Happy Friday Chicago!
It’s another heavenly day outside.
The weather is taboo to chat about. It’s also a great way to feign interest in someone, though, which can’t be ignored. What’s the weather like there? How are you taking advantage of the weather?
How am I taking advantage of it, person I just met? Let’s see. Well, I took a 15-minute walk on Tuesday directly down my block, turned around, and returned home. A four-song walk that consisted of me walking straight, crossing the street, and then walking back the other way.
The awful reality that I’ve had to come to grips with over time, though, is that I really don’t shut up about the weather. It’s not ironic, either. If I’m sipping beer outside, I’m good for a “I just can’t get over how nice it is” every 30 minutes or so. It’s not something I’m proud of, but life is a never-ending journey of getting to know yourself and trying to sneak 15-minute walks in to soak in the star that makes life possible on earth.
What I’ve convinced myself of, too, is that nice weather is far more enjoyable here than it is elsewhere because of how bad the preceding months are. We’ve earned it. And everything in life is earned, not given, something LeBron James would know nothing about.
There’s no way people would be frolicking up and down the streets like the World War 2 armistice just dropped if it wasn’t for that misery beforehand. You can’t convince me that outdoor patios are bumping every Wednesday in San Diego.
That delusional thought process keeps me going, man. And this week has been, honestly, good evidence of that. I feel like I took LSD every single time I step outside. And since I haven’t taken LSD, a more apt comparison would be to say I feel like I’m 16 and one of my friends just texted me that their parents are going to out of town and we already illegally secured a 30-rack of Busch Light.
If kids get snow days, adults should get weeks like this off. Go out there, have a little picnic, and convince yourself that better days are ahead, everyone. We’ll see you next week and expect productivity to be through the roof. I would get behind that.
Alright, here it goes, he’s about to make an idiotic sports comparison…
And that’s what it’s like to be a post-Jordan Bulls fan!
When you’re outside in the sun and it kind of makes you want to cry, you may rethink want to rethink where you live (this is where delusion comes in handy).
Likewise, when you’re alone in your apartment and Patrick Williams dunks on the baseline — to cut the Bulls deficit in a play-in game to 12 — and you scream GET THE FUCK OFF ME aloud, to no one, your position in life is supremely evident.
But there’s no time to pity your life. The Bulls are back on defense and … GET A REBOUND!
The point is, no matter how meaningless Wednesday’s game was, it was one of the best times I’ve had watching Bulls basketball over the last six years. The only other time that comes to mind is the Bulls win last year against the Bucks in Game 2. They also did lose the next three games.
And the Bulls may lose tonight. And if they win, they’ll likely lose in four — or five, LETS GO BULLS — to the Bucks in the first round.
Life is about the journey, or whatever. I’m a Bulls fan. That means I’m in no position to say things like, “It’s all about championships, man.”
I don’t say shit like that and I don’t tour $1.5 million condos for sale. And that’s because I understand the position I’m in.
We’re not close to a championship. Do I want to be? No shit, buddy. But life’s not fair and I am working with the hand I’ve been dealt.
So if the Bulls are playing in a do-or-die play-in game, one in which the no. 10 is hilariously positioned next to their name on the TV chyron, I’m going to be screaming curse words at the television whether I have company or not. And I generally do not have company.
A couple reminders from last newsletter — in for a penny, and in for a pound, and don’t let the looming hangover ruin the pregame.
With that in mind, I may have to skip the Hot Boy Walk today to get some more work done. Dinner needs to be in the belly and the television needs to be on at 5:45 p.m., yet again. I’ll slop down my chicken and 90-second rice from the tupperware like a dog eating its kibble and be ready to roll — that’s a guarantee.
My schedule is clear and I’m ready for this Bulls-Heat game as if I’m in high school and there’s nothing else that matters more than shutting up those skin-cancer ridden, frayed-blonde hair Miamians.
I wrote on Wednesday about the intoxication that comes with warm weather and postseason Bulls basketball. My investment is likely going to lead to more unneeded anguish either tonight or in the near-term future. But, alas, see above.
For now, it’s war. I hate the Miami Heat, no matter who’s actually donning the jersey these days.
Winning two play-in games on the road is both meaningless long term and kind of bad ass short term. I’m rolling with the latter mindset tonight.
Next time I write to you, the Bulls will likely be eliminated and it will be 50 degrees and rainy again. But —
I would start this portion of the newsletter by bringing up DeMar DeRozan’s daughter — who was screaming during the Raptors’ free throws, ostensibly leading to poor shooting — but then I’d be like every other person I hate with a Twitter and somehow a paying sports media job.
So I’ll just say that was some STILL GOTTA COME THROUGH CHICAGO shit, and that I also would have lost my mind had I been sitting near her in the arena.
The Bulls were down 19 points on Wednesday, and came all the way back. Our max player — Zach LaVine — turned in 30! second-half points in what was one of the most impressive offensive performances I’ve seen in a postseason Bulls game in a long time.
He was also playing aggressive and good on-ball defense, which sometimes is hard to get excited about. Great to see, no doubt, but it does beg the question: Where is that every other night of the year? (I know he’s generally a fine on-ball defender, it’s the rest that’s awful).
This isn’t just a white-guy take, but I really do believe that Alex Caruso’s defensive performance in that game is one of the best I’ve ever seen. I don’t think that’s hyperbolic. He should be given a Masters Class paycheck, and all he’d have to do is roll the tape of that game.
Sure, he had three blocks and three steals. But the amount of turnovers his defense alone forced was incredible. Without him and Pat Williams’ defense, the Bulls do not come back in that game — no matter what LaVine does.
The Bulls shot a predictable 7-26 from three. That’s why they’re not a truly good team (a fact we’re ignoring for now, if you remember). They also, predictably, had their offensive rebound total doubled by the Raptors.
Those were the two areas I told you to keep an eye on on Wednesday. The last focus area was two of three of Nikola Vucevic, LaVine and DeRozan playing well. We didn’t even get that.
LaVine played incredible. Vucevic struggled sans the two clutch free throws. DeRozan was dreadful in the first half, but really did come around in the fourth quarter. We got about 1.5 good performances.
Zach LaVine’s penetration and Caruso and Williams’ defense were the differentiators. Doris Burke called it out early in the game, even before a comeback looked plausible. Those two guys were making the Raptors uncomfortable offensively. They never let up.
Only four players that played 20 minutes or more had a positive +/- in Wednesday’s game. LaVine (+11), Caruso (+8), Williams (+3), and Coby White (+1), whose scoring kept the Bulls in the game in the first half. He only had 9 points, but didn’t miss a shot.
Single-game +/- can be misleading, but in this particular instance, it matches up with the eye test completely.
Now, for tonight’s game.
The Bulls are 5.5-point underdogs tonight. They were 5-point underdogs on Wednesday.
The Heat have had an extra day off, which is no doubt an advantage.
The Bulls advantage is that they are coming off the high of an incredible second half and win, and the Heat are facing headlines calling them old and tired after a bad loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Since the All-Star break, the Bulls are actually third in net rating in the NBA, just behind the Celtics and Warriors. The Heat are 21st.
This is not the Heat team you’re accustomed to watching. Even for the full year, the Bulls are 13th in net rating and the Heat are, again, 21st. This team has good players, such as Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. They aren’t a good team.
There’s zero reason the Bulls can’t win this game. In fact, they should win this game. The Vegas odds are based on stigma alone. It’s the Bulls vs. the Heat in Miami. The Heat have to be favored, right?
Again, this means nothing for the future of the franchise, but the Bulls have been a pretty good team of late. The Heat have not been.
The keys to the game: The Bulls need to make more three point shots, God willing.
Someone else needs to step up offensively other than LaVine. The Heat will not make it easy for him.
Finally, the Bulls need to stay out of foul trouble, mainly guys like Caruso. The Heat may not be great, but they are wise and savvy. Butler wants to get guys in the air and do that non-basketball bullshit to get fouls. Don’t give him the chance.
If the Bulls do that, they will be champions. Play-in. Tournament. Champions.
LETS GO BULLS!
After two awesome wins, the Cubs lost a stinker in the series finale against the Mariners.
More noteworthy, however, is that they extended Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson does not have a long-term injury.
Happ signed a three-year, $60 million extension. I am happy they brought a good player back — a player who loves playing for the Cubs, which I am a sucker for — for a reasonable price.
I wish I had a hotter take about this. But I just think the deal is fine. I like Ian Happ, I have never loved him. He’s had some kinda high “highs” and some really low “lows.” After you exclude each of those, you get a fine MLB outfielder. I like him, I have no problem with the signing. I’m happy to cheers to it. But let’s not throw a party.
I will say that, in general, the Cubs organization as a whole seems to have a lot of momentum behind it right now. The Happ signing did add to it.
The Cubs now have a core, of sorts. It’s a little bit better than the Bulls “Big 3,” but not by a ton. Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson will be around for this competitive window. How they fill out the rest of the roster — whether through free agency or through prospects — will be what makes or breaks their chances, and likely not that core. But it does set a floor.
Suzuki has been hitting well in his rehab stint. I really think he is the “X factor” of this year’s lineup. If he can have a good year — which I think he will — that tips the scales a bit.
On that note, losing Swanson would have tipped the scales the other way. This team can be competitive, but they’re delicate. They won’t be able to withstand too many hardships.
So, it’s great to know that Swanson was just exhausted, dehydrated and underfed from being with his wife in the hospital before and after her knee surgery (she’s a soccer player). Good guy Dansby Swanson.
Boy, am I relieved by that news. I wish the dugout could have relayed it to us sooner.
“I hadn’t really felt too many things like that in my career,” Swanson said about Tuesday night’s comeback win at Wrigley Field.
Next up: Dodgers.
Well, it looks like we’re about to have only one active player left on the banner heads, and that is Tim Anderson. Get well soon, Tim!
Generally, when you see the above banner, you know it’s because something bad or sad has happened with the Hawks. And that is the case, yet again.
Jonathan Toews played his last game in a Blackhawks uniform last night. Of course, he scored.
I wrote a eulogy of sorts for the Kane/Toews era last month here, so I won’t do it again.
What I will say is that Chicago — but the Blackhawks in particular — need to do a much better job of sending off their legends.
For the love of God, I don’t care what the future of this team holds. You keep Toews rostered if he wants to be rostered, and if he doesn’t, you don’t tell the press the night before that a conversation was had and that he’ll be gone soon.
That is despicable behavior and a really disappointing way to start off a new era.
Thank you reading this newsletter, and thank you for reading Still Gotta Come Through Chicago twice this week. If you did. I greatly appreciate it.
I’ll see you next week.
That Bulls Game was fantastic and I agree with you on Alex Caruso. When they made their run he was absolutely everywhere. Tipping balls, pressuring ballhandlers, steals, rebounds, tipping out rebounds to others....He is the epitome of "stats can be deceiving".
I think there is a good chance they win tonight. You know those worthless Miami fans will not show up for a play in game. Look for lots of the white Heat shirts pulled over the seats to make it look crowded.
Milwaukee would be a tall task but we are much better at this point then we were last year going in to play them.
I am enjoying watching the Cubs. They are fun to watch and I think they will get better pitching as the year goes. 82-80