The Bulls will head home from the first part of their long, Western Conference trip Sunday night after playing the Los Angeles Lakers. That will be the Bulls’ ninth game of the season. Last season after nine games, the Bulls were 0-9.
Could that mean they are at least three games ahead of their 47-victory pace of last season?
Yes, we’re seeing the glass seven-eighths full.
“I guess I always feel over the course of a season everything is going to even out,” Bulls coach Scott Skiles said. “I don’t know one season to the next. But we did have our share of great fourth quarters last season.”
The Bulls did on opening night this season, but it hasn’t gone as well since with last-second heartbreak losses in New Jersey and Portland. The Bulls were hoping to avoid that Friday in Seattle against the SuperSonics and get their first road victory of the season.
The Bulls made a change in the starting lineup Friday with Michael Sweetney, coming off career-highs in points and rebounds in Wednesday’s loss to Portland, started for ineffective and foul prone Darius Songaila.
“I’d like to find Darius a comfort level he can settle into,” Skiles said. “On the other hand, I wanted someone to emerge to take that spot. Mike had a career game the other night, so it seems like an ideal time.”
And the burly Sweetney, who needs a nickname like “The Tank,” rolled in for five first-quarter points and five rebounds as the Bulls took a 26-21 lead against Seattle. It was enhanced as Chris Duhon, 1 of 14 on three-pointers on the trip, banked in a half-courter to end the first quarter.
“They just haven’t gone in for him,” Skiles said before the game. “I guess I’m not that concerned about it. Maybe I should be, but I’m not. He has become a pretty good three-point shooter.”
But it was the defense, which has been an issue for the Bulls, that made the difference early. The Sonics, in their first game home from a long road trip, seemed tired and heading into halftime were shooting 32 percent. In any case, the Bulls were impressive in taking a 44-33 lead at the half.
Layups
Former Cavaliers guard Craig Ehlo is a TV analyst for the SuperSonics. He remains known for being the unfortunate defender when Michael Jordan hit his famous 1989 game-winner in Cleveland but now says he has gotten a reprieve. “They made that Gatorade commercial and he finally misses that thing after 15 years,” Ehlo laughed. . . . Ehlo works with Hall of Fame coach Lenny Wilkens, who said he would consider a return to NBA coaching “if the right situation came along. But I’m not searching.” . . . Former Bull Rick Brunson said he expects to be activated for the Sonics’ next game. “I finally got a guaranteed contract, so I didn’t want to make it seem like I was relaxing,” Brunson said of playing through a preseason injury. “I came back too soon.” . . . . Tim Thomas again was listed inactive for Friday’s game. Skiles said he has a hard time accepting what he views as nonchalance on the part of Thomas.
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For the result of Friday’s late game, please go to chicagotribune.com/sports
