NBA Playoffs 2012: Injuries and a Young 76ers Team Shows Chicago Bulls' Flaws

The Chicago Bulls are doomed!

As a fan, I remain optimistic about the Bulls' chances to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers in a best-of-seven series. As a realist, I understand that the deck is stacked against the Bulls, who just more than a week ago began their quest for the franchise’s seventh NBA crown. Then came arguably the most ill-timed injury ever in NBA playoff history: Derrick Rose tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

All around the world Bulls fans have watched as their hopes have been dashed. In the next two games, the Bulls built leads only to watch them evaporate in thin air. To add insult to injury, the Bulls seemingly have lost their best big man for the remainder of the series. Joakim Noah sprained his ankle and will most likely watch his team struggle to fight off a pesky foe in the 76ers.

The Bulls’ biggest problem besides the injuries seems to be the 76ers’ youth and athleticism. They are in many respects, the little brother to the Bulls.

The 76ers have playoff innocence. They have watched from the sidelines waiting for the big brother Bulls to show any type of weakness. Much like a little brother would do, the 76ers followed their big brother as carefully as possible.

They have made their adjustments and have taken a commanding lead in a series where few expected them to win one game. No one but 76er fans had them winning more.

Lou Williams has been Lou Williams. Elton Brand has had a revival in his career. Evan Turner seems to have been on to something, something that most Bulls fans refuse to acknowledge.

Regretfully, I will acknowledge it, even if it makes me sound contradictory.

The Bulls are a flawed team.

One of the Bulls’ most glaring flaws is a legitimate second go-to scorer.

It is something that every other team which has championship aspirations have. Teams like the Heat, Lakers and Thunder have three.

Save me your Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer suggestions. They were a combined 18-of-52 from the field in the first two losses. That does not cut it. They are role players who play the role of background singers. Rose is out and neither Deng nor Boozer have what it takes to move into the lead role.

The big brother Bulls were too reliant on Rose and did not protect themselves in the event that Rose sustained an injury or suffered through complete ineffectiveness.

The last professional sports team that relied so heavily on one star player was the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts, as we can recall, were abysmal last year.

The Bulls could not afford to go back to Chicago facing a 3-1 deficit, but with the odds against them, sometimes heart can only get a team so far.

Sad for me to say this but the realist in me thinks that they will. Although as a fan, I will never completely waver in my optimism.