Stinker of an Ending

All we asked as Bulls fans was that they not embarrass themselves trying to fight off elimination in Game 5.  Instead, they saved their worst performance of this awful series for last.  The defense was there for the most part, but the offense and especially the rebounding at the end let them down as the Wizards ended the season with a 75-69 win.

Washington got off to another admirable start, but the Bulls rallied in the second quarter to tie the score at 41 at halftime.  From there, the points simply stopped coming and even though they threatened to overtake the Wizards several times, it proved too much of a task to handle.  Hampering the progress was Taj Gibson's ankle injury late in the fourth quarter and Joakim Noah playing with a bit of a limp.  Summing up the night was the final 1:30 in which the Wizards grabbed five - yeah, five - offensive rebounds, three coming on one possession that ended with no score and still a three-point game.  Following that was Jimmy Butler missing a layup right off an inbound pass and that was all she wrote on the 2013-14 Bulls.

John Wall led all scorers with 24 points and shot 9-of-11 from the free throw line.  Nene, fresh off his one-game suspension, cemented his status as MVP of the series by scoring 20, all of them coming on 10 field goals.  Bradley Beal had 17 to support the notion that he and Wall are going to be a dangerous backcourt for the foreseeable future and the reason Washington becomes one of the better teams in the league.  Marcin Gortat grabbed 13 rebounds as a final statement that he matches up well with Defensive Player of the Year Noah.  It summed up a team with young scorers and veteran talent that did everything right in this series.

Butler and Kirk Hinrich, the latter of whom may have played his final Bulls game, each scored 16 to lead the home team.  Before his injury, Gibson had 12 and his absence might have made a difference in the disastrous late sequence of Wizards offensive rebounds.  Carlos Boozer, probably even closer to departing Chicago, finished just shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine boards.  He did a decent job filling in for Gibson after he went out, at least for awhile, but like with everyone else wearing white, it wasn't enough to keep the season alive.  Noah fittingly had 18 rebounds to close the best season of his career so far.

As I mentioned in my last post, I was a little surprised that me giving the edge in three of the five starting positions to the Wizards turned out to be right and even the other two were routinely superior to what the Bulls offered.  This game, and this series, highlighted everything that people outside of the Bulls organization was saying throughout the year.  Regular-season effort doesn't mean anything in the playoffs.  Talent wins over all other elements of a team in the NBA.  Head coaches can't be so stubborn that they'll only use the same eight or nine players game in and game out.  Unless you have at least two outstanding players who can score, you're not going to win a championship.

Sadly, all of this isn't anything new for the Bulls.  We said it last year, even when a shorthanded team made it to the second round.  We will continue to say it until all of these issues are addressed.  Hopefully, this is the offseason Gar Forman, John Paxson and Tom Thibodeau realize this is the time to do it.  The ceiling is growing ever shorter on this particular group, even with Derrick Rose and the other core talent on the roster sticking around for a little while.  The right changes in philosophy and new faces need to happen if a championship is indeed not far off.

I'll address everything in my season wrap in a couple of days, but for now, let's let the trials and tribulations of this past season soak in.  It will give me, and everyone else, some time to collect thoughts and truly analyze what we just saw.  As hard as it is to remember now, some great stuff happened this year.  The wrap will remind you of that, but until then, see what you can recollect.

Playing Dead Ball

We knew the Bulls having to win two games in Washington would be no easy task, but now, one has to wonder how that's possible or even if they'll get the chance.  Despite missing Nene with his suspension for head-butting Jimmy Butler in Game 3, the Wizards were somehow more inspired to claim Game 4 with a vengeance 98-89.  A series that seemed so easy coming in now sees the Bulls one defeat from elimination.

The final made it look closer than it actually was.  Washington scored 14 unanswered points to start, which wouldn't be so bad if we were talking about football, but that is sadly not the case.  It set the tone for an afternoon in which the Wizards had their way with minimal interruptions.  There were several stretches in which the Bulls looked primed for the comeback that would put the Wizards in their place.  However, it simply made Washington stronger and not even a late Bulls surge was enough to make up for everything that had happened earlier.  For almost the whole game, the Bulls turned the ball over, committed bad fouls and allowed more fast break points and points off turnovers than one could bear to witness.  Only enhancing the dread was the enthusiasm of the Verizon Center crowd.

Trevor Ariza, whom the Bulls might want to consider in free agency this summer, took some of whatever Mike Dunleavy had before Game 3 and scored a playoff career-high 30 points, including seven of the Wizards' first 11.  He knocked down his first four three-point attempts and added a fifth at the buzzer to close the first half.  Three of the other four Wizards starters also reached double figures with Bradley Beal scoring 18, Marcin Gortat 17 and John Wall 15.  Wall particularly served another reminder of the Bulls missing Derrick Rose by adding 10 assists.

Taj Gibson reached a personal scoring high for both the regular season and playoffs with 32 points, shooting 13-of-16 from the field.  Jimmy Butler had 16, but shot just 5-of-14 on field-goal attempts.  That I'm even listing him as one of the more notable players for the Bulls tells you how this game went.  Although Joakim Noah had a double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds, he looked easily frustrated, out of his element and simply outplayed by Gortat.  He was far from the biggest problem however.  D.J. Augustin shot 30 percent from the field, Kirk Hinrich 25 percent and Carlos Boozer picked up all five of his fouls in the third quarter.  It's no wonder Tom Thibodeau kept him out there during that frame even when he was in that trouble.

It was just so surprising to see the Bulls come out as flat as they did.  Their inspired victory in the last game provided them something to build on and a chance to make Nene's poor decision the turning point in the series.  Instead, it's just a footnote as the Wizards now have a chance to advance in the playoffs for the first time since knocking the Bulls out in 2005.  Offensive awareness was down, as was production, and they just appeared to be caught off guard by an opponent trying to prove they had enough talent to overcome the loss of their best player in the first three games.  When everyone is giving their very best effort as the Bulls do throughout the season, talent wins out and right now, Washington has more in its arsenal.

The Bulls will have a chance to keep their season going with a Game 5 win at the United Center on Tuesday.  They know they have to win out against the Wizards, but they can only get a third of the way there in their next game.  Nobody wants to see it end, especially at home, so if you're going to the game, get behind the Bulls to give them every possible advantage.

Dialing Long Distance

Mike Dunleavy has reached the point in his NBA career where he knows he'll never receive the accolades as a pro like he did as a star at Duke.  Right now, his goal is to be a key contributor on a winning team, something he hasn't be able to boast in over a decade of NBA basketball until now.  Regardless of what happens from here on out, at least he'll have Friday's 100-97 Game 3 win over the Wizards to look back on.  Without him, the Bulls would be in a 3-0 hole, but instead, he's helped bring the deficit to a more manageable 2-1.

Dunleavy, playing in only his 12th NBA playoff game, scored 35 points, going 12 of 19 from the field and eight of 10 from three-point territory, the final of those numbers setting a Bulls playoff record.  He had scored just 20 points combined in the series' first two games and averaged 8.5 points in his playoff career previously.  It leads many to wonder what Tom Thibodeau was thinking in not having him out there to hold off the Wizards in Game 2.  We'll save that criticism for another day because this is an achievement to be celebrated.

Jimmy Butler will remember this game as one in which he overcame adversity and boiling tempers.  In the 4th quarter, he got into a close shouting match with Nene, arguably the best player for the Wizards in this series so far.  Nene then headbutted Butler and the two got a little physical before the altercation was broken up.  Double technicals were handed out, but Nene was ejected as the instigator.  As of this writing, the disciplinary action against him is not known.

It helped the Bulls immensely that Butler stayed in the game, particularly in the final minute.  With 24 seconds to go and the score tied, Butler was just 2 of 4 from behind the three-point line, so it seemed over fair that the Wizards dare him to knock one down in that area.  He did just that and the Bulls never trailed again.  His 7-of-8 shooting from the free throw line capped a 15-point performance.

Carlos Boozer scored 14 points before departing in the 4th quarter, although he did have to check in during the final seconds when Joakim Noah fouled out.  Off the bench, D.J. Augustin and Taj Gibson each had 13.  Augustin also dished out seven assists, but will want to forget a night in which he shot 4 of 15 from the field.

Considering no team has ever recovered from being down 3-0 in the NBA playoffs, Game 3 was a must-win by all definitions without it actually being one.  With the Wizards holding all momentum and the home crowd against them, the Bulls kept their cool.  Still, while it helped that Dunleavy had a big night, the Bulls have to recognize they can't count on career games in every contest of this series.  They still need to find more consistent offense and will have to do it once more in Washington if they want to move on.  At least they're on the board and consequently,  have been given new life.

Game 4 will be a matinee tomorrow in Washington.  Nene or no Nene, the Wizards will be doing everything in their power to keep that home-court advantage they stole in Game 1.  The Bulls need to be ready for that with their trademark defense and hopefully, a more balanced offense.  Every game in our nation's capital is a must-win until another victory there comes.  The question is do the Bulls have the manpower to pull it off?

Gassed and Beaten

I'm simply at a loss for words as to how to describe how this game unfolded, but I'll do my best.  The Wizards got off to a 17-point lead in the first quarter, but the Bulls battled back and took the lead in the third.  With 6:58 left in the fourth, the Bulls held a 10-point lead and it appeared the series would be tied.  Then, the offense ran out of gas, which the Wizards happily took advantage of to force overtime.  The extra session saw the Wizards with a six-point lead, but a fortunate sequence for the Bulls saw that advantage cut to two.  Kirk Hinrich had a chance to tie it with two free throws in the final seconds, but missed both and the clock ran out on a 101-99 loss, giving Washington a stunning 2-0 series lead.

Bradley Beal, whom I said would be the better shooting guard in this series, led all scorers with 26 points.  Nene wasn't quite as dominant as in Game 1, but still scored 17 and came up with several key plays for the Wizards down the stretch.  Although some questionable calls by Joey Crawford went in his favor at that time, I won't dwell on them here.  John Wall had 16 and his seven assists tied Trevor Ariza for the team high in that category.

D.J. Augustin led the offensive charge during the Bulls' comeback and finished with a playoff career-high 25 points.  Taj Gibson continued his impressive campaign with a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds.  Joakim Noah also reached double figures in those categories by way of 20 and 12.  Hinrich scored 12, but too often, appeared to take over on offense when he's well past the point in his career where he can do that.  Granted, nobody else was scoring down the stretch.  Still, what does that say when your point guard with all this mileage on him is trying to bail you out?

As mentioned, the Bulls' offensive tank ran dry at the worst time.  The defense continued to impress as it has throughout the season, but the team's inability to put the ball in the basket made it all for naught.  Chalk it up to the closing players being badly fatigued and Tom Thibodeau unwilling to get fresh legs in there when they were most needed.  You can also blame the lack of a pure scorer, which has further plagued the Bulls with Derrick Rose's injuries.  Every time this issue arises, the calls to get Carmelo Anthony this offeseason grow louder.  Even if Rose returns to his old form, it won't matter if he doesn't get some help.  And Thibodeau can preach defense all he wants, but if he's doing it at the risk of his offense, which is possible with the Bulls possessing the league's worst, how strong of a coach is he?  Would he rely strictly on what the real scorers know already if he had two of them?  I don't know, but he better figure all that out because everyone in the league is trying to exploit his single-minded philosophy.

Game 3 is Friday in Washington.  The Bulls will return to Chicago soon, but whether they will still be playing basketball remains to be seen.  Battling this hard all season just to see a sweep?  I think not.

Noah the D Man

While the Bulls prepare for Game 2 against the Wizards tomorrow night, they're able to take a little time and feel proud this afternoon.  To the surprise of few, if any, Joakim Noah was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.  He's the second Bull to win the award and first since Michael Jordan in 1988, who also was that year's MVP.

I've lauded Noah so many times this in the past couple of seasons as he has risen to NBA stardom.  I regret omitting his improved passing this season in my Bulls-Wizards preview, but that's a conversation for another day.  Today, we honor the defensive prowess that helps make Noah the heart and soul of this Bulls team.  His play gives rise to his emotions, which boosts his team's morale, which increases their chances of closing out a tight game.

Tom Thibodeau asked his center to up his play and leadership following the injury to Derrick Rose and the trade of Luol Deng.  Noah went above all expectations and thanks to his encouragement of everyone around him, the Bulls were able to push aside any and all suggestions that they tank the season for the sake of a higher draft pick.  Neither him, nor Thibodeau can stand to lose and without each other, at least one of that duo's NBA success would be more limited to this point.  It's entirely possible their words would fall on deaf ears elsewhere, but thanks to the culture instilled by Thibodeau after he took over, we've seen optimal results.

The best part is Noah doesn't seem to want to play anywhere else.  Although he has two years left on his contract and a lot can change in that time, he appears content with Chicago and has even talked about winning a championship here.  It might not happen this year, but as long as he continues to let his game speak, the next Larry O'Brien Trophy may not be so far away.  In the meantime, he'll attempt to get his team back to its winning ways.  Even if mentor Tyrone Green is no longer around to encourage him, he knows he can still find the right stuff.  That's how he's gotten to where he now is.

Rotten Easter Basket

Despite the large number of road teams winning the first game of their respective playoff series this weekend, it didn't seem likely the Bulls would let the Washington Wizards steal Game 1 at the United Center.  They finished the season well and Washington doesn't have the same talent.  However, an Easter evening matchup ended in a 102-93 loss, putting the Bulls in an 0-1 hole and shifting home-court advantage.

It wasn't until the second quarter when the Bulls looked poised to break the game wide open.  By the third quarter, their lead had extended to 13 and the nail in the coffin was about to be hammered.  Then, over a period beginning in the third and ballooning in the fourth, the Wizards started making shots and the Bulls were shooting bricks both from the field and at the free-throw line.  The end result:  an 18-6 Washington run in the final six minutes and a Bulls team filled with players either unwilling or unable to keep the game from slipping away.

All five Wizards starters scored in double figures.  Leading the way was Nene, who has been plagued by injuries recently, but still had 24 points.  Suddenly, he's one of the real threats in this series.  Marcin Gortat had a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds.  The starting backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal combined for 29 points and 13 assists.  Trevor Ariza scored 18 and Andre Miller came off the bench to pour in 10.  I know I gave the Wizards three of five position edges when I previewed this series, but even I couldn't believe how the areas I gave the Bulls were so advantageous the other way.  Hopefully, that's just an outlier in what will be a competitive series.

Each Bulls starter had double-digit points too, with Kirk Hinrich leading that group with 16 points, a total shared by D.J. Augustin off the bench.  Joakim Noah's double-double of 10 and 10 couldn't compare to Gortat and Carlos Boozer's near double-double of 11 and 9 looked even weaker when you look at what Nene did.  Jimmy Butler did his best to keep the offense afloat by scoring 15 and also grabbed seven boards.  Experts are looking to him to have a breakout postseason, which says something after he put himself on the map in last year's playoffs.

The Bulls got beat in field-goal percentage (48.6-42.0) and rebounding 45-39.  They also gave up a few too many inside points.  These indicate one problem they've had all season (scoring) and two that shouldn't even arise (rebounds, matchups down low).  I can live with the shooting and scoring problem as that's one of the things sure to eliminate them eventually, but a team that thrives on collecting the ball after missed shots and not allowing anything easy should not have to go down like this.  There were far too many second chances for the Wizards and they were more than happy to take advantage when they needed to.

Tom Thibodeau would have been embarrassed by this effort even if his team had won.  If there's one thing that drives coaches crazy, it's when their team gets beaten at their own game.  Yes, it's a long series.  Both teams are entitled to one clunker most of the time.  However, Thibodeau is the kind of coach who hates the phrase "off night" as that's nothing more than an excuse in his book.  He did not guide his team to within one game of the third seed in a lost season to see performances like this.  No big lead is safe when your club is not known for scoring, so that must be fought with tough defense.  For whatever reason, the Bulls eased up on it and Thibodeau will let the players know that until they heard his barking in their sleep, which is probably a recurring thing for them already.

Game 2 will take place on Tuesday at 8:30.  The good news for the Bulls is the winner of Game 1 in each of their last four playoff series has gone on to be eliminated in that same round.  Although they have history on their side, it won't matter if they can't turn the heat up on the Wizards.  The last thing any team wants is to head into the other's building down 0-2.  The players know that, but they must show it.  Until then, Happy Easter to all.

Looking for Own Wizardry

Although Tom Thibodeau would never admit it, Wednesday's loss to the Charlotte Bobcats made the Bulls' playoff path a little bit easier.  By getting the fourth seed in the East, the Indiana Pacers would await the Bulls in the second round rather than the Miami Heat.  A third Bulls-Heat playoff series in four years would have to wait until the conference finals, but first things first, the Bulls must play the Washington Wizards.

The last time these teams met in the postseason was in 2005, Kirk Hinrich's second season and the first playoff year for either team in some time.  For those without long memories, the Bulls won the initial two games at the United Center before Washington swept the next four in a series highlighted by Gilbert Arenas' game-winning buzzer beater in Game 5. 

Now, Hinrich is an older starter in his second Bulls tenure, Arenas is currently out of basketball and the Bulls are left to solve a team that beat them in two of three meetings this season.  Granted, the Wizards scored just 78 points on the Bulls when the teams last played on April 5, but Thibodeau will never allow his players to look back fondly on that.  Instead, he'll have to look at how his main guys match up with the opposing lineup, so let's do that now.

Kirk Hinrich continues to start games admirably at point guard, giving the lineup a boost with his tough play and recognizing his limitations as he's gotten older.  The pressure is off him to score since most of that has given way to D.J. Augustin, who is more likely to see the floor in crunch time given his newfound success in Chicago as a constant threat to score.  Both Hinrich and Augustin will deal with John Wall, the top pick in the 2010 draft.  Wall started every game this season and led the Wizards in scoring, assists and steals.  It's his first playoff series, but his talent will remind the Bulls in what they've been missing in Derrick Rose for most of the past two seasons.  Even with the collaborative efforts of Hinrich and Augustin, Wall is still the Wizards' franchise player for good reason.  This edge goes to Washington.

Jimmy Butler has shown as a starting shooting guard that his maturation in last year's playoffs was no fluke.  He has embraced his everyman role by performing a little bit of, well, everything.  He can score, pass, play defense and will play all 48 minutes if called upon to do it.  I'm not sure he'll ever become an All-Star, but a little more time and improvement could tell me he will.  Facing him is second-year man Bradley Beal out of Florida.  Anything Butler can do, so can Beal.  Part of the Wizards' success can be attributed to his own scoring and passing.  He's even a slightly better shooter and that shouldn't be a surprise since that's his natural position.  Butler was more shifted over from small forward.  While both will be key contributors in this series, I give a slight victory here to the Wizards.

At small forward, Mike Dunleavy has done fine stepping in for Luol Deng in the starting lineup since the January trade.  In fact, his offense has only improved since the All-Star break.  He brings a key veteran presence to the first five as well as the whole team.  While Hinrich is also a veteran presence, Dunleavy has aged better and is typically more trustworthy in the clutch.  Trevor Ariza has had a career season in Washington, improving his shooting and rebounding from previous years.  He's been in the league for awhile, but this is one season he'll remember when he looks back on his time in the NBA.  Again, this is a close matchup and I'm almost afraid to pick against another Bull.  However, Ariza is a little bit younger and if the Wizards are to have any success in this series, a lot of it will depend on him.  I pick the Wizards here, but only because I believe Ariza will contribute a little more to their cause.

For power forward, let's look at two players for each side rather than one.  Carlos Boozer continues to be good for a double-double each night despite his defensive struggles.  Taj Gibson is a two-way player doing everything Boozer does for a much cheaper price, making him a leading candidate for the Sixth Man Award.  Together, they make this position tough for any team to match up against.  The Wizards will counter with Trevor Booker and Nene.  Both can score and would be key supporting players anywhere in the league.  Still, it comes down to overall talent and here, the Bulls have a clear advantage.  You can all put your torches and pitchforks down now.

Center will be a very intriguing matchup.  Joakim Noah has continued to blossom on both ends, made his mark as the emotional leader of the Bulls and is a strong candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.  In his second straight All-Star season, every opponent has had to keep their eyes on him.  He'll take the opening tips against Marcin Gortat.  Like Noah, Gortat is consistent defensively and has had a healthy season for the most part.  Add an above-average scoring ability and he gives the Wizards a chance to clinch close games.  For all he can do though, not many centers can compete with Noah right now, so his best bet is to simply out-duel him.  That won't be enough and the Bulls will win this battle easily.

Randy Wittman just led the Wizards to their first playoff appearance since 2008.  He was an assistant in Washington under Flip Saunders before taking over for him during the 2011-12 season.  This year, he improved the Wizards by 15 games from 2013.  With a lot of talent in place, he seems poised to guide his team as they continue to grow over the next few years.  Contrast that to Tom Thibodeau, whose influence has been felt in Chicago daily for four years now.  While many may not agree with his method of trying to win every game, including in the preseason, you can't argue with results.  Recent playoff experience and being able to get so much out of his team gives the Bulls an edge here.

The Bulls enter the playoffs having won eight of their last 10.  The Wizards have won four in a row.  These are two hot teams who fought for playoff positioning to the very end.  Neither has a shortage of talent and both have coaching examples of how to change a franchise's fortunes drastically.  You likely won't find championship-caliber basketball here, but a 4-vs.-5 series is always entertaining because they could go either way.  However, I think experience and talent win out here.  The Wizards will likely win one in Washington and I can see them stealing a game at the United Center, but that's it.  The Bulls will take the series in six.

Game 1 will be Easter Sunday in Chicago during the evening, so be sure to plan your family gatherings around it.  For bonus points, wear red wherever you're watching it.  It's what the Bulls have called us on to do, so we must answer it.  The playoffs are here, folks.  Get ready for excitement.

Creating Own Magic

As the 82-game regular season schedule nears its end, the Bulls are still dealing with the constant twists and turns that come with it.  Just today, they waived Tornike Shengelia and signed forward Greg Smith to take his place.  They also learned D.J. Augustin would miss the evening's game against the Orlando Magic after his wife gave birth to a baby boy.  None of that, as it turned out, impacted the outcome as the Bulls won 108-95 in their regular home finale.

The home team never trailed in this game, but the Magic went on a few runs which opened the door for a potential upset victory.  Each time though, the Bulls responded by raising their game to the point where all Orlando could do was try to catch them.  The game was tied only twice, but it might have happened more if the Magic had taken better care of the basketball.  They had 20 turnovers to the Bulls' 9 and gave up 24 points off those turnovers while scoring only eight in that category.  It was the perfect sign of a young team struggling against one with the personnel and desire to win at all costs.  The Bulls did that tonight by playing smothering defense and sharing the basketball with great quickness and precision.

Mike Dunleavy, who has been terrific in the second half of the season, led all scorers with 22 points and went 3-for-4 behind the three-point line.  Joakim Noah was two assists shy of a triple-double, keeping his presence a threat with 18 points and 10 rebounds.  Carlos Boozer also achieved a double-double of 13 and 12 while picking up five fouls.  Also finishing with five fouls was Jimmer Fredette, who took advantage of Augustin's absence by scoring 17 in a game he and much of the fan base have been waiting for.  Though Tom Thibodeau said after the game Fredette won't be part of the rotation going forward, he had to be happy with Tony Snell's 13 points, two of which came on a buzzer beater to end the first half.  Jimmy Butler's streak of playing 40 minutes in a game ended at nine, but he scored 12 anyway.

 With only Wednesday's road game against the Charlotte Bobcats remaining before the playoffs, the lone certainty for the Bulls is they'll have home-court advantage in the first round.  After the Raptors beat the Bucks tonight, they continue to hold the third seed in the East with both teams having identical records and them holding the tiebreaker.  The only way for those positions to switch now is for the Bulls to beat the Bobcats and the Raptors lose to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.  With the Pacers having locked up the top seed tonight, you might root for a loss on Wednesday to avoid playing the second-seeded Heat in the second round.  Regardless of what you want, the Bulls will keep playing to win and hope for the best news out of New York.

If the season ended now, the fourth-seeded Bulls would have a rematch of last year's first round with the Brooklyn Nets.  This time, the seeds would be reversed.  If things play out how the Bulls want on Wednesday, they'll likely be looking at a series with the Washington Wizards.  Kirk Hinrich would love a shot at revenge for the 2005 Bulls' playoff ousting even though he's not the player he was back then.  No matter who the Bulls face in their first best-of-seven series, their trademark intensity will be present and their opponent must be prepared to face it.

I'll be working on Wednesday, so I won't be able to recap the night's events after they unfold.  However, I'll have a series preview soon after and as has been the case in the previous two seasons of this blog, each playoff game will be broken down regardless of whether I had a chance to watch it.  It's only fair I stay on top of the most important time of the year.  The postseason is unlike anything else, so let me help you make sense of it all.

Rounding Out With Familiar Faces

In recent years, as it has gotten closer to playoff time, the Bulls have filled up whatever open roster spots are left.  Most of the time, it's with players who have been around these parts before.  This year is no exception.  Mike James and Lou Amundson were signed today to bring the Bulls' roster to the maximum 15.

James was with the Bulls to begin the season, his second stint for them.  It ended shortly after Derrick Rose's injury and D.J. Augustin's signing made him expendable.  That was rather ironic considering he made the roster as insurance in case something to the point guard position.  To be fair, Marquis Teague's struggles didn't help stabilize the problem either.  In 11 games, he averaged one point, seven minutes, 0.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists.  That was about what you would expect from an 11-year journeyman who has a career scoring average of just under 10 points.  His veteran presence didn't do much before, but maybe it will now in the event he is needed.

 

Amundson has even less of a history here.  He played one game for the Bulls last season after signing a 10-day contract.  In an 18-point loss to the Spurs, he grabbed one rebound and missed a field-goal attempt over two minutes of action.  This year, he played 18 games with the Pelicans, another team he suited up for a season ago.  In his most recent stint, he averaged 2.1 points and 3.1 rebounds.  He has been a free agent since New Year's Eve, when the Pelicans waived him after Greg Stiemsma returned from injury.

As has been typical in the past of very late season additions, I don't expect big things from either of these guys.  Plus, Ronnie Brewer already got a taste of it when he stayed on the bench last night against Minnesota and Tony Snell continued to see playing time.  When Tom Thibodeau has his rotation set, he'll rarely dig deeper into his bench except when injuries or blowouts call for it.  This is strictly insurance for if the Bulls find themselves shorthanded in the playoffs.  Plus, James and Amundson needed to be signed now to be eligible for that time.  The Bulls were simply abiding by league rules and taking advantage of a situation they could.  No team wants to be caught off-guard by a shorthanded roster and the Bulls are the last one that would allow themselves to get into that predicament.

Gar Forman and John Paxson will be at ease for the next week knowing they won't have to worry about constructing a playoff roster anymore.  That doesn't mean they won't need to work during that time, but it must feel refreshing to have that weight off their shoulders.  Now, they can focus their energy squarely on whether their team gets the third or fourth seed in the East.  If they still can't sleep because of that, well, I guess they are just doing their jobs like top NBA executives should.

Kicking the Timberwolves Down

Faced with another season of no playoffs and Dante Cunningham's recent legal troubles, the Minnesota Timberwolves were perhaps hoping the Bulls would give them a bit of a break when they met at the Target Center tonight.  Unfortunately for them, that's just not who the Bulls are.  Sure, they trailed by five at halftime, but they decided enough was enough after that and took advantage of some bad Timberwolves shooting won 102-87.

Joakim Noah showed the Minnesota faithful there's actually an NBA center not named Kevin Love who can do just about everything.  He had a triple-double of 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.  Meanwhile, Love was held to 17 points and 10 rebounds, which is an off night for him.  D.J. Augustin showed them what happens when a player resurrects his career at basketball's highest level, leading all scorers with 21 points.  Four other Bulls scored in double figures, including every starter not named Carlos Boozer, who finished with six after going 3-of-13 from the field.

The Bulls recognize the easy schedule they have left and will emphatically attempt to win every remaining game just like they always do.  They've done that so far with a season-high six game winning streak and taking eight of their last nine.  However, they remain tied for third with Toronto in the East and have four games to pass the team that holds the tiebreaker.  It still isn't clear whether a higher seed will lead to a second-round matchup with Miami or Indiana, but the Bulls still want to finish as high as possible.  As I've said before, the difference between third and fourth in the East barely exists, so going 4-0 or 0-4 at the end only matters if you just want to win.  Since the team from the Windy City embraces that attitude like no other, this means the world to them.

With tonight's win, the Bulls need just one more win to clinch home-court advantage in the first round.  They'll get their first crack at that Friday against the Detroit Pistons, who have long checked out of this season.  Joe Dumars has even had enough and announced his impending resignation as general manager.  This is the perfect chance to put that issue to bed once and for all.  A team that cares vs. a team that doesn't is just too ideal.

The Brew Crew Returns

Get used to seeing this face at the United Center again, Bulls fans.  The team needed somebody to take Erik Murphy's roster spot, so they turned to former Bench Mob member Ronnie Brewer.  The swingman will reunite with several teammates and Tom Thibodeau for the remainder of the season.

Brewer has struggled to find a permanent home since leaving the Bulls after the 2011-12 season.  Last season, he started 34 of 46 games played with the Knicks before joining the Thunder, seeing action in 14 regular-season contests coming off the bench for one playoff game.  This year took him to the Rockets, who gave him action in 23 games and started him in three of them.  He averaged 0.3 points, 0.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 6.9 minutes.  Unable to deal him at the trade deadline, Houston waived him, leaving him without a basketball home for over a month.

I was wrong about Jimmer Fredette making an impact when the Bulls signed him, so I'm not going to make any similar predictions for Brewer.  Thibodeau has his rotation set in stone and I don't expect it to change for the rest of the season.  The signing, if anything, is strictly meant to get the roster back to 13 players.  The Bulls have changed quite a bit since the end of Brewer's first tenure in Chicago, so I expect him to play more of a reduced role.

On the flip side, Thibodeau knows pretty much everything there is to know about Brewer the basketball player.  That just seems to be his nature or he wouldn't be so effective as a coach.  It's entirely possible he trusts Brewer enough to put him into the rotation right away.  If that's true, Tony Snell will be riding the bench for the rest of the season.  That would tie back into Thibodeau's tendency to not give his rookies much of a chance to show themselves.  With Snell getting regular playing time, it appeared that trend was breaking a little bit.  Now, with Murphy gone and Brewer possibly unseating Snell, it appears old habits die hard.  Still, if it helps the Bulls lock up the third seed, so be it.

The slightly-altered Bulls will debut Wednesday in Minnesota as they take on the Timberwolves.  That's a time simply trying to finish above .500 with the playoffs no longer possible.  The Bulls can make that goal a little tougher while simultaneously helping their own postseason positioning.  Also, they'll have Joakim Noah, which won't make it as easy for Kevin Love to have his way with the Bulls, unlike the game I attended at the United Center this season.  A little vengeance can go a long way.

See Ya, Murph

A few weeks ago, Carlos Boozer wore a microphone for the Bulls' nationally televised victory over the Houston Rockets.  Look it up on YouTube and you'll notice him in his familiar late-game spot on the bench.  Sitting behind him is Erik Murphy, the Bulls' second-round draft pick last June.

One has to wonder just what happened to make Murphy so expendable, he wasn't even getting a front-row seat on his own bench.  All we know is the Bulls waived him on Thursday after averaging 0.3 points and 2.6 minutes in 24 games.  Familiar names like Ronnie Brewer and Mike James have been rumored to take the spot Murphy has vacated, but for now, it's worth looking a player who hadn't seen game action since recording a field goal and assist in a two-minute stint in the aforementioned Rockets game.

I knew when the Bulls drafted Murphy that he wasn't going to see much time this season.  Rookies don't get many opportunities with Tom Thibodeau, although the exception in Tony Snell has done all right for an end-of-rotation player.  However, not even lasting a full year with the team that drafted him makes you wonder if he was ready for the big show yet.  Here's what I wrote after his selection was made:

The rookie more likely to be riding the bench this year is Erik Murphy, who just finished his senior season at Florida.  In fact, don't be surprised if he's not even on the roster come Opening Night.  He has connections in Finland, which could mean he plays overseas this year instead of the NBA.  On the other hand, it's been rare for the Bulls not to sign even second-round picks in the last decade, so my money is on him playing here.
A 6-10 power forward with a great 3-point shot, comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki come to mind.  He has also shown to improve as a rebounder and defender after building up his playing weight to 240.  Since the Bulls already drafted a shooter in Snell and have an All-Star defender and rebounder in Joakim Noah, Murphy is more likely to see the floor during garbage minutes, at least during his first season.  In the meantime, he can work on his weaknesses, which include a lack of speed for NBA players at his position and being weak as a defender and rebounder despite building his strength.  At the very least, he'll get to observe firsthand what it takes to become a tenured, productive player in this league.  If he's lucky, he'll be able to do the same.  You can only do so much with your body though.

A lot of this seems to ring true even now.  A coach like Thibodeau is always going to look for players who can defend first and it's likely Murphy wasn't showing his commander a whole lot of that.  One could argue that Jimmer Fredette's signing meant the Bulls weren't confident in the rookie's abilities there either.  The D-League or playing in Finland might have, in fact, been a better option for him and I wouldn't be surprised if one of those destinations was next.  His experience here can indeed let him know how players survive in the NBA for so long.  With that in mind, he has something to shoot for and if the right things fall into place, he'll return to the league a better player and person.

Meanwhile, this should cause Gar Forman and John Paxson to search for answers.  Two of their last three draft picks were traded (Marquis Teague) or waived (Murphy) this season alone, so that raises questions as to how well they evaluate draft talent.  It doesn't help that Thibodeau won't play them regular minutes, but cutting ties with raw talent has to indicate a bigger problem.  For all the talk about landing a big free agent this offseason, there should be just as much about finding good, young players out of college to build around.  It's why I would suggest trading up in this year's draft to get a shot at Doug McDermott, whose talent and winning background fit perfectly with the Bulls' mold.  Even if it means giving up both of your other first-round picks and one of your bench players, it's a move I would highly recommend.

Now's the time to focus less on Murphy and more on how to beat the Milwaukee Bucks tonight.  The Bulls usually have a short memory of these things except when one of their bigger guns is no longer available for whatever reason (injury, trade, etc.).  Murphy's absence won't bother them, but somewhere down the line, management's decisions might.

Hawks Clipped

The latest Bulls chapter brought them to a place where home-court advantage doesn't exist a whole lot.  Just as I suspected would happen during my last post, a good portion of the Philips Arena crowd, which is supposed to be for the Atlanta Hawks, was pulling for the visitors instead.  I'd go so far as to suggest that the majority of fans left happy about a 105-92 Bulls win, which was Tom Thibodeau's 200th for his career.

At the beginning, Kyle Korver seemed bent on creating Hell for his former team, knocking down three three-pointers in the first quarter.  However, the Bulls found their own offense and had the game tied at 31 after the opening 12 minutes.  After that, the offense remained balanced and the defense cracked down when it needed to.  Whenever the Hawks appeared ready to break through during a run, the Bulls answered Thibodeau's call to crack down on defense and go after the ball like it was the final available turkey for Thanksgiving.  Meanwhile, Korver didn't hit another three until late in the fourth quarter.

The ball actually changed possessions quite a bit, so it's not like the Bulls did a much better job at limiting turnovers than the Hawks did, recording 13 to Atlanta's 16.  They won the battle of points in the paint 38-36, but lost in points off turnovers 21-17 and in fast break points 20-8.  That's a pretty ugly night if you expect clean basketball.

The real difference was in shooting.  The Bulls were 51 percent from the floor as opposed to Atlanta's 44 percent.  They also did better than the Hawks from behind the three-point line (48-33) and the free throw line (87-77).  As a result, Atlanta continued the slump it's been in recently and is now tied with New York for the final playoff spot in the East.

Six Bulls scored in double figures, led by D.J. Augustin (surprise, surprise) and his 23 points.  Half of Augustin's eight field goals were three-pointers and he shot 3-of-4 from behind the line.  Kirk Hinrich and Jimmy Butler each scored 17, Joakim Noah had a double-double of 10 and 10 and Taj Gibson added 10 points and seven rebounds.  There were also plenty of dunks and rainbow shots to keep the Bulls contingent entertained.

Even though very little difference exists between the third and fourth seed in the East this year, the Bulls still pride themselves on finishing with the best record they can.  Thibodeau has always prided himself on that and it's part of why he has 200 wins in a little less than four seasons as a head coach.  His defensive philosophy and unwillingness to surrender any game under any circumstances have brought him a reputation bested by few coaches in the league.  He and his players believe they're title contenders even when the rest of the world doesn't.  If they can somehow shock everyone this postseason, well, that would say it all.

The Bulls will next play the Milwaukee Bucks, a candidate in the Jabari Parker/Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes, at the United Center Friday.  They might seem like a team easy to beat, but Thibs won't let his team think so.  As far as they're concerned, all 29 opponents pose some kind of threat, so the Bucks will be taken as seriously as the Heat.  It's just who the Bulls are, so take it or leave it.