Robert Parish had better get those old legs ready. The Bulls need him more sooner than later.
The plan all along was to limit the 43-year-old Parish’s playing time so he would be fresh for the playoffs. That plan has hit a snag, with No. 2 center Bill Wennington out for the rest of the regular season and probably for much of the playoffs as well.
So Parish has moved from his comfortable No. 3 spot in the middle to Luc Longley’s backup. Even if the Bulls should sign free agent Brian Williams by Thursday, he’ll be relegated to the No. 3 duties until he learns how they do things around here.
Parish’s new role was evident in Tuesday’s victory over one of his former teams–the Boston Celtics–at the United Center. He started the second quarter, like Wennington regularly does, and ended up playing the entire period, scoring eight points on 3-of-5 shooting.
Parish, averaging just 9.6 minutes per game, looked fresh, scoring his first basket on a hook shot. He even faked out Boston’s Marty Conlon on a nice move to the basket. When Parish dunked the ball, the Bulls’ bench erupted in cheers. Defensively, Parish blocked a Rick Fox shot. More cheers from the bench.
But that was the end of Parish’s night. He said he’s ready to play more minutes.
“I welcome the additional minutes–I definitely need them. Especially with all the turnovers I had tonight (four) so I need to get the rust off my game and to get my rhythm and timing.”
When the Bulls play the Bullets in Landover, Md., on Thursday, Parish likely will see even more playing time against Washington’s 7-foot-7-inch Gheorghe Muresan.
“It has a lot to do with different situations and matchups,” Parish explained. “And what the coaches are thinking.”
Longley figures things would have gone this way even if Wennington hadn’t been hurt.
“I expected (Parish) was probably going to be doing this come playoff time, anyway,” Longley said. “It’s just taking its natural course, and I think you’ll be seeing more of it.”
Is Parish worried about back-to-back games? The Bulls have four sets of them the rest of the season, beginning Thursday and Friday with successive games against the Bullets then the Cleveland Cavaliers at home.
“I’m not playing 40 minutes, so back-to-backs are not an issue,” Parish said. “Plus, I’ve been resting all season, so fatigue is not a problem.”
