Maybe it's not as bad as it seems for the Bulls
While the surging Bulls (4-2 in their last six games) head over to Auburn Hills, Mich., for a battle with the struggling Detroit Pistons, losers of eight straight, this might be a good time to ask: Is all the controversy surrounding the Bulls really necessary?
The past month has been loaded with discussions of coach Vinny Del Negro's job status. Certainly, there have been some games the Bulls would like to have back.
As of Wednesday morning, though, they were tied with Milwaukee and Charlotte for the No. 7 playoff seed in the East, they had a healthy roster for the first time all season, and the toughest part of the schedule is over.
"It's a long season," forward Luol Deng said Wednesday at the Berto Center. "What we were really disappointed about is how we were losing. I think 12-17, we're not far from a lot of teams.
"When you go out there, you don't want to lose by such a big gap. We believe we're better than that. We just want to give ourselves a chance every game, and that's all we can do."
Deng is referring to a pair of 30-point losses, at home against Toronto on Dec. 5 and in Atlanta on Dec. 9. The second half of back-to-back games has been one of several consistent problems this season.
The end of the year is a good time for reflection, so let's evaluate the state of the Bulls as 2009 comes to a close.
Coaching
The Bulls knew they hired a novice when they settled on Del Negro in 2008. He has had some growing pains, but he produced a nice ending to last season.
In his second year on the job, he lost 20-point scorer Ben Gordon and 40-year coaching veteran Del Harris. Indications suggest Del Negro has been a hard worker who is cognizant of his limited coaching experience.
During the summer, general manager Gar Forman asked for a greater emphasis on defense, and the coaching staff delivered. The Bulls don't rank among the league leaders in team defense, but when playing well they've consistently held opponents below their season scoring average.
Offensively, the Bulls don't always seem to be on the same page and have a tendency toward careless turnovers. Del Negro's reluctance to go very deep into his bench could be questioned, especially after the blown 35-point lead against Sacramento.
One thing Del Negro has done well is hold the players' attention. The Bulls recovered from a nasty lull in the middle of last season and already have snapped out of the 2-11 skid they endured a few weeks ago.
If nothing else, the players have shown they're not angling for a coaching change.
Front office
Keep in mind, while Del Negro is in his second season of coaching, Gar Forman is new at the role of front-office spokesman. Forman's job is made tougher by the fact that John Paxson remains the most influential person in the organization.
There does seem to be a disconnect developing between Del Negro and the Paxson/Forman leadership. Del Negro is well-connected throughout the NBA, and reports of the Bulls inquiring about future coaching candidates has to be unsettling.
Maybe the Bulls are trying to thoroughly research coaching possibilities for next summer, when they'll try to lure one of the premier free agents to Chicago. But it's coming across as though they can't wait to make a change, which may not be accurate.
Various reports have had the Bulls inquiring about former NBA head coaches Lawrence Frank, Kevin McHale and Eric Musselman. It's unlikely the Bulls ever reached out to Doug Collins, as another report suggested.
Whether or not Forman should have given Del Negro a stronger show of support Tuesday is open to debate. On one hand, when a team is off to an 12-17 start, it makes no sense to say everything is OK and declare the coach safe. On the other hand, one line stating the Bulls believe in Del Negro might have been useful.
Players
Most of the on-court problems the Bulls have faced this season can be traced to the fact that only four players have shown up consistently - Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah and rookie Taj Gibson.
All four of their performances qualify as great news for the Bulls.
Rose is starting to follow his destiny as an NBA star, averaging 20.3 points and 6.2 assists in December.
Deng recovered from a stress fracture to average 18.1 points, Noah ranks second in the league in rebounds at 12.2 per game, and Gibson has been remarkably steady for a No. 26 draft pick.
The Bulls have been outmanned at times, though, thanks to injuries to Tyrus Thomas, Kirk Hinrich and Jannero Pargo, along with inconsistent play from last year's two additions, John Salmons and Brad Miller. Rookie James Johnson wasn't ready to contribute early in the season.
If the ugly home losses to New Jersey and Sacramento were reversed, the Bulls would be sitting at 14-15 right now and there probably would be few complaints.
Is 12-17 cause for so much anxiety? Definitely not, but check back after the Pistons game.
<p class="factboxheadblack">Bulls game day</p> <p class="News">Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills, 2 p.m.</p> <p class="News"><b>TV:</b> Comcast SportsNet</p> <p class="News"><b>Radio:</b> WMVP 1000-AM</p> <p class="News"><b>Update:</b> The Pistons (11-20) have dropped eight straight after losing at home to New York 104-87 on Tuesday, but they could be a dangerous team. Ben Gordon (nine games, ankle), Richard Hamilton (five games, hamstring) and Tayshaun Prince (26 games, back) all returned to the lineup two games ago. Guard Will Bynum sat out against the Knicks because of two sore ankles. Guard Rodney Stuckey is Detroit's top scorer at 19.0 ppg, with Gordon at 18.4. The Bulls beat the Pistons 92-85 at the UC on Dec. 2 as Gordon scored 18 points in the first game against his former team.</p> <p class="News"><b>Next:</b> Orlando Magic at the United Center, 7 p.m. Saturday</p>