It pains me to say this, being a Milwaukee Bucks fan and all, but the Chicago Bulls are looking good... REALLY good. So good, in fact, that they handily beat the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers last night in front of a sellout crowd at the United Center.
It's still early in the season, though, meaning anything is still possible.
One thing that is certain, though, is that Derrick Rose is a legit MVP candidate. His numbers are up across the board, and his ability to hit threes these days has to make him the most difficult player to guard in the league. Not many players can break ankles like a point guard, jump like a slasher, and finish like a savvy veteran. Tyreke Evans knows what I'm talking about.
The Bulls are more than just Rose, though.
Joakim Noah has started where he left off from last season, Taj Gibson is looking like an in-his-prime P.J. Brown, Loul Deng is playing with a fire we've haven't seen since his first few seasons, and most importantly, Carlos Boozer is doing exactly what everyone expected of him after signing with the team last summer.
While the players deserve a lot of the credit, don't overlook the job that Tom Thibodeau has done in his first season as an NBA head coach.
It was a fair assessment before the season to say that he had some question marks by his name: Can he lead an NBA team after being a lifetime assistant coach? Will his defensive genius get in the way of developing the offense? Is he the best the Bulls can get? Yes. No. Sure looks like it now.
The best part about the Bulls (and the saddening part for a die hard Bucks fan) is that they look like a team on a mission for years to come. That's right Chicago, no more wondering whether your team will reach it's full potential. They will, and it's scary to think of how high the ceiling is for D-Rose and company.
I have a feeling there will be a third Bulls statue outside the home that Jordan built, with the hometown kid flying high next to his childhood idol.
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