Most fans don't know how long the NBA season is. Goes for both the NHL and MLB. It is hard to explain to a lot of them that there are nights in the middle, or the second of a back-to-back or the last of a four game in six nights when players just can't get up for it. Maybe you don't fight over that screen, or go after that loose ball, or find the spring to get that rebound. A lot of fans will tell you it is entitlement or laziness, but it is just human nature. Over six months, there are 82 of these. Being an NBA player is wonderful, but it is still a job that can take a long time.
NBA coaches are aware of this. After certain losses, they will rant, but after others, they will shrug it off. They are not going to show all their cards before the games. You can't press them all the time. You need the adjustments in the spring.
The Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets both beat each other twice this season. The Bulls had become the talk of the NBA, the hot new thing, before they helped themselves to a seat at the top of the Eastern Conference. The Bulls had a winning streak and a 9 pm start, but there was more buzz about them last night because of Demar DeRozan's back-to-back buzzer-beaters.
The Bulls had the attention of the Nets. They were beaten up by a 138- 112 beatdown.
This was as thorough of a game as it can get, even though the Bulls are still beat up. There was no clearer sign of the Nets' intentions than watching two of them dive for a loose ball while they were up 30. The bench reacted in the 3rd quarter as the Nets laid it across the Bulls forehead to the tune of 39-19. Do you want to live in the top floor? The toll is this.
The Nets will still have three of the best players on the court, even if they are not at full strength. One of the three best can be claimed in Milwaukee, but it is still one. They needed the other two to be hurt to beat the Nets. The Nets haven't won anything yet, but they showed the Bulls what they are made of over 48 minutes. They dared anyone else to beat them because they blanketed Demar. No one wanted it. The Nets have a player who can only be guarded by a Jedi. The Bulls don't have a race.
There are nights in the NBA season where a team is not there, but there are other nights where they are. You can see what it can look like when everything comes together and the team has to catch up. The strength of street knowledge was witnessed by the Bulls.
There are no games that have a message. It is a fun narrative, but it is not how things work. The parameters of a playoff series are completely different. The Bulls and Nets know how difficult it will be.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
