Any conspiracy theorists out there? Then you'll love this one. It comes from Bulls coach Scott Skiles, courtesy of (friend of the bloggers) Sam Smith. From Smith's column in the Chicago Tribune:Does the NBA favor the Orlando Magic? Bulls coach Scott Skiles says he thinks so. The Bulls play Miami on Wednesday and then Orlando on Thursday, the fourth straight season with the Magic the second on the back to back. "I do have an issue when we always play Miami before Orlando," Skiles said. "To me, that gives Orlando the advantage. It's every year I've been here." The last time the back to back started in Orlando was 2002-03. Could the NBA be trying to boost the Magic in hopes of getting the community to build that long talked about arena?Alright, let's just ignore Smith's asinine comment about the arena and focus on Skiles' paranoia. Here's a little history lesson: the Bulls went 3-1 against the Magic last year, winning the game after the Miami game. The year before, the Bulls went 3-0 against the Magic, again winning the game after the Miami game. And during the 2003-04 season, the Bulls went 3-1 against the Magic ... wait for it ... winning the game after the Miami game.
But in 2002-03, the last time all was right in the world and the Bulls played the Magic before Miami on their Florida road trip, they went 1-3 against the Magic, losing to both the Magic and Heat.
So really, what's the big deal? Why bring up the past when it does absolutely nothing to support your point? Because, I'm guessing, it deflects attention away from the fact the Bulls have already lost two games to the Magic this year, and gives Skiles a built-in excuse for this year's game in Orlando just in case the Bulls do what they've done 63% of the time on the road this year -- which is, of course, lose.
The Magic have lost seven of their last nine ... but one of those two wins was in Chicago last month. Now, on the road and in the second game of a back to back, well, obviously Skiles would rather have people talk about how unfair the NBA's schedule-makers are than why he can't get his team to win outside the friendly confines of the United Center.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-07-2007 @ 3:30AM
Miss Gossip said...
I'm with Skiles. It's all part of the MASTER PLAN!!
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3-07-2007 @ 8:27AM
Monponsett said...
Tyson Chandler in the top 10 for rebounds and blocked shots... after being traded away so Chicago could give the bank to a guy who blocks(almost, and we'll see how high Ben is jumping in 2009)/rebounds/scores worse than he does. Chandler is about 23, while Wallace is starting to push up on 35.
Throw in 19/7/58% from Eddy Curry... and that makes two world class centers that Skiles was unable to coax anything out of. Jason Kidd hates Skiles, too.. and didn't he bench multi-million Ben for wearing a headband?
Anyone care to argue that Skiles/Paxson got Boo Fooed in the Curry trade? Tyrus came into the NBA with no appreciable skills at all, and only a Lottery miracle can give the Bulls a shot at either Oden or Durant. That's about 20 million in expiring salary (Ant Davis and Tim Thomas, who Skiles also ran out of town), as well as a 23 year old All Star caliber center that the Bulls gagged up to appease the ego of the coach... and it was wise to get rid of an out-of-shape guy like Curry to bring in a hardbody like Mike Sweetney. Nice to finally find the guy who got rooked in a trade by Zeke.
How does Skiles stay employed? Does the owner hate paying the millions so badly that he punishes the players by letting Skiles yell at them? Does Skiles come to him in the wee hours of the bedroom morning and preach Desire and Discipline? Is there a picture of the owner raping a Cub Scout in Skiles' possession? How does Skiles stay employed?
Ainge, Paxson, Cheeks, Zeke, McHale, Rivers, Jordan (nice first pick, Air), Magic, Skiles etc.. was there something in the water back in the 1980s? Why can't any 1980s players (Dumars excepted, although he did gag on a #2 overall) run a team?
I keep waiting for Andrew Toney to start f****ing up the Sonics, or something.
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3-07-2007 @ 4:40PM
Jerry Krause said...
Yeah, the Bulls really got ruined by Paxson. I mean, the worst stretch in the history of professional sports was fun for me but making the playoffs three years in a row really has tainted what was once the worst team ever.
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