One game a season does not make, especially if you?re a young squad simply looking to return to the ranks of mediocrity- never mind the post-season- as the new-look Chicago Bulls are.  

 But maybe, just maybe, after a thrilling 111-106 double overtime defeat at the hands of the New Jersey Nets Friday night at the United Center, the Baby Bulls have finally turned the corner and can once again be regarded as card-carrying members of the National Basketball Association.      

 It?s not so much that Chicago lost their home opener over a Nets squad that in no shape or form, without the injured Jason Kidd and the departures of Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles and Lucious Harris, resembles the team that captured back-to-back Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003 and doesn?t figure to be an Eastern contender this season.  But more importantly, on this night anyway, it was the fact that Chicago showed some much-needed resiliency and didn?t quit, when really they very well could have.

 Trailing by as many as 27 points in the game, the Bulls looked like their old, familiar selves for the first two and a half quarters.  Poor shot selection, even poorer defense and overall lackluster play, Chicago?s performance early on eerily resembled last season?s 99-74 opening night debacle at home versus the Washington Wizards.

 But when his team needed him the most, captain Kirk Hinrich- who only in his second season has quickly proven to be the undisputed leader of the team- took over in the third quarter, scoring 17 of his career-high 34 points in the quarter on 7-of-12 shooting to cut the deficit to seven, 73-66, at the end of the third quarter.  

 Chicago appeared to have completed an improbable come-from-behind victory when leading by two, 94-92, with less than five seconds remaining, but Richard Jefferson was able to force overtime by draining a long-range jumper just inside the 3-point arc with 4.2 seconds left on the clock.

 While Chicago simply ran out of gas in the overtime sessions, there finally appears to be a ray of hope for the franchise again.  The lazy, fat-cat days appear to be over, which is all GM John Paxson and coach Scott Skiles can ask of a team that won?t boast a starter over the age of 24 when center Eddy Curry returns from a two-game suspension for his part in a pre-season altercation with Wizards center Brendan Haywood on Oct. 25.

 Some other observations from Friday?s Nets-Bulls tilt:

 - Paxson?s decision to trade for Duke freshman Luol Deng appears to have been a real coup on the part of the second-year executive.  Deng impressed in his NBA debut, scoring 18 points and adding 10 rebounds, while wiping away any concerns scouts may have had regarding his athleticism.  Deng showed a great ability to run the court in transition, and took full advantage of his long wing span around the basket.

 - Argentinean rookie Andres ?Chapu? Nocioni did not disappoint in his debut, either, adding 17 points and 14 rebounds.  If he isn?t already, ?Chapu? will quickly become a Skiles favorite- a hard-nosed player with a mean streak and a real nose for the basket.  Needs to work on his shot selection somewhat- he never seems to meet a shot he doesn?t like- but provides the intangibles that will endear him to fans and the organization.

- If I didn't know any better, I'd say Nets head coach Lawrence Frank is Skiles' younger brother.  Is it just me, or do they look awfully alike?  

- Young power forward Tyson Chandler continues to concretize his status as a first-round bust.  In only 25 minutes of action, the 22-year-old finished with 3 points on 1-of-4 shooting and 4 rebounds, while being in foul trouble for most of the game.  Chandler remained on the bench during Chicago?s second-half run and throughout the overtime sessions.   Can you see Chandler in a new uniform next season?

 - While Hinrich enters the season as the starting point guard, his best fit for this team might be at shooting guard.  Hinrich, who also added 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals, appeared to be more comfortable in the offense when he had plays designed for him and had the green light to shoot the basketball while rookie Chris Duhon was handling the point guard reigns.  With fellow rookie Ben Gordon having carried his pre-season struggles into Friday?s opener- 3 points on 0-for-6 shooting in only 17 minutes- Duhon could wind up being the starting point guard before long.