He, perhaps more than anyone, more than Michael Jordan, more than Scottie Pippen, more than Horace Grant, represents what the Bulls have done in gaining a 3-0 advantage over the Detroit Pistons.
He has been maligned and not often taken seriously. He has had the talent, everyone agreed, but just not enough. He was a man in search of a game just as the Bulls have been a man-Jordan-in search of a team. Potential and doubt have trailed him like a shadow.
And now, with Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday, they can`t say enough about him.
”I think it`s Bill Cartwright who, more or less, has put them over the hump,” said Isiah Thomas. ”Right now, I`d say he`s the difference-not Scottie Pippen, although he has played well.
”When we came into this series, we figured on giving up 55 to 60 points
(per game) to Pippen and Jordan (they are averging a combined 51.6). But we haven`t been able to nullify everyone else, especially Cartwright. He`s having a heck of a series, even if he`s being overshadowed by everyone else.”
This is not the praise of a man consumed by jealousy of other stars.
It was Thomas who got into a fistfight with Cartwright in a game in Chicago two years ago. They are not close.
Neither are Jordan and Cartwright. Jordan was the most outspoken critic when the Bulls traded Charles Oakley for Cartwright three years ago.
But Jordan sees he was wrong, an acknowledgment he seems to be making quite often these days.
”He has given us stability in the middle,” said Jordan. ”And he has taken the inside game they`ve had (James Edwards, averaging 13.6 in the regular season, is averaging three in the playoffs against the Bulls) and made it unimportant so far.
”He has given us the edge in the middle. And we`ve been able to maintain that as a base and go back to it if our perimeter shots are not falling. He has been solid for us.
”When we made the trade it was a situation where (former coach) Doug Collins felt we needed a center-and I know (General Manager Jerry) Krause will probably take the credit-but Doug Collins felt we needed a center and talked everyone into going for it and we gave up a horse of a player and youth for a guy we basically were giving a second life.
”But this guy has turned out to be one of the most important factors for this ballclub, and he has surprised many who are standing here and who play with him.”
So after all this time, the credit finally comes. Without the jokes about his elbows, his shot or his gait.
But all this is not necessarily a kick for him.
”That stuff really isn`t important to me,” says Cartwright, the 7-foot- 1-inch center who`ll be 34 in July. ”I`ve always just figured what goes around comes around. The only thing important to me is winning this series and winning a championship.”
The Bulls are well-situated for that after Saturday`s impressive 113-107 win at the Palace. Detroit must now do what 44 previous NBA teams have failed to do: Overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.
”Look,” said Pippen, ”anything can happen. Someone can get injured or we can get out of sync and not play well. And, in the past, I think we gave up games to this team before we started. As a player, it`s something you don`t want to admit. But it`s true. We didn`t come out to play this team to beat them. That`s different now and while (a Pistons comeback) is possible, I don`t think it`s going to happen. I think we can sweep.”
The Bulls have become the class of the playoff field. They have worked into position to gain the home-court advantage in the NBA finals, should they meet the Lakers, who beat Portland Sunday to go ahead 3-1.
The Bulls are now 10-1 in the playoffs. They are holding opponents to 92.4 points a game. They are shooting 50.9 percent and outrebounding opponents by five a game. They`ve made more blocks and steals and committed fewer turnovers than their opponents. They are outscoring the opposition by almost 12 points per game.
”It shows me we`re playing our best basketball of the season,” said Jordan. ”And we`re doing it on other courts. We`re doing this to good teams when we play them and we`re doing it at the most crucial point in the season. It gives us far greater confidence and this is the type of roll any team wants to be on. We feel we can get past this team and win it all.”
Although it would be hard to imagine doing it without Cartwright.
He has helped run Edwards out of the picture. That after neutralizing Patrick Ewing in the New York series and Rick Mahorn in the 76ers series.
He is averaging 12 points against the Pistons and shooting 59.2 percent. He is shooting 56 percent for the playoffs, best on the team. But it has been his defense that has been pivotal.
”The main thing I`ve been able to do,” agreed Cartwright, ”is guard these guys. They`ve seemingly tried to attack and I`ve been able to stop them from getting off. You do that against Detroit, and they don`t go back to those things.”
An awful lot of people are starting to take back those things they`ve said about Cartwright. And the Bulls.
