SpinninHouse wrote:Again, I'm not sure how somebody who has actually watched the games could formulate this opinion. We got absolutely obliterated at home to an atrocious Brooklyn team. We could absolutely obliterated at home to an atrocious Utah team. We got absolutely obliterated at home to an atrocious Orlando team.
Those losses are not "normal ups and downs." They are losses in which we failed to even compete at home to some of the league's worst teams. Losing games is one thing but losing them in the fashion we did -- in which we failed to even compete -- it's very alarming.
In the game threads you won't see posters saying "oh it's just normal ups and downs" because people who watch the games see it's not normal to lose the way we are losing. Its interesting to me because the only posts I read like this are not in game threads when people are actually watching.
As someone who's played the "regular season doesn't really matter" card for a while, I think there's a balance to it.
There's nothing positive about losing to bad teams especially when it looks like your energy level is set on chill. You shouldn't ignore the habits in those losses and in our case, those habits need to be improved going into the postseason.
Simultaneously, winning or losing those games doesn't determine if the Bulls will make it out of the Eastern Conference. These games are just not remotely similar to a playoff series. The 2010-11 Bulls beat everyone they were supposed to in the regular season and played with the multiple efforts and passion that people want this team to display.
Then in the first round that team struggled with Indiana. Every game was decided by 6 points or less except the blowout elimination game. The Atlanta series was more of a reminder of the regular season team and we didn't really struggle much against Atlanta. The Miami series was...yeah, but hey we won 62 games!
I think someone said that these losses technically do matter, since it means the Bulls won't have homecourt throughout the Eastern Conference. But I'm of the belief that if you're a talented and pretty good team, then you will win regardless of the location or team.
I won't talk about this team like they're Jordan's Bulls, Shaq's Lakers, LeBron's Heat, where they've earned the benefit of the doubt to play their best ball when it matters. However, I still get the vibe that this team can play their best ball when it matters. It's not like we haven't seen them do it. They started the season insanely hot. And when they do, I don't think there's anyone short of Cleveland who can stop them. Washington also scares me for some reason too.
