Storybook season or bitter disappointment? If you?re the 2004-2005 edition of the Chicago Bulls, probably a little of both.
There is simply no other way to describe the Bulls? season than to say it was bittersweet. On the one hand, Chicago exceeded everyone?s expectations by earning the franchise?s first playoff birth since the MJ-led dynasty ended in 1998. Conversely, to see the Bulls? season end the way it did was frustrating, to say the least.
Although you could barely classify Washington?s series win as an upset, Chicago nevertheless became only the ninth team in history to squander a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series by losing four straight to the Wizards, including Friday?s 94-91 clincher in Game 6 at the MCI Center.
Even though we?ve tried our best to refrain from calling the Bulls ?babies? this season (their stellar play, especially defensively, all year long would warrant otherwise. Not to mention, they overcame a 0-9 start just to make the post-season), they did show their true colors in the end versus the Wizards.
Teams with veteran savvy do not relinquish 2-0 leads; they keep their foot down on an opponent?s throat and close them out. The Bulls, however, digressed after winning Games 1 and 2 at the United Center, and only started to show signs of life once it was too late - especially on the defensive end, where Chicago was anything but its usual stingy self.
After leading the league in opponent?s field goal percentage during the regular season (.422%), the Wizards were able to shoot over 44% from the field versus the Bulls. Chicago also gave up a whopping 104.3 points per game in the series, over 10 points above their season average (93.4). The Bulls never held Washington below 94 points in the entire series.
While Chicago turned in their best road effort in Game 6, their lack of experience ultimately won out, particularly down the stretch. Not only did the Bulls blow a seven-point lead with less than nine minutes to play, but committed a flurry of gaffes in the final moments.
With 34.9 seconds remaining, second-year point guard Kirk Hinrich suffered a brain cramp and threw an inbounds pass off the back of a streaking Chris Duhon, leading to a Jared Jeffries uncontested dunk which gave the Wizards a 93-91 lead.
With the Bulls trailing by three, 94-91, in the dying seconds, Tyson Chandler was able to grab a rebound off of an Andres Nocioni missed 3-pointer, only to inexplicably chuck up a two-pointer instead of kicking the ball out for a game-tying three-point attempt.
Game, series, season over. In a word, the Baby Bulls choked.
On the bright side, one can only wonder how the Bulls would have faired if they had both Eddy Curry and Luol Deng healthy and playing. Curry was not only Chicago?s best low-post scorer, but his wide body would have helped control the likes of Brendan Haywood and Jeffries from roaming free for offensive rebounds. Deng, meanwhile, was the team?s premier perimeter defender who was often assigned the task of guarding the opposition?s best player.
Even without Curry and Deng in the lineup, the Bulls had more than a fighting chance in the series, and quite honestly should have advanced. What?s so frustrating if you?re a Bulls fan is that your team did not play their best basketball in the playoffs - the type of hard-nosed, defensive-minded basketball that enabled them to have such great success in the regular season.
Conversely, despite the post-season frustration, the Bulls have laid the groundwork for a solid future. Chicago will be back next season, and for many years to come, thanks to a roster that will only improve.
The Bulls boasted a roster that included four rookies ? all of which made major contributions from sixth man extraordinaire Ben Gordon to Deng to Duhon to Nocioni ? and an average age of just over 25 years. The nucleus of the team, which will hopefully include restricted free agents-to-be Curry and Chandler, will only get better. Chalk the growing pains in the playoffs as a lesson learned.
?This was a year for us to get back into the game,? said Bulls head coach Scott Skiles, who will be a hot commodity in the off-season as he is in the final year of his contract (team option). ?That was the goal ? to become a competitive team, knowing we had young guys. I believe you either overachieve or underachieve. Our guys clearly overachieved.?
?As disappointed as we are today, we should be just as excited about next year,? added Hinrich.
Indeed, the Bulls should be excited. While there are some glaring areas of need general manager John Paxson must address in the off-season ? mainly another big man who can provide some outside shooting as well as a bigger guard who can complement the likes of Hinrich and Gordon on the defensive end ? Chicago will soon be considered an Eastern Conference power once again?
Oh great, more nonsense: I?m sure all of you can?t wait for the Pacers-Pistons Eastern semi-final to begin Monday. With all of the bomb threats and chair and battery tossing likely to be going on at The Palace in Games 1 and 2, what is there not to enjoy, right?
Well, count me in the minority of people who wish the Celtics had just held home court and advanced to face the Pistons.
While the players have moved on past last November?s Basketbrawl tragedy, the fans of Detroit clearly have not, and that is a frightening thought. The focus will not be on basketball, and even in the event that the game on the floor does take precedence over the extra-curricular nonsense off of it, I, for one, am not looking forward to a bunch of 79-76 yawners.
Pistons in six?
How about a little respect?: All Wizards head coach Eddie Jordan wants is a little respect for his squad in their Eastern semi versus the heavily-favored Miami Heat.
Sorry, Eddie, but you won?t get any here. You were able to squeak by an inexperienced Bulls squad in round one, but there will be no wizardry versus Shaq and the Heat.
Despite solid outings by the backcourt tandem of Gilbert Arenas (25 points, 6 steals) and Larry Hughes (23 points, 7 rebounds) - who should have a decided advantage over Miami?s tandem of Dwyane Wade and Damon Jones in the series - in Game 1 the Heat were nevertheless able to win with ease on Sunday afternoon, 105-86.
Furthermore, the Heat received mere pedestrian efforts from the dynamic duo of Wade and O?Neal. O?Neal finished with 19 points in only 26 minutes due to foul trouble, while Wade finished with 20 points on only 8-of-21 shooting from the field. Washington was also able to get to the free throw line 13 more times than the Heat (36-23).
The difference, once again, was the play of Miami?s bench, which outscored the Wizards? reserves 36-5, led by Keyon Dooling?s 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Miami keeps proving they are more than a two-man team, and your Wizards, Mr. Jordan, will be working on their golf games come next weekend. Thanks for coming out, though.
So much for respect. Heat in four?
Kostas.Bolos@realgm.com