Posts tagged ‘Andres Nocioni’

It has been almost a week since KG uncontrollably roared like an “I Am Legend” alpha male zombie into Michele Tafoya’s post-game microphone. The Boston Celtics capped an historic turnaround season by hoisting the trophy. They shattered the NBA record for best single-season turnaround, catapulting from 24 wins one year to 66 wins the next, a 42-game swing.

So, am I, a die-hard fan of a pathetic Bulls team that won 16 FEWER games than the season prior, a bit envious of the Celtic’s historic rise? No. Actually, just the opposite…I’m relieved NOT to be a part of it! You see, it is no mystery how the Celts elevated from forgotten bottom-dweller to SportsCenter darling…they bought it.

Alright, maybe technically-speaking they didn’t “buy it,” but it certainly feels that way. Garnett and Allen, two-thirds of the “Big Three,” were added this season via Blockbuster Trade and P.J. Brown, Sam Cassell, Eddie House, and James Posey were all signed this season for this specific title run. Sure, you can defend the acquisitions by crediting Danny Ainge as a masterful GM, but that is the same logic New Yorkers use to defend the world series rings purchased by the free-spending Yankees.

Call me crazy, old-fashioned, or naïve, but I’m glad Paxson did not sell our homegrown players for all-stars like K.G., Kobe, or Gasol. Doing so would be pretty much equivalent to Rhys Ifans, the potbellied, snaggle-toothed Welsh actor, undergoing full-body cosmetic surgery in a quest to knock Matt Damon off the “People’s Sexiest Man” throne. (Ifans is pictured here prancing around half-naked in the film Notting Hill. Unsightly.)

You see, as diehard Bulls fans, we don’t merely root for red jerseys; we become invested in and cheer for the players themselves. I’m proud that Deng, Noah, Hinrich, Gordon, Thabo, Nocioni, and (soon) Rose are all homegrown drafted Bulls. They may need a tuck or a lift here and there, but definitely not an extreme makeover. Eventually, when they win their title, Bulls fans will find it infinitely sweeter and more rewarding because we will have watched them grow and persevered with them through the most trying of times.

After all, that Welsh actor, he opted NOT to “purchase” George Clooney-like looks…and now he’s dating Sienna Miller! There is hope Bulls fans.

How obvious has it become that Chris Duhon and Andres Nocioni are the two guys pushing the Bulls forward this December?  Their gutsy, put-the-team-on-their-back performances have added more than just energy to the Bulls — they’ve added wins.  Duhon’s prowess early on this season (3 12-point performances in consecutive games this month, including 9 assists in a win at Charlotte) may look slightly better because of Captain Kirk’s rough going so far in 2007-2008, but prowess is a rare commodity for these Bulls.

And maybe it’s partly due to the word in front of “Kirk” — Skiles has refused to start Duhon instead of one of our team captains, despite benching Hinrich routinely while Duhon and Noc turn games around and help the Bulls build larger leads.  Hinrich seems to be getting back to form but the only given for his play is that it’s sure to vary between “on” one night and “who-knows-where-the-switch-is” off the next.

In the meantime, Skiles has chosen his typical tight-lipped approach…starting the same 5 guys (Deng, Smith, Wallace, Gordon, Hinrich), but showing everyone who he thinks the best 5 are by playing them during key stretches of several 3rd  quarters (Deng, Nocioni, Noah, Gordon/Hinrich, Duhon).

Why not start this group?

• Is it because Ben Wallace makes more money per game than the cost of 18,000 headbands?

• Is it because Noc’s crazy awesomeness increases to a peak level after watching his team get outhustled for the first 6-10 minutes of the game?

• Is it because Skiles loves lists of 3 from bloggers?

The Bulls are starting to right the ship, and beating the Pistons for the 2nd time this season last week was great — but until we see a new starting lineup, we aren’t going to beat the likes of the Celtics.  Don’t even get me started on the Western Conference.