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06-01-2018, 05:44 AM
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#251 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988 NBA Playoffs, Eastern Semifinals: vs Washington
The Bulls used the Bullets as their red-headed stepchild, beating them unmercilessly throughout the season. They swept the Bullets, 7-0, in the regular season series. One of the games was a 103-102 nailbiter towards the end of the year, when the Bulls had nothing to play for. Despite having Jon McElroy and Lamont Cioffi, the two venerable stars in Washington, as well as the arrival of Douglas Toscano as a consistent threat on offense (18.1 ppg), there is not enough firepower on the Washington side to keep up with Jack and Jones. Prediction: Easy. The Bullets couldn’t muster a win against the Bulls this year. They still won’t. Bulls in 4. Game 1: The Bulls beat up on the Bullets early, outscoring them 29-13 in the first. They then crushed the Bullets, 35-24, in the second quarter. Even though Washington won the third, 25-14, Chicago closed them out, 27-18, to roll, 106-80. Jack’s 33-10-8 was the leading factor for the Bulls, while Jones added 18-11-4, and Chris Henderson 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 blocks. The Bulls hammered the Bullets in their strength, and flexed their muscles easily. McElroy scored 20 on 21 shots, while Cioffi added 17. Glenn Lawlor, who had an unsuccessful stint as the bassist for the Fleetwood Mac knockoff band, Fortuitous Johnson, scored 12 off the bench in 16 minutes. He registered no other stat of note. He was just there to shoot it. Bulls Lead 1-0 Game 2: Chance McCutchen’s jumper from the free throw line missed at the buzzer, giving the Bulls a 100-98 victory in Game 2, and a 2-0 lead. The Bulls tried to give away a late eleven-point lead, but the Bullets ultimately passed. Jack had a 41-14-12 effort, while Jones was efficient in his 26 points. Henderson added ten, while the rest of the team is still struggling throughout the series. McElroy led Washington with 23-9-4, while Toscano, who hit a three late to bring the Bullets to within two, had 20. Cioffi had 19 and 9 rebounds, and McCutchen added 14-4-5. Bulls Lead 2-0 Game 3: The series shifts back to Washington, but the song remains the same. This time, the entire starting cast for Chicago added different pieces to Chicago’s 106-101 win. Jack led with 25-8-14 and a pair of steals, while Jones had a solid 22. Gregory Escalera added 16, while Ivory Perez scored 14 with 10 boards…and Chris Henderson had 11-9-4. McElroy (26), Cioffi (20) and Toscano (15) predictably led Washington. Point guard Ahmed Robson had 10 points and 13 assists. Bulls Lead 3-0 Game 4: The air in Washington went out after the Bulls pushed out a small lead with a 32-19 third quarter. That led to a 108-85 victory, and a sweep of the Bullets. Jack’s 32-15-11 led the way, while Perez stepped up with 20 points. Josh Jones added 16 and seven rebounds, while Eddie Shank added 12 and seven boards off the bench. Toscano scored 19 to lead Washington; Cioffi registered 18, but Jon McElroy had a forgettable night, scoring ten points on just 5-24 shooting. Bulls Win Series, 4-0 Elsewhere, New Jersey rolled Philly in five, giving everyone the matchup they want (something the Celtics couldn’t do in seasons’ past). Utah outlasted Dallas in six, and will get Cinderella Sacramento, who upended #3 Golden State in seven. 1987-88 NBA Playoffs: Conference Finals 1) Chicago vs 2) New Jersey 1) Utah vs 7) Sacramento |
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06-02-2018, 01:16 PM
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#252 |
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General Manager
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Chicago
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Any chance you have Jones' usage rate for this season? Given that Jack took a dip from 34 to 28, and some of the commentary on Jones' shot totals earlier in the year, I'm wondering if he even led his team?
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06-04-2018, 06:57 PM
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#253 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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I do. Jones' usage rate was 28.8, the highest of his career (and up from 25.7 the previous season). Up through 1987-88, he was at a 25.8 career usage rate.
Here's his player card (through 87-88). Note his ranking as a HS senior. The dude definitely overachieved. Code:
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06-05-2018, 05:08 AM
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#254 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988 NBA Playoffs: Conference Finals vs New Jersey
The Bulls were 3-2 against the Nets this year; oddly enough, they lost their first two, and won the last three. The Nets are best equipped to take out the Bulls, adding John Jennings to pair with Luke Black, who they acquired in the preseason, and guard Tom Perez. They offer headaches at every level, especially when you add Gabe Smith to the mix. Black is one of the league’s top players, averaging 26.9 points and 9.9 rebounds a game. And Perez is the league’s best point man, scoring 11.1 points and averaging 12.6 assists a game. This won’t be easy for Chicago. Pick: Still, the Bulls have home court, and they have Jack and Josh, and a much deeper bench. Bulls in 6. Game 1: The Bulls blitzed the Nets from the start, getting out to a 34-21 lead. After the Nets came back to cut it to two at the half, the Bulls won the third 29-19. The final, 120-108, illustrated, perhaps, the overall roster strength of the Bulls over the Nets. Of course, Jack’s otherworldly 38-9-16-5-2 also did. Jones added 23, while Ivory Perez scored 18. Chris Henderson added 14. Luke Black led New Jersey with 36 and 10 boards, while John Jennings had a 25-9-7 day. Tom Perez scored just six points, but accrued 14 assists and five rebounds. Allen Moffatt tabled 19 points, on 9-10 shooting. Bulls Lead 1-0 Game 2: There would be no doubting this one; the Bulls destroyed the Nets in the middle quarters, outscoring them 65-40, en route to a 116-91 final. Jack’s 22-10-11 led, while Jones added 23-6-5. Perez scored 21; Jack and Jones shot 9-13, while Perez was 9-12. Gregory Escalera scored 10 with nine assists. Jennings led New Jersey with 23, while Moffatt scored 17. Black was held to 5-13 though, as Jack primarily guarded him. He scored just eleven. Perez, who has been a dud in this series scoring-wise (1-7, 4 pts) had ten assists and eight rebounds. Bulls Lead 2-0 Game 3: The Nets got out to a slow start, falling down by twelve going into the fourth. They made an admirable comeback, behind Luke Black’s 32…but it wasn’t enough. The Bulls won Game 3, 94-90, in Newark, putting them one win away from a third-straight NBA Championship berth. Jack had 36 points and 16 rebounds, helping overcome Jones’ foul trouble (12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 fouls), and general lack of scoring from others. Thankfully, none of the Nets showed up. Jennings shot 4-13 from the field, scoring just 11. He was 2-6 from the line. Perez had 11-5-12, but shot 4-10 from the field. Black shot 10-22 himself. It was a rather ugly game; the Bulls had just 15 assists, as their offense consisted of watching Jack work, or watching others through up wild shots that fell. The Bulls won the rebounding battle, 53-44. That was key. Bulls Lead 3-0 Game 4: Perhaps it was lack of experience, but the Nets faded late, then let an unbelievable gaff lead to their ouster. Black gave the Nets a 107-106 lead with :23 left, off Tom Perez’s 16th assist. Escalera passed to Jack with nine seconds left, who drove to the hoop. He was cut off by three Nets, and got back out to the left corner. Amazingly, two Nets bit on a pass fake, and Jack nailed a three at the buzzer. Final: Chicago 109, Nets 107. Jack has a penchant for coming up big in these games, and this was no exception. He went for 42-15-10-4-3 to lead the way. Jones added 26, and Perez 14. Richard Mims had 11 off the bench. Black scored 35, Jennings 18-10-6, and Moffatt 15 in a supporting role. Perez had nine points and four rebounds to go with those sixteen assists. Afterwards, the Nets watched a rather interesting reaction by the Bulls. Celebration over the shot, but then hand-shaking and little celebrating of winning the East, despite many new contributors. These Bulls are focused; the Nets took notes, and took notice. Bulls Win Series, 4-0 Elsewhere, the Jazz swept Sacramento. So, a rematch of two years ago is set. And the Bulls have been watching that intently. They’re ready. They think. 1987-88 NBA Championship: 1) Chicago Bulls vs 1) Utah Jazz |
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06-06-2018, 05:23 AM
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#255 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1987-88 NBA Championship: Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz
Part One The Jazz beat the Bulls two years ago, winning the second of back-to-back championships. Despite winning 67 games a year ago, they were bounced in the second round, denying the Bulls a chance at prime redemption. The Jazz have been somewhat gutted, losing a couple key players (including All-NBA 2nd Teamer, Albert Scott, to the Pacers last year). Of course, they still have a lot of talent. Here’s a comparison of both teams: PG: Craig Cooper (15.1 ppg, 4.9 apg, 2.4 rpg, 1.0 spg) vs Gregory Escalera (10.3 ppg, 4.4 apg, 3.8 rpg). Cooper is more instrumental to his team’s offense than Escalera, who is routinely ask just not to screw things up for Jack and Josh. Both are comparable players; however, the nod here has to go to Cooper, who offers more consistency in scoring. Advantage: Utah SG: Sammie Snodgrass (14.8 ppg, 6.9 apg, 6.4 rpg, 1.7 spg) vs Ivory Perez (12.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.5 apg). Snodgrass is one of the more underrated talents in basketball, especially at his position. Perez has done well this year, his first as a starter after coming over from Cleveland. But he is not of Snodgrass’ caliber. Advantage: Utah SF: Brian Mazza (14.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.3 spg) vs Jack Dawkins (29.2 ppg, 11.6 apg, 10.8 rpg, 2.4 spg, 1.9 bpg). Yeah… Advantage: Chicago PF: Harris Connors (25.4 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.1 bpg) vs Joshua Jones (25.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 3.2 apg). Connors is the best power forward in the game, and has been for some time. But Jones is not too far behind. The gap here is not as big as one would think. Advantage: Utah C: Royal Bryant (15.5 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 2.0 apg, 6.5 bpg) vs Chris Henderson (9.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.6 bpg). Henderson is a solid defender, but he is young, and nowhere near in Bryant’s class. Advantage: Utah So, is Jack’s immense advantage worth taking some away from Connors and Snodgrass? Can Jones neutralize Connors enough to keep things close? Is Chicago’s home court advantage enough to keep an edge in the series? The two teams split the regular season series, each winning at home. Prediction: Utah is the better team. Last year may have been a blip in their run at history…but this is a great team. Where they have issues is on offense, where they are 12th in the league in scoring. But, defensively, they are very, very good…top-three in points per game, field goal percentage, and adjusted FG%. The Bulls are not solid on the boards (16th in the league), and could easily falter here. If Utah controls the glass easily, they should be able to sway the series their way. Utah in 6. They’ll steal one in Chicago, and seal it before allowing the Bulls to get back to Chicago. If it gets to seven, Chicago will win. Game 1: As if they heard me, Chicago stormed out to a 22-15 lead over Utah after a quarter. However, using 30 points from Royal Bryant, the Jazz stormed back with a 32-18 second, taking a 47-40 lead. They would play to a stalemate the rest of the way, beating the Bulls, 109-101. Bryan added eight rebounds and three blocks, while Harris Connons put up a 20-16-5 night, also with three blocks. Brian Mazza added 20 points and eight rebounds, while Sammie Snodgrass had 15-7-6, and Craig Cooper 12-4-9. The Jazz held a 53-45 edge on the boards. Jack’s 25-10-9 night paced Chicago, while Jones had 20 points and 11 boards. Perez and Escalera scored 13 each. Utah Leads 1-0 Game 2: Jack went off in this one, punctuating a 40-31 second quarter with a massive dunk over Bryant. His 31-14-14 led the Bulls to a 112-105 win over the Jazz, evening the series. Jones added 28-9-6, while Perez went for 15 points and eight rebounds. The Jazz led 24-21 after a quarter, but the Bulls began to work their way away from Utah. A 74-73 game midway through the third quarter quickly became an 88-77 lead, as the Bulls cruised from there. Connons had 32-18-9 to pace the Jazz, while Bryant added 20 points, 10 boards, and three blocks. Snodgrass added 16-8-8 with three steals. Series Tied 1-1 Game 3: The series shifted back to Utah, and it was the kind of game the Jazz wanted…a low-scoring slugfest. Brian Mazza’s 29 points led the Jazz to an ugly 89-83 win. The Jazz overcame a combined 6-29 effort by Harris Connons (12-12-5) and Royal Bryant (9-9-4-2-5) to get the win. Sammie Snodgrass scored 19, with five rebounds and seven assists. Jack’s 29-16-6 was the standout…though it took Jack 27 shots to get that 29. Jones went 6-18 from the field for a 15-5-7 night, while Chris Henderson and Gregory Escalera shot equal 3-10s on the evening. Utah Leads 2-1 Game 4: The Bulls came roaring back in Game 4, blowing by the tired Jazz in the fourth (29-14) to take a 105-97 win. Jones led with 32-12-4, while Jack was more subdued, going for 19-7-7. He usually erupts after games like these. Eddie Shank scored 15 key points off the bench to help the Bulls. Connors’ 25-12-5 with four blocks paced the Jazz, while Snodgrass added 18-4-9, and Craig Cooper 19. Royal Bryant scored 14, with six boards and five blocks. But this is now a three-game series. Series Tied 2-2 |
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06-07-2018, 05:31 AM
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#256 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1987-88 NBA Championship: Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz
Part Two Game 5: Harris Connors was due to go off, and he did. His 39-10-6 led Utah, and Brian Mazza hit two big shots late, as the Jazz beat the Bulls, 116-105, in Salt Lake City. The win puts the Jazz one victory away from winning their third title in four years, and second in three against Chicago. The Bulls threatened to get back into the game, getting to within eight, at 107-99, with 3:33 left. With the score 108-101, Mazz hit a putback of a Connors miss, then scored on his own accord, to push the lead back to twelve. He was one of three scorers—Royal Bryant and Sammie Snodgrass being the other two—with eighteen points. Snodgrass added ten assists, while Bryant added 14 rebounds. Craig Cooper added 16-4-7 numbers. Jack had 31-12-8 on 12-18 shooting, while Joshua Jones added 23, and Eddie Shank 17 off the bench. Utah Leads 3-2 Game 6: With the Bulls season down to their final opportunity, they showed why they have the heart of a champion. Sammie Snodgrass hit a three with twenty seconds left, putting Utah up 94-93. The Bulls got past the Jazz’ press. With four seconds left, Jack got the ball to Chris Henderson on the block. He was immediately swarmed by two Utah players. But he found Joshua Jones cutting, and hit him for a layup at the buzzer. The Jazz celebrated, thinking the buzzer beat the shot. The refs came together. Eternity dragged. Finally, the refs faced the scorer’s table. Basket good. See you tomorrow night. Jones’ last of his team-high 26 were the most important. He added eight boards and three assists to that. Jack registered 22-14-14 and three steals, while Gregory Escalera (16) and Ivory Perez (15) came up huge. Harris Connors had 30-15-5 for the Jazz, while Snodgrass added 19-7-7, and Royal Bryant 14-6-3 with nine blocks. Early on, it looked like the Jazz would gain a massive advantage, as the Bulls came out hesitant and error-prone. The Jazz gained a 28-18 lead after one. It would not last, as the Bulls would flip the script with a 28-18 second quarter. Things then got tight in the third, as Bryant and Jack would get tangled up, and have words for one another. Jack followed that with a posterization of Bryant, one of the few times Jack would let his emotion do the talking. This was the first game in the series that the Bulls handled the rebounds in a dominant fashion, outboarding the Jazz, 52-39. |
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06-08-2018, 05:26 AM
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#257 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1987-88 NBA Championship: Utah Jazz at Chicago Bulls
Series Tied, 3-3 Game 7 Synopsis, First Quarter For the third time in four years, the Utah Jazz are going to Game Seven of the NBA Championship. To this point, they are 2-0, having beaten Boston in 1984-85, and the Bulls two years ago. It needs noting that, two years ago, Game 7 was in Chicago. The Jazz come in still in fit form despite losing players like Albert Scott. They are not ripe for the picking; they are still in their prime, led by Connors, who is 28 and in his seventh year, and by Bryant (30, 8th year) and Snodgrass (29, 8th year). Bryant was a vital member of the great Princeton team that went undefeated. He knows what it is like to have the target on your back. Except for this: The mark isn’t on their back. It fits squarely on the shoulders of the defending champions. Both teams have chips on their shoulder. The Jazz feel slighted for being removed as the best team of the league, even if they were the ones who did it themselves. They want to make their mark in league history. Chicago stole their thunder by being the first team in thirty years to reach the NBA Championship three years in a row. Denver was the last team to reach the championship three times in four years. They won two, but lost the first time. It is also interesting to note that each of the last three champions have repeated. Utah in 1984-85, Denver in 82-83 before, and Atlanta in 80-81 before that. Maybe that’s working in Chicago’s favor. Who knows? The Bulls feel disrespected that the Jazz are still considered, by many, to be the best team in the league. They feel slighted, and perhaps rightfully so, for marching through Portland in last year’s championship. They want to beat The Man, despite being The Man themselves. In their eyes, The Man is invading their building again, coming to take their title from them. That does not sit well. All that’s known, now, is that the best two teams in basketball are squaring off for legacy. This may be a seminal moment in basketball history. There haven’t been quite this much rivalry since the Baltimore/Boston days of the early 70s, and especially since Philadelphia bolted for San Francisco, then had to battle the Sixers in the in ’63 championship. The passion, the hate, the rivalry…it is real here. And it’s about to come to a head. You know the starters. Bulls win the jump, and Jack opens the scoring. Snodgrass turns it over, and Jack finds Jones for a three. Snodgrass scores Utah’s first bucket. Escalera is fouled by Mazza, and hits both. Jones counters Connors’ first basket. It’s 9-4 in the first two minutes. Jack finds Jones, who has seven early points. Connors counters, but Jones scores again. Connors scores again. It’s 13-8. Mazza gets two early fouls, and comes out. Jack scores. 15-8. Connors with a steal, and Cooper hits. 7:44 left, 15-10 in the first. Escalera scores off a Jones pass. The Bulls are controlling so far. Jones fouls Connors, who hits both free throws. Jones then scores, and Connors scores again. Jones has 11, Connors 10. Henderson scores off a Jack pass. Cooper hits a jumper. It’s 21-16, as Escalera turns it over. Then he is called for a foul, and Connors cuts it to three. Jack finds Henderson, and it’s 23-18 with 5:05 left. Bryant is off to a really slow start. Henderson misses a layup, and Connors scores again. He has 14 in the first quarter. Jack has 4-0-4 so far. 23-20, Bulls, 3:23 left. Snodgrass cuts it to one. Richard Mims comes in and scores. Jones commits his second foul, and he’s out for Eddie Shank. Jack throws down a big dunk, and gets fouled by Ezra Cousin! It’s 28-24 after Cooper scores. Mims fouls Connors, who goes one of two. Jack gets a break, and it’s 28-25. Shank hits one of two free throws. Connors scores again. 17 in the first for him. Shank goes to the line, and he misses both. Connors misses; 29-27 with a minute left. Shank gets fouled, and he goes one of two. Kurtis Dowden fouls Snodgrass, who hits both. Bryant gets a block, and Snodgrass gives Utah their first lead, 31-30, as the quarter comes to a close. Jack has 7-0-5 numbers, while Connors was lights out for the Jazz, with 17. Code:
Last edited by Comey : 06-08-2018 at 05:27 AM. |
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06-10-2018, 07:46 AM
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#258 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1987-88 NBA Championship: Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz
Game 7, Second Quarter, Jazz up 31-30 Jose Sokol is fouled by Eddie Shank to start things. The reserves start for Chicago. Jack should be back soon, along with Jones. Utah goes up 33-30. Perez and Henderson come back, as Shank is fouled. He makes one of two. 33-31. Henderson with a steal, and a dunk to tie it. The crowd goes nuts, and flips as Henderson gets called for a foul. Mazza scores to put Utah back as Jack comes back. Sokol hits a three. It’s 38-33. Connors fouls Perez, who makes one of two. He has two fouls. Connors scores. 40-34, Jazz. Jack misses a three. Bryant misses on the other end. Bryant is fouled by Henderson, and he goes one of two. He now has one point. Jack with his first foul. Mazza hits a layup…43-34, Jazz. Jack is quiet (7-0-5). Connors has 21 points and seven boards, as he scores again to make it 45-34. Jones hits a three, giving him 14. Mazza hits two free throws…47-37 with six minutes to go in the half. Jones scores again. He has 16. Connors counters. The Jazz are doing it again, using their experience to control things. Mazza fouls Jack, who hits both free throws. Connors misses, and you can feel things beginning to shift. At least, Chicago hopes so. Utah gets called for a shot clock violation, and Jones scores again. Connors misses again, but Perez turns it over. Connors hits a layup. 51-43, 3:25 left, and Chicago turns it over again. Escalera hits after a Cooper miss. It’s 51-45. Perez misses, and Bryant gets a layup. Jack finds Jones, who now has 20. Connors has 25-8-2. Jack hits a three, and it’s a 53-50 game! Jones is getting owned by Connors, who now has 27. Escalera throws down a dunk. 1:26 left, and Connors gets another layup. Jones doesn’t want to foul. Escalera is called for a travel. Connors misses, but Cooper gets the rebound and Bryant finds Connors again. It’s 61-52 after Connors scores AGAIN. He has 33 for the game. 61-52. The Bulls have one more chance, but Escalera misses from beyond half-court. The Jazz led by nine at the break. Connors is having an otherworldly game. If the Bulls can find a way to stop him, they’ll win the title. But, right now, Harris Connors is single-handedly showing the basketball world why he is the greatest power forward in the game, one of the finest ever, and perhaps, after tonight, a claim to the throne as the greatest power forward to play the game. The Bulls will need Jack to stop being quiet. Code:
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06-11-2018, 05:33 AM
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#259 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1987-88 NBA Championship: Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz
Game 7, 3rd Quarter: Jazz Lead 61-52 Utah starts with it, and Cooper hits off a Snodgrass pass. Escalera is called for a travel, and Snodgrass hits a three. Jack throws down a dunk, making it 66-54. Jones commits his third foul, and Perez fouls immediately after. Connors gets his tenth rebound, on a Henderson miss. Connors hits his first shot of the half. The Bulls are cold, shooting 40%. Henderson with his third foul. Bryant scores. It’s 72-54 after Snodgrass gets a steal. This is just like two years ago. Mimis hits a jumper. Jones fouls Connors, who goes one of two from the line. Connors fouls Jack; he has three. Jack finds Mims for a bucket. Bryant counters. He has 7 and 9 boards. Escalera is having a miserable game. Snodgrass hits both free throws after he’s fouled. Jack finds Perez…but Cooper puts Utah up twenty with a three, 80-60. Bryant scores again. Jack misses. The Jazz are controlling the boards, 36-26. Perez scores, but Connors counters. Jack throws down a dunk. He has 16-2-10. Jack finds Shank. 84-66. Connors drills a three…he has 41. 87-66. He has the answer for everything tonight. He scores again, then draws a charge. That’s the signature moment, right there. 91-66, 2:14 left. The fans are leaving. Cooper drills a three. The Jazz are proving themselves to be the kings of basketball. This is unbelievable. The starters are out for Chicago, down 94-66, as the quarter comes to a close. Richard Lara comes in and scores. Maximo Benson ends the half with a bucket for the Bulls, and the third quarter ends with the Jazz having demonstrated how dominant they could be. Just…wow. Code:
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06-12-2018, 05:18 AM
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#260 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1987-88 NBA Championship: Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz
Game 7, 4th Quarter: Jazz Lead 96-68 The lead quickly gets to thirty. No sign of any Chicago starter…in fact, the Jazz starters are out, too. And it doesn’t matter. The Bulls are throwing the ball everywhere but to each other. The lead is comfortably thirty, and the announcers don’t really know how to deal with it. They were not expecting this. Nobody was expecting this. Ezra Cousin scores, making it 104-74. Jose Sokol scores again. Timmy McBroom enters the game. That’s when you know it’s totally, without a doubt, over…in either direction. This team maybe did not deserve this result, but you can’t say it wasn’t foreshadowed earlier in this season. Jones got into foul trouble, and Jack didn’t have the horses around him. This will fall on the Chicago administration to rectify. It will be interesting to see what happens. With 5:30 left, it’s 116-78. Mims scores to make it 116-80. I will have to look back in the annals to see how Game 7s have gone. It’s doubtful they have ever gone like this. The final is 125-91. Connors scored 43 in three quarters. You have to put this at the feet of Jack somewhat; he scored only 16, and got just two rebounds. He shrank against legacy. Now, this game dwarfs what his legacy was before it. That is unfair. But, as you know, sports is always what you’ve done lately. And lately, he played an awful game, by his standards, when it mattered most. Code:
The Bulls left the floor quickly, led by Joshua Jones. Only two remained on the floor. Jack and Richard Mims. Jack noted that Jones left quickly. He also noted the Jazz, celebrating on Chicago’s floor once again after a Game 7. These are the kind of lessons that take failure and experience to understand. Jack, though, was understanding something else. He has always been considered loyal. But this series has begun to change him. Now, it was just him and Mims, standing there quietly, watching another team dance on their floor. They were handed their hides by The Man. Mims watched another championship get close, then fade. He had one; he could have had three. Now, almost assuredly retiring in a few days, he wanted to soak up the achievement by this Bulls team. It was not the record-setters of last season, on which he was a vital part. No, this felt different. It was detatched, more distant. Perhaps he was growing distant from the game. Richard Mims watched Utah to see if he had any passion left. For Jack, he watched for other reasons. He had tasted victory once, and, now, defeat again. He knew that those who predicted this for Chicago were not fools. He knew he didn’t have quite the team he had a year ago. And he began to wonder… …will he have to go somewhere else, in order to achieve the kind of success he wants? |
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06-12-2018, 05:20 AM
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#261 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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(originally posted 1.9.16)
It should be noted that the last part of the last post is mere speculation (and, perhaps, hope...if this is going to be Chicago going forward, I hope Jack gets out). I am merely playing in real-time and reacting. Watching this unfold last night was a punch in the gut. When I finally compared the two, I thought Utah would win (even though I picked Chicago, that was hope and romanticism), but I didn't think they'd blow them the hell out again. |
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06-13-2018, 05:22 AM
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#262 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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The Future of the Chicago Bulls
Looking at this, the Bulls will be in serious transition. Chris Henderson and Ivory Perez are off the books after this season; frankly, the team needs Perez. Henderson…yeah, probably need him, too. There are a bunch of options that I still can’t figure out if they’re team or player options. But there’s a bunch of those out there, notably on Richard Mims, Eddie Shank, and Maximo Benson. The era of good feelings, known as the past two years, appear to be over. Jack is entering his contract year. They will still have Jack and Escalera on the books for big deals, and Cain might be on the final year of his. Not entirely sure there. But Chicago has real questions, and not a lot of real answers. This offseason will be very interesting, perhaps shifting the league into the next decade. Code:
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(I just got a notice by Word that there are too many spelling and grammar mistakes, and they are being turned off. There are, of course, none. Because I'm amazing. But all of the names, and different formats...I have never seen that popup before. Of course, I've never gotten to page 296 of a document before, either.) |
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06-13-2018, 09:06 PM
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#263 |
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General Manager
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Chicago
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Shot distribution for that final game was no bueno. Having Jack third on shots in a game where he wasn't in foul trouble just should not happen in Game 7.
It felt like "the horses around him" did not matter all that much in the title season, although maybe they would have if the Jazz had advanced to the title game again. What kind of makeup would you ideally want to put around Jack? Rugged defenders, willing passers, outside shooting, etc? Was Jones the primary defender on Connors as he went for 43? |
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06-14-2018, 05:05 AM
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#264 | ||
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
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Quote:
I think that's mostly due to Jack being a top-flight passer, too. Quote:
For the latter, I'm not sure. I am merely an observer in this universe; no coaching, no GM duties...I am simply letting this play out without any input on my behalf. Ideally...well, it's the 80s, so the concept of Jack and 3-and-D guys is out. If we were to discuss NBA-comp players for the era (merely in the type of player, not necessarily the talent level): PG: Ron Harper SG: Mitch Richmond SF: Jack PF: James Worthy or Charles Oakley C: Patrick Ewing or Tom Chambers Guards who will run and take care of the ball (and in Richmond's case, can spread the floor), with a 4 that will either run with Jack or be an enforcer...and a defensive-minded 5. |
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06-14-2018, 06:08 AM
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#265 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
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1988 NBA Offseason
Resignings: Atlanta signed their two big stars, Joe Kujawa, and Rex Smith, to long-term deals. Smith signed for five years and $7.1m, while Kujawa may be a steal at $2.3m over five years. The Clippers resigned Seb Daniels for five years and $4.1m. Oh, yes…this is an expansion year. Forgot about that. The Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat are entering the league. However, they will not be picking first, nor second. The Rockets won the top overall pick, while the Clippers earned the second pick. Charlotte is third, followed by Miami, then Milwaukee, who had the worst record in the league last year. The Lakers are sixth, followed by Atlanta, Cleveland, and San Antion. Chicago is picking 25th. The Bulls lost Maximo Benson to the Miami Heat, who selected the guard in the expansion draft. Dallas guard Dean Jemison, a G/G talent, went first overall. He was a starter for Dallas the last two years, averaging 11.7 points a game last season. Charlotte selected Brent Neilson from Seattle with their first pick. The third-year pro out of Clemson was a bit player for the Supersonics the last two years. 1988 Draft Houston, as expected, took SF Jimmy Matz from Baylor. He currently rates as a B/B, but it is expected that he will be a B/P before long. He's also a local kid, having grown up in Texas. Code:
Colorado point guard Brett Hatch went to the LA Clippers at #2. He is a classic pass-first point, with superior ball-handling and passing skills. He’s a surprising rebounder and a solid, willing defender. He is also lightning quick, and may enter the league as the most explosive in this regard. He also has superior stamina, and an Olympic participant in distance running. Charlotte took power forward Dewey Teeter, a supreme rebounder and okay inside scorer. He is not a defensive wizard. Guard Tony Marker, a UNC product, went to Miami. He is further along that most rookies, outside of Matz, and should be a key contributor from the start. His ceiling is also higher. It’s kind of surprising he dropped to fourth. Milwaukee took Matz’ teammate, SF Arnaud Delescluse, with the fifth pick. He was never a big contributor on the Baylor teams, starting only in his senior year. That will be interesting, how his potential translates at the next level. Because it’s the Lakers, they took PF Brian Zuber with the sixth pick. Nevermind that they have an aging issue at guard and took two power forwards high in the last two years (Rudolf McKinnie and Brian Loeffler). No, they needed another. Zuber is good, but it’s not even the top talent out there. Naturally, they grabbed one in the seocnd round, too. Atlanta grabbed Kansas guard Ronny Montgomery with the seventh pick. Forward Christopher Blake went to Cleveland with the eight pick, while Baylor guard Russell Davidson went ninth, to San Antonio. And Gervais Caudron, a Yale grad, went tenth to the Knicks. The Bulls selected Chad Downey, a mediocre guard out of SMU, with their first pick (25th overall). Ironically, his best trait is scoring inside. Fordham SF Dana Pounds, who projects better than Downey, was taken with the final pick. He’s solid offensively, and not totally embarrass defensively. He could be a bench guy. Code:
Free Agency The Sixers got a steal, signing forward John Barnum away from Milwaukee for six years at $15m total. He averaged 10.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, and 3.1 apg starting all 82 games for the Bucks a year ago. Before that, the former UNC star was a three-year starter with the Knicks. Perhaps the biggest news was Phoenix stealing Tom Perez from New Jersey. The top point guard in the league, Perez had an off year last season, averaging 11.1 ppg, 12.6 apg, and 6.0 rpg. Those were his worst numbers since 1981. That is a huge loss to the biggest contender to the Bulls. Things are wide open now. Other big signings involve Boston taking a chance on SF David Neubauer, giving him a massive deal after getting into a bidding war cleverly orchastrated by his agent. He scored 9.5 ppg and 5.8 rpg last season with the Pacers. He is now on for six years, and nearly $16m. He is a defensive guru, so if the C’s plan is to pair him with Brian Deese and create havoc, fine. But this can easily backfire on them. Phoenix really loves point guards, as they resigned the aging Ronny Payne to a four-year deal. I guess they’ll start together. The Suns, who won the division last year, but lost in the first round, had to do something to show their fan base they were serious about going after Utah. The Bulls lost Ivory Perez to Milwaukee. He left for a six-year, $8.6m deal. The Bucks, knowing the Bulls would have difficulty matching such a deal, took the risk. Danny Smythe, the league’s all-time leading scorer, is becoming a sideshow at this point. He signed with Miami for two years, at just over $2.5m. This is not how he should go out. He started with Cleveland…he went back home. He should not be in Miami. Sigh. Douglas Toscano left Washington to go to Cleveland. You kind of have to wonder what their game is here…Toscano is a solid player, but he isn’t going to be the second-best player on a winning team. Maybe the Cavs think they’re closer to contending than everyone else thinks. Looking at the Bulls and what they did…honestly, they did NOTHING of note. The team keeps getting worse and worse. Is having Jack a curse? Or has bringing on Jones, along with their already high-priced players, sinking them? Oh, I almost forgot…New Jersey brought back Hugh Turnage, after trading him to the Knicks. So, in the end, they have John Jennings and Turnage. The Knicks have no pieces to that deal. I bet Joshua Morris, who Turnage emascaulated on a routine basis, is happy. One guy I wish developed is King Harvey, who signed a long-term deal with San Antonio. He played for Kansas State, won the 1982 NCAA championship, and has a boatload of talent, both as a scorer, as a rebounder, and as a defender. But he was wasted in four years with Philly, and then last year with Boston. He’s the kind of player Chicago should have gone after. Instead, he’s in an improving situation with the Spurs. Oh, and Chris Henderson left the Bulls for the Spurs, too. Code:
For the record, the next draft looks to be the weakest in years. Not a lot of talent coming out. At the top of the list are guards Wendell Parrish of Clemson, USC guard Wilfred Brown, and Duke forward and reigning National Player of the Year, Matthew Thiele. Code:
Last edited by Comey : 06-14-2018 at 06:10 AM. |
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06-14-2018, 06:11 AM
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#266 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988 Season Preview
For some dumbass reason, the Bulls are picked to finish first in the Central. This does not compute. Their roster is terrible, and they do not stack up to the top teams elsewhere. Perhaps it is the inclusion of Charlotte and Miami that dilutes the league. Among the predictions, Detroit and Atlanta are rising, while New York sinks. Milwaukee is picked to finish last again…San Antonio is picked to finish fifth in the Midwest, which is surprising. Dallas is picked ahead of Utah, which is also surprising. And the Lakers are primed to come out of the cellar this year, passing Seattle. How sad is that, if you’re a Sonics fan? The usual sits atop the All-League Team….Jack has his place alongside Brian Deese, the evil Harris Connors, Jim Burr of Denver, and Golden State’s Lionel Condon. Code:
As far as the Bulls are concerned, Gayle Cruz was signed to replace Henderson. He’s 6’11, a seven-year veteran who spent time with the Lakers, Celtics, and last year, the Spurs. In the preseason, he averaged 12.3 points and 4.3 rebounds. The points, fine…but less than five boards? Come on. He is a shoddy rebounder, and this will end up a spectacular failure. It may appear that Jones and Jack have regressed, slightly. Jones is now a G/B, while Jack is an A- at ball handling. Escalera returns to the off-guard spot, where he is far more effective. Journeyman Josh Whitman, a solid, yet unspectacular player, is the new point guard. He has spent time with Dallas, Atlanta (where he was a starter for a full season and part of another), and the Knicks. He is a downgrade from Perez and Escalera, for sure. Whitman wears #23. How is this feasible? I just switched him to #2, because even though he isn’t in this dynasty, I couldn’t see that happening. The bench is bad. There are a couple of players with potential…Eddie Shank is back, as is Richard Mims (who returns for his 15th season). Timmy McBroom is back to add his antics. It’s like Weekend at Bernies, except everyone is Bernie. Felicien Delahaye, who has played a total of 93 games over six years, is on the team. He has never spent consecutive seasons with the same team. He started with the Nets, where he didn’t play. He then went to Indiana, where he didn’t play. He finally played with the Sonics, 81 games. He was pitiful. He went back to the Nets. He didn’t play once. He did play 11 games the next year for the Lakers. He played one game with the Knicks last season. So far, he’s played in all six preseason games, which I know has to happen…but this might be a rotational player. If nothing else, it allows me to write, “Bye Felicien.” I don’t quite understand that meme, and this is 1988, where memes do not exist. So I will be ahead of my time. Essentially, I do not see how this team gets past the second round, let alone a conference final. They are probably the third, maybe fourth-best team in the East, behind Boston, New Jersey, and maybe Philly. Detroit has more talent than they do, so it may be that Chicago loses the division. In a way, I’m really happy about this. Jack has not had much in the way of hurdles since he entered the league. Sure, he’s 1-2 in the championship…but he’s been to the championship all three years he has been in the league. He’s a three-time MVP, and he should. This year, the deck is stacked considerably against him. Thank God. YOUR 1988-89 Chicago Bulls Code:
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06-15-2018, 05:41 AM
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#267 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
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November 1988
11.1.88: vs Sacramento (0-0). The Bulls open with the Kings at home, and obliterate them, 124-100. If this is the Jack we’re going to see this year, watch out. Here is the line from that game. That’s all I’ll say. The rest of the team was what you’d expect, but Cruz was somewhat encouraging…even if he did have six turnovers. The Kings have some good pieces. Charles Hansel shooting just 2-15 was a surprise; he’s coming off a big contract signing. Perhaps he’s feeling the pressure. Record: 1-0 Code:
11.2.88: at Detroit (1-0). The Pistons took it to the Bulls. This feels like it may be the Warriors of the late 80s. Thomas Henderson, who got paid in the offseason, scored 28, as did reigning scoring champion Brian Crawford (who added 9 boards and 7 assists), as the Pistons beat the Bulls, 132-125. PG Michael Drake added 25 and 10 assists, while Stevie Michaelson added 21. Joshua Jones scored 39 (15-24 FG) and 10 boards, while Jack had 28-7-19. Nineteen assists is an absurd number. For the record, the record is Silas Shiflett, who posted 29 assists for Detroit on April 2, 1960. I will have to go get that boxscore sometime. Record: 1-1 11.6.88: at Washington (2-1). Oh boy. If this is any indication of this season, it’s going to be a rough one. The Bullets, who haven’t beaten the Bulls since who knows when, got 32 points from sudden second-year star Kelly Williams, as they beat the Bulls, 108-102. Lamont Cioffi added 28 points and 11 boards, while Jon McElroy added 16. In a various curious game, Ahmed Robson went scoreless, but added 12 assists. He had no rebounds, and went 0-5 from the field. Very curious line from him. Jack had a 42-6-10-5-4 line, but got little help; three players—Jones, Cruz, and Josh Whitman—contributed 12 each. Record: 1-2 11.10.88: vs Detroit (5-0). The Pistons are red hot. Or were. The Bulls ended their own two-game losing streak, and the Pistons’ five-game run, with a 119-103 victory. Jack’s 35-11-7 with four steals paved the way, while Jones added 25-9-3, and Cruz 22 and six boards. Not sure he should be taking sixteen shots in a game, but he hit. Second-year man Sheldon Maurer scored 12 points and added six boards, in just 14 minutes. That helped overcome a dreadful day by the backcourt. Bye Felicien scored six points in 14 minutes as well. Stevie Michaelson and Brian Crawford each scored 24 for the Pistons. Thomas Henderson chipped in 18. Record: 2-2 11.11.88: vs Boston (3-2). My favorite date on the calendar (11.11) and the Bulls get the Celtics. Sounds like a good day to me. The Bulls thought so, as Jack’s 31-10-10 led them to a 112-101 win at Chicago Stadium. The Bulls closed out the C’s with a 28-16 final frame. Jones added 28-10-3, while Escalera went for 12-5-6. Maurer scored 10 off the bench, while Bye Felicien and Eddie Shank each had six, combining to go 6-7 from the field. Jules Howes led the Celtics with 25-7-6, while Brian Deese added 19 points, 14 rebounds, and nine blocks. Thomas Jones scored 16 off the bench, while big money man, David Neubauer, lived up to his season average of seven points a game. His numbers, thus far, are dreadful: 7.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.8 apg, 2.0 topg. He’s shooting 42% from the field. Think he’s feeling the pressure at all? Record: 3-2 11.15.88: vs Phoenix (6-1). The Suns are fantastic to start the year, with a top-notch defense behind Tom Perez, Ronny Payne, and 7’1 postman Keenan Sweet. They are coming off their first loss, at Portland. The Bulls added their second L to their docket, as Jones’ 35, and Jack’s 29-7-15, allowed the Bulls to cruise, 115-93. Cruz added 12 points on 6-6 shooting, but just one rebound. Ugh. Josh Whiman, though, dished out 13 assists, against just one turnover. Overall, the Bulls tossed out 41 assists. I went and looked at the record…it appears the record is 55, set by Boston on March 14, 1962. The game sort of messed up the records, and gave Utah 72 assists in Game 7 last year. Anyway, Tony Steinmetz, the fifth-year Penn standout who is breaking out this year, scored 24. Sweet led the Suns with 25. Tom Perez, who hates playing Chicago, scored just 2 points, with five boards and seven assists. Record: 4-2 11.16.88: at Dallas (7-1). The Mavs own the league’s best record, just a half-game ahead of Detroit. They showed why, crushing the Bulls, 124-111, in Dallas. Clemente Ellis led the Mavs with 31, but second-year revelation, PF Carl Caro, was the story. Carl Caro (how can you say his name any other way?) scored 26 and added 15 boards (8 offensive) and four assists). Dom Winkler, one of the few P/P players in the league, scored 23. The other big story was that Jack had one of his poorest offensive outputs, scoring 10 points (4-12 FG), with eight boards and 12 assists…and six turnovers. Cruz led Chicago with 27, on 13-20 shooting. Jones had 20, while Escalera added 14, and reserve guard Nicky Lopez added 13 off the bench. Record: 4-3 Quick sidebar, as it should be noted who has either purple ability, or purple potential: C Brian Deese, Boston (B/P) SF Jack Dawkins, Chicago (P/P) SF Domenic Winkler, Dallas (P/P) SF Thomas Henderson, Detroit (B/P) SF David Sweatt, Milwaukee (B/P; third year pro starting for the first time) That’s the list. While going through this, I saw that the Knicks’ Joshua Morris, the one Hugh Turnage killed last year while playing with the Knicks, is now in a reserve role. He’s been replaced by second-year player, Joshua Shriver. 11.19.88: at Phoenix (6-3). The Suns snapped their three-game losing streak, beating the Bulls, 109-105. Keenan Sweet destroyed Gayle Cruz, going for 36 points and seven rebounds. He also held Cruz to ten points and just one board. Tom Perez got over his fear of Chicago to post a triple-double: 16 points, 10 boards, 10 assists. Michael Matney, the long-time Suns star, added 19, while Ronny Payne posted a 14-5-9 night…with eight turnovers. Jack’s 29-5-14 and four steals led Chicago; Jones posted 20 points and eight boards, while Escalera put up 12-4-6 and Sheldon Maurer scored 12 off the bench. Record: 4-4 11.20.88: vs Seattle (5-4). The Bulls return home to play the surprising Sonics, they of last-place prediction by the AP. The Bulsl had trouble with Seattle, needing a 28-15 fourth quarter to put Seattle away, 122-108. Jack posted 40-12-21-3-4, simply absurd numbers. He was 15-15 from the line. Cruz added 22-7-3, while Whitman added a tidy 19-6-8 line. Jones scored 18 with five boards. PF Larry Cockrell, who came to Seattle from Phoenix after losing his starting spot a year ago (surprising because he averaged 24.2 ppg and 23.0 ppg in the previous two years) led Seattle with 22. SG Paul Marshall, who is breaking out as a star in his second year (22.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 5.9 apg) added 21-4-8. Record: 5-4 Code:
11.22.88: at Utah (10-2). Cripes, this schedule is brutal to start. Utah pounded Chicago, 119-103, behind 35-10-4 from the Evil Harris Connors, and 17 from reserve forward Dalton Stillman. The 17 are a career high. Amazing. Royal Bryant added 23, 9 boards, and 7 blocks. Utah was aided by a 37-25 first quarter…but really, the 40-25 third quarter did Chicago in. Jack’s 38-10-8 led the Bulls, but his five turnovers didn’t help. He also got no help. Jones had 18 and 10 boards, while Cruz scored 10. Bye Felicien and Sheldon Maurer added nine of the bench…Bye Felicien was 3-12 from the field. He has no business taking twelve shots in a month. Warmups, by himself, at the Y…anywhere. He took twelve in a game? Alfonso Alba should be ashamed. Then again, Alba was literally hired off the street with nothing more than amateur experience, and has a 210-46 record in three years, with three conference championships and a NBA ring. Who am I to judge? Still, though…Bye Felicien? Twelve shots?! Record: 5-5 11.24.88: at Seattle (5-6). The Bulls are 0-5 on the road.They finally break through with a 133-111 demolishing of the young Sonics at Key Arena. Jack had 33-6-12-4-4, shooting 10-14 from the field, and 13-13 from the line, to lead the way. Jones (26-8-4) and Cruz (18-4-3) were key contributors. Escalera scored 19. Maurer, proving his worth as a reserve, scored 11 in fifteen minutes. Larry Cockrell scored 22 for Seattle, while Paul Marshall scored 20, and rookie forward Chance Davis 19. Record: 6-5 11.27.88: vs San Antonio (6-6). The Bulls return home and get a complete effort in absolutely destroying the Spurs. Jack’s 22-8-12-3-3 lead six players in double figures, as the Bulls romped, 112-77. Cruz (18), Jones (16), Nicky Lopez (13), Sheldon Maurer (11) and Eddie Shank (10) were more than enough for the Bulls, who shot 56% from the field. Marco Fortier’s 19 (9-21 FG) led the Spurs, who were held to 44%, including 2-12 from three (Chicago shot 4-5). King Harvey, who I wanted in a Chicago uniform, scored 16 with 11 rebounds. Chris Henderson, who spurned the Bulls for the Spurs (I actually don’t know that an offer was made) is averaging less than 13 minutes a game with San Antonio. He scored four points in 17 minutes. Oddly enough, the Spurs signed potential future Hall of Famer Isidro Brainard to a four-year deal in the offseason, despite his age (33). He has played sparingly this year, appearing in just two games. He played one minute here, and scored in it. He is a five-time All-Star, a former MVP, and three-time All-NBA First Teamer. Record: 7-5 11.28.88: vs Milwaukee (2-11). If I could be a coach in this league, I would take over Milwaukee. I keep waiting for them to make the leap, but they are stuck in youth and ineptitude. The Bulls romped in this one, 127-100, behind Jack’s 44-15-10-2-7 (the seven are blocks). Sheldon Maurer, playing key minutes with Josh Jones mired in foul trouble, scored 22 with nine rebounds. Cruz added 14. Jones, who played just seven minutes in this one, scored four. Shank added 13. Emil Andrae led Milwaukee with 16, while Ivory Perez, returning to Chicago after leaving in the offseason, scored 13 on 3-10 shooting, and was booed everywhere. Richie Russell, the incredibly talented guard who is recovering from an injury, may be on his way out of Milwaukee. He scored six points with four assists in 29 minutes. The Pick After Jack is scoring just 6.7 points and 4.7 assists in the three games he has played thi syear. He had a down year last year, and is showing signs of losing interest with the Bucks. Record: 8-5 11.30.88: at Charlotte (3-12). The Hornets, and their fans, get their first look at Jack. And they played well; however, the Bulls were a little too much, winning 116-106. Jones rebounded from his effort against the Bucks with a game-high 34, along with six boards and four assists. Jack added 24-11-4-4-2, while Cruz added 21 and 9 boards. Henry Martin and first-round C Dewey Teeter led Charlotte with 22 each, while Teeter added 10 boards. Brent Neilson, drafted away from Seattle in the expansion draft, scored 15 and added 12 assists…but with eight turnovers. Former Bull (for a season), now second-year man Michael Hicks scored 16 against the team that drafted him, then hung him out to dry in the expansion draft. Record: 9-5 Last edited by Comey : 06-15-2018 at 05:42 AM. |
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06-15-2018, 05:42 AM
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#268 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
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November 1988 cont'd
Standings Update: The Bulls are 1.5 games behind Detroit in what already looks to be a two-team race. While their rivalry will be fun, the other divisions have all the intrigue. Washington is currently a game-up on Philly, Boston, and the surprising Knicks in the Atlanta. Dallas and Utah share the league’s top record in the Midwest, at 13-3. And who saw Sacramento coming? They aren’t great, at 9-6…but it’s good enough for an early lead in the Pacific. Code:
Player Update: Jack is back to leading the league in points, at 32.4 ppg. He also leads the league in assists, at 12.4 per game. Four players are currently averaging double figures. Not one is Tom Perez, who has 9.4. Charlotte’s Brent Neilson (12.2), Portland’s Saul Jones (11.1) and Washington’s Ahmed Robson (10.4) are the others. Jack’s 9.3 rebounds per game have him far down the list. Utah has both top spots, with Royal Bryant (12.4) barely leading the Evil Harris Connors (12.3). King Harvey (sigh) is third, at 11.8. Clemente Ellis leads the league with an astounding 7.3 blocks per game. Royal Bryant is second, at 6.7. Holy crap. Jack is 12th, at 2.7 Golden State wizard Lionel Condon leads the league in steals, at 3.0 per contest. Jack is tied for second with Hugh Turnage, at 2.8 per game. Code:
Team Summary: The Bulls are the highest-scoring team in the league…but their defense is atrocioius. They’ll still win games because they shoot the ball so well (nearly 55% from the field as a team), but they will not win a championship. Detroit is the best team in the conference, and would punish the Bulls in a playoff series. I have less confidence that Boston could beat the Bulls, though. Chicago might be the second-best team in the conference, especially if Cruz can up his scoring, and the Bulls can get enough from their role players each night. Code:
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06-20-2018, 05:37 AM
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#269 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
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December 1988
12.2.88: vs Charlotte (3-13). It needs to be noted that Jack is shooting the best of his career. He came into this game shooting 66% from the field, and 93% from the line. He went 8-11, 2-2 from 3, and 5-5 from the line in this one. That adds up to 23-8-8, with eight steals and a block. That adds up to a 127-92 victory for the Bulls. Gregory Escalera had 22, while Gayle Cruz scored 19. Josh Whitman had 12 points and 13 assists. Sheldon Maurer had 13, while Eddie Shank and Josh Jones each had 10. Jones was the only one who shot poorly, going 4-11. Henry Martin led Charlotte with 17, while Brent Neilson, who is becoming a cult hero in the Carolinas, had six points, but 11 assists…and six turnovers. Record: 10-5 12.4.88: at Boston (11-5). A rivalry game! The Celtics are second in the league in defense right now, and rightfully so. They signed players to big contracts specifically because of their defense. And they own Brian Deese, the best defensive player in the league. It showed here, as they held the Bulls to just nine points in the first quarter, and 28 in the first half. They rolled to a 100-87 victory, frustrating the Bulls into 21 turnovers. Thomas Jones, the wonderful veteran who adapted to a reserve role a couple of seasons ago, scored 27 in 29 minutes to lead the way. Brian Deese had 24 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 blocks, while Raymond Doby, new to the team after a stay in Seattle last year, scored 17. Jack had 18-15-3-1-4 for the Bulls, who scored their lowest total of the year. Escalera scored 18 as well, while Jones was forced into a 5-16 night, and had 10-7-5. Record: 10-6 12.6.88: at Charlotte (3-15). They’re getting their fill of the Hornets, all right. Third game in two weeks with them. I guess they…Jones especially…could use it. Jones erupted for 44, on 21-27 shooting, to lead the Bulls to a 127-109 win. Jack added 30-10-18, while Cruz scored 15 and secured ten rebounds for once. Jose Thomson, the former Seattle star, led the Hornets with 23. Dewey Teeter had 16 and eight boards, while George Penrod scored 20. And Brent Neilson, Cult Hero, had just three points, but fourteen assists. Record: 11-6 12.8.88: at Philadelphia (9-7). The Sixers have slid back a bit, but are still dangerous. That said, there was a lot to take out of Chicago’s 94-83 win. Their defense was solid, frustrating the Sixers into 38% shooting, including 3-16 from three. The normally mild-mannered Woodrow Taber was frustrated to the point of a technical foul. And the team of Jack and Josh proved very capable. Jack went for 27-12-13, on 12-18 shooting (no free throws, though), while Jones had 23-6-3. Josh Whitman is proving himself to be better and better as the season goes, putting up an 11-8-6 night, with just one turnover. Gayle Cruz had 10 points and seven rebounds. For the Sixers, David Lawson scored 34, while Chris Wise registered 12 points and 12 boards, along with four blocks. Whitney Gooden, long one of the best players in the league, is now a deep reserve. He did not score in seven minutes of action. This was a big road win for the Bulls. Record: 12-6 12.9.88: at LA Clippers (7-14). The Clippers, who many thought would be in the thick of it again in the Pacific, are again a disappointing laughingstock of a team. The Bulls walked into the Forum and simply destroyed the Clips, 126-110. Jack’s 39-11-18 and three steals, along with Josh’s 34-8-3, were too much to bear. Sebastian Daniels led Los Angeles with 29-7-4, while the Face of the Franchise, Ian Rowland, scored 18. He has been with the team since Buffalo. John Fleck scored 15 off the bench, and added seven blocks. The Bulls stay within a game of Detroit (13-4) for first in the Central. Record: 13-6 12.12.88: vs Cleveland (9-11). The Bulls continue their winning streak with a 117-94 pasting of the Cavs in Chicago. Jack’s 28-10-10-3-4 (no turnovers) led the Bulls, though, once again, no free throws. Josh was efficient, going for 21 on 9-13 shooting, along with five boards and five assists. Josh Whitman offered 15-4-8 with one turnover, while Sheldon Maurer scored 14 and added five boards, two assists, and three steals. Bye Felicien scored 9 and contributed three assists. Douglas Toscano, the newest Cav, led the way with 17 for Cleveland. PG Joe Baker, now becoming an afterthought in Cleveland (would love to see Chicago get him) had 6-8-5. PF John Kress, coming to the forefront in his first year as a starter (20.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg) scored 15. Record: 14-6 12.13.88: vs Cleveland (9-12). A scheduling quirk keeps the Cavs in Chicago. I’m going to predict a 107-100 win for Chicago here. I was wrong. Chicago won, 117-94…the identical score as the night before. This time, Jones led with 25-9-5, while Jack offered 22-11-9-2-1. Cruz scored 19, while Whitman offered 10 and seven assists. Bye Felicien scored nine again, on 4-6 shooting. Eddie Shank had 6-12-5 in 21 minutes. PF Nathanael Langois, a second-year man who is proving to be a solid bench option (12.9 ppg in 20.8 mpg) led Cleveland with 24, on 11-12 shooting, and six rebounds. The power forward spot is a sore one for Chicago, defensively (see Evil Harris Connors). John Kress added 20 points, 11 boards, and four blocks…also from the power forward spot. Very weird two nights in Chicago. Record: 15-6 12.15.88: vs New Jersey (12-9). Phoenix came into Newark for the second game of the year. It was Tom Perez’ homecoming, and the fans were solidly behind him (news surfaced that the Nets lowballed Perez, as they felt he was too old for a multi-year deal, but couldn’t just not offer him anything). He responded by finding Keenan Sweet for a layup to win the game at the buzzer in overtime, 104-102. He also could have ended it in regulation, as he had two free throws with a second left. He made one. Luke Black found John Jennings, who threw up a prayer and sank it to send it to OT. So that’s the story of Tom Perez returning home. Back tot his one…Jack found Gayle Cruz for a basket with seven second left, giving the Bulls a 109-108 lead after being down for much of the game. Luke Black had a chance to win it, but his shot went off the rim, giving the Bulls that 109-108 win. Jack’s 34-16-11-4-4 led the Bulls, while Jones (28-9-3) and Cruz (20-7-5, 6 TO) were instrumental in the win. Black scored 37 with 12 boards…from the power forward spot. There is a trend here. Jennings, who has taken over as the point guard, had 22-5-7. Record: 16-6 12.17.88: at New Jersey (12-10). Because why not have back-to-back back-to-backs? Chicago kept on rolling, trucking the Nets, 116-96. Jack’s 33-10-10 with four blocks, and Josh’s 28-10-3-2-1, settled matters for Chicago. Escalera offered 12-10-3, while Bye Felicien had 10 points in 13 minutes. Luke Black had 18-9-2, while Gabe Smith and Hugh Turnage offered 16 each, to pace the Nets. Record: 17-6 For the record, the longest win streak in league history…well, Jack’s Bulls own three of the top four. They had a 23-game win streak snapped a day after my birthday (2.25.87). That is one better than Philly’s 22-game win streak, which was snapped on April 2, 1964. The Bulls had a 21-game win streak snapped on 4.11.87, meaning they went 44-2 over a 46-game stretch in 1987. A day before my eighth birthday, the Bulls had a 20-game win streak snapped. Jack’s Bulls have also put up two fifteen-game win streaks, back in 1985 and 86, respectively. The next highest win streak after Chicago’s 20-gamer is Portland’s 18 game streak, which was snapped on April Fools’ Day in 1984. With the win, Chicago pulled even with Detroit (16-5). The rest of the Central is sad; Atlanta is in third, at 9-12. 12.19.88: at San Antonio (12-11). The Spurs are starting to click. Would it be enough to end Chicago’s seven-game win streak? It would. The Spurs won a back-and-forth contest, 128-126. Rookie Russell Davidson, currently a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year (18.1 ppg) led the Spurs with 24-5-6.PG Marco Fortier had a triple-double (16-10-10), while Chris Henderson finally got his revenge, going 9-9 from the field and scoring 19 off the bench. Jordan Maus had 22 points, 10 boards, and 4 blocks, while King Harvey (sigh) had 19-6-3. Jack’s 32-15-6-3-2 came on 10-26 shooting. Not his best night. Josh scored 20 on 21 shots; Sheldon Maurer had 17 off the bench, while Eddie Shank put up 14. Gayle Cruz had 12 and seven boards. Record: 17-7 12.20.88: vs Indiana (9-16). The Pacers come into town. How do you feel if you’re Albert Scott? Sure, you’re a superstar now…but the team you left is a dominant legacy team, and you’re on a disappointing afterthought. Scott has risen to where he can be considered a top ten player in the league (27.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.7 spg, 1.0 bpg), and on this night, he scored 39. Andrew Edmiston, the star at power forward, scored 30. But the Pacers ended up a 109-101 loser, because only one other, former Celtic Dewitt Gilpin, scored in double figures. Their starting point guard, Carl Leclerc, may be the worst in league histor. He has somehow started in six of his ten seasons, but has an average of 7.2 ppg, 4.6 apg, and supbar defensive numbers. How is this guy a starter? Anyway, Jack led Chicago with 29-22-13 (9 offensive boards), four steals and three blocks. Josh had 21-17-5. Jack and Josh had as many rebounds (39) as the Pacers did collectively. Overall, the Bulls had sixty boards. Escalera scored 19. If the Bulls had shot better (46%), they would have won by thirty. Record: 18-7 12.24.88: at Indiana (10-17). The Bulls, spending Christmas Eve in Indianapolis? Grumble. Jack was especially displeased. But this 138-122 Bulls win was incredibly entertaining…starting with Jack’s 52-13-8-3-2 (and, yes, six turnovers). He shot 16-21 from the field, 3-3 from 3, and 17-18 from the line. Josh added 30 points and nine boards (and another six turnovers). Escalera added 12, and Whitman 11 points and 11 assists. Andrew Edmiston scored forty-four for Indiana…on FORTY-THREE shots. He was 20-43 from the field. Think teams don’t have a battle plan for the Bulls? Amazingly, the record for attempts in a game is FIFTY-FOUR, by Thomas Carr of Boston, on 2.4.57. He was a chucker. A week before, he took 51 shots. I’m definitely going to have to go into the annals to look at this. Here is his player card. High-volume scorer, but a low-percentage shooter. Must have been the way the game was played then. Code:
Albert Scott went for 35, on 13-24 shooting, while C Chris Maya had 22. Record: 19-7 (tied again with Detroit) |
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06-20-2018, 05:38 AM
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#270 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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December 1988 cont'd
12.25.88: vs Denver (10-17). Someone in the NBA offices got fired for this, putting Denver in Chicago on Chrismas Day, forcing the Bulls to play a back-to-back here. The Bulls came out a 105-97 winner, with Jack continuing his assault on the holidays. He shot just 13-29 from the field, but had 37-11-12. Escalera scored 21, while Josh added 17-12-4. Eddie Shank had 13 off the bench in relief of the foul-plagued Gayle Cruz (23 min, 1-4 FG, 2 pts, 6 reb). PF Kevin Matherne had 22 and 12 boards, while C Joe Curtis scored 22 with 10 boards and four assists. All-NBA SG Jim Burr was quiet, scoring 19 with five boards and six assists. Record: 20-7. With that win, the Bulls move into first place, a game ahead of Detroit. 12.27.88: vs Golden State (14-14). Just after seeing the league’s top shooting guard, the league’s best overall guard, Lionel Condon, comes to town. He had a splended effort, putting up 28-10-12 (though on 30 shots). However, it was his two missed free throws with a second left that will have those in the Bay Area depressed, as Chicago escaped with a 111-109 win. Not only did he missed the free throws, but the Bulls knocked the rebound out of bounds. Condon got another chance, this time to win, at the buzzer…but his shot was askew. “I was simply off,” said Condon, an 88% free throw shooter on the year (86.7% career). He was 0-3 from the line. Continuing the power forward theme, Elisha Simpson, who averages 11.3 ppg, put up 22 on 10-15 shooting, along with 14 rebounds and five assists. Joey Deel, former Jack adversary, scored 15. As for the victors, Jack’s 31-7-11, and Whitman’s 26-4-6, were the keys. Josh had 18 (7-16 shooting), while Cruz, feeling a little randy this evening, took 20 shots, but scored just 17 points. Still, a win is a win. Record: 21-7 12.30.88: at Miami (10-18). The Bulls visit the Heat for the first time, and leave a 102-94 winner. Jack’s 38-10-8 was the key. Nobody else did much of ntoe, honestly. Danny Smythe, who went to join Miami after his homecoming in Cleveland last year, is averaging 17.3 ppg this season. The 17th-year pro still has it. He led the Heat with 29. Dean Jemison, the former Maverick, scored 23. Record: 22-7 12.31.88: at Cleveland (12-18). The Bulls finish a mixed 1988 with a trip to Cleveland, where they absolutely demolish the Cavs, 118-88. Everyone got some rest in this game. Jack’s 33-17-13-3-2 were pretty awesome..but the real story was Bye Felicien. He scored 24 and added seven assists. He did this because Josh Whitman got hurt, and will miss about ten days. So, 1989 is going to feature more Bye Felicien. Josh added 18 and nine boards, and Sheldon Maurer, getting more time tonight, had 18 in 18 minutes. The Cavs were led by Josh Kress’ 20. Joe Baker, who desperately wants out of Cleveland, shot 1-8 from the field, and scored three points. He had four fouls. Nathanael Langlois scored 15 and had five boards. Record: 23-7 Standings Update: The Bulls flourished in December, going 14-2 to take command of the Central. They sit 3.5 games ahead of Detroit right now, and two games ahead of Boston for the top seed in the East. Somehow, the Bulls are making their weird spare parts fit. Utah (24-8) owns the best record in the league, and sit four up on Dallas, and 4.5 up on surprising Houston. Sacramento is becoming a better and better story as time goes on; they lead Golden State and Phoenix by 4.5 games. Meanwhile, the Clippers have hit rock bottom, sitting behind the Lakers. The expansion teams aren't too bad...Charlotte is challenging Milwaukee for worst in the league, while Miami is above them. Code:
Stats Update: Jack still leads the league in scoring, at 32.0 ppg…but Brian Crawford has entered the picture. He’s at 31.7 now. Jack is now tied for sixth in rebounds, with Brian Deese at 10.9. And he’s dropped to second in assists, behind Brent Neilson, Cult Hero, who has 12.5. Jack leads the league in shooting, at 60.7%, and at FT shooting, at 94.4%. He is just ahead of Richie Russell, who is shooting 94.3%. Among qualifiers, he is seventh in three-point shooting (Thomas Henderson leads, at 50.6%). His 1.66 point-per-possession leads the league. Team Summary: The Bulls are still one of the most prolific offenses in recent history…no offense has scored this much since 1979 (Atlanta (117 ppg). The next-best offense in the league is Seattle, putting up 110.8 per contest. Still, their defense, specifically with Josh, has to be addressed. They can’t hide him, and with the game’s amount of fantastic power forwards, this will ultimately be why Chicago cannot win a title. Code:
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06-21-2018, 08:24 AM
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#271 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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January 1989
1.4.89: vs Utah (25-8). The new year kicks off with a bang, as a rematch with the hated defending champs in Chicago takes the league’s focus. Once again, the Evil Harris Connors used his might to push the Jazz over the Bulls, 116-111. He scored 33 points and registered 13 rebounds. Sammie Snodgrass added 23, while Royal Bryant scored 20 with 11 boards and five blocks. Jack’s 39 came on 18-29 shooting, while he registered 11 boards, 18 assists, four blocks, and a pair of steals. Joshua Jones added 28-15-5. Jesus Brawner, who had lost time to Bye Felicien when starting point Josh Whitman went down, scored 10 in 26 minutes off the bench. Bye Felicien showed why he should come off the bench, shooting 2-12 to end with six points, six assists, and five turnovers. The Jazz are definitely ahead of the Bulls, and will continue to be until the Bulls figure out a way to stop Connors and Bryant. Record: 23-8 1.5.89: at Denver (12-20). Major disappointment Denver is the next stop for the Bulls. The Bulls, behind 29-10-7 (9-11 FG) ran all over the Nuggets, 105-74. Denver shot 31% from the field. Unbelieveable. Jones added 24 and 12 boards, though with six turnovers (24 for the Bulls, another problem). Bye Felicien scored 14, on 6-7 shooting, with five assists, while Jesus Brawner, playing 43 minutes, had 12-3-3. Joe Curtis led Denver with 12, while Jim Burr had just 10 on 4-12 shooting. Perhaps the old man…he’s 33…is beginning to lose his touch. He’s averaging a career-high 12.7 ppg this year, and his 8.0 rpg are his lowest since 1982. He is shooting just 39%, easily the worst of his career. Record: 24-8 1.9.89: at Boston (21-12). The Celtics host the Bulls in a big rivalry game, being played without Brian Deese (out 15 days) or Jules Howes (out for another 2.5 months). Howes has played in only 13 games this year, averaging 25.2 ppg…on an offensively-strapped team like the Celtics, you know that’s hard to replace. They definitely failed to replace it in Chicago’s 113-83 whitewashing of the C’s. Jack’s 22-8-8, and Sheldon Maurer’s 20 in 18 minutes (9-12 FG) paced the Bulls. Jones added 18 and eight boards, while Gayle Cruz, who had been slumping, scored 15. Reserve center Antwan Freund came off the bench, replacing a foul-plagued Thomas Jones to score 22 points and nab eight rebounds. Jones scored 12 points in his 11 minutes, going 6-9. David Neubauer, who is currently the most villified man in Boston, scored 10 points on 4-8 shooting. That isa bove his 9.8 ppg average. How’s that $2.2m working for you? Record: 25-8 1.11.89: at Atlanta (15-17). The Bulls, feeling good after their big blowout in Boston, fell to the Hawks, 98-95. Jefferey Adam, the Hawks young star, led the Hawks with 22-9-7, while Joe Kujawa scored 19, and Joseph Johnson added 12 and 10 boards. Jack’s 35-14-6 with four steals led the Bulls. So did his six turnovers…Jones put up 20-7-5, seven blocks, and four turnovers. Cruz added 12. Record: 25-9 1.13.89: vs Charlotte (6-31). The Bulls got back to winning with a 126-100 romp of the Hornets at Chicago Stadium. Jack’s 33-8-12 (no turnovers). Jones added 23-12-4, Cruz scored 20, and Bye Felicien had 14 (4-4, 2-2, 4-4) and five assists in 16 minutes. Henry Martin led the Hornets with 19-11-4, while Jose Thomson scored 14. Record: 26-9 1.14.89: vs Washington (21-14). This is the first game between the two since the onset of the season. Washington is in a dogfight with a surging Sixers team, and a stagnant Celtics team, atop the Atlantic. Getting the Bulls, and an angry Jack, didn’t help them any. Jack’s 43-11-7-2-2 (17-20 FG) led the Bulls to a 101-84 win. Jones added 18, while Eddie Shank had 12-9-5 off the bench (though on 17 shots). Jon McElroy, now in his ninth year, led Washington with 24 and 10 rebounds. Lamont Cioffi offered 19-11-4 (six turnovers), but Kelly Williams, who caught Chicago off-guard early in the year, had 11 points, six assists, and five turnovers. Record: 27-9 1.18.89: vs Dallas (25-14). The Mavs come to town for another big interconference showdown. The Bulls gained this one on Jack’s 37-21-10-6-1, and Jones’ 26-9-6. Gregory Escalera added 13. Clemente Ellis had 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 blocks for the Mavs. Carl Caro added 20 and 13 rebounds, while Luther Culpepper, the former Sonics star, scored 13 off the bench. Dom Winkler added 11 in 23 foul-plagued minutes. Record: 28-9 1.19.89: vs Boston (22-15). The shell of the Celtics could not stop Jack, who had almost as many free throw attempts as the Celtics did (Celtics 28, Jack 24). He made 22 of them, going for 45-9-6-2-2 on the night. Josh added 26 points and 9 boards, and Josh Whitman scored 11 with five assists in his return, as the Bulls whipped Boston, 126-102. Thomas Jones led the C’s with 21, while Antwan Freund is going to challenge for more time when Brian Deese returns. He had 19 and 9 boards, and has generally played quite well in Deese’s absense. PG Travis Cruz, who Jack faced in the 1983 NCAA Championship when with Princeton, scored 18 with seven rebounds. Record: 29-9 1.23.89: vs Milwaukee (11-29). Jack continued his roll with 38-12-11, and Josh had 24 with eight rebounds, as the Bulls blew out the Blucks, 121-102.Eddie Shank had 13-6-4, getting the majority of the minutes as Gayle Cruz had foul trouble. Emil Andrae led Milwaukee with 19, while former starters Elpidio Fernandez had 15 points and 15 boards, and Adrian Mathison added 12. Reports that Richie Russell is drepressed and seeking a way out of Milwaukee are well-founded. Russell scored 13 and registered just four assists. His star, once nearly as bright in Jack’s long shadow, is now eclipsed. Record: 30-9 1.27.89: at New York (20-21). The Bulls outlasted the Knicks, 106-96, behind 26-11-4 from Josh, and a rather subdued 21-4-7 and three blocks from Jack. Escalera scored 18, while Whitman had 8-4-11. Nicky Lopez showed up with 14 points playing a lot of minutes as Jack fought foul trouble. Former Mav David Brenneman and top SF Joshua Shriver scored 20 each, while PG Robert Withrow had 19-15-4. Joshua Morris, now known as The One Killed By Hugh Turnage, had just nine points in 13 minutes off the bench. Record: 31-9 1.28.89: vs Detroit (27-14). The Bulls come into this game 4.5 games ahead of the Pistons. They left it up five and a half, as they beat Detroit, 127-118. Jack’s 33-11-7-4-1 led the way, while Josh had 26-12-5, and Cruz 20 and six boards. Brian Crawford did his part with 37 for Detroit, adding eight boards…and eight turnovers. Stevie Michaelson added 29, while Thomas Henderson had 25 and 11 assists. Whereas Detroit’s star loomed large in the sky in the early part of the season, it appears they have stagnated, while the Bulls fly high. For now. Record: 32-9 1.31.89: at Philadelphia (27-18). The Sixers have rebounded well since they last played the Bulls…but the Bulls are on a major roll. Jack’s 33-12-6-3-2 led six double-digit scorers, as the Bulls beat up on the Sixers, 104-85. Jones had 14-5-4, while Whitman put up a nice 14-8-9 night. Woodrow Taber, who had a technical the last time the two teams met, led the way with 23 points, 7 boards, and 9 blocks. David Lawson, the team’s leading scorer at 25.6 ppg, was held to just 12 on 4-10 shooting. Record: 33-9 Standings Update: The Bulls, once again, have the league’s best record, a game and a half ahead of Utah. This is not entirely surprising, given their 22-4 conference record. Utah, by contrast, is 20-11 against the Western Conference…13-1 against the East. Their only loss was to the Knicks. I totally forget that the power poll is here…the Bulls are atop it, followed by Utah, then Sacramento of all teams. The LA teams, despite their horrible records, are 19th and 20th. Shows you how powerful the West is. Code:
Last edited by Comey : 06-21-2018 at 08:25 AM. |
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06-21-2018, 08:25 AM
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#272 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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January 1989 cont'd
Anyway, there are three real fights going on. The Central is the only place that is humdrum. The Atlantic is fantastic, as five teams are within four games, and Philly, Boston, and Washington are all breathing down each others’ necks. Utah has secured some breathing room on Dallas, while the Kings continue to fend of Phoenix, Golden State, and Portland. Code:
Player Stats: Jack continues to lead the league in scoring, at 32.6 a game. He is one full point ahead of Brian Crawford, and almost four points ahead of the Evil Harris Connors. He is sixth in rebounds, at 10.9 per game. The Evil Harris Connors leads in that category, just ahead of Royal Bryant. And he is third in assists per game, at 10.7. Brent Neilson, Cult Hero, still leads in that category, at 11.8 per game. Some other stats of note: Jack had not fouled out of a game this year. In fact, he has fouled out of just one game in his career. Neither has the Evil Harris Connors, who has fouled out of four lifetime. Jack leads the league with 38 double-doubles. The Evil Harris Connors is second, with 32, followed by Royal Bryant, with 30. Tom Perez has 27…and King Harvey (sigh) has 26. In his 288 career games, Jack has 254 double-doubles. James Anderson, the Cleveland guard, is tops among current players, with 591. The Evil Harris Connors has 320 in 609 career games. Tom Perez’ next one will be his 400th; he has played in 792 games. Jack has seventeen triple-doubles. Clemente Ellis of Dallas is second, with six. Seattle guard David Jarrett has five, then Tom Perez has four. Career-wise, Jack has 123 triple-doubles, which is most among all active players. George Huie, future Hall of Famer, has 103, in 1,312 games. Jack has played in 288. Whitney Gooden is third on this list, with 66. In something that makes me laugh a bit, Joey Deel, former Jack adversary, leads the league with ten technicals. Jack has three on the year. Gregory Escalera leads the team with four. Team Summary: Chicago’s defense is improving. Granted, that won’t mean anything in a series with Utah, or Detroit, who have players that are awful matchups for the Bulls. But it is very possible that Chicago’s efficient offense, still one of the best seen in years, is forcing teams to get out of their game, hoping to keep up with the Bulls. They aren’t an elite defense, but they are now top-ten, which is much more than they could have said even a month ago. It will be interesting to see if that trend continues north. Code:
Team Stats: Having four players average double-figures in scoring is a surprise. Gayle Cruz is better than Chris Henderson for this team, I guess. Josh Jones’ scoring is down, but Jack’s is up. And it probably should be. Jack is more efficient, and shooting the daylights out of the ball. You know Bill Simmons’ 50-40-90 rule? Jack is at a 63-48-93. That’s insanity. Code:
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Last edited by Comey : 06-22-2018 at 05:00 AM. |
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06-22-2018, 05:05 AM
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#273 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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February 1989
2.1.89: vs Atlanta (18-24). It seems like the Bulls always have payback on their minds against the Hawks. That’s probably because they keep losing to them in inane fashion. They got their revenge in this one, as they raced out to a 77-45 lead at the break. The final, 129-94, isn’t even indicative of how dominant Chicago was. Only Jack played more than 29 minutes in this one; he played 32, scoring 39 with 13 boards and seven assists. Joshua Jones and Sheldon Maurer scored 17 each, while Gregory Escalera posted 16, and Eddie Shank 14 and 9 boards. The Bulls shot 61% (49-80) from the field. Jefferey Adam led Atlanta with 26, though he shot just 8-23 from the field. Record: 34-9 2.3.89: vs LA Clippers (16-28). The league enigma comes to town. The Clippers are very misunderstood, and it’s likely a good book will be written about their dysfunction. They have a very young team, save for 14th-year man Ian Rowland. So, perhaps it is putting it all together. Joseph Tu continues to get better, as does Sebastian Daniels, their young PF. It didn’t help in this one, as the Bulls overcame a 41-point first quarter by the Clips to win, 118-110. Jack went for 42-8-13-7-1. Jones added 21 (on 22 shots), while Escalera offerd 12, and Whitman 11-5-6. Bye Felicien scored nine in eleven minutes. Tu and Rowland scored 20 each for the Clippers, while reserve center John Fleck scored 19. Seb Daniels added 18. Record: 35-9 2.5.89: vs Washington (26-19). The Bullets held the Bulls to 83 points. That’s great for Washington. What isn’t is that they only scored 73 themselves. Jack’s 20-12-12-2-3, and Josh’s 16-9-2-2-1, were the driving force behind the Bulls’ atypical ten-point win. Shank added 12, while Nicky Lopez showed up for ten. Bye Felicien had the kind of game I thought he’d have when he arrived: 0-1, 1 point, two boards, three assists, one turnover in 12 minutes. Lamont Cioffi led Washington with 21, while Chance McCutchen had 17 and ten boards…but six turnovers. Kelly Williams, the man who landed on Chicago’s radar early in the year, probably wishes he hadn’t. Jack held him to 2-13 shooting; he had three turnovers, and four points. Record: 36-9 2.8.89: at Cleveland (19-28). Weird to think this team was once 5-5. They are 45-4 since. Jack’s 42-16-11 with five blocks, along with Josh’s 20 and Gayle Cruz’s 16, led Chicago around Cleveland easily, 113-90. The Bulls led 64-37 at the break. Nathanael Langlois and Christopher Blake each scored 16 off the bench to lead the hapless Cavs. Record: 37-9 2.9.89: vs Detroit (30-17). The Bulls endured 42 from Brian Crawford, but outlasted the Pistons, 112-107, at the Stadium. Jack’s 37-15-13-2-2 were the key, as was Josh’s 24-7-3. Eddie Shank, getting minutes with Gayle Cruz on the bench with foul trouble, scored 14 on 7-9 shooting, along with four of his five rebounds coming on the offensive end. Thomas Henderson scored 18, and Stevie Michaelson 17, to aid Crawford’s big night. Vicente Williams, still adapting to his first year on the bench, scored 12 in 22 minutes. His is more effective in his role than second-year first-time starter, Chance Magana. In an interesting development, Thomas Jones, back on the bench in Boston, has demanded a trade. He’s averaging 15.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg, shooting 56% from the floor. It’s weird because he was a reserve for the past two seasons. But those eight starts he made when Brian Deese went out gave him the starting bug, I guess. All-Star Break Here are the rosters for the game: Code:
Rookie-Sophomore Classic: The rookies got the best of the sophomores this year, which hasn’t happened since 1984. Not only that, but the rookies came from 12 down…15 in the final two minutes…to steal the win on Brett Hatch’s shot from beyond half-court at the buzzer. Russell Davidson of the Spurs was named the game MVP, with 23 points. Hatch, the Clipper point man, put up 16-7-7…he would be my MVP. Jimmy Matz, the top overall pick having a quiet season in Houston (19.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.6 apg) scored 12. Knick forward Joshua Shriver led the sophs with 20, while Carl Caro of Dallas scored 14 and added 12 boards. 3-point Contest: Thomas Henderson beat out defending champ John Jennings, and Jack, in the finals of the three-point contest. Henderson won both the first round, and the final, with equal 23s. Jack had 18 in the first round, while Jennings had 16. Phoenix’s Tony Steinmetz, Tom Perez, and Jim Burr were cut after the first round. In the final, Jack had 15, Jennings 18, and Thomas won with 23. Dunk Contest: Jack, perhaps a little tired from the 3-point contest, finished fourth in the dunk contest. It was, however, a coronation of sorts for Jimmy Matz. The rookie won the Dunk Contest, beating out Domenic Winkler in the final. Winkler won the first round. Gary Fisher of Milwaukee, Joe Anderson of Charlotte (Jack’s former teammate) and Miami’s Tony Marker also participated. All-Star Game: The East and West played evenly for three of the four quarters. However, it was the third quarter, won 40-34 by the East, that set the difference, as they won, 143-137. Jack won All-Star MVP for his 18 points (8-10 FG) and 13 assists. Lionel Condon of Golden State was every bit Jack’s equal…acutally, probably better, going for 18-5-17, with three steals. But the East won, so it’s Jack’s award. Brian Crawford led all scorers with 23, while Andrew Edmiston had 22 and 8 boards. Paul Marshall, Seattle’s breakout star guard, had 19 with five assists for the West. Evil Harris Connors scored 18. Code:
2.14.89: at Cleveland (20-29). The Bulls head to Cleveland on Valentine’s Day…because why wouldn’t they want to? It wasn’t quite a massacre…Jack seemed tired in his 6-13 effort, but his 21-12-10-3-3 was plenty for the Bulls, as they beat Cleveland, 114-105. Sheldon Maurer scored 20 in 14 minutes off the bench, while Josh Jones had 16-7-4, despite five fouls. Gayle Cruz found the rest helpful, as he had 16 and 10 boards. Nathanael Langlois destroyed Josh with 30 in 25 minutes off the bench. He was breathtaking. Renato Young scored 14 and registered 14 rebounds. Joe Baker, still trying to push his way out, had 11-4-9. Record: 39-9 (Definitely did not think the Bulls would be here.) 2.15.89: vs New York (28-22). The Knicks are desperately tring to stay in the thick of the Atlantic, where they are 2.5 back of Boston, but just half a game back of Philly…a game ahead of Washington, and one and a half up on New Jersey. That’s a big difference between the fourth and seventh seed right now. The Knicks walked into Chicago Stadium and shocked the Bulls, 91-81, behind 27 from David Brenneman, and 16 from Gervais Caudron. Robert Withrow had 14 and 12 rebounds. Jack registered 31-13-7, but he got no help outside of Cruz, who had 16 and 12. Josh had just 9-6-4 on 4-15 shooting. He also got into foul trouble again, and got frustrated with the coaching staff. Chalk this up to an off night. This was just the Bulls’ second loss at home this season; they are 24-2. Record: 39-10 2.17.89: vs Atlanta (20-29). The Hawks are back, and the Bulls took out ever bit of frustration they had on them. Sheldon Maurer led the way with 23 off the bench, adding 11 rebounds, and the Bulls pounded the Hawks, 118-79. Jack added 20-8-11 with four steals, but he’s in a mini-funk. Jones is still in his, scoring 13 and adding six boards. Ron Brehm led the Hakws with 17 off the bench, but on 7-19 shooting. Joe Johnson had 13 with seven boards. Record: 40-10 2.19.89: at Portland (30-24). The Trailblazers host the Bulls in a rematch of the 1987 NBA Championship. That was, of course, the one won by Chicago. The Bulls continue to haunt the Blazers, beating them 119-112. Jack’s mini-slump is over; he went 18-23 from the field, adding ten boards and eight assists, along with a pair of steals and blocks. Josh had 25-4-6, on 10-15 shooting. Cruz added 14. Robert Ritz (who reminds me of Rick Rude) led Portland with 23, but on 11-28 shooting, as Jack hounded him throughout the night. Saul Jones had 19-8-11. And we need to talk about him. Record: 41-10 Jones started for Houston in 1985, his second in the league. He scored just 5.3 points a game, but averaged 10.0 rebounds, and just 2.5 turnovers. His reward for that was to be allowed to sign with Golden State, the team who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Pacific in 1982. He sat behind Lionel Condon for two years, and deservedly so. I mean, Condon is the league’s best overall guard, and probably the second or third-best player in the league, behind Jack and the Evil Harris Connors. He left Golden State, and signed with Portland…and is now averaging nine points a game, as well as 11.6 assists. He’s someone Chicago could have had on the cheap. He’s not a good shooter, but wow, he is a great passer. Code:
Oh, sidenote: Continuing the trend of power forwards destroying Chicago, rookie reserve Virgil Sumner tied his career high with 19 points. Last edited by Comey : 06-22-2018 at 05:06 AM. |
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06-22-2018, 05:07 AM
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#274 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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February 1989 cont'd
2.21.89: at Atlanta (20-31). The Bulls march on to Atlanta, and beat the Hawks, 115-102. Jack’s 36-12-7 with four steals and a block led everyone, while Jones added 19-9-4. Jefferey Adam, who is easily becoming one of the better unknowns in the league, had 31-9-6. Dwayne Padgett scored 18 with six assists from the point guard spot. Record: 42-10 2.22.89: vs Indiana (26-29). The Pacers came into Chicago flat, and got killed, 124-98. Jack (31-12-9) and Josh (29-10-6) were in fine form, while Cruz and Bye Felicien added 12 each. All-Star Andrew Edmiston led Indiana with 29 and 11 boards…from the power forward spot. Ugh. The playoffs are going to be so hard, especially if Utah’s awaiting the Bulls at the end. Fellow All-Star Albert Scott shot just 5-12 from the field, and eded up with 14 points. Record: 43-10 2.25.89: at New Jersey (29-27). I’m now nine years old, if this were real life, having turned it just the day before. I don’t remember if it was a good birthday or not. The Bulls have two unhappy players, though I’m not sure way. Jesus Brawner lost to Bye Felicien in playing time, but why should he have expected any in the first place? I don’t even know who Chris Ross is. Looking at him, he started one year, with Atlanta. He’s played in five games this season. Perhaps he’s just unhappy because he’s coming to some of life’s hardest lessons. Sometimes, your best just isn’t good enough. On this night, Chicago’s best wasn’t their best, and it definitely wasn’t good enough. The Nets, who have struggled since losing Tom Perez, managed to pull out a huge win, beating the Bulls, 87-81. Luke Black and John Jennings each scored 20; Black’s came with nine rebounds, while Jennings’ came with seven boards and seven assists. Allen Moffatt scored 16 and posted seven boards and three blocks. Josh scored 28 on 25 shots, and netted 19 boards. It is rumored that there are issues between Josh and Jack; Jack definitely had an off night, going 6-16 from the field. He still posted 15-11-11-2-3, but he seemed disconnected. Gaye Cruz added 12, and nobody else had anything of note. Record: 43-11 2.26.89: at Milwaukee (17-38). Perhaps this will cheer them up. It helped, as the Bulls used a 42-30 third quarter to beat the Bucks, 117-104. Jack’s 28-15-13 led the way. Nicky Lopez had his monthly check-in with 20 off the bench, while Escalera added 16, Josh 14, and Josh Whitman 10-7-9. It appears that either Jack or Josh will have a big game, while the other will be quiet. This is no good. William Gaudet scored 22 for Milwaukee, while Emil Andrae added 17 and eight assists. Richie Russell put up 16-5-7, but the reports of him leaving after the season refuse to go away. Record: 44-11 2.28.89: vs Milwaukee (17-39). One of those sneaky back-to-backs showed Chicago to have their finest pummeling of the season. The Bulls demolished the Bucks, 139-92. They won the first quarter, 39-17, the second 37-25, and the third 42-20. Jack’s 38-14-14-4-3 led the way, while Jones had 19 and seven, and Gayle Cruz 18. Sheldon Maurer scored 14, while Josh Whitman posted 12-3-11…and Nicky Lopez 12-4-9. Richie Russell scored 20 for the Bucks, but had just two assists. William Gaudett scored 14 in a secondary effort. Record: 45-11 Standings Update: The Bulls have a 4.5 game lead on Utah as the top overall seed in the playoffs. As we know, this means nothing. Utah has taken advantage of Dallas’ utter collapse to open up a 10.5 game lead in the Midwest. Philadelphia, meanwhile, continues to lead a tough Atlantic, while Boston has fallen down to fourth (though just 2.5 back). Sacramento continues to impress; they have led the division wire-to-wire thus far. Seattle is an interesting team as well, given that they were picked to finish last. Charlotte has the most ping pong balls locked in. Code:
Player Stats: The two-man race for the scoring title is very tight, as Jack faltered a bit last month. He still leads Brian Crawford of Detroit, but only by half a point (32.4-31.9). Jack is now fifth in rebounds, something the Evil Harris Connors still leads (12.0). Jack has 11.3 per game. Brent Neilson, Cult Hero, meanwhile, has upped his assists to 12.4 per game. Jack is third, at 10.6. Old teammate, Clarence Cassady, is averaging 7.0 apg for San Antonio. I think I’d rather have his output (8.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 7.0 apg) than Josh’s. Team Summary: The Bulls inched up to ninth in total defense, and their field goal percentage allowed is at 7th. They are still a very efficient offense, though Utah would crush them. I firmly believe that the Evil Harris Connors and Royal Bryant are the best duo in the league, and affect a game more than anybody else. Code:
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Overall, Jack had an off month, which is reflected in his shooting percentages. Maybe all the talk about where he’s going to go in the offseason is getting to him. Code:
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06-27-2018, 05:37 AM
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#275 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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March 1989
3.3.89: vs Indiana (26-33). Jack’s spotty play continued, and a key missed free throw late led to Albert Scott’s game-winning three, as the Pacers shocked the Bulls, 123-122, at Chicago Stadium. Josh Whitman made just one of two free throws with 13 seconds left, giving the Pacers one last chance. Andrew Edmiston, who scored 40 points on the night (40-10-5) drew a triple-team, freeing up Scott for the fateful three. He shot just 8-19 on the night, but he was 2-3 from long distance, scoring 22. Dewitt Gilpin added 15 for the Pacers. Jack scored 43-10-12-2-5, but had six turnovers, and felt shaky running the offense tonight. The Bulls shot 59% from the field, but had 20 turnovers. Josh Jones was the only other Bull in double figures; he had 33-13-7. Record: 45-12 3.4.89: vs Atlanta (21-35). Another game against the Hawks gets the Bulls back on track. Jack shot poorly, 11-25…but had 26-17-11 to lead the way. Josh had 16-6-6, Gayle Cruz scored 11, and Josh Whitman had 10-9-8. Gregory Escalera and Nicky Lopez also scored 10 each. Jefferey Adam led Atlanta with 33-7-8, while Joe Johnson had 16-8-4, and Dwayne Padgett 15-6-3, but with five turnovers. Record: 46-12 3.6.89: at Houston (30-30). The Rockets and rapidly improving behind fifth-year forward Douglas Leduc (21.2 ppg, 10.0 rpg) and top overall pick, Jimmy Matz (19.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg). Elder statesman Del Scholl is putting up 17.0 points and 8.6 rebounds a game, while former Jack teammate, Landon Creamer, is posting career-best numbers at 11.6 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds a game. That said, they couldn’t handle Jack and Josh. Jack scored 29 (9-14 FG, 11-12 FT), with 21 rebounds and 10 assists, and Josh put up 23 (on 24) shots, as Chicago whipped Houston, 100-85. Leduc scored 28, and Leland Mancini 14, for Houston. Creamer had 11-5-7, while Matz scored 12 in his first action against Jack. He shot 5-10 from the field, and committed four fouls. 3.8.89: vs Houtson (30-31). The two play the second of their two games, this time in Chicago. Chicago doubled their advantage on Houston from last time, winning 115-85. This time, Jack destroyed Matz, posting 37-16-6-2-2. Matz, meanwhile, had just six points and two assists, along with four turnovers. Josh added an efficient 21-5-3-2-1, while Escalera scored 12. Bye Felicien had nine off the bench. Douglas Leduc led the Rockets with 17 and five rebounds. Record: 48-12 3.10.89: at Detroit (41-20). The Pistons, while having fallen off the pace of Chicago, is still deadly to their championship hopes. This time, though, Jack had an answer. His jumper at the buzzer tied the game at 116. While Brian Crawford sent the game to a second overtime, the Pistons could not last with the Bulls, falling 140-132 in double OT. Jack finished with 46-14-16 in 53 minutes, adding five steals and a pair of blocks. He had just two turnovers and one foul. Josh, who played 52 minutes, had 29-10-3. Cruz added 17, Escalera 15, and Whitman 12-6-6. Bye Felicien added 12 off the bench. Crawford had 37-8-5 for Detroit; Thomas Henderson registered 36-8-10 in fifty minutes, and Stevie Michaelson had 25 and 9 boards. Michaelson, Henderson, and Chance Magana all fouled out. Cruz and Josh each had five for Chicago, but nobody fouled out. Even in these situations, they are routinely unflappable. Record: 49-12 3.11.89: at Golden State (31-29). The Bulls boarded a plane immediately for the Bay Area, for their annual visit to Golden State. The Warriors, having issues across the board, specifically with player discipline, fell apart in the second half against the visiting Bulls. Chicago won 113-105, with a pivotal technical from Elisha Simpson being instrumental to Chicago prevailing. After a hard foul on Jack, Simpson went on a tirade about the call, bumping an official. That was an immediate tech. Jack sank all three free throws, turning a two-point lead into a five. Golden State went into a funk, and the Bulls ran away with the win. Jack’s 37-10-5 with six blocks and three steals was the lynchpin, while Josh added 27-9-8 in his best game in weeks. Lionel Condon had 33-5-10, but was pressured into an uncharacteristic seven turnovers, mainly by Jack. Joey Deel added 23 for the Warriors. Record: 50-12 3.15.89: at Milwaukee (17-46). The team was given two days off before their trip to Milwaukee, followed by a trip to Lakerland. The Bulls were caught looking ahead by the Bucks, who beat Chicago for the first time, I think, since Jack was drafted. I will have to look. Richie Russell is playing himself into solid free agency shape with 25 points and seven assists, while Emil Andrae added 23-8-6, and Ronnie Conn put up 20-12-5, as the Bucks beat the Bulls, 122-114. Jack had 39-11-13-3-2, but Josh had another uneven shooting night, going 5-17 from the field, for 15-7-8. Escalera added 17 for the Bulls, who were pretty ticked about the loss after. Record: 50-13 3.16.89: at LA Lakers (29-34). Another team that has been improving, the Lakers are kind of fighting for a playoff spot. They are in tenth place in the Western Conference, but only two games out of the eighth spot (held by Houston). The Bulls have tormented the Lakers since Jack was drafted. Joshua Berry (13.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.6 apg) hasn’t quite been the player the Lakers had hoped, and he’s been saddled with by fans as being the Jack Consolation Prize. On this night, though, it was another player drafted by the Lakers…here’s that theme again…POWER FORWARD, Brian Loeffler, who scored 44, along with ten boards and four assists, as the Lakers upset the reeling Bulls, 122-105. Berry added 18-5-6, and technically shot better than Jack (8-18 for Berry, 8-19 for Jack). Jack’s 31-9-10 led the Bulls, while Josh had 20-5-4, and Escalera 14. Whitman had 10-7-5 with six turnovers. Record: 50-14. This was not a successful venture for the Bulls, and pundits are ready to jump all over them. 3.19.89: at Indiana (29-37). The Bulls pulled together and managed to outlast the Pacers…but it was dicey. The 131-129 final was met with a buzzer-beating three by Pacers’ center Chris Maya, who scored 44, a career-high. He also went 4-4 from three, also a career high, and shot 20-31 from the field. Amazingly…no free throws. Jack had 28-14-14 with four blocks, while Josh (24-5-3) and Nicky Lopez (22) helped out. Josh Whitman had 16-3-8. Fellow All-Stars Andrew Edmiston scored 28 with 12 rebounds, and Albert Scott had 23 and 7. Record: 51-14 3.21.89: vs Cleveland. Jack had 34 points and 13 assists, leading the Bulls to the runaway win over the Cavs. Josh had a tidy 25 on 11-15 shooting, while Sheldon Maurer scored 15 on 6-7 shooting, and added seven rebounds, in 17 minutes. Christopher Blake scored 23 and offered nine boards in 29 minutes off the bench. Joe Baker (13 pts, 8 ast) and Douglas Toscano (13 pts) were the only other standouts. Record: 52-14 3.23.89: at Detroit (45-23). The Pistons have not made up that much on the Bulls, despite their losing ways as of late. The lead is eight for the Bulls. That said, the Pistons cut it down to seven, beating Chicago 109-102. Brian Crawford had a 32-7-5 line, and Thomas Henderson scored 28. Stevie Michaelson shined with 24 points and 14 rebounds. Jack’s 32-5-10 also came with Jack’s second career foul out. Wow. Josh scored 25, while Cruz and Escalera each had 12. The Bulls shot just 2-10 from 3. Record: 52-15 3.24.89: vs New Jersey (35-32). Oh, this hurt…for New Jersey. The Bulls rolled them, 114-73, in an utter laugher. Josh had 22 with eight boards, Jack had 18-9-10, Escalera 17-10-9, and Cruz 19 and 10 boards, to lead the way. Sheldon Maurer scored 18 in just 21 minutes. Luke Black led New Jersey with 18, but it took 22 shots to get there. He added 8 rebounds. Record: 53-15. 3.26.89: vs Philadelphia (42-27). Jack’s 30-15-5 led the Bulls to a 107-79 pasting of the Sixers. Jack was just 10-22 from the field, but he got the job done. Escalera added 15, and Josh 13 with nine boards. Maurer, a hot hand lately, had 13 in 15 minutes. Whitman offered 10-8-7. The embattled Jesus Brawner scored 10 in seven minutes…on ten shots, in seven minutes. Record: 54-15 3.28.89: at Sacramento (43-26). A very interesting matchup between these two in the capital of California went to the visitors, who outlasted the Kings, 109-100. Jack led with 30-17-11-3-5, while Josh scored 39. Whitman didn’t score, but added nine assists without a turnover. Grant Crites, who lost to Jack in the NCAA final their senior year, led the way with 33 and nine rebounds. Former Gerardo Sand scored 23, adding nine assists and seven rebounds. Record: 55-15 3.30.89: at Indiana (32-40). The Pacers won two of their last three coming in; make that three of their last four, as they used a 30-21 fourth quarter to beat the Bulls, 109-104. Andrew Edmiston and Albert Scott each scored 23, with Edmiston adding 10 boards; Dewitt Gilpin put up a 20-11-7 line, his best against Chicago this year. Jack had 34-9-11, while Josh had 24-11-4 (23 shots), and Escalera 24-7-6. Whitman took just three shots, hitting two for six points. He added 11 more assists. The kid does a lot that goes unnoticed. Record: 56-15 Last edited by Comey : 06-27-2018 at 05:38 AM. |
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06-27-2018, 05:38 AM
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#276 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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March 1989 cont'd
Standings Update: Chicago has the league’s best record by 4.5 games over Utah. It will be one or the other; in all likelihood, it’ll be Chicago hosting throughout the playoffs. The East playoffs are likely set, and Indiana is the most likely opponent for the Bulls. That will be a tough matchup for Chicago. Also, right now, the Knicks have the #2 seed, via their small lead in the Atlantic. In the West, Seattle holds a 2.5 game lead over Houston for the final spot. Code:
Player Stats: Brian Crawford has overtaken Jack for the scoring title, by a tenth of a point. He has 32.6; Jack has 32.5. Jack still sits fifth in rebounding, at 11.4 per game. The Evil Harris Connors, as well as Seattle C Cortez Strong, are tied for the league lead, at 12.0. In assists, Tom Perez has overtaken Jack for third; Jack has 10.6, while Perez is at 10.7. Brent Neilson, Cult Hero, still leads with 11.9. Jack is tied for third in the league ins teals (2.4, with Saul Jones), and 14th in the league in blocks, at 2.4. Clemente Ellis has 7.0 a game. Team Stats: Their defense moves up again, this time to eighth. I’m not buying it, as they had a putrid month. It was bound to happen, of course. They are still among the league’s elite in most categories, and have the league’s top offense and point differential. None of that matters once the playoffs begin, of course. Code:
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George Washington Update: Nobody from Jack’s time was there, so I won’t give a month-by-month. But I will recap their season. They did get yet another coach…Kevin Bellows is now the head man in DC. Haven’t heard of him? Neither have I. William Sullivan, apparently satisfied with his 47-43 record at GW, went to Louisville. Bellows, in his 20th year, is in his first as a head coach. He came from Georgetown. Unfortunately, injuries crippled an otherwise solid team. They did manage a 17-13 mark, and got into the NIT as a four-seed. They lost in the first round, getting placed in the West against Washington. How’s that for some nonsense? Duke finished with the top spot in the polls, followed by Rice, Maryland, Southern Cal, and Kansas. In the NCAA, the West was won by top-seeded Baylor beat up on #3 Virginia, 81-71. In the Midwest, #8 Yale shocked #1 Rice, 94-86, then beat equally surprising 13th UCLA in the Sweet 16. They were promptly blown out by underseeded Southern Cal, 94-59, in the Elite Eight. The Trojans beat fellow Ivy Leaguer, Columbia, by the same score in the Sweet Sixteen. In the South, Duke and Auburn collided in the second round, and had themselves a classic. Eddie Carraway’s three at the buzzer for overtime for Auburn, who trailed by four points with :45 left. The score, at the end of regulation, was 97-97. Amazingly, Duke scored 25 points in those five minutes in overtime, gaining a 122-114 win. They would then roll to the regional title, blasting Texas Tech and 10th-seed Missouri. In the East, San Jose State had a tournament that was nearly for the ages. The sixteenth seed, who entered the tournament at 19-11, upset top-seeded Maryland, 77-69, behind 24 from Andrew Paxton. They then took out Texas, 104-98, behind 25 from Paxton. David Dirks scored 40 for the Longhorns. In the Elite Eight, they demolished fourth-seeded Purdue behind Paxton’s 32. That set up an Elite Eight matchup with second-seed Princeton. It appeared that Princeton would run away with things, leading 42-24 at the half. The Spartans closed the gap to five with 11:31 left, at 55-50. Princeton immediately got it back to to thirteen, 66-53, with 8:24 left. They would hold the Spartans for the next few minutes, leading by nine with under four left. But the Spartans came back, and got it down to three in a thirty-second span. They would trade buckets for the next couple of minutes…but, eventually, with fifty-eight seconds left, the Spartans caught up, on Pete Cannon’s three. The game would go ot overtime, tied at 80. It would stay back and forth until, with fifteen seconds left, the Spartans’ Cordell Saari was fouled by Robert Cook in the act of shooting, Saari threw up a wild shot, falling to the ground. It fell. 91-89, Spartans. Saari stepped to the line. He missed. Princeton called a timeout. They would work the ball around, eventually finding Phillip Gonzales for three. He shot it. He nailed it. Princeton shocked San Jose State…the ultimate Cinderella…at the buzzer. 92-91 was the final. Gonzales finished with a game-high 28, while Cannon had 21 for the Spartans. San Jose State rallied an entire country behind them, and almost pulled off the unthinkable. In the Final Four, it was 1) Baylor vs 1) Duke, and 3) USC vs 2) Princeton. None of the games were particularly compelling. Baylor thrashed Duke, 82-64, while the Trojans blitzed the Tigers, 82-72. In the championship game, the Trojans broke up a tight game in the final ten minutes, eventually winning 89-75. It is the Trojans’ second-straight title; they beat Baylor, 83-82, in last year’s title game. Baylor was in their third-straight title game, which had not been done since North Carolina played in four straight from 1956-59. Maryland made it three in four years in the 70s, losing all three. |
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06-29-2018, 12:42 PM
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#277 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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April 1989
4.1.89: at Milwaukee (20-51). The key for the Bulls is to fine-tune and get out of the regular season without any major injuries. They also have some payback to give the Bucks. They did just that, dusting Milwaukee 108-79. Jack led with 29-13-10 (9-13 FG), while Josh added 27-8-4. Gayle Cruz had 14 and nine boards, while Josh Whitman added seven points and eight assists. Richie Russell led the Bucks with 15-6-4, but also had four turnovers. Record: 56-16 4.2.89: vs LA Lakers (31-40). The Lakers have fallen behind in their quest for a playoff bid, but the future may be bright for them (finally). Today was pretty dim, as the Bulls steamrolled them, 126-92. Once again, Jack showed the Lakers what could have been; he posted 39-16-9 with two steals on 16-22 shooting, while Joshua Berry shot 2-11 from the field, for six points, four boards, and four assists. Gregory Escalera had 26-8-4, while Josh added 17, and Cruz 11. Brian Loeffler, a massive breakout star in his second season, led LA with 31 and seven boards. Rudolf McKinnie, once again, came up small against the Bulls. He has averaged 16.5 points and 8.9 boards this year, mirroring the last two years…but here, he had six points (3-3 FG), five boards and two assists in just 18 minutes. He registered four quick fouls. Record: 57-16 4.6.89: vs New York (44-29). The Knicks have a lot of confidence these days, especially after having come into Chicago Stadium and beaten the Bulls. Jack and Josh wouldn’t let that happen again; Jack’s 41-12-10-3-3, and Josh’s 25-4-3, gave the Bulls a lift as they pulled away from the Knicks, 110-96. It was tight heading into the fourth, with the Bulls leading by four. Jack scored 20 of his 41 in the fourth to gain security. Cruz added 18 and five boards…but the Bulls have to be concerned that they aren’t getting much out of their bench these days. Gervais Caudron, the rookie from Yale, is challenging for the Rookie of the Year award (honestly, this is a really tight race…more on that in a moment). He led the Knicks with 29 points and five boards. David Brenneman added 25 and nine boards, while C Richie Mertens scored 12. Record: 58-16 Back to that Rookie of the Year race… The frontrunner: SF Tony Marker, Miami. He’s averaging 21.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, and 2.4 apg. Add in over a steal per game, and that’s your likely frontrunner. Contenders: SG Gervais Caudron, New York. Averaging 19.6, 6.4, 2.9, helping lead the Knicks on a big turnaround. SF Jimmy Matz, Houston. Putting up 19.2, 3.7, 1.9. The top overall pick has shined in his first year. SG Russell Davidson, San Antonio. Scoring 17.5 points and getting 3.7 rebounds a game, along with a steal on average. SF Chance Davis, Seattle. The Sonics’ rebirth is in part due to Davis, who is averaging 15.8 ppg and 4.8 rpg. C Dewey Teeter, Charlotte. Averagign 13.8 ppg and 8.8 rpg, along with 1.3 blocks. PG Brett Hatch, LA Clippers: Averaging just 8.8 ppg, but 7.7 apg and 4.2 rpg. Respectable numbers for the rook. While it’s likely Marker’s to win, this is pretty wide open, and voters have a lot of choices. 4.7.89: at New York (44-30). The Knicks get an immediate chance at redemption, and they get it, by an equal 110-96 outcome. David Brenneman’s 28 (12-16 FG) from the power forward spot, along with his eight boards, four blocks and three assists, were key. Joshua Shriver showed up with 22 on 7-11 shooting, as well as six rebounds and five steals. Gervais Caudron had 21, and Robert Withrow added 16. Joshua Morris, he of lost confidence, scored just two points, but had seven assists from 15 minutes off the bench. Jack posted a 30-8-8, but with five turnovers. Josh had 21-8-5, and Cruz scored 14. Whitman posted 12-5-6, but also had six turnovers. Not the Bulls’ best effort, and some worry that the Knicks are able to match up with them effectively has to creep in. Record: 58-17 4.10.89: at Atlanta (29-46): Another late-season trip to Atlanta…this one results in a Bulls 113-100 win. Jack led the way with 28-17-10, while Josh had 24. Sheldon Maurer added 13 off the bench, and Eddie Shank contributed 12 with eight rebounds. Bye Felicien had nine on 3-6 shooting. Rex Smith led Atlanta with 21…to me, Rex Smith is the embodiment of TBS in the late 80s. He is WCW wrestling, Braves baseball, and Mama’s Family. Anyway, he added 11 rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Jefferey Adam had an off night, shooting 4-14 and ending with 12 points, four boards, four turnovers, and five fouls. Ronald Brehm, one of the better role players in the league, had 15 off the bench. Maybe I think he’s one of the better role players in the league, because he torches the Bulls a lot. He’s also a power forward. Hmmm… Record: 59-17 4.11.89: at Washington (43-33). The standings show Washington a game and a half behind Philly for the fifth spot in the East. That might not be a bad thing, as it would set them up against Detroit in the first round, and if they get by that, either Boston or the Knicks in the second. The Bullets showed they aren’t dead yet, though, beating the Bulls, 104-87, in what was just a dreadful effort by Chicago. They were pounded, 27-11, in the second quarter, and 34-20 in the third. In fact, they were down by 31 heading into the fourth. Kelly Williams re-established himself against Chicago, leading the way with 26. Lamont Cioffi, who has always been established with Chicago, had 21. Ahmed Robson, one of the feel-good stories in the league, had 15-7-11. For the Bulls…Jack had 27-6-5, and that was IT. Josh had just eight points and four turnovers. Bye Felicien played 19 minutes (8 points, 1 rebound). Jesus Brawner got into the mix (3-5 in 10 minutes, 6 points, two assists). It was that kind of game. Record: 59-18 4.13.89: vs Miami (17-60). The Bulls, on their face, look like they destroyed the Heat. But the boxscore tells a difference story. The Heat played them almost even in the 1st and 3rd (31-30 each), and the Bulls won the 2nd, 31-19. A 26-13 4th quarter arrives us at our destination of 27. The Heat had no response for Jack, as few do: he had 37-12-11. Cruz had 19-4-4, while Whitman had 16 and six assists. Escalera (15) and Josh (12-7-6) also contributed. Rookie of the Year frontrunner, Tony Marker, led Miami with 21-6-4, while Gary Cavallo added 18-5-5. Danny Smythe is winding down his 17th season with very littl slow down…he’s averaging 15.9 ppg, this is just down from the 16.4 he had last year. He scored 16 in this one, with six boards. Record: 60-18 4.15.89: vs Ne York (48-30). Boy, the Bulls are getting awfully chummy with the Knicks this month. For the second time this season, the Knicks walked into Chicago Stadium and beat the Bulls. David Brenneman’s 37 and nine boards (despite fouling out) led the Knicks to the 112-104 win, prompting every columist in America to cite Brenneman as The Matador. Evil Harris Connors would like to butt in there for a moment. Gervais Caudron scored 29, with nine boards and four assists, while Joshua Shriver added 16-5-4 for the Knicks, who are young and naïve and may buy their own hype. Jack’s 29-13-10-5-2 led Chicago, while Jones had 32 and eight boards, and a costly tehcnical foul. Whitman had 11 and 10 assists. Record: 60-19 4.17.89: vs Portland (42-37). Wow. Utterly wow. Portland waltzed into Chicago and destroyed the Bulls, 115-92. What happened to the Bulls? They may be the most hapless sixty-win team in recent memory. Robert Ritz led the Trailblazers with 24, while Eddie Avina scored 20. Saul Jones had 17 points, 11 assists, and five steals. Frank Padgett added 18-12-6 from the power forward spot. Jack’s 29-10-8 led Chicago, while Escalera (14), Cruz (14) and Josh (13) did little of note. Whitman added 10 points and six assists. Record: 60-20 4.19.89: at Philadelphia (47-33). The Bulls were crushed again, this time 103-89 by the Sixers. All-Star center Woodrow Taber led the Sixers with 32-7-4, while David Lawson had 19-4-6, and John Barnum 15-7-5. Jack’s 43-20-8 with three blocks, and Josh’s 16-8-6 were the only real contributors to Chicago, who is searching for answers and supplemental support at the worst time of the year. Record: 60-21 4.20.89: vs Philadelphia. The two teams head to Chicago to wrap up the regular season. This time, the Bulls got the win, 111-96. This one was interesting, and maybe shows a different side of Jack. He was actually tossed from this game for taunting technicals. Amazing. Simply amazing. Is Jack believing HIS own hype? He’s always been humble…gotta wonder if the wrong voices are getting into his ear. Despite the early dismissal, with five minutes left, he had 25-15-15 (11-15 FG). Cruz added 21, and Josh 19 points and 15 rebounds. Whitman had 10-4-8. David Lawson led Philadelphia with 22, and Woodrow Tabler had 19, as the Sixers finish 48-34. Record: 61-21 Synopsis: Well, two things. 1) Chicago gets Indiana in the first round. Bad news; Indiana has proven it can beat Chicago consistently. 2) The Knicks are a potential second-round opponent. This is not the best setup for the Bulls. Truthfully, they deserve it. They’ve been an absolute horror to watch this season, especially late. They were 39-9 at one point. They were 22-12 the rest of the way, and actually 55-15 at one point. This is a very fractured team. Even Jack feels broken at this point. |
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06-29-2018, 12:43 PM
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#278 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988-89 Playoff Matchups
Eastern Conference 1) Chicago vs 8) Indiana 4) New York vs 5) Philadelphia 2) Boston vs 7) New Jersey 3) Detroit vs 6) Washington Western Conference 1) Utah vs 8) Seattle 4) Dallas vs 5) Golden State 2) Phoenix vs 7) Portland 3) Sacramento vs 6) San Antonio The only team who is in the playoffs this year, who wasn’t last year, is San Antonio. They took Denver’s place in the playoffs. Everyone else made it last year. Code:
Player Stats: Brian Crawford went crazy in the final month, and won the scoring title over Jack, 33.0 to 32.5 for Jack. Jack finished tied for third in rebounds, behind the tie of Cortez Strong of Seattle, and the Evil Harris Connors. They both had 11.9. Jack also finished tied for third in assists, with Tom Perez, at 10.5. Brent Neilson, Cult Hero, led the league in dimes, at 12.1. Saul Jones finished second, at 11.1. Awards: Jack won his fourth straight MVP, while Miami’s Tony Marker took home the Rookie of the Year award. Boston postman Brian Deese won Defensive Player of the Year again. He is now a five-time winner of the award. Seattle’s Paul Marshall won Most Improved Player, and deservedly so, while Clippers’ center John Fleck won the league’s Sixth Man award. The same five as last year are the All-NBA First Team. This year, the only holdover is Indiana’s Albert Scott. Four new members to the All-NBA Second Team, including Royal Bryant, who hasn’t achieved a level this high since he was the 1983 MVP. This is Thomas Henderson’s first All-NBA inclusion, while Andrew Edmiston reaches the second team for the second time. This is Marco Fortier’s first All-NBA mention. Fabian Thomas, long one of the best, and favorite, assistants in the league, wins the Coach of the Year award in his second year with the Knicks. He took over a 26-win laughingstock two years ago, led them to 38 wins a year ago, and now a 50-32 record. Jack reached the All-NBA Defensive First Team, in addition to his MVP and First-Team All-NBA honors. Code:
Team Summary: The Bulls took a step back on defense, which led to their funk. They have also slipped in free throw and three-point percentage, which can be attributed to a lack of focus. Someone is in their ear, giving them the Disease of More. The issue here is, they haven’t won a title in two years. The More is sitting right in front of them. This roster is not constructed as it was when Eddie Shank and Richard Mims secured the post defense, and Jack was able to run the offense. That was a defensive-first outfit that destroyed teams left and right. It’s unfair to compare this team to that record-setting group…but this team can’t defend the post to save its life. I think it’s entirely possible, especially with such a short series, that Indiana beats Chicago. More on that to come, though. Code:
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07-06-2018, 06:06 AM
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#279 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988-89 NBA Playoffs – First Round
Chicago Bulls (61-21) vs Indiana Pacers (37-45) Season Series: Chicago 4-2 The Bulls lost two of the last three they played against the Pacers, who seem to be a poor matchup for the Bulls. It starts with Andrew Edmiston, an All-NBA 2nd Teamer at PF this year. He averaged 28.0 points and 8.8 rebounds a game. For a team who has a huge defensive void at the power forward spot (ahemJoshahem), this poses a major problem. Albert Scott, another All-NBA 2nd Teamer at SG, averaged 26.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He’s a solid defender who should lock down Gregory Escalera, and force more of the offense to run through Jack and Josh. Normally, that’s not an issue…but this team needs a solid guard option. As good as Josh Whitman is at distributing and controlling the basketball, he is not a scorer. Gayle Cruz is not a consistent scorer; neither is Escalera, but he is capable of 20 on any given night. Cruz is not. Thankfully for Chicago, SF Dewitt Gilpin will be out for the duration of this series with a sprained knee. That throws the onus of things on guard Jason Settle, who has very little experience. It might be Indiana’s misfortune that allows Chicago to move on. Prediction: Andrew Edmiston is going to have a hell of a series. But he’s going to have to have an otherworldly series for the Pacers to move on, given Gilpin’s injury. Jack will be able to focus on either Edmiston or Scott, forcing the other to become amazing for them to move on. I think Andrew will do it in a game, and maybe Scott in another…but the Bulls will wear them down. PICK: Chicago in 5 Other Predictions: 4) New York over 5) Philadelphia, 3-1 2) Boston over 7) New Jersey, 3-2 3) Detroit over 6) Washington, 3-2 1) Utah over 8) Seattle, 3-0 4) Dallas over 5) Golden State, 3-1 7) Portland over 2) Phoenix, 3-2 3) Sacramento over 6) San Antonio, 3-2 Game 1: It won’t be easy. Chicago got out to a sizable lead on the Pacers, then had to pull it out late for a 119-112 victory. Jack’s 32-12-9 led everyone; he also got yet another technical foul. Gayle Cruz, ironically, scored 24 surprising points, on 12-17 shooting, while Josh and Gregory Escalera had 17 each. Bye Felicien led the reserves with eight points. Albert Scott, starting at small forward, went right at Jack, shooting 11-23 on the night for 25 points. Andrew Edmiston scored 24, while Chris Maya had 22-10-6. Merle Clift, starting at off-guard, had 13-7-4. Jack got his technical in the second half for taunting head coach Arther Hernandez. Hernandez had said that Jack would be “handled” by the Pacer defenders. After draining a three in the second half, he ran by the coach, holding out his hands. He was T’d up on the spot. It may be weaksauce, but Jack has not endeared himself to the public lately. Bulls Lead 1-0 Game 2: There was no comeback to turn away in Game 2. Jack was focused and effective, going 10-14 from the field to lead with 30-10-11, as well as four blocks (and an emphatic one of Edmiston), as the Bulls rolled, 116-97. Josh, Cruz, and Escalera each had 16; Josh added ten boards. Whitman had 13-5-10 with just one turnover. Bye Felicien had himself a technical, which is what you want out of a guy who plays for fifteen minutes and nets four points and a steal, as well as two fouls. Smooth. Scott led Indiana with 20, on 9-19 shooting; Edmiston scored 15, with seven boards and five assists, while Marty Ginn scored 14 off the bench…on 16 shots. The Pacers shot just 41% (41-100, thanks to 14 offensive rebounds), and 0-7 from 3. By contrast, the Bulls took just 78 shots, and made 41 of theirs. They also were 7-14 from 3. Bulls Lead, 2-0 Game 3: The series shifted to Indiana, but only for a game. Jack, still incensed at Pacers’ management, shot 11-14 from the field, going for 25-7-11. The final was 124-110, and that was after the Pacers outscored the Bulls, 42-25, in the fourth. Josh scored 22 on 10-12 shooting; Escalera had 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Cruz had 15. Sheldon Maurer scored 14 off the bench. Edmiston scored 22 on 27 shots, also picking up eight rebounds and four assists. Tod Whitlock, a little-used reserve, had 23 off the bench, while Dennis Davis scored 18 in 19 minutes off the pine. Scott had 16 and 6 rebounds. Bulls Win Series, 3-0 Elsewhere, the Knicks swept the Sixers. So it’ll be Chicago and New York in the conference semifinal, which will make NBC very happy. New Jersey shocked Boston in four, as did San Antonio over the Kings. Utah took out Seattle in four. That meant three series went five: Dallas knocked out Golden State, while Portland did, indeed, take out second-seed Phoenix. Detroit outlasted Washington in five, as was originally thought. Conference Semifinals 1) Chicago vs 4) New York 3) Detroit vs 7) New Jersey 1) Utah vs 4) Dallas 6) San Antonio vs 7) Portland Last edited by Comey : 07-06-2018 at 06:07 AM. |
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07-09-2018, 05:24 AM
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#280 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988-89 NBA Playoffs: Conference Semifinals
Chicago Bulls (61-21) vs New York Knicks (50-32) Season Series: Knicks 3-2 This is easily the Bulls’ toughest playoffs so far. Even with Indiana being hurt and caving, the Knicks can beat you in a variety of ways. Naturally, it starts at power forward, where David Brenneman averaged 23.5 ppg and 7.5 rpg. He was a nightmare for Josh throughout the season. There’s no reason why anyone should expect any different now. It continues with their wings, where rookie guard Gervais Caudron (19.5 pprg, 4.1 rpg, 2.9 apg) took the league by great surprise, while SF Joshua Shriver, in his second season, relegated Joshua Morris to a sideshow on the sideline. He averaged 14.8 ppg and 6.5 rpg. Point guard Robert Withrow averaged 10.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. The Knicks play great defense, and they are efficient on offense. The combination of the two may lead to the Bulls’ demise. Remember, the Knicks won two at Chicago Stadium. They are young and innocent enough to believe they can do it three or four times. Prediction: Honestly? I think they will. PICK: Knicks in 6 Game 1: Maybe the Knicks realized this isn’t the regular season, and Jack wasn’t going to let them come into his house and take his chance at a title. His 32-12-14 with four steals led Chicago to a 109-98 blitzing of the Knicks at Chicago Stadium. Josh added 23, and Josh Whitman posted 19 and six assists, as Chicago looked rested, together, and ready. The Knicks only forced eight turnovers. What the Bulls can’t like is getting outrebounded (41-37) and the 51% they allowed the Knicks to shoot. David Brenneman, as expected, led the way with 25-7-4. Center Randall Karr added 18 and 9 rebounds, but five costly turnovers. Caudron had 16-6-6, while Joshua Morris had 13-6-7 (4-10 FG) off the bench. Joshua Shriver scored 12 on 5-9 shooting. Bulls Lead 1-0 Game 2: The Knicks got the Bulls to play their kind of game, one that is lower scoring. Only Jack and Josh were contributors on offense. The issue for the Knicks, though, were two-fold: 1) Jack and Josh combined for 57. 2) The Knicks only scored 16 in the final quarter. The combination of those two led to a 99-93 Bulls win, and a 2-0 lead. Jack had 37-12-11, with six blocks, while Josh added 20-9-4. Jack played turnover-free ball. Eddie Shank added 12 from the bench, while Josh Whitman, while scoring only four points, had nine assists. Brenneman had 19-8-5 to lead the Knicks, who put six in double-figures. Caudron had 16, while Karr, Shriver, and Robert Withrow had 14 each. Withrow added seven boards and seven assists. Still, it was not enough. Bulls Lead 2-0 Around the league, Utah and San Antonio have raced out to 2-0 leads. Detroit and New Jersey are tied at one game apiece. Game 3: Jack had, quite possibly, his weirdest game as a professional. He scored a career-low seven points. He took only nine shots, making just three. It was a chippy game, and Jack was out for a good portion of it with an injury. However, he returned, and his teammates had his back. Josh led the way with 31, Jack still fashioned 13 assists, and the Bulls beat back the Knicks in a come-from-behind, 105-96 win. It appeared the Knicks would gain control, but Jack returned and led an efficient, determined Bulls’ offense. Gregory Escalera scored 16 and added five boards, while Gayle Cruz scored 14. Sheldon Maurer and Bye Felicien combined for 23. David Brennman scored 26 with 11 boards and three blocks to pace the Knicks. Robert Withrow had 21-7-7…but TEN turnovers proved costly. Overall, the Knicks had 25; Joshua Shriver contributed seven of them. The Bulls had just 13. Bulls Lead 3-0 Elsewhere: Utah took a 3-0 lead with a 98-88 win at Dallas. The Evil Harris Connors posted 26-12-8 with four blocks; Utah eliminated Dallas from the playoffs last year. Portland got back into their series with a 95-69 demolishing of the Spurs in Rose City. Kevin Yip, a fourth-year guard out of Kansas State, went 8-12 from the field, 5-6 from 3, to net a career-high 27 points. And Detroit ran roughshod over New Jersey in Newark, 102-82. Thomas Henderson had 29-7-5, and Stevie Michaelson 20, to offset just 15 points from scoring champ Brian Crawford. Detroit leads the series 2-1. Game 4: The Knicks were able to stave off elimination and completely frustrate Jack. He earned his second ejection on technicals of the season, and scored just TWO POINTS in nine minutes. Up until that point, the Bulls were ahead. But they were hammered, 51-31, in the second half, to get crushed, 89-72. Brenneman and Shriver each scored 22, Shriver with 11 rebounds, as the Knicks gained an important win…and perhaps a psychological one, as they really got to Jack. Bulls Lead 3-1 Elsewhere, Dallas beat Utah, 119-110, to prevent their own ejection from the postseason. Carl Caro had 30 points on 15-18 shooting, with nine boards, three steals, and no turnovers. How is he only a +1? Clemente Ellis scored 32, with 9 boards, four assists, and four blocks. San Antonio pushed Portland to the brink with a 82-81 victory. King Harvey (sigh) scored 18 with 13 boards, to pace the Spurs. Chris Henderson contributed 11 off the bench, while Clarence Cassady did Clarence Cassady things; he had 9-11-6. And Detroit, behind 41 from Brian Crawford and 16 assists by Michael Drake, pushed New Jersey to the edge with a 132-118 win. John Jennings scored 34 for New Jersey, but it was all for naught. Game 5: Jack had enough nonsense, and he had a Keanu Reeves Matrix moment. He stopped Joshua Shriver cold (4-8 shooting, five fouls), didn’t commit a foul himself, and erupted for 37-10-12-6-2, as the Bulls eliminated the Knicks, 113-100. The game was tied going into the fourth, but Jack took over, scoring 18 in the final stanza. Josh added 23-10-7 (and six turnovers and five fouls), while Escalera scored 17 with nine boards. Brenneman (28-10-5) and Caudron (24-5-6) drove the Knicks, who will absolutely be back. This may very well be the team that rivals Chicago…should Jack stay. Bulls Win Series, 4-1 Elsewhere: Utah closed out Dallas, 105-83, behind 31 from the Evil Harris Connors. Portland got a magical 103-98 win in San Antonio to give themselves a puncher’s chance. San Antonio still leads, 3-2. Robert Ritz had 27-12-5, and Saul Jones 11 points and 12 assists, to get the win. New Jersey, down to their final shot, hit it to force Game 6 with Detroit. Hugh Turnage hit a buzzer-beating three, off a John Jennings pass, to stun the Pistons, 117-116. Turnage scored 31, Luke Black had 27 and 10 boards, and Jennings 19-8-7 with four steals, as the Nets proved how capable they are. This was the final act to a historic night, as Brian Crawford scored 61 points, a playoff record. He became the first to score 60 since Andrew Edmiston did in 1985, and only the fifth player to do so (Jackie Davis of Atlanta did twice). The record for points in a game is held by Davis and John Roseman, who both hit 62. Crawford had a 59-point game back in 1987. The Evil Harris Connors scored 58 back on December 30th. I have to start paying attention to this stuff more. Game 6: Portland and New Jersey both forced Game 7. Portland got 36 and eight boards from Robert Ritz, as they beat San Antonio, 103-98. Frank Padgett added 17-7-10. Marco Fortier had 21-13-6 for the Spurs, while King Harvey (sigh) scored 20 and had 13 boards. And while Brian Crawford is going off (44 points), New Jersey is winning with some balance. Luke Black led the Nets with 31, Allen Moffatt added 28, and John Jennings 23-9-9, as the Nets turned back the Pistons, 117-112. Crawford needed 32 shots to get his 44. Thomas Henderson had a 24-10-9 effort. Game 7: Wow. Both San Antonio and Detroit, up 3-1 in their series, found defeat. Portland built a huge lead, then held on to finish off the Spurs, 111-106. Robert Ritz scored 21, Eddie Avina had 21-12-3, and Frank Padgett 19-15-6, as the Trailblazers are back in the Western Conference final for the first time since they ran to the NBA Championship Series two years ago. King Harvey (sigh) led all scorers with 33, while Jordan Maus registered 29 points and 11 boards. In Detroit, Brian Crawford went cold, shooting 8-21 for 20 points. Luke Black, meanwhile put up 32-11-2-2-4, and John Jennings added 16-8-7, as the Nets returned to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight seaosn. Stevie Michaelson led Detroit with 34-7-5. In the end, they didn’t have enough basketballs to go around. 1988-89 Conference Finals 1) Chicago vs 7) New Jersey 1) Utah vs 7) Portland |
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07-10-2018, 06:42 AM
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#281 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988-89 NBA Playoffs – Conference Finals
Chicago Bulls (61-21) vs New Jersey Nets (43-39) Season Series: Chicago 3-1 The Nets are not the team they were a year ago. In some ways, they’re more dynamic. John Jennings replaced Tom Perez as the point guard, averaging 20.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists a game. While he isn’t the passer or offensive catalyst Perez is, he’s younger, matches up better with certain opponents (Chicago) and is a better scorer. The team also brought back Hugh Turnage, who they traded to New York for Jennings. Turnage was quick to come back after his experience with the youthful Knicks, citing he wanted a “veteran environment”. Needless to say, David Brenneman and Joshua Morris have both given Turnage jaw-droppingly hard fouls when the two have matched up. Luke Black regressed a bit through shooting slumps, falling to 48% from 51% last year. He still averaged 24.7 points and 10.0 rebounds, and will be yet another difficult power forward to stop. The Knicks still have SF Gabe Smith, a former Jack adversary from Yale; he averaged 12.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, along with over a steal per game. The bench is eh. The ageless George Huie (okay, he’s 40) is still getting run in his 18th season. Of course, he’s a bit player, but the Nets brought him to help some of the younger guys, like Smith and Jennings. He does that well. Prediction: The Nets did the Bulls a favor, as a series with the Pistons would have been quite daunting. The Bulls have a good foundation of success with the Nets; namely, Jack is too much for them, in most cases. That should be the case this year, unless Jack loses his head… PICK: Bulls in 5 Western Final: There’s no way Utah is losing to Portland. Of course, that was said two years ago… PICK: Utah in 5 Game 1: Jack posted 30-13-7-2-1, on 9-13 shooting, and Josh scored 32 with 12 boards and 4 blocks, as the Bulls ran past the Nets, 118-100. The game was tied at the half, but the Bulls used a 35-22 third to end most doubt. An early fourth quarter run allowed the Bulls to rest their starters ahead of Game 2 (the Nets got the same). Gayle Cruz scored 14, making all seven of his field goals. Everyone else either scored six or eight points. The Bulls went 1-10 from three, but 23-25 from the line. The Nets were led by 21 for Hugh Turnage, while John Jennings had 16-5-6. Luke Black, in a rare twist against Chicago, shot just 3-18 from the field, for eight points. Chicago Leads 1-0 WCF: Royal Bryant scored 23, had 19 boards, and six blocks, and the Evil Harris Connors added 25-14-5, as the Jazz blasted Portland, 103-82. Point guard Craig Cooper added 24, on 11-14 shooting, while Sammie Snodgrass added 7-8-11, though he shot just 2-10. Robert Ritz needed 26 shots to get his team-high 24 points, while Frank Padgett had 21 on 21 shots, 13 boards, and 4 assists. Connors forced him into foul trouble, which shifted the balance of the game. Utah Leads 1-0 Game 2: Once again, the Bulls kept the Nets at bay, using Jack’s 41-10-14 (18-23 FG) to nab a game 2 victory, 122-112. Josh and Cruz had 20 each, while Escalera had 13 and six boards, and Josh Whitman nine points and eight boards (4-12 FG). Luke Black made up for his pitiful Game 1, posting a 40-5-4-2-2, while John Jennings had 25-4-4. Gabe Smith and Hugh Turnage had games they’d like to forget, combining to go 7-23 (though Smith had nine boards and nine assists). Chicago Leads 2-0 WCF: Utah proved they can win when they are having trouble shooting, beating Portland 90-85 despite shooting 39% from the field. Sammie Snodgrass posted 17-8-7, and the Evil Harris Connors 17-12-6, to pace the Jazz. Royal Bryant added an unusual triple-double, posting 14 points, 12 boards, and 10 blocks. Frank Padgett, who is one of the more underappreciated stars in the league, had 28-11-4 for the Blazers. Robert Ritz needed 20 shots to get his 17 points, while Eddie Avina was held scoreless by Snodgrass. Utah Leads 2-0 Game 3: It is a running theme in this series. The Nets cannot stop Jack. He shot 15-20, going for 34-15-11-3-4, as the Bulls pushed the Nets to the brink with a 125-116 win. Josh added 28-8-3, while Whitman posted 15-4-7 and just one turnover. Cruz added 16-6-4, while Bye Felicien offered four points and a technical (when did he get too big for his britches? You know he’s a guy who lives a ridiculous life.). Luke Black’s 32-16-5 paced the Nets, while Jennings scored 19, and Gabe, Hugh, and Allen Moffatt each posted 14. Chicago Leads 3-0 WCF: We’re near yet another Utah-Chicago showdown, as the Jazz blasted Portland at the Rose Garden, 110-99. The Evil Harris Connors led with 38-12-5, as all five Utah starters scored in double-digits. Royal Bryant had 13, 16 boards, and 9 blocks, while Brian Mazza, often the forgotten member of this quintet, had 16-8-4. Lowell Eveland, who is an 80s center if I’ve ever heard of one, had 24 and 10 boards to lead the Trailblazers to their latest loss. Utah Leads 3-0 Game 4: Well, for a day, we’re forced to wait for the rivalry everyone wants renewed. New Jersey demolished the Bulls, 105-74, behind Luke Black’s 28, and Jennings’ 15-9-4 and three steals. Gave Smith scored 15, while Korey Bradley scored 13 off the bench. Jack had 28-14-5 with five steals, but only Escalera’s 12 (4-12) shooting helped out. Josh shot just 2-14, scoring five points in a forgettable performance. Chicago Leads 3-1 WCF: The Trailblazers survived, as Frank Padgett’s 22-14-4 led them to a 112-89 win. Robert Ritz added 21-8-3, while Eddie Avina had 14-7-5. Lowell Eveland had 16-9-5 as well. The Evil Harris Connors was the only Jazz player in form, scoring 26 with nine boards. Sammie Snodgrass was the only other player in double-figures, with 12 on 5-19 shooting. Utah Leads 3-1 Game 5: For the fourth straight season, the Bulls are heading to the NBA Championship. Jack’s 23-13-14 paced seven players in double figures, as Chicago wrapped up the New Jersey Nets, 112-103. Gregory Escalera scored 17, while Josh posted 15, and Sheldon Maurer and Eddie Shank 14 each off the bench. This was another game where Jack earned two technicals, and got sent out. Jack got sent out with 5:51 left, after throwing down a major dunk on Gabe Smith. The Bulls were up by twenty, 102-82, at the time of the technical. Many around the country and wondering why Jack has gotten such an edge to his place. I say, look at Josh Jones. Luke Black scored 26 with ten boards, and Hugh Turnage had 20. Gabe Smith was hounded by Jack all night, and ended up with as many turnovers and field goals: three. Chicago Wins 4-1 WCF: The rivalry continues, as the Utah Jazz closed out Portland with a 105-87 victory. The Evil Harris Connors led the Jazz with 31-14-3, while Brian Mazza posted 21 and 12 boards. Sammie Snodgrass added 10-8-9 with four steals. Robert Ritz led Portland with 21, while Frank Padgett came up short in this one, posting just 10-11-5. Saul Jones, who was a revelation for Portland, had ten points and nine assists. Utah Wins 4-1 1988-89 NBA Championship: Chicago Bulls (61-21) vs Utah Jazz (58-24) |
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07-12-2018, 05:16 AM
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#282 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988-89 NBA Playoffs: NBA Championship
Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz Season Series: 1-1 You know the players by this point. You know the Jazz. They haven’t changed since last year. All five starters are deadly. The Evil Harris Connors continues to be a force, and Royal Bryant is a former MVP who is at the tail end of his prime. The bench is not as strong as a year ago, but Dalton Stillman is a force off the pine. Their bench is about as solid as Chicago’s. In other words, it’s generally up to the five who take the floor at the start. Utah is a bad matchup for Chicago for several reasons: First and foremost, it’s the Evil Harris Connors and Royal Bryant. They wrecked Chicago last season. Remember Game 7? Second, Brian Mazza is one of the best defenders in the league. He has the ability to slow Jack down enough that it frustrates him. With him picking up technicals left and right lately, this could be disastrous. He has to keep his cool like in seasons’ past. Lastly, Sammie Snodgrass is a guy you hate to play against, and love to play with. He is one of the most hated players in the league by opposing arenas. He does enough to bother you and get under your skin, without doing anything to really get under your skin. He’s just that silky smooth, and able to do a lot of little things that get you in the end. Craig Cooper is very much the same. These guys know their roles, play well together, and win when it matters. Prediction: Without any real ability to stop the Evil Harris Connors (in case you haven’t noticed, I cannot refer to him without his full title), this is Utah’s series. The last two have gone the distance. This one won’t unless the role players play better than they have, or unless Jack gets his head out of his arse and plays an otherworldly series. PICK: Utah in 6 Game 1: There was a brilliant duel between Jack and the Evil Harris Connors, and this illustrates Jack’s powers. Utah led, 104-94, with 5:51 left. Jack found Nicky Lopez for a basket. Snodgass missed. Jack hit a layup on the other end. Snodgrass missed again. Gayle Cruz made it 104-100 with 4:49 left, forcing Utah to call time. Bye Felicien had the assist there. Jack disrupted Royal Brant after the timeout, securing the rebound. He drove quickly, found Cruz, who found Josh. 104-102. Someone maned Manfredo Bacigalupo missed a three (he sounds like someone Gregg Poppovich found). Anyway, Bacigalupo got his own rebound, jacked up another three, and missed that. Jack got the board, got it down to Cruz, then made a nifty cut and got the ball back. Tie ballgame. The Evil Harris Connors put Utah back up with 2:55 left, but Jack responded with a three over the EHC. The EHC would put Utah back up. Cruz would tie it with a free throw. Finally, Jack got a steal, came down, worked the ball around…Whitman got blocked by Craig Cooper, but Jack got the ball, and nailed a three with :28 left. 113-110, Chicago. The EHC would get it to within one on a follow-up dunk, but Jack secured a foul, and hit both free throws to ice it. The Bulls won a tense Game 1, 115-112, behind Jack’s 42-14-10. Josh added 35 and nine boards, while Escalera added 14 and seven rebounds. The EHC posted a 41-13-7 number, while Cooper had 17 points and seven assists. Bryant (12-9-7 blocks), Mazza (12-10-6) and Snodgrass (12-4-6) just weren’t enough for the Jazz, who shot 53% for the game. Chicago Leads 1-0 Game 2: The Bulls had a more complete effort than in Game 1, getting out to a 48-29 hafltime lead. The Jazz cut that to four after three, but the Bulls sent Utah back to Salt Lake City down 0-2. Josh’s 28-18-4, and Jack’s 25-13-7, were the catalyst in Chicago’s 101-93 win. Escalera had 15-10-3, while Whitman posted 14-8-6. The Evil Harris Connors had 23-9-4 with six blocks, while Royal Bryant posted 20-14-2 with five rejections. Brian Mazza had his hands full though, fouling out (as did the EHC), scoring just three points on 1-6 shooting. Snodgrass had 13-8-6, as did Stanford Shipe. Chicago Leads 2-0 Game 3: Utah struck back, though if another minute were added to the game, the Bulls may have completed a rather large comeback. Down 16 at the break, the Bulls cut the deficit to just four, at 89-85, after three quarters. They just couldn’t get over the hump, as Utah had an answer at every turn. The Evil Harris Connors had 37-8-4, with five blocks, and Sammy Snodgrass carried 28-5-7 with three steals, leading the Jazz to a 121-119 win. Craig Cooper added 20, while Royal Bryant had 10 points, 10 boards, and seven blocks, to help secure the win. Jack had a monster game, with 37-16-17-5-2, and Josh added 23 and five boards. Outside of Josh Whitman’s 14-5-6 number, nobody stood out. Chicago Leads 2-1 Game 4: This one was never competitive. The Jazz simply wasted the Bulls, 103-70. The Bulls only had 45 through three quarters, and shot just 34% from the field. The Evil Harris Connors scored 25 and added 10 rebounds, while Royal Bryant chipped in 15 points, 15 boards, and eight blocks. Sammie Snodgrass did his thing, with 15-7-5 on just eight shots. This helped offset Brian Mazza’s forgettable day (1-4 FG, 2 pts, 4 PF). Neither Jack (18 pts, 6-14 FG, 11 reb, 4 ast) nor Josh (12 pts, 6-15 FG) could get going, as the Jazz decided from the outset that neither would be a factor. Gregory Escalera would up an astounding 0-9 from the field, earning a goose egg. Gayle Cruz, who had been effective in this series to this point, shot just 2-4 and did not register a single other stat. He played only nine minutes, due to foul trouble. Series Tied 2-2 Once again, we have arrived at a three-game series. |
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07-13-2018, 05:37 AM
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#283 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988-89 NBA Playoffs – NBA Championship
Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz Game 5 (Series Tied 2-2) Suddenly, the Jazz have taken control of this series. Sammie Snodgrass scored 27 points and dished eight assists, and Brian Mazza added 22, as the Jazz crushed the Bulls, 107-82. A 37-15 first quarter set the tone, and deflated the Bulls early. The Evil Harris Connors added 16-10-7, while Royal Bryant had 15 points, 8 boards, and 7 blocks. The Bulls were led by Jack’s 20-13-5, while Josh added 16-3-3. Josh Whitman put up 11-6-8. After that, production was scattershot. Now, the Bulls are left with the proposition left the last two times they left Salt Lake City: Win both, or the season is over. The Jazz have dropped the last two Game 6s in Chicago, but have won both Game 7s. They’ll head to Chicago knowing they only need to win one or the other. |
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07-16-2018, 05:59 AM
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#284 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988-89 NBA Playoffs – NBA Championship
Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz Utah Leads 3-2 Win or wonder what could have been. Simple as that. The Bulls did just that. Win. Jack had an absurd 35-14-19, on 16-21 shooting, adding three steals and two blocks, and did not commit a turnover, as the Bulls outlasted Utah, 117-116, to force a Game 7. Josh posted 28-10-3, while Gayle Cruz added 18-3-3 and Escalera 15-6-7. The Evil Harris Connors led Utah with 41-15-5, while Sammie Snodgrass added 21-11-8. Royal Bryant put up 15 points, 16 boards, and six blocks. Craig Cooper, had a nightmare of a game, shooting 3-25 from the field. That’s not a misprint. He added 8 assists and 4 rebounds to his 14 points, but also had four turnovers. And, so, we go to Game Seven. Again. Win, and celebrate legacy. Lose…and maybe wonder what your legacy could have been. |
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07-17-2018, 06:19 AM
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#285 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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The Dynasty History of the NBA
Before we touch Game 7, here is a look at the history of the league, through it’s dynasties. Utah can say they’re a dynasty already…Chicago could with a victory, and a second championship, in four seasons. The First, And Greatest: Philadelphia (1955-69) The Sixers reached the Eastern Finals in 1950 and 1953, but they didn’t have a winning record until 1955. That ’55 team went 58-14, giving up just 85.4 points a game. And that was without their best player, guard John Hutcherson, playing only 28 games due to several injuries. He still managed to average a triple-double (12.1 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 10.4 apg, 2.0 spg). He would average a triple-double twice in his career, and come agonizingly close another four times. He also played three different positions during his career, starting as a point guard, and ending as a small forward. That team also had fellow future Hall of Famer Cory English, who arrived in Philadelphia in the dispersal draft, after Baltimore folded. He was already an accomplished player, the ’52 MVP, ’53 Defensive Player of the Year, a perennial scoring and rebounding leader, and presence on the All-NBA First Team (all six years in league history, up to that point). He was the ’55 MVP, averaging 22.3 points, 13.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.7 blocks a game. Add in 1955 Rookie of the Year (and NBA scoring leader, as well as All-NBA 1st Team and Defensive 1st Team), Brian Harrison (28.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg), as well as All-NBA 3rd Teamer, C Ronald Roddy, and you have one of the finest teams in history. They matched up with the Minneapolis Lakers, who put FOUR players on the All-NBA 2nd Team (led by guard Jack Miller and future Hall of Famer, Zachary Kutz), and had one of the greatest NBA Championship series in history. The Warriors won in seven games, after being down 3-2. The Warriors would repeat, rolling through Boston, and sweeping Minneapolis in the Championship. The Warriors would be knocked off by Boston the next year, but would win in both 1958 and 1959. By then, they were not so much a team of stars, as a team with incredible chemistry. The team would falter in 1960, losing in the first round to the Knicks (more on them later). But they would be back in 1961, pacing themselves to a 45-35 regular season record, then rolling through New York and 57-win Detroit in the NBA Championship. This was arguably one of the greatest teams ever assembled (all B/B on their roster), even though they only placed two players on the All-NBA 3rd Team. John Hutcherson averaged a triple-double (15.4 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 10.9 apg, 2.6 spg). The team moved to San Francisco in 1962, but continued to roll up wins. The 56-24 Warriors had an epic seven-game series with Detroit in the league semifinals, before pasting Syracuse…the future Sixers…4-0 in the NBA Championship. The next year, they became the only team to three-peat, beating the now-Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Championship. They would reach the Conference Finals twice more, and win 63 games in 1969, but they never again won a championship. However, winning seven championships in nine years has not been replicated. Neither has a three-peat. This is the kind of rarefied air we’re talking about when we discuss these Warriors. Resume: 767-403 regular season record, Seven NBA Championships Hall of Famers: John Hutcherson, Cory English Last edited by Comey : 07-17-2018 at 06:20 AM. |
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07-18-2018, 04:46 PM
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#286 |
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General Manager
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Chicago
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Going down in 7 games, to the same team, three times in the NBA Finals would be agonizing. Good luck to Jack and the Bulls in changing the narrative and joining the dynasty list.
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07-19-2018, 06:02 AM
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#287 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988-89 NBA Playoffs – NBA Championship
Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz The Jazz have won the two Game 7s these teams have played. There is a major cloud looming over Chicago. They have looked disjointed throughout the last four games, and needed every ounce of Jack’s magic to win Game 6. Does anyone think they can win this thing? Given recent history, there is no optimism among the fans…only the diehards. Utah is an overwhelming favorite in Vegas, and still receiving a bulk of the action. The jump goes to Utah. Immediately, Cooper finds Brian Mazza for a bucket. Jack answers on the other end. Bryant returns for Utah. Josh misses on Chicago’s end, but Utah hits a shot-clock violation. Josh misses again, while Snodgrass and the EHC miss for Utah. Both sides tossing up bricks here. Jack blocks the EHC, then follows up a Cruz miss with a dunk. Snodgrass throws it out of bounds, and Jack hits from the wing. Bryant follows, and it’s tied. Jack scores again; 8-6 with 7:22 left. Jack nails a three. It’s 11-6, Jack leads. He has all eleven. Cooper scores, then gets a steal. Jack ties up Mazza, then wins the jump. He misses on the other end, and Cooper hits a three…then gets T’d up. Escalera hits the free throw, and it’s 12-11. The EHC gets fouled, and goes one of two. 5:41 left, and it’s tied at 12. Snodgrass misses. Josh hits off a Jack pass. The EHC finds Cooper. He has seven, and it’s tied again. Josh misses again…he has just two so far. The EHC misses, but Bryant keeps it alive. Snodgrass hits a three. Shank, now in, can’t get a tip of a Josh miss. Jack is fouled, and he hits both. He has 13, and it’s 17-16. Manfred Bacigalupo misses a three, and Shank gets a three-point play off a Jack pass on the other end. The EHC ties it at 19. Bye Felicien is in…Bye Felicien for three! Then he gets T’d up for taunting! Sheldon Maurer, now in, hits a bucket. It’s 24-20, Chicago. Bacigaulpo misses for Utah, and Bye Felicien hits a three. Sheldon Maurer scores, and it’s 29-20. Stanford Shipe hits for Utah, but Nicky Lopez drills a three at the buzzer! The score after one is 32-22, Chicago! The bench lifts up the Bulls! Jack leads everyone with 13-3-2 and a block. Cooper leads Utah with 7, while the EHC has three points, on 1-5 shooting. Code:
Last edited by Comey : 07-19-2018 at 06:03 AM. |
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07-20-2018, 02:44 PM
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#288 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988-89 NBA Playoffs – NBA Championship
Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz Second Quarter: Bulls Lead, 32-22 Kevin Bynum, now in the game, scores a layup for Utah. Escalera misses. Utah comes down, and the EHC scores. Maurer responds for Chicago. He has six. The EHC goes for a layup, and he’s blocked by Shank! Jack back in…Shipe scores. Josh scores off a Jack pass. 36-28, Bulls. Shipe misses, Josh with the board. Bryant blocks Lopez, and Snodgrass hits. Mazza with a steal, and he gets a dunk. Lead down to four. Cruz misses from inside…Jack with a steal! Cruz scores off a Lopez pass! Shipe misses on the other end, and Whitman finds Josh for the bucket…40-32. Loepz with a steal, but Cruz misses. Snodgrass hits a three; he has nine, and it’s down to five. Cruz misses, but Shipe throws it out of bounds. Snodgrass with a steal and a layup…40-37. Whitman finds Lopez. Mazza misses, and Jack scores off a Whitman pass. 44-37, Bulls. Josh scores from inside, and the lead is back to nine. Mazza gets blocked by Josh…then he misses again. Cruz scores, but Snodgrass responds. Cruz tips in an Escalera miss, and Jack gets a steal, and Escalera a layup! 52-39! Cooper scores for Utah…and he scores again. Back to nine. Jack drills a three! Four minutes left, it’s 55-43…Bryant scores on the other end. Mazza gets a T for arguing. Escalera hits the free throw, and Jack with a dunk! Escalera scores! The lead is FIFTEEN! Jack scores off a Bryant miss. It’s 62-45…the EHC finally stops the bleeding. 2:48 left, it’s 62-47, Chicago. Utah still reeling. Utah comes out in a press, and Bryant with a block. Snodgrass scores on the other end. He has 15. Jack follows a Whitman layup with a BIG dunk! He has 24! Cooper misses, and Jack with the board. He’s fouled by Bryant, who then draws a charge on Josh. The EHC scores; he has nine. Bryant with another block. The lead is down to thirteen. Josh scores off a Jack pass. Bryant misses for Utah, Jack with the board, and he finds Cruz! The lead is back to seventeen at the half, at 68-51! That was a brilliant half for the Bulls, who have opened up a big lead on Utah! They have certainly flipped the script on the Jazz from previous Game 7s… …however, if we know anything… …Utah is not done. Code:
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07-22-2018, 11:27 AM
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#289 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988-89 NBA Playoffs – NBA Championship, Game 7
Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz Third Quarter: Bulls Lead, 68-51 Chicago opens up, and the EHC gets his second foul. Whitman finds Cruz, then gets a steal. Jack misses…Bryant misses a three. Josh fouls Snodgrass, who goes one of two. 70-52, Chicago. Whitman misses, but Cooper gets blocked by Josh. Josh hits, and the lead is now twenty. Bryant makes on the other end. Escalera is fouled hard by Cooper. He goes one of two. The EHC is fouled by Escalera. He goes one of two. Josh scores, the lead is 75-55. Jack wins a jump ball. Mazza blocks Josh…we’re under nine, and it’s still 75-55, Chicago. Josh misses a three. He has 14, Jack with 24-10-6. The EHC has 11 after a free throw, but Cruz responds. The EHC trying to warm up. He hits; Jack with a dunk on the other end. Bryant hits a three. 79-61. Escalera scores off a Jack pass. Snodgrass hits it. Utah is getting going here…81-63. Josh misses a layup. Bryant follows up a Snodgrass miss, but he misses! Jack with the board. Snodgrass misses, but Utah is getting boards. Jack with a steal…Whitman can’t connect. The EHC has a dunk; he ahs 15. Mazza blocks Cruz, here comes Utah. Snodgrass hits, and it’s 81-67…timeout, Chicago. Whitman misses…Jack gets the board, but Snodgrass with a steal. Mazza for a dunk…BLOCKED BY JACK! Maurer fouls EHC after Chicago comes up empty. Shipe scores for Utah, but Jack follows with a dunk. 83-69. Jack scores again…he has 30-12-8, and the lead is sixteen. Shank scores off a Maurer pass, and it’s 87-69. Dalton Stillman hits two free throws. Chicago with a shot clock violation, and the EHC makes it 87-74 with a three. The EHC scores again. The lead is down to 11. Maurer scores a big bucket, then gets a steal and a dunk at the buzzer! 91-76 Chicago, and that was a HUGE turnaround for Maurer…Utah could have gotten it back to within single digits. Snodgrass and the EHC both have 20 for Utah, while Jack has 30 on 13-17 shooting, and Josh 14. The fourth quarter, coming up! Code:
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07-24-2018, 04:57 AM
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#290 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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1988-89 NBA Playoffs – NBA Championship
Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz Fourth Quarter: Chicago Leads, 91-76 Utah opens with the ball. Bryant scores off a Stillman pass. Bynum fouls Lopez. Bryant with a steal. He gets it to Bynum, who travels with it. Chicago called for a shot clock. Cooper misses a layup, and Whitman gets the board. Bryant blocks Escalera. Shank blocks Stillman! Josh scores a layup. Braynt misses, and Shank gets the board. Josh with a tip-in…Bryant responds for Utah. 95-80, 8:39 left. Snodgrass scores. Shank follows, but Stillman hits. Jack on the bench still. Escalera hits a three! 100-84, Chicago! Snodgrass hits a layup…back to fourteen. Cooper scores…it’s down to 12. Braynt scores, and the lead is ten. Jack still on the bench. Lopez misses, but off of Utah. Jack back. Mazza with a steal. Bryant misses a big three. Bryant gets a charge off Bye Felicien. The EHC misses, and Jack finds Shank for the bucket. Utah keeps threatening, but Chicago keeps answering. 5:19 left, the EHC makes it 102-92. Utah ball…Bryant is blocked by Shank! Bryant hits a three…102-95, Utah back to within seven. Bryant with a steal. Cooper misses, Jack with the board. He has 30-17-9. Jack misses, EHC with the board…Cooper misses a three. The EHC makes it a five-point game, 102-97. Chicago calls time. Whitman finds Jack. 104-97. Cooper fouls Whitman. 1:46 left. Cooper goes one of two, and the ball is off of Chicago! Whitman back to the line…he hits both. 107-99 after Snodgrass scores. Whitman gets two more layups. Josh with a foul, and Mazza finds the EHC. Jack misses a three, but he gets the layup. Chicago is going to win this game! The EHC misses from three, Jack with the board… IT IS OVER! IT IS OVER! Utah threatened, but the Chicago Bulls are YOUR 1988-89 NBA Champions! They have defeated the Utah Jazz, 109-101! Jack went cold late, just 1-4 in the fourth, but he finishes with 32 points, 19 rebounds, nine assists, three steals, and three blocks! Josh Jones scored 18, while Gayle Cruz and Gregory Escalera both had 12. Sheldon Maurer had 10 big points down the stretch for Chicago. Sammie Snodgrass and the EHC both finished with 26. Bryant had 20 and 11 boards, along with four blocks. The party is on in the Windy City! The Chicago Bulls are the champs for the second time in four years, and for the first time, they have vanquished the dynastic Utah Jazz! Code:
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07-27-2018, 05:43 AM
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#291 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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The 1988-89 NBA Champion Chicago Bulls
The Deep Bench Vincent Bangs, C How Acquired: 2nd Round Pick, 1983 Draft Bangs did not play this year; he has played in just one game since his rookie year, in which he was a reserve who averaged 6.8 ppg and 3.3 rpg. Richard Mims, C How Acquired: Signed five-year deal ($6.79m) on July 20, 1984 Mims, now in his fifteenth year, will probably retire a champion. He came back not to play, but to be part of a champion. He got that. Chris Ross, C How Acquired: Signed w/ Chicago on 10.20.88 (1 yr, $101k) Ross played in just five games this year, averaging 3.4 minutes per outing. He averaged less than a point a game. Chad Downey, SG How Acquired: Drafted by Chicago (#25 overall) in 1988 draft The rookie Downey played in just seven games, averaging 2.0 points and 1.0 rebound a game. Not bad, though…he might be a player next year. Timmy McBroom, C How Acquired: Drafted by Chicago (2nd Round) in 1985 draft The former Jack adversary turned good friend, McBroom has never amounted to much, outside of being Jack’s good friend. Chicago has kept him as a warm body, and as a bit of an outlet for Jack, who has to deal with things few athletes in society have had to deal with in their young career. Sweepy played in 31 games this season, averaging just 3.3 minutes a game. Jesus Brawner, SG How Acquired: Signed on 7.29.88 (1 yr, 97k) Brawner was originally drafted with the last pick in the 1983 draft. That he’s still around is pretty amazing. The former Washington Husky has bounced around from Denver, to Golden State, to finally getting on the court for two games with Detroit. He played sparingly the past two seasons with the Knicks, before latching on with the Bulls. He spent most of the year unhappy, but that’s his own fault. He lost the backup guard role to Bye Felicien. He still averaged 9.5 minutes and 3.5 points over 46 contests…more than he has played in his career up to this point. |
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07-28-2018, 11:38 AM
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#292 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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The 1988-89 NBA Champion Chicago Bulls
The Rotation The guys who mop up have been discussed…here are the guys who steady the ship when the starters are sitting. Sheldon Maurer, PF How Acquired: 1st Round Pick, 1987 (#23 overall) Maurer was very efficient in his second year, and has become a useful player to the Bulls. He averaged just 12.3 minutes a game, but scored 7.6 ppg in that time. He also averaged 2.9 rebounds. He is not a skilled passer, but he is an effective ballhandler. Defense is not his strong suit, which will limit his time. Still, when valuable minutes were needed down the stretch in the post, the team turned to him often. Code:
Felicien Delahaye, PG How Acquired: Signed 7.26.88 (1 yr, 97k) Bye Felicien is another second-round pick who managed to siphon money from teams…since 1979. The former Missouri walk-on (he was the 29th-ranked prospect in the country, though) was originally drafted by the Lakers, only to be waived thereafter. He eventually signed with Houston a year later, only to be waived again. New Jersey signed him, then waived him. Indiana signed him in 1982…then waived him. Finally, he latched on with Seattle, and played in 81 games. He averaged just 3.3 points a game. Seattle resigned him, then waived him a month later. In 1985, he hooked onto the Nets again, but failed to play. He went back to the Lakers, then to the Knicks, and wound up in Chicago. He ended up being a surprisingly useful member of the team; he averaged a career-high 14.5 mpg, resulting in 5.8 ppg, 1.1 rpg, and 1.9 apg. He was good enough to get the time, and frustrate Jesus. Code:
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07-28-2018, 11:38 AM
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#293 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
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Eddie Shank, F/C
How Acquired: Signed 7.22.85 (4 yr, 1.089m) Shank was able to parlay one year of reasonable shooting with the Knicks, into a four-year deal Jack’s rookie season. In 1986, on the Superteam, he started all 82 games, averaging 13.8 points and 6.4 rebounds. He was solid…but when the team brought in Josh, Shank was relegated to relief. He has been admirable in returning to that role since, steady as a rock. This year, he posted 6.1 ppg and 4.4 rpg in his 18 minutes per contest. Yeoman’s work for the every yeoman. Code:
Nicky Lopez, SG How Acquired: Signed 7.25.88 (2 yr, 353k) Lopez was a first-round pick of the Pistons in ’81, and played sparingly with them for two years. He spent a season with the Clippers, then three with the Cavs, before moving to New Jersey. He played, like many others, his most extensive time this year in Chicago. He averaged career highs in minutes (21.8), points (6.2), rebounds (2.4) and assists (3.0). He took care of the ball, and while he’s not a solid shooter, he probably won himself a job somewhere next year. Code:
Last edited by Comey : 07-28-2018 at 11:40 AM. |
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08-09-2018, 05:39 AM
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#294 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CT via PA via CA via PA
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The 1988-89 NBA Champion Chicago Bulls
The Five The reserves have all been discussed. Here’s a look at the five guys who were charged, primarily, with the goal of returning the Bulls to championship status. Gayle Cruz, C How Acquired: Signed 7.31.88 (1 yr, 133k) One of two things are true: Either the Bulls are full of scouting wizards, or Jack is capable of making anyone who plays with him look good. Gayle Cruz has gotten into games over his eight-year career. The former undrafted big man out of Iowa State broke in with Milwaukee, but failed to play. He hooked on with the Lakers, and became a reserve…then a deep reserve. He was essentially on the scrap heap when Chicago chose him over paying Chris Henderson big money. He started all 82 games, setting career highs in points and rebounds. He didn’t rebound much…but he offered solid defense, and enough of a scoring pop to force defenses to pay attention to someone other than Jack or Josh. He might have played his way into greener pastures, much like Henderson did with San Antonio. Code:
Josh Whitman, PG How Acquired: Signed 7.26.88 (1 yr, 123k) Whitman, another undrafted free agent, was a NBA All-Rookie 2nd Team selection in 1981; it would appear the main qualification for such a distinction was to play. He averaged 9.2 minutes a game. Rough year for the first-years. He did play in all 82 games with Dallas, but failed to appear in a game the following year. He went to Atlanta after that, where he played in every game for three years. In 1985, he was a regular starter, averaging 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 7.0 assists a game. His shooting numbers were abysmal, though, and he fell out of the rotation the following season. He latched on with the Knicks, and was a reserve, before joining Chicago this year. He had very much the same line he had in his year as a starter with the Hawks; the only difference here is, he shot much more efficiently. He might have played his way into more money elsewhere…but if he, and the Bulls, were smart…they’d re-sign him. He’s a good fit for what they do. Code:
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08-09-2018, 05:40 AM
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#295 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
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Joshua Jones, PF
How Acquired: Traded to Chicago by San Antonio, 10.26.87 (for Clarence Cassady) Josh took some steps back this year, scoring considerably less (3.4 ppg over last year), and rebounding less. Part of that is Jack taking more of an aggressive role on offense. But Josh seemed to affect the team negatively this year. His defense was atrocious, as he has absolutely no interest in it, other than the occasional glory block. And his offense fuels his defense…when he is working on offense, he works on defense. He was bad on offense this season. He was worse on defense. This may be a sticking point for the Bulls, and it may be why Jack leaves. They won in spite of Josh, not because of him. Code:
Gregory Escalera, SG How Acquired: Traded to Chicago 1.26.81 The former fourth overall pick, a former teammate of Royal Bryant on the undefeated Princeton team of 1979, Escalera has had an unremarkable career in the NBA. By the same token, he’s also been perfect, because he has started all but one game he’s played in the pros, and has been a great complement for what the Bulls have needed over the years. He isn’t flashy, and he’s getting older (now 31). But he continues to do a solid job for the Bulls. He’s not a great defender, but unlike Josh, he’s willing. And he’s one of the top free throw shooters in the league, one of the few who are better than Jack. It’s Escalera that shoots the technical freebies, not Jack. Escalera made 96% of his free throws two seasons ago. Code:
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08-09-2018, 05:40 AM
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#296 |
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College Starter
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Jack Dawkins, SF
How Acquired: Drafted by Chicago in 1985 Draft (#1 overall) There were some issues with Jack’s game this season, and some fluctuations with how he’s viewed around the league. He was MVP for the fourth straight season, and averaged a triple-double for the fourth straight year. He does not hold the record for triple-doubles in a season, though…he had 38 last year. John Hutcherson had 42 in 1860. Dusty Fisher had 78 double-doubles in 1965, by the way. He averaged 26.9 points and 17.4 rebounds a game, over 80 games. Anyway, Jack’s technicals were a big change. I also jinxed it; he started accuring them after I discussed it. Still, there’s something amiss about him. He had an uptick in his three-point shooting, up to 45% after shooting 43% a year ago. Next year will be interesting, as I wonder if he’ll find another peak for his prime, or if this is about what we’re going to get with him, statistically. At least, now, we can begin discussing him among the greats, historically, and delve into the league history more. Code:
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