Bulls Home Opener--Ugh

Effortless.

Unfocused.

Lack of resilience.

All of the above can describe the Chicago Bulls tonight as they played the visiting Philadelphia 76ers.

Coming back from a loss to New Jersey, the Bulls came to the United Center to kick off their home schedule. The fans were hyped, the journalists were ready with their laptops (including Jay Marrioti and Sam Smith), and the players looked to do their part.

However…

Much to the dismay of all parties involved, the Bulls let the 76ers effectively handle them at home. The Bulls never lead throughout the game and managed only one late fourth quarter rally in the 3rd and 4th minutes.

Kirk Hinrich was benched with four fouls and a technical late in the 3rd quarter. Ben Wallace was held in check on the boards. No real bench help, except spurts from Andres Nocioni. Ben Gordon led the team in scoring but had several key turnovers at the end of the game.

Now Luol Deng. You needed to show up tonight. You’re tired of being harassed by the press about the Kobe trade. Well tonight, you’re the one to blame. If you continue to lay goose eggs the next tens games or so, Chicago will be calling Kobe, and if you’re the piece that needs to leave to make it happen, so be it.

The game was ugly, truly. Tyrus Thomas had a great game today with a double double. He’s the only one of the Bulls that showed any type of enthusiasm or heart. Hopefully the immaturity is gone, and he’s growing into a special type of player.

And there I sat in perhaps the greatest seats I’ll ever have. I had a chance to sit right behind the journalists. I could yell, and the players could hear me, I was that close. And what did I get to see, but the ugliest, and perhaps unraveled performances in better than Hi-Def.

Here’s to getting better.