[外電] Losing streak places Bulls on the brink of implosion
Posted Dec 10 2009 1:01PM
Last spring they took the Celtics to seven games in the playoffs and drew
respect for being aggressive, alert and, to a large degree, overachievers.
The Bulls left it all on the floor back then. Judging by what we've seen so
far this season, they never went back to pick it up.
In consecutive games, they took a 32-point pounding from Toronto, allowed the
Nets to double their season win total, then never showed up in Atlanta,
losing by 35. That's back-to-back-to-back low points. They've now dropped
nine of 10 games. Vinny Del Negro's job is suddenly an issue because, if the
players are still buying what he's selling, evidently they're not paying too
much for it. He's had lengthy post-game discussions with vice president John
Paxson and general manager Gar Forman, conversations that could take a blunt
turn immediately.
The Bulls host the Warriors on Friday, the start of a six-game homestretch,
and if they deliver another string of no-shows, Del Negro might not last
through the holidays. Or the weekend. Paxson has canned coaches before during
the holiday season, cutting Bill Cartwright loose around Thanksgiving and
Scott Skiles around Christmas. So there's precedent. Just something to keep
in mind.
The Bulls' players are wondering where the intensity went. When it comes to
comparing last spring and this season, as guard Kirk Hinrich said, "our
mindset just hasn't been the same."
Quite honestly, the makeup of the team hasn't been the same, either. The
Bulls lost Ben Gordon to free agency and never really replaced his ability to
win games in fourth quarters. They also left themselves open for disaster in
case of injury. Hinrich is still wincing from a sore thumb that's benched him
during much of this recent losing skid. Tyrus Thomas' arm injury may keep him
shelved until the holidays. Then there's Derrick Rose, who sprained his ankle
during the preseason and only now is starting to recapture his quickness. Few
teams could survive that kind of carnage to their starting five.
Injuries and a brutal early schedule that saw the Bulls finish November on a
six-game West Coast trip certainly did their part in lowering expectations.
Nobody thought the Bulls would be leading the division or even sporting a
winning record at this point.
Still, losing is one thing. Failing to compete is another. This team might
lead the league in giving up. With the possible exception of Joakim Noah, the
Bulls don't suffer from third-degree floor burns. Something is missing from
the Bulls, and lately, they've shown no signs of recapturing it.
"Either you want it or you don't," Rose said in frustration after the Hawks
loss. "If you want it, defend people and rebound."
Del Negro is smart and knows players, but the Bulls took a gamble on him
because he came with no coaching experience. He was broadcasting Suns' games
just three years ago. The Bulls made a wise move and surrounded him with
Bernie Bickerstaff and Del Harris, former head coaches who'd been around the
game for several decades. But Harris left and is now helping Kiki Vandeweghe
clean up in New Jersey after the firing of Lawrence Frank. Once again, the
Bulls are being confronted with questions concerning the coach, which hasn't
been unusual since Phil Jackson left. Only Skiles managed to notch winning
seasons before his style ran its course.
"You've just got to keep fighting," Del Negro said. "It's just a matter of
trying to get better and building something. I'm just trying to keep the team
moving in the right direction. It's not always pretty. I understand that."
One way or another, the Bulls seem prime for a shakeup of some degree, with
an eye toward next summer, when they'll have enough money to buy an A-list
free agent. Thomas is the most likely trade bait, and once he heals and
returns to the court, he'll be scouted by a number of teams who expect the
Bulls to deal him before the deadline. Another is John Salmons. The Bulls
could free up $6 million if they can find a taker.
They'd obviously have a desire to bring Dwyane Wade home, and the Bulls
believe Rose will give them an advantage in the free agent hunt over the
Knicks and Nets, who don't have a player as promising. There's also Hinrich
and Noah, who's turned into a solid rebounder.
"Chicago would be good for any free agent because it's a good sports town,
the Bulls have a good winning tradition and we'd have a nice cast of
players," said Hinrich. "But our concern at the moment is this season. Our
first 10 games, we competed really well, and we weren't even clicking
offensively yet.
"Now we've got to get ourselves together. It's on us and whether we're going
to put forth the effort. We have the talent. We just have to show the effort
every night."
No season should be judged on a single bad week, and Del Negro's fate may
wait until he's dealt a healthy deck. Still, the Bulls clearly aren't staring
down Kevin Garnett and the Celtics anymore. From their current vantage point,
the Bulls are staring up.
http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/shaun_powell/12/10/bulls.woes/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt1
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