Tattered Bulls Still Finding a Way

Published on 25-Apr-2013 by The Guy

Basketball - NBA    NBA Daily Review

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Tattered Bulls Still Finding a Way

There aren't many teams in the NBA that have been as decimated by injuries this year as the Chicago Bulls.

Derrick Rose refuses to return from his torn ACL despite being at 150% health -- what would a hockey player think about that? -- and the ancient Rip Hamilton is still working his way into the lineup after being out with a back injury for over a month. Joakim Noah has been fighting plantar fascitis for several weeks now, and Taj Gibson recently reaggravated an MCL injury.

The Bulls have been hobbling along since the all-star break, but somehow still have a chance to make a deep playoff run. Assuming they can get through a coin-flip series with the Nets, in which they split the first two games in Brooklyn, Chicago will find itself matched against the Miami Heat with a chance to go to the Eastern Conference finals. 

Over the last two years, the Bulls and Heat have split their eight regular season meetings. While the sample size may be small, there's no question that Chicago's physicality and grit can give Miami some problems. And Lebron James clearly doesn't like it when the Bulls get up in his grill.

The one-legged Bulls keep hopping along. Perhaps they can get far enough to make Derrick Rose realize he's supposed to be playing basketball again.