If you took a look at the standings, this current Chicago Bulls stretch doesn’t look that bad.
They’re 5-5 in their last ten games, right on par with their season pace with their record currently sitting at 24-25. But if you have been following them day-to-day, you know they are a basketball team in freefall.
Their stars are openly calling out the young players, the young players are complaining and asking for trades, and Rajon Rondo is going off on Instagram. The locker room seems divided, and it is unclear if coach Fred Hoiberg remains in control.
But winning heals all wounds, even if it is against a Philadelphia 76ers team missing Joel Embiid, like the Bulls 121-108 win last night was. Now, Chicago heads out on a long road trip, and the team’s veteran leader Dwyane Wade is reflecting on how things went wrong, and how to get the team back on track.
Wade on week: "It was a story, for multiple reasons. For me, it's about how you respond as players and team when you're challenged."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 30, 2017
Wade said he wanted to keep "in house" whether the young players asked him to practice more.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 30, 2017
Wade sounds done talking abt mates. Asked about players saying should practice more, said,"I’m not talking about anything that is in house"
— Sam Smith (@SamSmithHoops) January 30, 2017
Wade on 49 pts from kids: "If we can bottle that up and go on this road trip we’ll be pretty good; Rondo did a great job with that lineup."
— Sam Smith (@SamSmithHoops) January 30, 2017
Wade is keeping his finger away from the panic button and putting a positive spin back on the Bulls season. After all, Chicago currently holds a playoff spot and is only six games out of the number two spot in the Eastern Conference. If they can make a nice trade at the deadline or continue to see production from the Rondo-led bench unit, good things could come.
Bulls star Jimmy Butler and center Robin Lopez led the attack against the Sixers, combining for 49 points on 17-31 shooting. Wade chipped in 14 points and six rebounds, with Rondo racking up ten assists off of the bench.
