Winning in the North

It's always impressive when you can sweep four season meetings from one team, especially a good one.  The Toronto Raptors are decent enough to win the Atlantic, but people have questioned their legitimacy all year.  Their poor record against teams at or below .500 is a major reason.  They didn't help their cause as the Bulls kept the host Raptors off the board in the season series Wednesday with a 116-103 win.

The "basketball frauds", a nickname for the Raptors my co-worker Luis Medina regrets not trademarking, played well on offense early while the Bulls struggled.  The visitors narrowed the gap in the second quarter before keeping pace in third.  The fourth was when the Bulls really shined, outscoring the Raptors 39-21 to go with 10 assists and no turnovers.  A terrific display of late offense and a lack of killer instinct on the Raptors' part combined to create the final result.

Jimmy Butler showed he's officially back by leading all scorers with 23 points (7-for-8 from the field, 7-for-9 from the foul line).  Pau Gasol didn't achieve a double-double this time, but played a key role in scoring 18.  Tony Snell really came alive in the second half and led the bench with 17.  Aaron Brooks made four 3-pointers as part of 16 and Nikola Mirotic had 15.

The pregame story of Derrick Rose expecting to return this season before and the postgame story of not allowing the Raptors to clinch a playoff spot yet were mere footnotes compared to what the Bulls accomplished in the game.  With an almost healthy bunch on the court, the offense came through when it needed to most.  While it took them a little while to get going, they were almost unstoppable once they did.  A close game ultimately became a 13-point victory.

Naturally, the naysayers will say the Bulls played the worst division leader in the league.  They'll also say the Bulls caught the Raptors in the second of a back-to-back and just after they lost a close game to Detroit.  Well, good teams pounce on opportunities like this, even if they have to come from behind to do it.  That makes the Bulls legitimate.

True, not every team can successfully beat an opponent that just played 24 hours earlier, but it happens more often than not.  Even the best teams are prone to losing when they haven't fully recovered from a certain contest.  But again, the Bulls know they're better than the Raptors and regardless of the circumstances, they want that reflected in the final playoff series.  They took a step in that direction by widening the gap between the team to 1 1/2 games between the third and fourth seeds in the East.

It's going to be quite a fight for the higher seed during the regular season's final weeks.  The season has proven the Bulls are more deserving to get the upper hand.  It may not make a difference as Atlanta or Cleveland inevitably await in the second round.  Still, the Bulls have too much pride to let themselves settle for less and perhaps, the third seed will be just what they need to advance in the playoffs.

The Bulls will wait until Saturday to play again, during which they play the New York Knicks at the United Center.  There's a club you really have to kick while they're down.  They have absolutely nothing to gain except keeping the NBA's worst record and increasing their shot at the top draft pick.  Meanwhile, the Bulls are aspiring for far greater things in the near future.

Turning a Corner?

Suddenly, it's not so tough being a Bulls fan.  A month which has seen injuries and bad losses received a glimmer of brightness Monday.  Not only did the Bulls beat the Charlotte Hornets 98-86, but they clinched a playoff spot thanks in part to Jimmy Butler's return (19 points) and Nikola Mirotic's hot night off the bench (28 points, 14 coming in the fourth quarter).

Coupled with Taj Gibson's ankle healing and Derrick Rose close to taking contact in practices, is there a big light at the end of this long tunnel?  Are we about to see the Bulls unleash their best basketball of the season?  And is the timing right as we creep closer to the postseason?

We don't know the answer to any of these questions, but it's nice to feel hope again.  At the same time, we're reminded of how tumultuous the long regular season can be.  There are ups and downs and everything in between.  Heck, even the 1998 Bulls struggled to stay above .500 for the first month, although Scottie Pippen's absence had something to do with that.

This is a time when we have every right to once more consider how far this group can go.  With three key guys expected back at or close to full strength for the playoffs, the Bulls could have plenty of momentum at the right time.  They'll have sat out some games to stay fresh, albeit unwillingly, but perhaps enough to give them that extra bit of energy they'll need.

Of course, these are only three guys we're talking about and you could count Joakim Noah among that group too.  The rest of the rotation has continued to play heavy minutes under Tom Thibodeau, which still gets on the nerves of the front office and could be a reason for a possible departure after the season.  Everyone needs to be fresh, but that freshness varies across the board.  While we don't know how that will factor for the playoffs, recent postseasons for this club indicate it is not favorable.

If the playoffs started today, the Bulls would have the fourth seed and play Washington in the first round.  Although many pundits would still take the Bulls in that particular seven-game series, we've seen time and again how poor a matchup that is for them.  Cleveland looks to have a grasp on the second seed, so the Bulls will have to battle Toronto for the third seed and the right to play one of the terrible teams the Eastern Conference will inevitably field in late April this year.  It still baffles me how a conference in any season can have so few good teams, let alone great teams.

As good as the Bulls are supposed to be, they should also realize that drawing Atlanta or Cleveland in the second round has become inevitable.  There's no question they'd be the underdog in either potential series.  Both of those teams can build strong cases for reaching the Finals this year.  With that in mind, some might be all set to hear Gar Forman and John Paxson give Thibodeau his walking papers.

But the Bulls are equipped to be the team most likely to stop either championship run.  Noah has said the team is the toughest one to beat in any series.  That suggestion and mentality are allowing fans and players alike to keep the faith that something special could happen this season.  Often times, when you play a series tough, that increases your chance to move on towards your own ultimate goal.

We know what the guys who have been out can do, but those haven't provide tangibles any team would appreciate.  Pau Gasol is a double-double machine, Mirotic is the top fourth-quarter scorer in the NBA (9.5 points per game), Mike Dunleavy stabilizes the offense and Aaron Brooks is the team's latest scoring spark at point guard.  Even Kirk Hinrich often shows signs of his former self and he might provide a key moment in the season yet.

The Bulls can grab the third seed from the Raptors Wednesday when they visit them in Canada.  My co-worker Luis Medina often refers to Toronto as "basketball frauds" because of their 13-20 record against teams at or above .500.  Couple that with a November win at Air Canada Centre and the Bulls have a good chance to jump ahead in the conference standings, at least for a couple of nights.  Prospects like that are sure to keep us watching.

Back to Winning

To say this has been a trying period for the Bulls is an understatement.  Until they get completely healthy again, they just have to press on.  This they did Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers having just lost five of six.  And they won 103-86.

Everything seemed to flow well for most of it even though each starter played no fewer than 27 minutes.  Some good-paced offense, strong rebounding and second chances allowed everything to fall into place.  Even after the Pacers made a third-quarter run by forcing the Bulls into foul trouble and converting off turnovers, they couldn't complete the comeback.  It came down to who could make more shots in the clutch and the Bulls were that team.

Nikola Mirotic came off the bench to lead all scorers with 25 points and come within one rebound of a double-double.  He had quite the second half and the Pacers were unable to find an answer for him.  Mike Dunleavy hit five 3-pointers in the first half before cooling off and finishing with 21.  That particular spark was what the Bulls missed when he was injured, but now, he's providing it when his team needs it even more.

Pau Gasol had his latest double-double of 19 and 12, hitting a corner 3-pointer late to seal the game.  Tony Snell, still acting as a substitute starter, continues to grow as an NBA player thanks to a 14-point, eight-rebound outing.  Aaron Brooks scored 13 and made all seven of his free throws.  Joakim Noah grabbed 14 boards and this time, was allowed to finish the game (whether that was due to Tom Thibodeau's management or getting into foul trouble is unclear).

In what has a been a tumultuous stretch for the Bulls, it's nice to see a game free of much tension.  Lately, the fan base has been gritting its collective teeth with frustration.  The cards have been stacked against this team and very little can be done right now.  This win was needed to keep the sanity for the time being.

This could also be called treading water, which is exactly what the Bulls should be doing.  They've relaxed a little too much in many games this year and to be stripped almost to the core has to wake them up sometime.  Whether this game represented the turning point they needed for March is not yet clear, but it's nice to keep the critics at bay for one night. 

Those critics include Gar Forman and John Paxson, who apparently have no good relationship with Thibodeau left.  There was no issue with Noah's minutes or anybody else here.  The more games everything goes right, the more there can be peace among the powers that be.

The Bulls will have a day off before getting back to action Friday against the Toronto Raptors.  Although the team to the North has done well for itself, the sentiment is it doesn't have a whole lot of signature wins.  Hopefully, the Bulls won't allow this game to be one of them.

On Tuesday, Phil Jackson tweeted out the sad news that former Bull Jack Haley died at the age of 51.  Haley, as you may know, barely played on the 1995-96 championship team, but was signed to keep Dennis Rodman sane.  It was difficult not to notice him celebrating on the bench in his suit during many of those games.  My thoughts and prayers to Jack's family during this difficult time.

Frustratingly Close Defeat

We don't know how many more tough losses the Bulls will have to suffer without their starting backcourt.  All we know is the Oklahoma City Thunder were not in a giving mood Sunday, especially as they were missing their own stars in Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka.  It took almost four quarters, but they won this nationally televised tilt 109-100.

The back-and-forth nature of this game was reminiscent of watching the 1998 Finals, which made me more nervous than my nine-year-old self should have been.  The difference here was the Bulls were not completely healthy and the stakes weren't nearly as high.  But at this point, the Bulls are desperate for any win.  Despite the many slim leads they held throughout, it fell apart in the final minute with turnovers and getting outhustled.

Russell Westbrook continues to turn heads as shown by his latest outing of 36 points, 11 rebounds and a heart for basketball Michael Jordan would be proud of.  Enes Kanter tallied an 18 in both the points and rebounds columns while Steven Adams had 14 and 11.  Three other Thunder players scored 11:  Dion Waiters, D.J. Augustin and Anthony Morrow (the last two each made three treys).

Nikola Mirotic came off the bench to lead the Bulls with 27 points, making all nine of his free-throw attempts.  Pau Gasol scored 20 and played at the end of the game while Joakim Noah totaled 15 and was kept on the bench due to his minutes limit.  E'Twaun Moore had 12 to continue his recent trend of playing well against Oklahoma City.  Aaron Brooks' 11 were overshadowed by an 0-for-6 showing from behind the arc and a team-high three turnovers.

The Bulls have lost five of their last six and are 4-7 since Derrick Rose went out.  Everything we worried would happen without him and especially in Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson's absences seem to be coming to pass.  A team with its resources exhausted and stretched out is going to fall short more often than not.  Granted, the Thunder are not much healthier right now, but they still had enough bodies available to seal the deal.

If the Bulls are to take anything away from this, it's improve that yearlong rebounding problem which surfaced again in this game, especially off missed free throws on both ends.  The turnovers were down, but the Bulls made them at the most critical times.  And if the long ball isn't falling, quit trying to go to it.  We don't need the whole team to turn to the habit Rose had before his injury.

As much as we might like to avoid Bulls games until everyone comes back, we can't.  They come back home Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers.  Hopefully, they can offer something as exciting as the Big Ten Tournament did this past weekend.  Otherwise, prepare for another long, tedious contest that will cause people to quickly tune out.

Brooks Bailout

It's been established by now that Aaron Brooks can have scoring spurts pretty much anytime.  Little did anyone know prior to Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers that one would be needed for a win.  It never should have gotten to that point, but Brooks helped avoid the Bulls' lowest moment of the season in a 104-95 overtime win.

This was rough to watch as a basketball fan.  The 76ers, making no attempt to field a competitive team this year, made mistakes on both ends no one else in the NBA could get away with.  I won't describe them, but it took more than half the third quarter for them to score.

Still, the shorthanded Bulls weren't hungry enough and/or able to go for the kill and almost paid for it.  After scoring just 21 points in a third quarter where the 76ers scored 12, they surrendered the lead in the fourth.  Brooks made the game-tying three late in regulation, but an ill-advised transition pass by Tony Snell set up the 76ers' chance to win, which they failed on through Luc Mbah a Moute's terrible jump shot at the top of the key.  Led by Brooks, the Bulls finally put Philadelphia away in a 12-3 overtime period.

Brooks' 31 points were a season high and marked his first game with that total since 2010.  Three of the other Bulls starters reached double-doubles, including Pau Gasol (27 points, 16 rebounds), who now has 44 this season.  Nikola Mirotic, starting for the injured Joakim Noah, did his most prominent damage in the first half and finished with 16 and 12.  Snell barely met the requirements at 10 and 10, but his night was overshadowed by a career-high seven turnovers, including the aforementioned pass which nearly cost the Bulls the game.

There should be happiness about the win, but even the most ardent Bulls supporters have to admit the team got lucky in this one.  It doesn't matter how banged up this team is.  The talent still available should have been enough to blow one of the worst constructed teams in NBA history out of their own building.  They could have easily held a 15-point lead in the third quarter and overtime wouldn't have been necessary.  Instead, everyone watching was forced to sweat it out almost to the end.

Those who question whether the Bulls can contend for a title this year often point to the team's lack of urgency in putting weaker teams away.  Sure, a healthier group has done well against better opponents, but there's legitimate concern as to whether this will carry over in the playoffs.  Everyone needs to get back on the floor first, but then, they need to fix the complacency issue that's been plaguing them.  The postseason is only a month away, so time is running short for these kinds of adjustments.

The Bulls will next play Friday to take on the Charlotte Hornets.  Chalk it up as another game against an Eastern Conference playoff opponent which really shouldn't be.  If that wasn't a storyline, whether Michael Jordan will appear courtside would be instead.  But alas, there's basketball to be played and improving playoff seeding is important for both teams.

Ambiguous Rose

Prior to the Bulls' 101-91 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Derrick Rose assembled the media for his first public comments since having the damaged part of his meniscus removed.  He declared there was a "good chance" of him returning this season.  However, he also played the "listening to the body" card and would not make any guarantees about his immediate future.

Naturally, this prompted criticism from fans and media personnel about Rose not learning from his past PR mistakes or putting the good of the team first.  Everything that was written about him in November after he talked about future business meetings and graduations seemingly came back to the forefront.  All of this ironically came hours after a "memorial" to him, which included candles and a crutch among others things, surfaced in Chicago.

I realize people don't appreciate Rose being brutally honest about where he stands, but refusing to commit to a comeback is better than making promises he's not sure he can keep.  Had he guaranteed a playoff return and then missed the entire postseason, more criticism would have come his way for stringing everyone along.  There was almost no way he could escape the words of naysayers in any and all directions.

Now that said, it would be best for everybody if Rose indeed made a return for the playoffs.  I know I've stuck by him in similar situations, but the big difference is these Bulls are built to win a championship right now if they're healthy.  Between the top teams in the East getting better and the apparent discord between Tom Thibodeau and GarPax, this particular group will not have a better chance to go all the way, or at least to he Finals.  They just happen to be missing some key players right now, hence their struggles.

If Rose can recognize this and get himself out of the cocoon he's clearly still in, he really will make an effort to return to the court as soon as he can.  By this time next month, Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler will have likely recovered from their respective injuries and come back to action.  There are no questions surrounding their commitments to winning right now.  Rose doesn't need to make others unsure about where his head is.

We should come to accept by now that Rose is never going to be a promoter or even play one on TV except through his endorsements.   His actions do the best speaking for him and unfortunately, he's had a lot of inaction, which is perhaps the biggest reason people have grown inpatient.  Now is the time for him to take control of the situation before it spirals the way others have in the past.  Although he eventually made his way back onto the court, the damage had already been done for some folks.

Until we see Rose suit up again, realize that we might see quite a few more of this stories, especially throughout March.  The undermanned Bulls are being exposed and are trying to tread enough water to at least keep home-court advantage in the first round.  Then again, the Spurs loss taught us that no matter what their seed is (currently seventh in the West), a quality team will always find a way to win.  Perhaps we'll see the Bulls are indeed that kind of a team even if they slip too far down the playoff ladder.

The merriment will continue Wednesday when the Bulls visit the actively tanking Philadelphia 76ers.  If we weren't so used to seeing the Bulls playing down to their competition, I might have guaranteed this one to be a victory.  But it's more difficult to try and lose than to try and win, so Philly might have an edge there.  Boy, are these matchups becoming confusing.

Don't Remember This Alamo

For some reason, Sunday afternoon games just haven't been kind to the Bulls this year.  After earlier such losses at home to the Heat and Clippers, they had to play the San Antonio Spurs on the road.  To the surprise of nobody, this one also went badly in a 116-105 loss.

Although the Bulls trailed almost the entire way, they stayed within striking distance for much of the contest.  There were times when the Spurs threatened to completely blow them out, but the Bulls never allowed their hosts to get that comfortable with their lead.  Unfortunately, that meant the Spurs didn't let up on that effort, which led to execution, which led to the Bulls' slim chance become no chance at all.

Nobody did more than Tony Parker, who led all scorers with 32 points and in one stretch, scored 15 straight for the Spurs.  Kawhi Leonard had 20 and Manu Ginobili, Parker's longtime backcourt partner, totaled 16.  Patty Mills (15 points) and Danny Green (11) each knocked down three 3-pointers.  Despite all these performances, many were also quick to point out Tim Duncan's first career game with no field goals.

Pau Gasol came to play as he usually does with his latest double-double (23 and 15).  Aaron Brooks scored 22, but his performance wasn't as conspicuous.  Nikola Mirotic was much louder with 19 and by making all nine of his free throws.  Mike Dunleavy hit a pair of threes, which gave him half of his 12-point total.

Special mention is reserved for Nazr Mohammed, who scored eight points in five minutes.  Maybe it was because of his return to San Antonio, but he made quite a few athletic plays that made him seem 15 years younger.  Suddenly, the kid fresh out of Kentucky was making a cameo appearance.  And Duncan had trouble with him to boot.

But the vintage Mohammed couldn't mask the bigger problems the Bulls had:  committing 20 turnovers and getting outscored on the fast break 35-9.  They couldn't handle the Spurs' full-court or half-court games and the defense was just stifling.  How the defending champions are just sixth in the West baffles me.  It could be a testament to the conference's strength, but it might also be because Gregg Popovich likes to rest his guys during the regular season.

Even if the Bulls' injured trio were all healthy, this still would have been a tough game.  The Spurs have the depth, stars and teamwork unmatched by most, if any teams in the NBA.  Maybe the Bulls will still have a chance to compete with the West if they make the Finals.  Still, it won't be easy.

The Bulls have to quickly recover from this and play at home Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies.  That's another team that's routinely kept the Bulls from much success recently.  It doesn't help that they're a contender for the West.  Then again, every good team in that conference arguably is, so it's pretty much a "damned no matter who you play situation.

Moore Fun

Thursday's contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder featured two big storylines, neither of which involved the Bulls.  Russell Westbrook was coming off four straight triple-doubles, which hadn't been done since MJ in 1989, and the return of TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager after battling cancer.  In the end, Sager interviewed not Westbrook, who scored 43 points, but E'Twaun Moore, who made the biggest shot in a 108-105 stunner.

Moore, one of the Bulls who had to deal with Westbrook in the backcourt, turned in a career-high 19 points.  His final bucket came with 2.1 seconds left on a trey off a Pau Gasol assist, giving the Bulls a two-point lead.  Westbrook took the subsequent inbound pass, but stepped out of bounds before he could attempt a shot.  Nikola Mirotic then split two free throws to finish off the game and his team-high 26 points.

Gasol and Mike Dunleavy, both of whom will be counted on heavily in March, turned in twin 21-point performances.  That wasn't enough for Gasol, so he achieved yet another double-double with 12 rebounds.  Joakim Noah crashed the boards for that total and nearly had his own double-double, but was still pleased with a game-high nine assists.  With no Derrick Rose, he's going back to being the offensive facilitator he was for most of last year.

Hopefully, grinding out these wins against good teams won't make the Bulls too tired to go deep in the playoffs.  For now though, we should enjoy wins that aren't even supposed to happen.  Plus, the Bulls finally seem to recognize that it's going to be a tough fight to the finish, especially with fewer offensive weapons at their disposal for the moment.  So just maybe, this recent string of major injuries which aren't season-ending was a blessing in disguise.

As for Moore, we can't anticipate to see him have these games all the time because Tom Thibodeau really only goes to him if guys are unavailable.  For one night though, he proved he's worth the two-year deal the Bulls signed him to in September.  Even on average nights from him, it's still more than what we've been able to say about Nazr Mohammed, Cameron Bairstow and (ugh) Doug McDermott this season.  Clearly, Thibodeau trusts him more than any of the others to fill in, even if they all have different natural positions.

The Bulls will have to come down from this high quickly when they travel to play the Indiana Pacers Friday.  No, I will not be going to Indianapolis as I did in December, but I'll still be praying the Bulls show their hosts they don't belong in the playoffs, even in a weak conference like the East.  That they're even in contention shows how the postseason needs to be reevaluated, but that's for another day.

Doing it While Depleted

With Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson out for quite some time, the Bulls' schedule didn't seem to be very forgiving off the bat.  The Washington Wizards were in town and the Bulls have not fared well against this group recently.  This should have been a disaster from the opening tip.  But the home team didn't get that message and instead won 97-92.

The game was close almost throughout (the Bulls led by as much as 12).  Both teams traded baskets continuously, which usually doesn't bode well for the Bulls.  Instead, they took advantage of an opponent that's been sliding and calmly held on at the end.  Washington has now lost seven of eight going back to before the All-Star break.

Nikola Mirotic came off the bench and led all scorers with 23 points.  Aaron Brooks came in just behind with 22, which was just ahead of John Wall's 21.  It was a dual between point guards few probably anticipated, but never doubt the point guards in Tom Thibodeau's system (unless you're Kirk Hinrich these days).

There were twin double-doubles from Pau Gasol (20 and 10) and Joakim Noah (14 and 12), which seemed impressive considering they had to deal with Nene.  Then, you remembered Nene put up a goose egg in the scoring column, missing all four of his field-goal attempts.  Marcin Gortat registered a double-double with two 12s, but with Nene held in check, he could only do so much to help the Wizards' cause.

A game that wasn't supposed to pan out for the remaining healthy Bulls instead became a satisfying victory.  They caught the Wizards during a struggling stretch in their season.  Frankly, that may be just what the Bulls need as they come into a month that may be more challenging than what they endured in January.  Not every game in March will have a happy ending like this, but the team and their fans will take whatever positive vibes they can get.

Thursday will bring a nationally televised game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.  If you can believe it, the Bulls haven't seen them yet this season.  Still, Russell Westbrook is playing well and may not be very forgiving with no Rose to contend with.  Then again, it's a home game, so certainly anything is possible.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

This is really starting to not look like the Bulls' year.  Granted, we have a whole month-and-a-half of the regular season to play, but most, if not all of it will be without some key faces.  While injuries have been nagging the club all year, we now have multiple players missing extended time rather than just Mike Dunleavy earlier on.

We all know about Derrick Rose's injury, but since that went down, Taj Gibson has rolled his ankle, forcing him out of action for the time being.  Now, we've learned All-Star Jimmy Butler has suffered a Grade 2/3 ulnar ligament sprain and small bone impaction injury in his left elbow.  He suffered it in Sunday's loss to the Clippers and will miss 3-6 weeks.

It's already been a bad week for Chicago sports with additional injuries to Patrick Kane and Chris Sale, not to mention Minnie Minoso's death.  But the Bulls have arguably been the most snakebitten.  Never mind holding onto that slim lead in the Central or keeping home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs.  The goal right now is to go a day without someone getting hurt or sick.

This is particularly the wrong month for everything to go wrong.  Washington comes to the United Center Tuesday and Oklahoma City follows Thursday.  Next week, the Bulls have a back-to-back against San Antonio and Memphis.  Later this month, they have to face Toronto twice.

All of this could just be a big bump in the road when all is said and done, but for the moment, it's hard to get excited about March with your starting backcourt possibly slated to miss all of it.  With other key players dropping here and there, even if for only a few games, you're left with a shell of a very good team.  The healthier beasts of the league will pounce on that if they get a chance.

So now, we see a Bulls team forced to grind it out with fewer key players available, just like in the 2013 playoffs.  As memorable as that postseason was for them, Luol Deng's spinal tap and Kirk Hinrich's bruised calf kept them out the entire Miami series.  The result was a team that faltered to superior talent and was possibly fatigued by the tough Brooklyn series in the previous round.  Like it or not, that's what we should expect to see over these next few weeks. 

While this means more starts for Hinrich, Aaron Brooks and possibly Tony Snell, that's hardly a threatening lineup considering what this team is supposed to have.  The 1999 Bulls were kind of like that except many key players were actually gone instead of just injured.  Granted, this year's Bulls have far more talent, but even that area has taken a hit thanks to recent developments.

The other big question is what this means for Tom Thibodeau's relationship with the front office.  Gar Forman and John Paxson arguably have more of a case to put their coach on the hot seat.  For all we know, Thibodeau is completely innocent of everything that's gone wrong of late, but certain employers can and will use any excuse to show somebody the door.  If these players don't recover in time to make a deep playoff run, that could be it for Thibs.

It's funny how we've spent all season talking about how deep these Bulls are.  Perhaps, we needed to take into account what would happen if multiple key guys, not just Rose or someone else, were lost for an extended period.  The answer to that remains to be seen, but it's sure hard to stay optimistic under these circumstances.

All that can be said is put away the championship celebration plans and get out the first aid kits.  That need is far more pressing and hopefully, they can work enough wonders to put everything back on the right track.  With luck, everyone will return at the earliest possible time and can make just the right push to get to the Finals.  Still, luck, talent and health remain the keys to a title and right now, the Bulls are lacking in at least two of those areas.