The Chicago Bulls manhandled the New York Knicks Sunday in a brave display of... well, finding Madison Square Garden without much fuss. The team bus' GPS device must have truly enjoyed that post-game Coors, considering it's the only member of the Bulls organization with a guaranteed position or playing time for the rest of the 2007-2008 campaign.
Despite the thoughtful Christmas present given to former Bulls coach Scott Skiles by Bulls GM John Paxson ("Enjoy your extended vacation! Merry Christmas from one Adorable Scrappy White Guy on Championship Teams to another! P.S. Your crap will be mailed home so you don't bully Tyrus Thomas into one last crying snit on Boxing Day."), there doesn't seem to be much change in philosophy in the Deerfield offices.
The New Bulls under the tutelage of Jim Boylan (who will not be allowed to repaint or put any nails into the Head Coach office walls during his short stay) didn't look much different from the Old Bulls or the one-game Pete Myers era, whose most impressive moment was when he was allowed to keep the clipboard from the Spurs game for his collection. Anyone hoping for a chance to see the latest vaunted youth movement in action or a shift in strategy that might match the accumulated talent on the roster must be terribly disappointed by the last two Bulls contests.
Joakim Noah earned his latest DNP-LB ("Learning from the Bench") against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday; Tyrus Thomas used Sunday's game against the Knicks to take advantage of his newest opportunity to study the Knicks cheerleaders uninterrupted by having to remove his warmups or stand up. Thabo Sefolosha logged a total of 97 seconds of garbage time during those contests, certainly by accident on the way to the Intern vendor working the 100 level at MSG.
Ben Gordon returned to the coveted Sixth Man role to play roughly 30 minutes a night as a sprightly inspiration, sprinkling wild shots from all over the court as inspiration to never drive to the basket. This, of course, leaves Chris Duhon to start each night in the woefully miscast role of "Duke player we shall hold high for worship" once so ably filled by Elton Brand.
Of course, both games against deeply troubled franchises were decisive victories. This shallow vindication of the New Way Forward may encourage Bulls fans to settle for less Gordon, Thomas, Smith, and Sefolosha in favor of more Griffin, Smith, and Gray (voted by Pitt fans as "Most Likely to Remind Johnny 'Red' Kerr of Himself" two years running). Worse, it may encourage Bulls management to do the same.
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