When the Brooklyn Nets saw their championship window shut, it truly closed with authority.
The window wasn’t just shut; it was slammed down, locked and double dead-bolted. For the Chicago Bulls, the championship window is now quite fragile, and beyond this season, maybe next season at the absolute most (but even that would be a stretch), it’s hard to legitimately include them in the NBA championship conversation.
There are many out there who don’t think they are even in the conversation this year.
That’s incorrect, but it’s an argument that is understandable. If the Chicago Bulls can avoid the Cleveland Cavaliers until the conference finals, it would help a lot!
UPDATE: Chicago Bulls fans hold vigil for Derrick Rose’s knees (Photo)
It all starts at the top with the guy who plays “the one” and wears jersey #1.
The latest injury setback for Derrick Rose turned out to be a lot less serious than initially thought, and his return in time for the playoffs should come to fruition.
Aaron Brooks is more than capable of holding down the point between now and then.
Additionally, Bulls Coach Tom Thibodeau seems to be doing the right thing, finally, regarding the bench backcourt minutes.
Kirk Hinrich is playing less and E’Twaun is playing Moore; as it should be. When Rose first went down, we thought it was time to downgrade postseason expectations, and view this Chicago Bulls team as on par with the 2007 Chicago Bulls who finished 49-33 and reached the Eastern Conference Semi-finals.
However, the type of fight shown by this team in recent games, since Jimmy Butler joined D. Rose on the disabled list, makes us believe that they can reasonably hold on to that #2 seed in the Eastern Conference, and win maybe close to 55 games this season.
“This team has been through so many injuries but, if you look at them now, they have a lot of men they can go to,” said NBA on TNT analyst Kenny “the Jet” Smith.
One of those options is Tony Snell, who’s making the most of his opportunities while Jimmy Butler convalesces. What we’re told is that the rehabilitation process is going swimmingly for Butler, Rose and also power forward Taj Gibson. Everyone is on track for a return, or even ahead of the original timetable.
That is required, because they’ll need to get back in April to find some flow together during the final regular season games.
“When you look at the Bulls defense, they haven’t had everyone intact…they need time together. Once the playoffs start, they will get all their guys back and get in a rhythm,” Smith added.
Then, it’s just a matter of Thibs figuring it out as the season comes to a close.
“Do. Your. Job.” as Coach Thibs loves to say.
While this season could still indeed have a very happy ending, long term questions still loom over this franchise. Derrick Rose has often been analogized to Mark Prior, in that both are Chicago athletes who showed dominance and brilliance at a very young age, were heralded as the second-coming, but also suffered repeated injury. I understand the analogy, but it’s not entirely accurate, or fair.
Yes, both are injury prone, but Rose is much more Brandon Roy than he is Mark Prior.
Unfortunately, for the Chicago Bulls, being similar to Roy doesn’t bode well for the long term either. Rose suffered similar setbacks and underwent surgeries similar to Roy, so don’t expect Rose to be around for too much longer after age 30. He’s 26, but eventually, all the injuries and rehabs will take his toll on him.
Roy retired in 2011, at age 26, and would later attempt an ill-fated comeback in 2012-13.
Appreciate Derrick Rose while you can Chicago Bulls fans, he’s a joy to watch when he’s at his best in full “attacking the goal” mode. It’s hard to envision him being able to go at that level, given all that he’s been through, for more than two or three seasons beyond this year.
Then you have the fact that Pau Gasol is logging heavy minutes while being on the wrong side of age 34.
He’s been excellent; a fantastic signing, and a massive upgrade over Carlos Boozer. But how much longer is his NBA career going to last?
Finally, but perhaps most importantly, are the rumors that Thibodeau could be on his way out of Chicago.
That could happen as early as this season, if the rumor mill is to be believed. (And it’s debatable how believable those rumors are) However, the rift between Thibs and the organization has been reported in multiple outlets for years. How much that’s been resolved is a question only the people within the Chicago Bulls inner sanctum can really answer.
Then you have the no win situation Thibs is in regarding the playing time of Doug McDermott. It doesn’t appear that Thibodeau has a long term future with the Chicago Bulls organization. That’s very unfortunate given what a tremendous job he has done.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital. You can read Banks’ feature stories and op-eds in the Chicago Tribune RedEye newspaper and hear his regular guest spots on numerous sports talk radio stations all across the country.
Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)