Chicago Bulls: How Much Do They Know About Themselves?

A little over a month ago the Chicago Bulls had just dropped two home games to the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. They had lost 11 of their last 13 and were failing to look remotely competitive with any team in the league (including the New Jersey Nets). Add a devastating circus trip in the mix, and the Bulls were seven games under .500 and losing hope fast.

Amidst the losing came what seemed to be an inevitable coaching change at a historically opportune time for the Bulls franchise (call it that holiday spirit).

Talks of trading anyone who wasn't a top overall draft pick began flooding the Bulls wire and many (including me) were counting down the days until the names of Wade and Bosh became biddable for the team's taking.

Fast forward to January 26, 2010.

The Bulls are fresh off a three-game winning streak and remarkably enough, all three games were on the road.

Not only that, but all three teams were over .500, and if the playoffs would start today, two of the three would still be playing...in the Western Conference.

The Bulls now sit just one game under .500 and, while two more tough road games loom in the near future, they're starting to look more and more like the team that knocked off San Antonio and Cleveland at the beginning of this season and who took the Boston Celtics to seven games in a first round playoff series last year.

But could this be the real Chicago Bulls?

In my opinion, no; I see them as more of a real life Fight Club scenario.

On one hand you have the Edward Norton character (who never has a name and is listed in the script as only "Narrator" or "Jack") whose ability to get lost in his own mind and possessions has him going down a path that includes insomnia, hallucinations, and an all out inability to process reality.

And although "Jack" was still talented and wealthy, the means by which he was living was pretty much killing him, or at least his mind.

Much like "Jack", the Bulls were lost for awhile and, whether it was caused by a slowly recovering Derrick Rose, an injured Tyrus Thomas, or a lack of a true identity, a team that still featured good talent was finding itself unable to cope with everyday situations (or games).

Losing to the worst teams in the league and getting blown out by other mediocre teams had the Bulls losing a grip on reality.

No longer were they playing transition basketball.

No longer could they shoot.

No longer were they competing.

Their defensive presence, which has been a staple of Bulls teams for years, had disappeared.

Until, of course, with no revelation or foresight, the Bulls developed their own Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt's character).

Like the free-spirited Durden, they were now more concerned about the task at hand than being selfish. They developed into an actual team and began playing off of one another.

By eliminating what held them down in the first place (lack of team play), by becoming unselfish and greedy, they made it possible to use the strongest assets of all their players.

They gave the offensive reins over to Derrick Rose, by far the best player on the team.

They began moving the ball around on offense, opening up shots for guys like Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, and Brad Miller, who are all more of set shooters than anything.

They started to use a transition style of basketball, benefiting guys like Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah who could use their smaller-built bodies to get up and down the floor easier than say an Al Jefferson or Kendrick Perkins could.

By utilizing their strengths, the Bulls have not only began to win, they've been playing with some of the best teams in the league.

If only the Tyler Durden-esque Bulls could continue what has become a pretty impressive little run, they may open some eyes down the stretch.

My guess?

Like anybody with multiple personalities, there's no way of knowing when "Jack" will come back and crash the party, so look for yet another .500 season come April.