The Bernstein Brief: Bad Bulls Are Good Star-Makers
By Dan Bernstein-
CBSChicago.com senior columnist
(CBS) When the Bulls have one of their all-too-frequent bad days against a lesser opponent, they make you reach for a roster.
Thursday night's flop against a Lakers squad that had lost its last nine featured a 26-point, 12-rebound performance from Jordan Hill, a journeyman on his third team in six seasons who's just the latest no-name to carve up the middle of the Bulls' defense.
Miami's Hassan Whiteside put that historic triple-double on them last Sunday, with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 12 blocked shots in only 24 minutes. He had been out of the league, staying in shape by playing at a YMCA until the Heat called.
In the flop at home against the lowly Jazz, it was Frenchman Rudy Gobert posting 11 points, 14 boards and five blocks. He was in the D-League as recently as last year.
There's no shame in losing to a good team with star players doing what they are paid to do, which is often just life in the NBA. What starts to get uncomfortable for a Bulls team with title aspirations is the troubling habit of letting replacement-level guys from bum teams have star turns.
Dan Bernstein is a co-host of 670 The Score's "Boers and Bernstein Show" in afternoon drive. Follow him on Twitter @dan_bernstein and read more of his columns here.
