Dear god, not a tie for the 8 seed!

by snley on Feb 8, 2008 3:12 PM CST

I fear the playoffs. I fear the Bulls simply grabbing the 7 or 8 seed. Even worse, I fear the Bulls pulling an upset in the First Round. I wake up screaming picturing them somehow making it to the Conference Finals. The consequences could haunt this team for years to come.

Silly as it may sound at this point in the season, I still believe there is a great deal of talent on this team. I don't think that preseason expectations for this team were in anyway out of line. We've seen the Bulls look good when they've all decided to show up to play for a random game this season. What if they all decide to show up come Game 1 of the First Round? What happens if they pull off an upset and make a run in the playoffs? Will all that has happened during the course of this season be forgotten? Will they be back at the same spot at the beginning of this season that they were last? Will Paxson let his loyalty overshadow his need to tweak the roster?

I think a first round upset is the worst case scenario from here on out. Imagine if Wallace finally shows up for the first round. He could single handedly force Paxson to bring back Boylan as the full time coach. The development of Tyrus and Noah could be set back for yet another year as Boylan remains loyal to the vets up front. Even if it is the young guys who are instrumental in a playoff push, I have a hard time seeing Boylan leaving his Highlander stance of there can only be one... young big getting significant minutes.

Boylan's return would be detrimental, but there could be other negative outcomes from a playoff push. With a strong playoff performance, Gordon or Deng could be given an offer from a team under the cap that Paxson does not want to match. That would leave the team losing a major asset for no return. I can also see Paxson feeling comfortable with the squad to the point that he refuses to make any attempt to upgrade the team.

I don't want them to make the playoffs. While it may have the effects of a cold glass of milk on the heartburn that has been this season, in the long run, it could be the worst thing to happen. I still think this team is talented. I also see a need for tweaking that may be avoided if success is found. For the long term success of this squad, time must be made for Noah and Thomas. Even if they don't become what many here believe they could be, and probably already are, the franchise must know what it currently has to best make decisions down the road. A hot run for a couple weeks could leave this team in the exact same situation this time next year.

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Comments

"I dare not imagine them making The Finals

Yeah, I don't think you have much to worry about there.

by Big D on Feb 8, 2008 3:27 PM CST reply actions

that was going too far

Which is why I took it out. Forgot to do that before I posted.

by snley on Feb 8, 2008 3:30 PM CST up reply actions

I think the only genuine fear

of unexpected playoff success is that Boylan would be retained.

Beyond that, the players here ARE pretty good, so if they get back to their normal level and form a decent playoff squad, it shouldn't tell Pax something that he doesn't already know, plus I doubt he can erase the memory of how this season's gone so far.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 8, 2008 3:33 PM CST reply actions

I hope you're right

but I think losing Gordon or Deng in such a situation is highly possible. I have a hard time seeing Pat Riley resisting the urge to make sizable offers to either player. A playoff run would only feed that. After a couple years of dealing with Shaq,Odom, and Antoine Walker, I'm sure Riles is dying to get his hands on a 2nd banana gym rat to partner with Wade. If he handles the offseason correctly, he could make a large offer to one, hoping that the Bulls match and price themselves out of the second.

by snley on Feb 8, 2008 4:05 PM CST up reply actions

That's assuming Marion opts out...

in which case Gordon and Deng would both be younger, relatively cheaper alternatives without the misplaced desire to be "the man."

by snley on Feb 8, 2008 4:06 PM CST up reply actions

Depends

I think it all depends on the lineup we use that has success. I think we can potentially be a better team with Thabo, Tyrus, Noah getting the majority of the minutes instead of the lineup we fielded last season. This can show Paxson that guys like Gordon, Nocioni, Wallace, Smith are expendable. I do think we should keep one of Gordon/Nocioni for a scoring 6th man option...and I'm leaning towards Gordon...but signing Nocioni has created a big mess.

However, I don't see Boylan ever playing such a lineup unless we have major injuries like we do now or he suddenly has an epiphany

by Parrotman on Feb 8, 2008 4:01 PM CST reply actions

pax's biggest concern

this off season needs to be the head coach. who is going to be? coach k if duke wins it all this year? why not? throw the bank at him, the bulls can afford it. why not pippen? i know you can't really measure this, but he has to be one of the smartest to ever play, if not the smartest. wouldnt you want someone like that teaching your young guys the right way to play? i dont want paxson to settle for someone obvious, like carlisle. screw that guy. paxson needs to find someone who he KNOWS will turn this team into champions. its the most important decision pax will make as the bulls GM

by Conor on Feb 8, 2008 4:04 PM CST reply actions

Who the next coach will be is obviously important

but his handling of Deng and Gordon could have even bigger ramifications. He will have to balance not giving them too much that their contracts limit moves down the road with not offering so little that either one walks this year or next.

by snley on Feb 8, 2008 4:09 PM CST up reply actions

Well

I think only the Deng signing is important just because I can't stand the thought of Nocioni starting. Either Deng or somehow trading/signing someone else to start at SF. Or get a SG and move Thabo to SF. I'm having serious doubts whether Gordon is starter material for a contender now. He is asking for a lot of money to be a 6th man.

by Parrotman on Feb 8, 2008 4:22 PM CST up reply actions

afford

the bulls can afford it? yea they can. but i think it'd be fair to infer that the bulls owner is pretty tight with his money.

by Sambossanova on Feb 8, 2008 7:31 PM CST up reply actions

gulp

I don't know how well this will go over, but does Doug Collins deserve a chance to redeem himself?

by tomes521 on Feb 8, 2008 9:38 PM CST reply actions

collins

is done with coaching. His last stint was the time he spent in Washington. And the only reason he coached that time was because MJ asked him. He's strictly a broadcast guy now.

by ScottieCartwright on Feb 11, 2008 9:16 AM CST up reply actions

My dream.

Convince Rudy Tomjanovich to come back to the sideline and have Pippen be an assistant coach, with the intent to have him work with Deng. Also, if Dikembe retires, get him to work with the big men; or at least send them to Hakeem over the summer.

by Kemp @ Blog a Bull on Feb 9, 2008 1:38 AM CST reply actions

If Rudy T coached them

I would be SO happy.

by Freethefro on Feb 9, 2008 2:58 PM CST up reply actions

First things first, but a chain of events

If the Bulls make the playoffs, it will have to be as a 6-7 seed. If they sneak in as the eigth seed, it will be a one-round-and-done waste and I'd rather have the lottery pick. If they make it in as the 6-7 seed, I think the Bulls will make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. This has as much to do with who they play as it does how well they'll be playing. They're not getting the 6th seed unless Toronto collapses, so if they get the 7th seed, they're probably in the range of 40-42 wins, meaning the Bulls have to play .600+ ball for the rest of the season. I think they can get the 8 seed with 36-37 wins, which is essentially requires them to finish with the .500 record they've had under Boylan.

But as of today, they wouldn't be in the playoffs so first things first.

by messwiththebull on Feb 9, 2008 12:50 PM CST reply actions