Bulls fans to forget he even exists.  James was brought in as insurance for point guard and to give a veteran presence.  However, the fact that he jumped Teague in the hierarchy suggests the former national champion with Kentucky has not been living up to Thibodeau's expectations.  I'm sure he still has an upside, but that is not yet clear.

Now, with James' injury, maybe we'll finally get to see him blossom into something that sets him apart from other NBA players.  Butler became an everyman when given his chance.  Teague will be the second point guard behind Kirk Hinrich, but is he about to become something more?  He probably won't break out against Miami tomorrow, but with Detroit and Milwaukee coming to the United Center next, this will be a perfect chance for him. 

He's not old enough to buy a drink in this country and yet, his chances to run an NBA offense are about to increase.  The question is will he know what to do when directing a crafty group of veterans?  The Bulls could also use a boost from an unexpected source.  Treading water right now, anything to get the team out of this funk would be welcome.

It's time to shape up and do what's expected of an NBA point guard, young man.  It won't be easy and it won't be smooth right away, but as long as you help your team win, everything will fall into place.  Do you want to stay here or head to Iowa?  Ultimately, that decision lies with you.  Your play will dictate it.  Now, go out and perform your job well.

Losing Dominance

Never mind that the Bulls have lost Derrick Rose for another season and are subsequently less relevant than ever.  Everyone knew that would be the case when the news broke a little more than a week ago.  More pressing is how the Bulls look like anything but a legitimate playoff team right now.

After slumping home from a 1-5 circus trip, the latest setback came Monday in a 131-128 defeat in triple overtime to the New Orleans Pelicans.  Really though, it should have been over way before that.  The fact that the Pelicans aren't proven winners yet is the only reason the game dragged on for as long as it did, making the Chicago Tribune sports desk nervous about whether the game would make the first edition. 

The Bulls were extremely lucky to extend the game by hitting a few clutch shots, but that would have been a non-issue if they were playing even an average team.  Their chances to end the game themselves in the final seconds were sloppier than my kindergarten handwriting and the lineup looked completely clueless.  Plus, New Orleans was at less than full strength with Anthony Davis out.  If this recent Bulls play shows up against Miami on Thursday, it will be over before the 10:00 newscasts even begin.

Perhaps Jimmy Butler's eventual return will put the Bulls back on the right track, but right now, we're looking at a team with a bunch of talent that should have some knowledge of how to play together.  Unless the additions of Mike Dunleavy and Tony Snell  have messed up chemistry to an unprecedented degree, there's no reason the dynamic should have changed that much.  It's like Rose was the cog holding everything together and suddenly, the rest of the team is left doing doggy paddles in the shallow end of a pool.

Hopefully, this is just a bad stretch that will be followed by a couple of nice winning streaks.  Then again, when have we seen this kind of listlessness in the Tom Thibodeau era?  The defense is soft, the offense isn't being smart with shot selection and nobody is finishing plays that decide the outcome of a given game.  Thibodeau is a defensive coach forever, but does he have any idea yet of who should be taking the biggest shots in the biggest moments?  Since giving the ball to Rose and getting out of his way is no longer an option, a plan B should be in effect.  This team is not all that different from last year's, so you have to think there are still some plays in the back of Thibodeau's mind that he can reach for and simply apply it to now.

We can talk all we want about what exactly has gone wrong since the circus trip commenced, but it's also worth asking how much of the city cares about these struggles.  No doubt the latest developments are a pipedream for the tanking crowd and a nightmare for those who still want an all-out effort.  While the Blackhawks keep winning and earning more hearts, the Bulls are doing a lot to convince the middle crowd they shouldn't even look at a hardwood floor until next season. 

It's amazing how a team with a few other marketable names (Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, etc.) could suddenly lose their way of how they go about business.  With the impending breakup however, you could see how it's hard for them to get into some of these games.  The championship dream is dead, players are injured and morale couldn't possibly be lower.  Then again, this team has responded well to adversity in the past and the good news is there's more than enough time to right the ship.

No, TNT won't be getting the LeBron-Rose matchup they got on Opening Night on Thursday, but at least they'll get a Bulls team trying to rise out of the darkness by any means necessary.  Although that's not always fun to watch, one has to at least admire the Bulls for looking a favorable momentum swing.  They stopped a long winning streak by Miami last season.  Now, they have to stop their own bleeding.