Back in the day, sneakers were a big deal to me, as they probably were for most kids in the late 80's and early 90's. I remember sitting with my dad in these unbelievable seats, fixated more on what was on their feet than the scoreboard. I loved to see what guys were wearing, partially for fashion/pop culture reasons, but also because I played the game and felt some kind of "kinship" with the player who wore the same shoes as me. And in the 80's, the Bulls began a tradition for the playoffs that I thought was the coolest thing ever--the black shoes/black socks combo. I don't know the entire history behind whose idea it was, but I loved that the team "flipped the switch" into playoff mode and used their uniform to show their collective state of mind.
The NBA was strict about uniforms back in the day, so teams had to wear the same colored shoes and everyone wearing black was a sign of solidarity as they went into playoff battle. It was also pretty amusing to see guys like Dave Corzine, Ed Nealy, Will Perdue, and other guys I'll deem "stiff" wearing shoes that made them look even slower. But regardless of how they looked, it was clear when the Bulls stepped on the floor in the playoffs that things were going to be different. And as a die-hard fan, I liked that the team that meant everything to me was showing such unity as they headed into battle. Nowadays, black shoes aren't such a unique thing, and you'll see Bulls (and NBA players) wearing black shoes during regular season games, along with red ones, white ones, and even green ones when its St Patty's Day--with just about everyone wearing a different color most nights and very little consistency from player to player. Maybe its because the game/team dynamic has changed, maybe its because there's a lot of cash in sneakers and the players are walking billboards.
The other great Bulls playoff tradition, which probably was just a regular season tradition we saw/heard more about in the spring was the pregame huddle. No need for me to describe it, just watch:
So those are a few random memories/thoughts about da bulls as we kick of the 2012 Playoffs in just a few hours. And since I spend so much of my life listening to others yap about opinions on Sports Talk Radio and in local media/twitter, I figured I'd take to the airwaves to give you my thoughts as we head into the Post-Season.
I'll break it down in terms of the the Bulls, then the competition, but there won't be predictions...just stuff I'll be paying attention to in the weeks to come.
The Bulls
It's been a choppy year for the Bulls, yet somehow they've ended up with the best record in the NBA and home court advantage throughout the playoffs--which means they have earned the right to play more games in front of their fans than any other team in the league. Crowd noise never scored a basket, but it does cause turnovers and create momentum, and I'm glad the title has to come through Chicago. And if you think this doesn't matter to the team, check out this speech from Brian Scalabrine prior to their last game of the season:
They'd be the first to say this, but the regular season means nothing at this point. They've scrapped, clawed, and fought their way to the best record, but once the tournament begins, everyone has the same record (0-0), and they will need to overcome a ton to win the title this year. This is not to say they can't do it, but it'l be tough and they'll need some good fortune to raise a trophy in June. I'm not going to break down position by position analysis of the roster, but will point out a few questions I'm wondering as the playoffs unfold.
Continuity: Can they stay healthy?
Like every other team in the NBA, the Bulls have had to cobble together lineups for the bulk of the season. The opening-day starters have played 14 games together, and while they've been 12-2 in those games, they haven't had a ton of time together as a unit. With injuries and substitution patterns creating havoc from game to game, this means guys may not have tons of comfort with each other. One of the things you can notice when continuity isn't there are missed assignments on D, turnovers and bad shots on offense, and indecision--this isn't to say those will be common, but it may be an issue as the Bulls come together in the playoffs. They should get more comfortable with each other as the playoffs unfold, but this will ONLY be possible if they stay healthy. Much has been documented about D-Rose and his injuries so no need to belabor the point--but if he goes down in the playoffs it'll be trouble.
The Bench Mob: Can They Go Both Ways???
Much has been written about the Bulls depth as well, so I won't belabor that point--I'll just say that going 10 deep is a nice luxury most NBA teams don't have. The Bulls bench includes guys that are very strong on one end of the floor (Defense - Asik, Brewer, Gibson; Offense: Korver, Watson) but the problem with these guys is that they struggle to play both ends. In recent months, guys like Taj Gibson have shown improvement on both ends, and the Bulls will need these guys to contribute on both ends of the floor. Here's hoping we see a few throw downs like this in the coming weeks:
RIP: Can he dial it up???
Scoring is the topic most bulls fans gripe about, particularly after their struggles to score against teams that can D up on D-Rose. The Bulls tried to fix this problem by going out and grabbing Rip Hamilton from the Pistons, who has had a a great career as a sniper, scorer, and great defender. He's been fragile this year, but if he can dial up his game to the 2003 Rip Hamilton they will be in better shape than last year. He's looked much better in the last 2 weeks, and if he's able to stay healthy he could be a huge contributor on both ends of the floor--something they'll need to get past teams like Boston, Miami, or even Indy (side note: could not be happier Bulls will not see the Pacers until Eastern Finals at the earliest...this is a team that will cause problems for someone).
D-Rose: Can he stay out of the Doctor's Office?
The other topic everyone knows about is the injuries that D Rose has struggled with all year. I know he's been back for a few games in the past month, but he hasn't looked like the same guy we saw last year. He's been beaten up all season, and some of the injuries he's had would hold someone like ME out of work, not to mention an NBA player. There's no telling how healthy he really is, but it will be hard for them to win a title with him limping around on half a leg. The schedule in the playoffs gets a bit more spaced out meaning he'll get more rest between games, but there's no telling how hurt he really is. A few of these (see video below) in the weeks to come would go a long way towards helping ME feel better about his health:
Is there another gear?
Playoff basketball is a different animal than the regular season. For most teams, this is when REAL defense is played, and you notice much less open court, easy basketball. The Bulls have defended and played all 66 games like playoff games. Their intensity throughout the regular season is part of the reason for their league-best record, but this gap will close quickly once the ball is thrown in the air later today. There was an old phrase the Bulls used to describe turning up the intensity, which was "unleashing the dobermans." In the 80's and 90's, you knew when those dobermans were unleashed, as teams struggled to get off shots, much less get into their offense. I'm certain these bulls have that "doberman" gear they can kick it to, the question in my mind is whether they can turn it on when it matters most and whether it'll be enough to overcome some of the teams they'll face on the way....which brings me to the competition. Some doberman footage in case you've forgotten, from those great bulls teams (along with a catchy song that will stay in your head for hours):
The Competition
I'm not going to waste more than a few words on the competition, but they've all improved since last year's playoffs (and throughout the year)--it will not be easy winning a title with some of these teams standing in the way. I have not checked odds in Las Vegas, but I'd be willing to guess there is no clear cut "favorite" that stands out in the eyes of the gambling public. More than any year in recent memory, the Title is up for grabs this year and the playoffs are shaping up to have some great battles pitting old NBA vs. new NBA, teams vs. individuals, and all of those other cliche story lines you're certain to see/hear about during broadcasts. A few words on some of those teams:
Miami - everyone's favorite team to hate is still Public Enemy #1 here in Chicago (and probably throughout the country). The addition of Shane Battier was big for them (one of the more intelligent/crafty vets in the game), and with talent like Lebron, Wade, and Bosh they will be tough to beat 4 times in a series. It has been done (Dallas last year), and can be done, provided the Heat are forced to play a half court game and defend for 20 seconds of the shot clock. A task much easier said than done, but a few teams like the Bulls, Indy, and even the Knicks will make their road to a title a rocky one.
Boston - the Celtics are a team I have tremendous respect for--partially because of their history, and also because of their contribution to the Bulls (Thibodeau). They are an aging bunch, but in recent months they have been playing much better and seem to be peaking at the right time. They will not be an easy out for anyone, and this team will NOT go down easy. Between Rondo, Pierce, Garnett, and Allen there is plenty of firepower, and their role players are better than you'd think. If there's a Bulls-Celtics series in round two, it will be a war.
Indy - the Pacers are a team that has flown under the radar on a national scene, but fans in Chicago are very familiar with this group from last year's playoffs. They are deep, have tons of length, and defend the crap out of teams. They're also not a very likable team, although with Jeff Foster no longer around to swing elbows they're not as hate-able as they have been in prior years. Either way, these guys will not go down easily and as I mentioned earlier, I'm glad the Bulls won't see them until the Eastern Conference Finals if it gets to that point.
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