Are you ready for some basketball??? Yeah, another NBA season began last night with a bang. Did you see the play where Harden bumped into Smart, Smart went flopping around like he got shot out of a cannon, Harden shook and did a little dance before bricking up a trey? Or maybe you saw the old ass Lakers get beat by the defending champs? Yeah, we really are living in the golden era of basketball, let me tell you… but who cares about that shit? I don’t. The NBA season starts TONIGHT as far as I’m concerned; the Bulls begin on the road in Miami to open the season.
I already have a gripe… Saw Zach Lavine pop up on the injury report, and now today, it was announced he’s out… what?!?! Dude just signed a new contract; dude said he felt great, and now this? To start the season? Tell me if we’ve been here before with one of our own… Will Zach play tonight? Will he play next week? Is he in? Is he out? This whole “left knee management” is going to get really old really quick. We’ve already lived this drama with Derrick Rose, and let me tell you: it does not have a happy ending. The first fricking game?!?! OK, breathe… let’s be patient. Hopefully, this doesn’t permeate the whole season for the Bulls. We already know we’re without Ball for months; to worry about whether or not Zach will play every night… nah, I’m good.
I am good with Ayo and Patrick in the starting lineup. The starting PG position was up for grabs with Ball being out. Caruso, Dragic will both play a bunch I’m sure; who will be on the floor at the end of each game will probably be TBD based on the scenario. But we do know, that the new “kid from Chicago” will be running the point to begin each game; I like it. The kid brought a ton of energy last year, and although he faded a bit down the stretch in his first professional season, so did the rest of the team. From the sounds of it, he had a tremendous summer, and is ready to show and prove on the court. Bring it on! As far as Patrick Williams goes, this move makes sense as well. The kid we said “who?” for when he was drafted, impressed out of the gate in his rookie season; last year was supposed to be the next step for him, then injuries reared their ugly head again. He never really got in sync. He had a few moments here and there, but never really got in the flow. I like him in the starting lineup from the jump. Let him get used to it. His development/improvement will be a big determining factor on how far this Bulls season will go.
OK, enough talking; let’s see the boys back on the court. Tough matchup out of the gate; no Lavine will hurt. The league stops for nobody though. In the immortal words of Thibs, “we have more than enough to win”… or do we? It all starts tonight. Go Bulls!!!
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