Run of the Bulls

Some said last year was a fluke or lightning strike, which is said to not strike twice. Some critics said that they were a one man team that would only go as far as their best player would. Well despite the Philadelphia series, the Chicago Bulls has proven those critics wrong. This Bulls team came into a different style of season with more back to back games and showed the same heart and commitment to defense as they did last year. What also stood out about this team was the level of play they showed when their best player went down again and again. In a 66 game season Derrick Rose missed 27 games and the Bulls pulled in a 18-9 record. The since of urgency never came due to Rose’s returns throughout the season. The team plays a defense that is at times impenetrable and an energy that is on full throttle all the time. As they did last season, they handled and maintained the first seed from the Miami Heat and kept the best record in the league for a good part of the season. Can this bull’s team be better? Should this Bulls team be better? Yes and HELL YES. But how? First of I hope they have no parts of the future Amare shuffle or Melo drama. The future landscape of free agents aren’t as star driven as last year but there are some good players to be picked up to compete. I hope the Bulls bring in long athletic defenders and good swingmen that could get their own shots. I also think it’s time to part ways with Deng and Boozer in an effort to get better offensively. The coaching is great, the bench is solid, the defense is awesome, but the offense is too dependent on one player and transitional offense. It’s worked so far but they’ll keep hitting the wall with offensively strong teams that have length and energy. The Bulls are destined to meet the Heat in the playoffs to go to the finals and they’ll need offense and length to compliment the already strong bench and defense. The Heat are a very beatable team but they’re not going to be beat by just anybody. The Bulls are back and they’ll be back for awhile but in order to get over the hump they’ll need fire power. Like I said the free agent class this year isn’t as glamorous as last year but it is deep and solid. Big names like Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen may field plenty of offers but I doubt they’ll leave the Celtics, But with names like Kirk Hinrich, Mickael Pietrus, Brandon Bass, Amtwan Jamison, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Andre Miller, Lamar Odom, Brandon Jennings, Javale McGee, and many more the Bulls can make themselves an impressive team. This year has been something new and different to say the least but next year things will be back to normal. Teams will be healthy and ready with a full true off-season. For the Bulls to keep their place at the top of the east they’ll need to not just be better than the Heat, but they have to be better than both the up and coming Pacers and Sixers. They also have to be on a level to compete with the Spurs, Lakers, Clippers, and OKC Thunder (Best Team in the League). 

Potentially the ________ Player in the League

It was once said that Lamar Odom could’ve been one of the greatest sidekick to play the game, that his 6’10 long length stature could make him the most versatile athlete since Scottie Pippen. Most of the shortcomings were blamed on the lackluster Clippers franchise, but once in awhile the clippers would assemble a young team and play fun basketball. Drafted in 1999 the 6’10 swingman came to a Clipper organization that hadn’t and wouldn’t compete for a title while he was there but they did play good run and gun basketball. Lamar had some issues with weed early in his career and was suspended twice in 8 months. In 2003 Lamar was sent to the Miami Heat. With a young Caron Butler and Dewayne Wade, Lamar Odom showed he can compete for a title. The young heat team played a fast style of basketball and Lamar Odom proved to be a problem for perimeter defenders in the league. The Heat team came into March of 2004 11 games under 500 and won their way to the second round of the playoffs. In the Off-Season the Heat and Lakers made a blockbuster trade sending Lamar Odom to the Lakers in a package for Shaq O’Neal. Despite competing with the Heat and showing potential with the Clippers, Lamar never had lived up to the “next Scottie Pippen” title. With the Lakers, He finally could grow into a complete player on a high level organization. In the beginning the game was rough for Lamar Odom having to adjust to Phil Jackson’s system and triangle offense. Each season Lamar’s knowledge of the triangle grew and when the move to the bench came, Lamar’s game became a key asset which made him a champion. The Lakers soon traded Odom to the New Orleans Hornets for Chris Paul in a trade that fell apart, this came after Lamar had lost a close family member and was involved in an accident that killed a teen. Lamar’s love for the game was challenged and he never really had the focus coming into the 2011 season he had going into other seasons. He soon was traded to the Dallas Mavericks where matters got worst. During an uninterested season he was asked to leave then demoted than eventually bought out and players even challenged his playoff paychecks. Players were reported saying that Lamar never really even made an attempt to be a teammate. He now is a free agent probably hoping to sign back with the Lakers or another power house team. Lamar Odom is a champion and there is no denying that, but I never felt the impact of what he could have been. He never came in with high expectations but he did have potential which is a word I will always associate with his career. He had the potential to be remembered as one of the greatest players in the game and it never came, that doesn’t take away the fact that he is one of the leagues toughest matchups. He sometimes lacked the “want” to become great and just settled on competing at the level he was at. While with the Lakers he was a factor but in an offense geared for his size and style, he came of the bench due to inconsistency. He and Kobe weren’t as good of a one two punch as Bynum and Pau with Kobe on the wing and that’s understandable, but Lamar had the talent to be the next Scottie Pippen and Kobe has been deemed the G.O.A,T since Jordan. I can’t prove it but I’d bet my life Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen with the Worm in the paint would kill that Lakers team with Bynum and Pau. Odom can now prove his worth with his next basketball move. He can go to a team right there and ready to be champs but cant get over the hump. Teams like Miami, OKC, Chicago, Indiana, Orlando, or San Antonio can benefit from his veteran savvy and championship knowledge. Should he go to a team and just compete at a high level would even be enough due to the fact that he has three rings. The catch is he has to compete and not just got to a team and play, he has to be an option on offense and a good help defender on defense. The “next Scottie Pippen” thing wasn’t that far off for Odom, the difference is Scottie’s game benefited from his mindset of being one of the greatest on the court and in the league, Odom’s game suffered from his mindset of just wanting to be an effective player. With some time if he can eliminate half of the reality shows that truthfully don’t hurt his game but still are a distraction, and get his mind back on competing and wanting to play at a high level he can become an all around player that can win one or two more rings.