Can we just skip to the part when the Bulls get blown out at home in Game 6 to be eliminated from the playoffs? We all know it’s coming. Can we skip to the part when Gar Forman and John Paxson offer up their obtuse observations of a wasted season in a postmortem press conference? “Well, we reached the playoffs with our retooled roster but were unfortunate to lose a key player to injury after two impressive road wins.” We all know it’s coming.
The Bulls’ front office wonks will treat this season, and a hard-fought battle against a “#1 seed”, as a success. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Gar hired a graphic designer to make some gaudy “Mission Accomplished!” banner to serve as the backdrop for this disgusting presser that Bulls fans are already dreading. After all, what was the goal GarPax laid out a year ago after they failed to make the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade? They wanted to focus on developing young talent, but also add veteran leaders who could teach the young guys in a “winning environment.” Retool while remaining competitive. Technically, they achieved that goal.
For a brief moment, some of the more gullible Chicago fans started to buy that bullshit the team’s front office has been shoveling all season. “Wow, Rajon Rondo is playing great! Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade are taking turns being clutch in the 4th quarter! Role players are stepping up! The ‘3 Alphas’ plan is working!” But one little fractured thumb brought everything crumbling to the ground. That should tell you just how poorly the structure, as a whole, was designed.
As head coach Fred Hoiberg grasped at straws in two pathetic home losses, Bulls fans were offered fresh reminders of the countless missteps his bosses made between last April and this one. (For the sake of time, we’ll stick to the GarPax mistakes of the previous 12 months. Let’s not even touch the fact that Hoiberg – their guy – looks completely incompetent in his first NBA playoff series.)
Where to begin…
Point(less) Guard
Seeing as Rondo is the trending storyline for a panicking fanbase right now, let’s start with the Bulls backcourt. Specifically, the point guard position. Rondo played undeniably well in the first two games in Boston. Not only did he successfully push the pace offensively, get to the rim and find open looks for his teammates, he played smart and spirited defense for the first time in years. Fun while it lasted, wasn’t it?
The news of Rajon’s thumb injury hit Chicago fans like a tidal wave prior to Game 3, because everyone knew what that meant. “Oh for fuck’s sake, are you telling me we have to start either Jerian Grant or Michael Carter-Williams? Are you telling me that both of them will have to play substantial minutes? Welp, we’re done here.” Clearly this was not hyperbolic panic. Just look at what the two-headed monster accomplished in Games 3 and 4 combined: 8 points on 3-13 shooting, 5 assists, 9 turnovers and a plus/minus of -39 in 51 minutes on the floor. Yikes.
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