WTF Bulls?

Toronto Even-Stevens: 93 - Chicago Turds: 78

Yesterday afternoon, after the Raptors blew another game that they had a white-knuckled grip on over three quarters, I spoke to Sam Mitchell. A transcript follows:

Me: Hey Sam, you smell terrific, the waffles are on me. But let me ask you, why'd you run a play for a three pointer with 15 seconds left when you could have dumped it down to Bosh, got a quick score, and put the Cavs on the line?

Sam: Listen, we've got guys who can shoot the ball. Guys like Juan Dixon and Joey Graham can score from anywhere. Plus the Cavs were killing us from the line.

Me: Actually, the Cavs were shooting 63% from the line and neither of those guys were on the floor because they're ghastly.

Sam: Well, Bosh just wasn't hitting his shats! I'm not gonna dump it down to CB!

Me: Sam, slow down on the waffles, you're sweating. CB tied a career high with 41 points on 13-25 shooting. He really should have gotten the ball.

Sam: I disagree.

Me: Curious.

Sam: Shit, well at least we got Chicago tomorrow (Laughs)!

Me: True (Laughs).

Neither Sam nor I would have said that over waffles outside of the Quicken Loans Arena last year. But last year the Bulls were good, and this year they're not. This isn't to detract from the Raptors' impressive 93-78 win over the Bulls, simply, more impressive (in the classic sense) was the lavish cumulus of bricks and confusion proffered by Chicago.

I used to believe that Scott Skiles was untouchable as a coach. Last year I even thought he would win coach of the year (however, I was also one of those dipshits booing the Raptors for taking Damon Stoudamire over Ed O'Bannon in 1995 - Stoudamire won Rookie of the Year, O'Bannon is currently selling cars in Las Vegas). But Skiles's trademark discipline has landed the Bulls dead last in the NBA in field goal percentage (38.6) and point differential per game (-9.54). The Bulls were even outrebounded by the Raptors on Sunday, and we're the 5th-worst in the association in that category.

Nearly any roster would be better than the Bulls' current one, but particularly a roster with one of Kobe or KG - both of which the Bulls had a chance to add - even if that meant losing two of Hinrich, Gordon or Deng and two of Nocioni, Tyrus Thomas or the obviously under-classed Joakim Noah. Because the Bulls waited until the middle of July to sign Nocioni, he's currently sitting on a trade moratorium that expires on Dec. 15. The going rumour is that a deal for Kobe, which includes Nocioni, has already been done and that the trade's been leaked to the players, hence the dissension and poor play. But last time I checked the Lakers were 7-5, while the Bulls are, thanks in part to the Raptors, 2-10.

Still, Blog-a-Bull is one of the best hoops blogs going, and Raptors fans have been there, although we were only 2-8 (hang tough, dudes, there's too much talent on that roster).