Photo: Associated Press
- Adam Parker
The Chicago Bulls came into the 2012 NBA season with a 'sky is the limit' outlook -- and why not?
Chi-Town was coming off a strong playoff showing led by their 23-year-old reigning league MVP in Derrick Rose. They added Richard Hamilton as the supposed missing link in the quest for a championship.
Tom Thibodeau's defensive philosophy coupled with the youthful exuberance and intensity had the Bulls in great shape to make some serious noise in this condensed 66-game NBA season.
That was the plan. At least, until Rose went down hard in the late fourth quarter in the Bulls game one win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, Chicago's playoff hopes have all but gone down the drain.
The Bulls are finished. Finite. Done. Rose lying in a crumpled heap on the court of the United Center signals the premature end of the Chicago's playoff hopes.
The reigning MVP has had a tumultuous season thus far, missing 27 games due to numerous injuries while missing only six games combined in his first three seasons.
I've said countless times before that playing without Rose for an extended period in the regular season turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the Bulls, since it forced them to look inwards and play better as a team instead of going through the motions offensively and waiting for D-Rose to come up big. The whole team played much better as a unit, and that will no doubt help them moving forward.
I still believe that.
But the playoffs are a completely different animal.
To go the distance in the playoffs, you need your stars to carry you, especially on the road. Without D-Rose, the Bulls don't stand a chance.
Sure, they're probably good enough to knock off the limping 76ers, but what happens when they have to go up against the likes of a Boston? And if they somehow miraculously get by the Celtics, they'll likely have to face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals and there is no way that they win that series.
It's too bad. With Rose in the lineup, the Bulls represented the only legitimate threat in the East (outside of my dark horse pick in the Celtics) to dethrone the Heat. Now, it looks like LeBron and Miami will skate into the NBA Finals so long as they don't look ahead and get complacent.
Bad luck, Chi-Town.
We're pulling for you, D-Rose. Come back stronger next season.
