A Good Year for the Outlaw

One more sports story while I’m on the topic:

Everyone was lamenting the “flat” Bulls performance last night in their regular season ender against Toronto. The players even put on a convincing show afterwards. But folks, these guys aren’t stupid. They tossed that game in the tank early, and they SHOULD have.

A win would have seeded the Bulls sixth in the East. Playoff opponent on Round 1? Orlando. The Bulls have no answer for Dwight Howard, and Orlando would toast them in Round 1.

A loss and a Philly win (The Sixers TRIED to tank it, too, but with the Cavaliers resting their three best players, someone on Philly was stupid enough to score in overtime and give the Sixers a victory in overtime and the number six seed) meant the Bulls finished seventh.

And so it is. Seventh seed. Round one opponent? Boston. Defending champs yes, but the AGING and HURT Boston Celtics. News today from the Celtic camp is that not only is Kevin Garnett slowed by his knee pains, he will probably miss the ENTIRE postseason. Danny Ainge had a slight heart attack today. No, I’m not kidding. So Ainge’s health becomes an issue and therefore a distraction. Garnett can’t play. Ray Allen has looked terribly old and slow since the All-Star break, and Paul Pierce looks just human without the other two.

So the better matchup for the Bulls…and the Sixers, for that matter…is the #2 seed Celts. Therefore, the Bulls tanked one last night, and it was the right move. So now the Bulls just might pull off the 1st round surprise. We’ll find out starting Saturday. Oh, btw, we carry Chicago Bulls basketball on AM 1560, WBYS. Thought you’d like to know.