Mar 28, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) drives around a screen set by center Joakim Noah (13) with New York Knicks forward Lance Thomas (42) pursuing during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
But then something flipped. Since early January the Bulls have looked like a different team. Injuries are a part of it, but for the past two seasons the Bulls have been injured and finished with 48 and 45 wins. Chicago has been one game better than .500 since January 5th. But even when two stars were out at the same time, this year’s Bulls team still has had more talent than either of the Bulls teams the last two years.
So it is not a good sign that the most well known of Bulls fans has turned on this team.
One week before playoffs, Bulls are now a team that does nothing particularly well...not great on D, not great rebounding, turnover prone...
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) April 9, 2015
hardly ever outwork opponents anymore...too many losses to too many chump teams...nothing they've done lately suggests playoff success...
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) April 9, 2015
They've been selling "If we can only get healthy" and yet on a night the whole band is together they get beat late by Orlando...
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) April 9, 2015
They look exhausted all the time now. It doesn’t matter who is in the game or how old they are, everything has turned into a struggle. Anytime a Bulls player falls down, no one just hops up. They sit down there and wait to have two teammates drag them up. Whenever Thibodeau has to call a timeout because the opposing team went on another run, the players walk to the bench like a bunch of zombies. There is no energy or assertiveness. Everyone is just too exhausted to do anything. It’s fascinating television to watch sometimes—fifteen drained players trying to fight for a game in front of 20,000 electric fans.
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Most people say the players are saving their energy and are really going to turn it on for the playoffs. I would like to believe that. Since the third quarter against the Heat, the Bulls have looked somewhat like a playoff team. But then you realize they only scored 89 points against that Heat team who will finish with at least 45 losses and miss the playoffs, and Chicago took until the fourth quarter at home to put away the 76ers—a team fighting to get the third worst record in the league.
Next: Playoffs Look Bleak