Is the difference really this big?

I'm about as die hard a Bulls fan as they come, but even my confidence in the Bulls is severely shaken. Game 3 is the final straw for the series. Hopefully they will start shooting better at home and take back some of that swagger they had going in. Doug Collins was right, the Bulls are being outplayed at every position.

well the first thing that needs to happen is Gordon, Hinrich and Nocioni need to show up and play like they are capable of playing. starting Sefalosha and Thomas with Hinrich, Deng and Wallace might not be a bad idea. Sefalosha just might give Hamilton a little trouble with his length and Hinrich should be able to do a better job on Billups than Gordon. although PJ has given some veteran leadership through the season he has been ineffective the last 2 games. put Thomas on Weber allowing Wallace to stay closer to the boards. and Deng on Rasheed. and maybe mix in a little more zone to slow the Pistons down. one thing that was evident in yesterday's game was if the Bulls drive hard to the bucket they'll get the foul calls and go to the line. then it's a matter of getting and hitting the open shots. most of the three's the Bulls shot yesterday were not a result of the drive and kick and most were contested shots. the Pistons held serve now it's time for the Bulls to prove they belong here and do the same.

Not a better team. A SUPERIOR team! The Pistons shoot the ball until they score( which sometimes takes 3 tries) and the Bulls counter by running down the floor and chucking up a brick from 3 point land with 15 + seconds on the Shot Clock. No inside game what so ever. They might win one game, but I don't think so. Since when did Chris Webber become Abdual Jabbar. Thats what he looked like backing down big Ben and that Fridge look alike dude Sweetney.

Pistons are the best team in the playoffs right now. They are hot and the Bulls have cooled off over that long layoff. I knew it would effect one of these teams. I actually thought the Bull's hard work ethic would finally show up and they would outwork the Pistons at some point. That hasn't materialized. Its not too late for the Bulls. At least they did show some signs of life yesterday. That zone was effective, and Tyrus and Ben Wallace were bright spots. They also cut down on those turnovers. Now they have to crash the glass. Bulls will play better at home and the pistons will shoot worse. Time for them to give it their all. This will be the kind of effort it will take to beat the pistons. Mr. Skiles has to play the matchup game to the best of his ability. And the Bulls have to get that 3 guard offense ignited somehow. And Wallace, Deng, Noch and PJ have to get after that glass. This is the one area where we should have an advantage. They are good and have better athletes, so what. Bulls need to put their heads down and play with pride. And Mr. Skiles must make them play for respect. Pistons decided to take the Bulls seriously, and its time for us to make them respect us.

Even if the Bulls lose, I really won't be disappointed. I never doubted that the Pistons were a championship-caliber team, and I knew the Bulls were still making strides but just weren't quite there yet. Not trying to be doom and gloom, but I didn't really expect the Bulls to make it past the Eastern conference finals this year - and it just so happened they played the "Eastern finals" a round earlier.

The pieces just aren't all in place yet. I'm crossing my fingers and really hoping the Knicks land a top 3 pick so they can look for that paint presence they need so they won't completely collapse when their shots aren't falling or when they face a tough defense. There won't be as much pressure on Hinrich to make things happen so that he doesn't play point guard the way Rex Grossman sometimes plays quarterback (sloppy, desperate, and turnover-prone). Thomas will be better next year. One daydream I was having is for the Bulls to land Oden and have Wallace spending more time at his natural PF position. Thomas, Oden, and Wallace - that'd be a suffocating shot-blocking crew. But it's not really the defense I'm worried about, and I'm also not going to pretend I know more about basketball than the Bulls' front office. I have high expectations for next season.

Mr. Sowa, I enjoyed your post. It was quite sobering and honest. We cannot second guess the front office or run the organization. We have to just go along for the ride. But that is no reason to dismiss what your eyes see. As fans we are also invested, financial and emotionally. Pistons have shown us that our team needs to address some areas if we plan to overcome them, now and in the future. Getting beat at every position is not acceptable. Its ok to feel that way, and still root for your team. On the Southside we call that keeping it real.

yes Keith L-S there were several bright spots in game 2, one that you did not mention was the Bulls abilty to get the free throw line. if they can continue to do that and get back on track with the rest of their game it is possible to take 4 of the next 5 games. Hinrich and Gordon need to quit out-thinking themselves and just play their game. Wallace, Brown and Deng need to take control of the glass on both ends. I can't say I won't be disappointed if they don't get past the Pistons but the disappointment will be greater if they don't come out and play with some pride and fight and extend the series. holding serve at home would make it a best of 3 series where anything can happen. if they extend to seven games and lose then so be it they can go into the off season heads high knowing they took it down the wire. but at this point to lose in anything less than 6 games would be very disappointing. I'm not ready to give up on these guys yet and start looking at the up-coming draft or replacing Skiles.

Detroit is plain and simply 'ON FIRE'. Shots are falling and the ball is bouncing their way. Their continual use of a defensive zone is showing the Bulls glaring weakness. Duhon hasn't shown one bit of aggressiveness on either side of the ball. Sefalosha won't be as hesitant, is rangier, and able; why not play him more? The 88'-89', an 89'-90' Bulls had similar problems with a more refined Detroit team, but the key here seems to be the level of play. If Detroit can jack up their level of play, so can we. It's up to Skiles to do just that, and along with some ajustments and grammar school box-outs get these guys back on their feet. Detroit is not going to shoot 'lights out' continuously, but until we can get that initial rebound to avoid letting them settle into that zone, this series may be shorter than we thought. Match-up problems are lame excuses. If their players are taller then we should be faster. If their player is faster than we post-up that position. BLOCK OUT, relax and hit a few shots, and play with the same intensity as the other side. It's that plain and simple!

Scott Skiles said something really inspiring for the team, and he was right, Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich have to be their best selves. Of course that counts for everyone across the board or the Bulls are finished. Flip Saunders is coaching, and the veteran Pistons are executing. With all of that size and athleticism its a no-brainer, you put the Bulls on your hip and run all of your plays off the box. Pistons have mis-matches everywhere, and they know exactly how to neutralize Ben Wallace. You combine that with home court and hot shooting and you have the current results. Mr. Skiles must counter with his strengths which are, quickness, great defense and hustle, rebounding, and great 3 point shooting. Bulls penetrating that post very well in game two and they have to keep it going. Deng and Noch must not settle for the shot, but the foul from the drive to the basket. They have to run Kirk off those screens and let Ben Gordon do his thing. On the defensive side they will have to choose when to turn up the defensive pressure on Chauncy Billips with Sefaloosha and Rip with Thomas (I say at the end of the 1st and 3rd quarters). Its much harder than I make it sound, but it must be done. Flip's job is much easier than Skile's because of the length. Its an issue that we have to address this summer, but for now we have to go to war with what we have.

All season long for the Bulls to win they have to shoot well. In this series so far they have gotten plenty of open looks, they are just not going down. It will be different for games 3 and 4 back in Chicago and hopefully that will give them some momentum heading back to Detroit.