The advertising campaign started early and aired often, the drumbeat pounding away in the background as if to announce something important.
The footage flickered, the voices chanted and the message–“Everything can change in the blink of an eye”–promised good things.
After 27 games of this Bulls season, plenty has changed. The coach. Several players. The trainer’s workload.
But in a season in which the playoffs were promised and no excuses were guaranteed, little has changed in the Bulls’ fortunes. In fact, at 7-20, the Bulls have three less wins than last season’s team as they open Christmas presents.
That makes the most important change–the record–a negative one.
That’s almost remarkable given that this is Year 6 of the rebuilding project. But new coach Scott Skiles is neither surprised nor stumped after his 11 games, which have produced a 3-8 record.
“I’m trying to change some habits that are fairly deep-seated in some guys,” Skiles said. “And that’s going to take some time.”
With 55 games left Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf’s publicly stated goal of making the playoffs is a long shot. Only Orlando, thanks to a 19-game losing streak, has a worse record than the Bulls.
How did the Bulls get here? Why are they so bad in an Eastern Conference that is begging for postseason participants? And where do they go from here?
Here are some possible explanations and theories.
The mind-set
The deep-seated habits to which Skiles is referring are losing habits, selfish play and NBA inexperience. Those same qualities plagued Bill Cartwright’s coaching tenure and ultimately cost him his job.
Skiles isn’t going anywhere, and his teaching ability and hands-on instruction is impressing players. But there’s no mistaking that old habits die hard. Body language and facial expressions speak volumes, and too many players–who know only losing–sag when the team’s fortunes do.
Skiles is trying to change this mindset by using the best motivation available to any coach–playing time. Only those who are playing hard and executing are playing.
“I absolutely back him,” general manager John Paxson said. “The way he has managed certain players is the right way.”
Added Kendall Gill: “That’s the way the NBA should be. Players have to respond to that because he’s taking people out when they don’t do the right things and sitting them down for quite a while. Either you get the message or you don’t. I totally respect that.”
But don’t tell Skiles that this approach is his way of trying to send a message. To him, it’s simply the way the game should be played.
“I’m not trying to get a message across,” Skiles said. “This is not that difficult of a game. You play hard. You play smart. You play tough defense. You share the ball on offense. You can make it complicated if you want.”
The injuries
The Bulls aren’t using the injury bug as a crutch, at least publicly. But privately, the rash of injuries to important players frustrates management.
All teams endure injuries. But the Bulls’ have created a domino effect that has prevented Paxson from seeing his vision come to fruition. Only Gill has played in all 27 games.
Scottie Pippen, out until at least mid-January after knee surgery, isn’t playing the 20 to 25 minutes a game that were stabilizing the team earlier this season.
Eddy Curry, out until at least next week with a bruised knee, isn’t around to lessen the scoring burden on Jamal Crawford, whose shooting has suffered as he tries to carry the load.
Tyson Chandler, out until at least mid-January with a bad back, isn’t around to provide energy and lessen the workload of Antonio Davis, whose minutes are piling up.
“One of the things we’re missing now is easy scores,” Paxson said. “Tyson gives us that because he runs the floor and gets offensive rebounds. A post presence like Eddy makes our perimeter game easier every night.”
Skiles hasn’t even been able to form a regular rotation, giving minutes to players like Linton Johnson and Chris Jefferies because he’s disappointed with the energy and execution of Eddie Robinson and Marcus Fizer.
Johnson and Jefferies provide some much-needed energy at times, but the fact remains that they wouldn’t even make some NBA rosters.
Slow starts
You may have heard this one before: Curry and Chandler are off to slow starts.
If history holds they’ll finish like gangbusters, when the games don’t mean much.
Of course, Chandler’s slow start is because of injury. He averaged a double-double of 10.7 points and 10.3 rebounds before his bad back sidelined him after 10 games.
Curry is averaging 13.5 points and has raised his shooting percentage to 48 percent but has been inconsistent defensively.
“Tyson has to be diligent in his [rehabilitation] work,” Paxson said. “And Eddy has to be physically fit to play this game. We’ve always been telling him that we’d like to see him lose some weight and get down to where he can get up and down the floor and use a strength of his: his quickness and athleticism.”
The next move
The Bulls could be granted a roster spot when a contract settlement is reached with Jay Williams, although that’s not guaranteed and the free-agent pool is thin anyway.
Jan. 4 is the first day that players can be signed to 10-day contracts, an option Paxson might pursue if the injuries linger and a roster spot is granted.
Also don’t be surprised if Paxson discusses possible deals with former rival and new Knicks President Isiah Thomas. The Knicks long have coveted Crawford, but former general manager Scott Layden consistently offered lopsided trades. With Thomas in charge, expiring salaries like Charlie Ward and Antonio McDyess could be attractive to the Bulls in the right package.
Any fair assessment of the Bulls feels incomplete–which their team has been. But the schedule doesn’t stop. In fact Friday at Cleveland, the Bulls begin the season’s first stretch of four games in five nights.
“My resolve won’t change,” Skiles said. “I’m not shattered by this at all.”
Post-Jordan blahs
The Bulls’ record as of Christmas since Michael Jordan retired:
YEAR PCT W-L
1998-99 * *
1999-2000 .086 2-21
2000-01 .111 3-24
2001-02 .160 4-21
2002-03 .357 10-18
2003-04 .259 7-20
%%
%%
*–Labor dispute delayed season opener until Feb. 5
Source: Bulls.
