Forty minutes after Atlanta put the finishing touches on the Bulls’ ninth loss in 10 games Tuesday night, guard Travis Best sat fully dressed in front of his locker, staring at the floor.
Coach Bill Cartwright looked as downcast as he has the entire season.
Jalen Rose? He was deep into yet another philosophical speech about “the brashness of youth” that can lead to “pouting when things don’t go your way.”
Everybody associated with the Bulls is tired of losing. But when a team starts three rookies, as the Bulls are doing with Eddy Curry, Tyson Chandler and Trenton Hassell, that’s the mark of a team trying to learn how to win.
In games such as Tuesday’s, when 17-year veteran forward Charles Oakley sits while Atlanta scores 40 points in the paint, development clearly reigns. But Oakley had played 47 minutes in the previous two games–most of the minutes coming down the stretch–which suggests veterans are still in Cartwright’s plans.
That’s the balancing act with which Cartwright is entrusted, and even he admits the task isn’t an easy one.
“You can’t have it both ways,” Cartwright said. “At the beginning of the season, you [reporters] were dying for these young guys to play. And now that they’re playing you want to see Oak. Everybody can’t play. We’re going to play 10 guys, sometimes 11. Most of the time Oak will be one of those guys. Sometimes he won’t.
“Our aim is still to get these young guys better and win basketball games. Sometimes that doesn’t go hand in hand because they’re making mistakes. It is important to win. But you have to pick it. Right now we really have to get these guys ready. Hopefully they’ll play well enough to let us leave them in the game.”
Oakley won’t be with the Bulls next season, so his situation is an afterthought. But Cartwright also must heed the mental well-being of Rose, who has never lost consistently at any level, and Best, who is a free agent whom the Bulls likely will pursue this summer.
“Not necessarily,” Best said, when asked if constant losing would sour him on returning to Chicago. “I know enough to know that this is a difficult situation. We’re still a new team, and losing comes with that.”
Best admitted the current situation changes his game.
“You make sure you throw it in the post when guys have position and it’s tough because there are times in the game when you normally keep it in your hands,” Best said. “I know how much they want these young guys to develop. You try to deal with both sides.”
“Guys that are getting chances to play have to put forth the effort,” Rose said.
Layups: The Bulls had their full roster–which currently is 13 players–practice Wednesday for the first time since before the All-Star break. … Guard Jamal Crawford turned 22. Fittingly, assistant trainer Eric Waters, who was instrumental in Crawford’s rehabilitation from knee surgery, shares the same birthday.
