Fizer a f@#king embarrassment?

Being an NBA head coach is a stressful and often frustrating job, a position which sees grown men often ride a wave of emotions. In a game which is decided by a single possession these bottled emotions may explode, but is there a fine line which a head coach must be careful not to cross?

Bulls coach Bill Cartwright may have crossed that line last night in Chicago's 77-75 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, offering some harsh words for some of his players, forward Marcus Fizer in particular.

"Rick Brunson wasn't very good. But who was good? Nobody. It's terrible. Marcus Fizer was terrible, a [expletive] embarrassment."

Fizer has been one of the Bulls most solid players through the last two months of the season, even winning the game against the Houston Rockets on a hustle play with 0.4 seconds left at home in the Bulls' last game. According to the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson Fizer was visibly upset after talking with reporters, near tears and punching his locker.

Cartwright took exception to Fizer’s tendancy to look for calls as he drove the ball into the lane, a trait he despises. Fizer’s dives to the basket last night resulted in contact but no whistle.

"We're not looking for any fouls, period," Cartwright said. "You just play. It's as simple as that. That's part of the problem too. Nobody's going to bail you out here on the road. You have to earn your way."

Fizer didn’t agree with Cartwright’s assessment, suggesting that his coach look at what is going on before his actions rather than criticize when the players are out there trying to win.

"We were out there trying to win the game," Fizer said. "I don't agree with [Cartwright] at all. I went at it with a purpose.”

"Each and every time I took the ball to the basket, I ended up on my head. I would think that would be an example of someone trying to win a ballgame."

Last night was the first of Chicago’s five game West Coast swing, with stops in Portland, Seattle, Phoenix and Denver still to come.

"The Clippers didn't have anything to do with how we're playing," Cartwright said. "It's our inability to be ready to play, to be ready to guard, to be ready to rebound, to be ready to make a shot. We had guys not show up. And until we have guys who play on the road as well as home, we may not win a game. Who knows?”

It was another game in which the Bulls showed an inability to simply win on the road, despite appearing to have control during the fourth quarter. The Bulls lost a five point lead in the fourth quarter, prompting Cartwright to smash his clipboard in frustration as yet another winnable game fell through his fingers.

"We should be past this," Cartwright said. "And that's what's disappointing."

Eighteen hours on and Johnson writes in his latest article that Cartwright regrets nothing he has said on the issue.

"I don't regret anything. I told these guys this morning, 'The reason I was upset is because I think you're good when you play right. And you should be upset too.'

"If I single out guys, it's because I expect more from them. It's not to belittle them. It's because I think they're pretty [darn] good. A guy like Marcus has to be more consistent because I think this guy is the best sixth man in basketball."

Fizer seems to have calmed since the incident also, saying "I can handle adversity, and I don't dwell on the past at all. It's time to move on, and that's what I think we've done."

For the record Bulls GM Jerry Krause is standing by Cartwright on the issue, saying that his coach was simply blowing off steam and has a handle on the situation.

"I would assume he let off a little steam, which is fine," Krause said Thursday. "Coaches are allowed to do that. And I'm sure he told Marcus before he told you. Bill knows where to go with that. He's very bright and knows how to handle himself. If he thinks somebody needs to be criticized, he'll do it. Bill handles things very well."

The Bulls are expected to bring rookie Jay Williams off the injured list before tonight's game against the Blazers, while Rasheed Wallace returns after his seven game suspension for Portland. Lonny Baxter will take Williams' place on the injured list, allowing the Bulls to run with three active point guards.

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Brunson the odd man out?

How rare is it for someone who is averaging 13.0 points and 6.7 assists on the season, shooting 16 of 23 from the field and committing just 2 turnovers in 74 minutes despite playing the point guard position to be placed on the injured reserve despite not being injured?

This is something that Rick Brunson may be facing Friday against Portland with teammate Jay Williams once again healthy. The Bulls have been playing well with him in the lineup, snapping their road losing streak and beating Jordan's Wizards, but as phenominal as he has been someone is going to be disappointed writes Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald.

"He is playing pretty good, isn't he?" Cartwright said. "Quite the predicament. I'm not going to worry about it today. I don't know what we're going to do. Honestly, I don't."

"Somebody's not going to be happy, but what the hey? It's not my problem."

Brunson admitted that this is something he has thought about, stating that he'd be disappointed if he is placed back on the injured reserve but he is a professional.

"Oh, definitely, especially when I feel I can help this team win," Brunson said. "I really believe that. I think I bring a different type of energy, aggression to help us win.

"As a professional or as a man, you have to evaluate yourself. I don't lay down for anybody. I come to work every day, whether it's a game or a practice, and I'm going to bring it every day."

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Bulls guard plot thickens

It is no secret that Jay Williams and Jamal Crawford have been involved in an intense battle for the point guard position this season, but with Jay Williams currently on the injured list new factors have arisen making some decisions even harder.

Rick Brunson has been terrific for the Bulls in his three games since coming off the injured list, shooting 69.6 percent while doubling his career points average. But the most impressive stat of Brunson's game has been his assist-to-turnover ratio, an unheard of 10-1, and according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune he has been exactly the type of player that coach Bill Cartwright has looked for to run the team.

Jamal Crawford, who outplayed Jay Williams before Williams went to the injured list, has been starting for the Bulls but Brunson has been playing just as many and in most cases more minutes than the ex-Michigan guard. Williams practiced for the first time in a week on Saturday and is eligable to come off the injured reserve on Friday, leaving a huge question as to who will replace Williams on the sidelines. Brunson was the obvious choice before his stellar play propelled the Bulls, but Johnson writes that the decision might not purely be of the on-the-court variety.

'From management's perspective, Williams has to be activated even though his rookie season has been inconsistent. He was the No. 2 pick in the draft, part of the core the franchise is counting on for the future and a player heavily tied into the team's marketing campaign.

Crawford outplayed Williams before the latter went on the injured list but has watched his playing time dwindle as Brunson has glittered. Still, the Bulls can't afford to put Crawford on the injured list because that would harm whatever trade value the former first-round pick has,' writes Johnson.

"I don't know," Cartwright said. "It's quite the predicament. Somebody's not going to be happy. But that's not my problem."

One solution would be to let Jamal Crawford play some time at the two guard position, but Cartwright has made it clear recently that this is not something that he will be doing any time soon. But something has to give.

"I couldn't imagine Rick going back on injured reserve," Crawford said. "Jay will be healthy. And I couldn't imagine myself on injured reserve. It'll be interesting."

Williams countered: "I'm going to try to get my spot back."

"I feel I can help this team win," Brunson said. "I think I bring a different type of energy and aggressiveness."

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