Everyone is in full on panic mode about the Bulls, and on some level that is understandable.  It’s never fun to watch your team lose 4 straight.  The problem is that some combination of raised expectations, a lack of understanding about the Bulls schedule, poor shooting, and of course Rose’s bum ankle (or confidence, but probably the ankle) has made people stop thinking straight.

Let’s look at the facts:

• The Bulls have the 2nd toughest schedule in the NBA so far this season, with opposing teams having a combined .593 winning percentage.
• They have played 9 of their 14 games on the road, 5 of which have come on this west coast trip.
• The Bulls are shooting just 43% from the field as a team, with most of the players shooting WAY below their career averages.
• The Bulls are extremely thin up front with injuries to Gray and Tyrus, leaving Noah, Miller, and Gibson to shoulder most of the load.

6-8 at this point in the season is exactly where the Bulls want to be.  If you were expecting them to win about 40 games (or if you expected less, then this point is even more correct), how are you disappointed with 6-8 through one of the toughest stretches of their schedule all season?  In fact, shortly after predicting the Bulls would win 40-something games and seeing how tough their schedule was, I said this about the October/November schedule way back in August:

Not only do the Bulls play the Spurs, C’s, Heat, Cavs and Nuggets, those games don’t even include the wonderful 6-game road trip lovingly known as the Circus Trip.  With 9 of 13 on the road in November, and 10 of the first 15 against playoff teams, if the Bulls win 6-7 games out of these first 15 they will be in good shape.  Yeah, its that tough.

That was before we thought the Bulls would all of a sudden forget how to shoot.  Now we have a defense as well that was unexpected.  If the shooting comes around (which it will, we can at least expect that guys like Hinrich and Salmons will get back to near or at their career averages), the Bulls will still be on pace to win 40-43.

"But Doc! If the Bulls don't win 72 games every year, I'm not going to be a fan!" "Okay Marty, then we'll name the Delorean 'The Bandwagon' and take it back to 1996! Get in! Hurry!"

The other issue here is expectations.  How are people disappointed with the Bulls losing to 4 teams that are clearly better than them?  Did you expect the Bulls to be a legitimate contender in the East this year?  If you did, you are an idiot.  What we were all hoping and expecting is to see improvement from Rose, a resurgence for Deng, a step forward from the young big men (Noah and Tyrus), about 42 wins, and maybe a few wins in the 1st round of the playoffs.  A team that is hoping for those results should not disappoint you when they lose to the Lakers, Nuggets, Blazers and Jazz all on the road.

Here is a suggestion for Bulls fans that are disappointed with anything less than 6 championships in 8 years.  Buy a Delorean.  Install a flux-capacitor in said vehicle.  Obtain some weapons-grade plutonium.  Then drive the vehicle until it hits 88 mph and head back to the mid-1990s.  That is pretty much the only way you people will be satisfied.  If you somehow do pull this off, please stop by and pick me up first though.  I would love to re-live the Bulls glory years.

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• Bulls Win One, Can They Win Another? (3)
• Do You Often Find Yourself Saying: “It Looked Like Derrick Rose Got Fouled On That One?” You’re Not Alone (3)
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• In Bizarro World, Noah Throws Alley-Oop to Rose (0)

Tags: Delorean, Derrick Rose, High Expectations, Tough Schedule