Chicago Bulls 2036-2037 Championship Quality Presser
Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 11:59 am
MAY 30TH, 2036
In the nation’s capital, the previous year’s surprising exit to the Mavericks seems like ancient history, but players like Norris Turney, Cristiano Felicio, Jason Waters, RJ Barrett, and Silky Johnson all remember it—or at least appreciate it. After securing the top record in the league for a second year in a row, the first round bye didn’t soften them this time. It didn’t put them in a position that they’d take for granted. Throughout the playoffs, the fought to prove that the last season was not who they were.
They handily disposed of an overachieving Jazz team, sweeping them with an average margin of victory of 17 points (69 overall…nice). Then it was onto a tougher challenge, David Leiker and the Hardaway Division winning Miami Heat. They had the regular season matchup against the Heat, where Silky Johnson routinely limited Leiker, but this was a familiar scenario. The Bulls had owned the Mavericks in the regular season a season earlier and knew the playoffs were a different animal.
This time, however, Silky doubled down. He won player of the game in three of their four victories as the Bulls disposed of the Heat in 5. But that series didn’t come without loss. The 3 point loss in game 4 forced the Bulls to play a game 5, where 8 minutes in, their talented, young SG, Norris Turney, suffered a broken rib. The Wizards-Bucks series on the other side went 6 games, giving Turney some extra time to heal, but he wouldn’t be available to begin the series, and even so, he wouldn’t be at 100% even when he was cleared to play.
The Wizards played a hard-nosed brand of physical basketball, featuring two giants in the front court in Philip Cuomo (7’5) and Shareef O’Neal (7’4). Quintin Kidd and Dino Washington made sure that the Wizards were league leading ball thieves. In the previous two series, the Wizards had knocked out important players; Robert Bennett with a dislocated shoulder and Ja Morant with a sprained ankle. With Turney down, the Bulls couldn’t afford a major injury, and we’re already running with an 11 man roster to keep costs down (relatively).
With newly minted assistant coach Dennis Smith, Jr. joining the ranks, the Bulls decided to do something the Wizards have been doing for years—going big. Instead of simply plugging Kyle Kuzma in at starting SG in Turney’s absence, they shifted everyone down. RJ Barrett would show his versatility by starting at SG, Grayson Allen would move down to SF to avoid the giant front court, and Erik Haynes and Cris Felicio would match up against the Wiz front court—though they still gave up a few inches to the Wiz, at 7’2 apiece, they were much more equipped to battle in the paint.
As the game started, it became apparent that karma would come back to bite the Wizards. Starting the game, Tony Cucone was having problems with his knee…it turned out to be patellar tendonitis that would bench him for the remainder of the series. The Bulls won the game handily, but the Wizards tightened things up in game 2, where the Bulls only won by 6 and then lost Loyd Gilley to a dislocated knee--Hammurabi’s code in full effect.
This would present a different challenge…without Loyd Gilley, the Bulls would not have anyone backing up the C/PF position with their newly engineered big lineup. They moved Grayson back to PF and returned Felicio to the bench. Kuzma took over at SF, and Turney—cleared to play, but not his full self—came off the bench to try and take advantage of Washington’s inferior depth. The Bulls lost, and with two more games in Washington thanks to the 2-3-2 format of the playoffs, they knew they had to win at least one on the road, or they’d be in big trouble.
So, it wasn’t an easy decision, but with Grayson Allen being shut down at PF, the Bulls moved the highest paid player in the league (and the Bulls only all-star) to a 6th man position so they could start their twin 7’2 tandem against the Wizards. They were able to take game 4 on the road, and with momentum on their side (and a history where they’ve only ever won championships on the road), they went into game 5 with a plan they knew worked and depth chart that remained relentless for 48 minutes.
PRESENT DAY
Confetti flies down from the rafters of the United Center as Dennis Smith, Jr., flanked by new members of the Bulls, stands at the podium and claps as the members of the 2035-2036 championship Bulls enter the stage set up in the middle of the court. First, it’s Loyd Gilley and Jason Waters. Then, Erik Haynes and Cristiano Felicio. Norris Turney. Kyle Kuzma. RJ Barrett. And…
…being carried on a throne while holding his playoff MVP in the air. The press corps looks either confused or amused. Eventually he’s put down on the stage, the Kool and the Gang songs ends, the confetti stops going, and Silky joins the rest of his teammates…old and new…including Wilfredo Perry, Tasmin Mitchell, Cameron Payne, Mo Mamba, Simon Pheonix, Dino Washington, and James Kirkendall.
Coach Dennis Smith, Jr. leans into the microphone:
“So, any questions for the reigning champs?”
In the nation’s capital, the previous year’s surprising exit to the Mavericks seems like ancient history, but players like Norris Turney, Cristiano Felicio, Jason Waters, RJ Barrett, and Silky Johnson all remember it—or at least appreciate it. After securing the top record in the league for a second year in a row, the first round bye didn’t soften them this time. It didn’t put them in a position that they’d take for granted. Throughout the playoffs, the fought to prove that the last season was not who they were.
They handily disposed of an overachieving Jazz team, sweeping them with an average margin of victory of 17 points (69 overall…nice). Then it was onto a tougher challenge, David Leiker and the Hardaway Division winning Miami Heat. They had the regular season matchup against the Heat, where Silky Johnson routinely limited Leiker, but this was a familiar scenario. The Bulls had owned the Mavericks in the regular season a season earlier and knew the playoffs were a different animal.
This time, however, Silky doubled down. He won player of the game in three of their four victories as the Bulls disposed of the Heat in 5. But that series didn’t come without loss. The 3 point loss in game 4 forced the Bulls to play a game 5, where 8 minutes in, their talented, young SG, Norris Turney, suffered a broken rib. The Wizards-Bucks series on the other side went 6 games, giving Turney some extra time to heal, but he wouldn’t be available to begin the series, and even so, he wouldn’t be at 100% even when he was cleared to play.
The Wizards played a hard-nosed brand of physical basketball, featuring two giants in the front court in Philip Cuomo (7’5) and Shareef O’Neal (7’4). Quintin Kidd and Dino Washington made sure that the Wizards were league leading ball thieves. In the previous two series, the Wizards had knocked out important players; Robert Bennett with a dislocated shoulder and Ja Morant with a sprained ankle. With Turney down, the Bulls couldn’t afford a major injury, and we’re already running with an 11 man roster to keep costs down (relatively).
With newly minted assistant coach Dennis Smith, Jr. joining the ranks, the Bulls decided to do something the Wizards have been doing for years—going big. Instead of simply plugging Kyle Kuzma in at starting SG in Turney’s absence, they shifted everyone down. RJ Barrett would show his versatility by starting at SG, Grayson Allen would move down to SF to avoid the giant front court, and Erik Haynes and Cris Felicio would match up against the Wiz front court—though they still gave up a few inches to the Wiz, at 7’2 apiece, they were much more equipped to battle in the paint.
As the game started, it became apparent that karma would come back to bite the Wizards. Starting the game, Tony Cucone was having problems with his knee…it turned out to be patellar tendonitis that would bench him for the remainder of the series. The Bulls won the game handily, but the Wizards tightened things up in game 2, where the Bulls only won by 6 and then lost Loyd Gilley to a dislocated knee--Hammurabi’s code in full effect.
This would present a different challenge…without Loyd Gilley, the Bulls would not have anyone backing up the C/PF position with their newly engineered big lineup. They moved Grayson back to PF and returned Felicio to the bench. Kuzma took over at SF, and Turney—cleared to play, but not his full self—came off the bench to try and take advantage of Washington’s inferior depth. The Bulls lost, and with two more games in Washington thanks to the 2-3-2 format of the playoffs, they knew they had to win at least one on the road, or they’d be in big trouble.
So, it wasn’t an easy decision, but with Grayson Allen being shut down at PF, the Bulls moved the highest paid player in the league (and the Bulls only all-star) to a 6th man position so they could start their twin 7’2 tandem against the Wizards. They were able to take game 4 on the road, and with momentum on their side (and a history where they’ve only ever won championships on the road), they went into game 5 with a plan they knew worked and depth chart that remained relentless for 48 minutes.
PRESENT DAY
Confetti flies down from the rafters of the United Center as Dennis Smith, Jr., flanked by new members of the Bulls, stands at the podium and claps as the members of the 2035-2036 championship Bulls enter the stage set up in the middle of the court. First, it’s Loyd Gilley and Jason Waters. Then, Erik Haynes and Cristiano Felicio. Norris Turney. Kyle Kuzma. RJ Barrett. And…
…being carried on a throne while holding his playoff MVP in the air. The press corps looks either confused or amused. Eventually he’s put down on the stage, the Kool and the Gang songs ends, the confetti stops going, and Silky joins the rest of his teammates…old and new…including Wilfredo Perry, Tasmin Mitchell, Cameron Payne, Mo Mamba, Simon Pheonix, Dino Washington, and James Kirkendall.
Coach Dennis Smith, Jr. leans into the microphone:
“So, any questions for the reigning champs?”