The Bulls were participants in one of the most exciting playoff series in NBA history last spring. They battled the defending champion Boston Celtics to seven games, through seven overtime periods and five contests decided by three points or less. Television audiences loved the entertainment value, but when the series ended, all the Bulls had to show for it was a first-round playoff loss. "This is a great learning experience and I'll remember these moments for my whole life," center Joakim Noah said after the Bulls were eliminated. "But I think as a team, we've got to be hungry for more." Fast forward to the start of the 2009-10 season and the Bulls return to the court with a very similar team, with one significant absence. Guard Ben Gordon, the team's leading scorer for the past four seasons, signed with the Detroit Pistons as a free agent.
The Bulls prepared for the loss by essentially adding Gordon's replacement last February when they traded for 6-foot-6 John Salmons from Sacramento. Management figured a taller backcourt was necessary to play the kind of defense needed to advance in the playoffs.
Another change from the spring is the return of forward Luol Deng from a stress fracture in his right shin. Two years ago, he seemed headed for an All-Star appearance after averaging 22.2 points in two playoff series. Since then, he's been slowed by injuries and his statistics have dropped.
In theory, the Bulls will be better defensively. The biggest question is whether Salmons, Deng, Kirk Hinrich and Derrick Rose can provide enough offense to offset the loss of Gordon. Otherwise, the Bulls have a fairly deep and experienced team that expects to return to the playoffs.
The key player is obviously Rose, who demonstrated plenty of star potential during his NBA Rookie of the Year season. He should be even better the second time through the league and is the top candidate to take over Gordon's role of late-game scorer.
"We scored enough points last year. We didn't defend or rebound as well as any of us would like," second-year coach Vinny Del Negro said. "I think now that will be a big emphasis. We'll emphasize defense. We'll emphasize rebounding. Offense usually takes care of itself."
COACHING STAFF: Head Coach -- Vinny Del Negro, 2nd year overall, 2nd with Bulls (41-41). Assistants -- Bernie Bickerstaff, Bob Ociepka, Pete Myers, Mike Wilhelm.
LAST SEASON, REMEMBERED: 41-41 (2nd in Central), lost in 7 games to Boston Celtics in first round of playoffs.
THIS SEASON, PREDICTED: 45-37 (2nd in Central), another first-round loss.
POSSIBLE CHANGES, PREDICTED: The Bulls are hoping to make a significant move in the next 12 months, either by signing a free agent in the summer or through a big-splash trade before the February deadline. The obvious targets are power forwards Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer, along with Chicago native Dwyane Wade.
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