As C.J. Watson’s half-court heave caromed off the rim, reality set in. Celebration in Philadelphia ensued as confetti rained on the somber Chicago Bulls team, who could only stand in awe. Watson’s crunch-time blunder, Asik’s short free throws and the poor officiating all didn’t matter any longer. The 2012 Chicago Bulls were finished. And on their tumultuous path to their grave, Rose’s lingering ACL injury, Boozer’s boisterous contract, and Deng’s nagging wrist injury has pulled the 2013 Chicago Bulls and beyond down with them. Watson’s heave was not only the Bulls last chance for survival in the playoffs, but quite possibly for the near future. The Bulls management faces another off-season following a season of major disappointment, and are likely too financially-strapped to make any blockbuster moves. A team that just a year ago corralled both the MVP and Coach of the Year awards and had the best overall record in the NBA is now facing a future of uncertainty. An organization with as bright of a future as any has seen their past successes crash and burn. As we look towards the 2012-2013 NBA season, we must prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.
The beginning of the end of the Chicago Bulls was the travesty that was Derrick Rose’s ACL tear. Replay after replay, the impact and gravity of the injury becomes just that much more horrifying. Not only Bulls fans, but all fans around the world grimaced at the site of the beaten up MVP who had sustained his final blow. There wasn’t an inspirational highlight video in the world that could have saved this Bulls team. Derrick Rose was MVP for a reason; this team not only relied on Rose’s talent, but also adored him. Without Rose, the Bulls were left with an unmotivated (minus Asik and Gibson), hopeless team who’s destiny was already decided. With that being said, there are still plenty of reasons for hope. Believe it or not, there’s another contender who once faced the same grave fate of the Chicago Bulls.
After winning the NBA Championship in 2006, the Miami Heat were at the top of the NBA, led by the youngest Finals MVP ever, Dwyane Wade. The following season, their future remained bright with Wade at the helm, but their future soon came to a crashing halt. Wade went down with a badly dislocated left shoulder against the Houston Rockets and was seen screaming in pain on the sidelines. Unlike Rose, Wade couldn’t walk into the locker room, and instead was taken out on a wheel chair. Wade missed the Heat’s next 31 games and would also miss 31 games the following season after battling pain in his left knee. The Heat ended the 2007-2008 season with a 15-67 record, the worst in the NBA (as fate has it, the Heat just missed out on Derrick Rose in the 2008 NBA draft). You couldn’t turn on ESPN without hearing analysts talk about the severity of Wade’s injury and question whether he would ever be 100% again. They couldn’t be more wrong. Excluding last season where Wade missed 17 games, Wade hadn’t missed more than 6 games in 3 straight seasons since his injuries. Wade has made 3 All-NBA teams since, and along with LeBron James, led the Miami Heat back to the NBA Finals. While a dislocated shoulder or bum knee isn’t near the severity of Rose’s injury, it still goes to show that injuries can not hold the best players down forever.
The hardest thing to swallow, maybe even more than Rose’s ACL tear, is that the Bulls may soon be irrelevant in the world of basketball. The Bulls are a team without an identity; they’re not the Baby Bulls, they’re not contenders, but at the same time, they’re not the Bobcats. It’s that gray area mediocrity that is so hard to deal with as a fan. They won’t win a championship, but they won’t get a top 5 pick either, so it’s hard to envision next season being anything less than a wasted season. With Rose and Deng expected to miss at least half of next season, should the Bulls get in rebuilding mode? Bulls can amnesty Boozer, throw in some young guys and hope to get a full, healthy Bulls team in 2014. With the Bobcat’s unprotected 2016 first-round draft pick and the European sensation Nikola Mirotic preparing to join the team in the future, the Bulls still see light at the end of the tunnel. It would be easy for the Bulls to tank now and worry about getting healthy... but since when do the Bulls give up so easily? This is the same team that was practically built by Michael Jordan, who fought through numerous injuries and didn’t even let the flu stop him from winning. He displayed grit and determination and refused to ever let up. That warrior in MJ reminds me of Derrick Rose. Rose’s high-flying skill set and aggressive play always made him prone to injury. The ACL tear wasn’t Rose’s first injury by any means or his last either; but he's played hurt several times in his career, including in his MVP season. Who knows, maybe Rose will never be the same, but he has been doubted before. No one thought he’d be the MVP, no one thought he’d lead the Bulls to the best overall record for 2 straight years, but he had a chip on his shoulder and silenced his doubters. All I know is that Rose comprises the same warrior mentality that Jordan once had, and he will treat this injury as just another obstacle that he will have to leap. You can take Rose out of the Bulls, but you can’t take the bull out of Rose. While the Bulls shot at the title fell short with Watson’s miss, it should only make them fight that much harder next season.
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