Chicago Bulls rolling after 0-9 start
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-01-14 09:37

Even at 0-9, the Chicago Bulls stayed hopeful and confident. And now they have fashioned a rather remarkable, almost unimaginable, turnaround.

With two five-game winning streaks in the past month and 11 victories in their past 14 games, they're in contention to make the playoffs in a weak Eastern Conference.

Chicago Bulls' Ben Gordon, right, drives on Philadelphia 76ers' Andre Iguodala during the third quarter, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2004, in Chicago. The Bulls won 110-78. [AP]

"Even when we were 0-9, I said I thought we were a pretty consistent, levelheaded group," coach Scott Skiles said. "We'll have our ups and downs, but we've been able to stay pretty balanced and ultimately that will help us. I think we're going to get better."

After six straight dismal seasons and a rebuilding process that seemed endless, they have indeed finally improved.

If they beat the Knicks on Saturday, the Bulls would have their first six-game winning streak in seven years — since the final championship season of Michael Jordan when Chicago ran off 13 straight wins near the end of the 1997-98 season.

Skiles is no fan of premature playoff talk, however.

Earlier in the week, he said all the praise being heaped on his young team during their run to respectability could make his players more difficult to manage. At 15-18, there are 49 games to go.

"I understand the excitement," he said. "One of the greatest teams ever turned into one of the worst teams, in a matter of a summer. I understand that, since then, we've been trying to dig out of a hole."

Still three games under .500, the Bulls are beginning to see the top of the crater they've been submerged in for a long time.

"After not feeling it for such along time, you kind of forgot how it feels," said Eddy Curry, who early on this season was the subject of trade rumors but is now one of the centerpieces of Chicago's offense with his low-post scoring ability.

Curry was used to winning in high school before making the jump right to the NBA, as was fellow prep-to-pro Tyson Chandler. Throw in Kirk Hinrich (Kansas) and rookies Luol Deng (Duke), Chris Duhon (Duke) and Ben Gordon (Connecticut) and there's a core of players from three of the most successful college programs in the country.

Most responsible for the turnaround is defense. While once it looked like opponents were going through a layup line against the Bulls, Chicago has buckled down. The Bulls haven't allowed 100 points for 20 straight games and have been holding teams under 42 percent shooting.

"We play defense first and help each other. We really contest shots, that's what we've been doing," Curry said.

And this, too — they've had a better schedule since Dec. 1. After playing eight of their first 11 games on the road, they've been at the United Center for 17 of the past 22. They're 11-9 at home, 4-9 on the road.

"Our confidence is high," said Gordon, coming off his best performance Wednesday night, with 19 fourth-quarter points and four 3-pointers in a 110-78 rout of the 76ers.

It was Chicago's first 30-point-plus victory since — you guessed it — 1998.

"We've been playing real good defense," Gordon said. "And that's what's been helping us win games. We're really proud of our defense, and it's something we want to do throughout the season."

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