The Chicago Bulls Need a Finisher

Before the Playoffs began, the Chicago Bulls and their fans would have been thrilled if you'd promised them a split in two down-to-the-wire games in Boston.

Now, the all-even series feels like a punch in the gut as the team laments the commanding 2-0 lead that almost was.

Funny what a little success will do to expectations. But shake it off, Chicago, because there's still work to be done. And not just the kind that leads up to Thursday's swing contest at the United Center.

The Bulls might win Game Three. They might even take the series, especially if home court proves to be any sort of advantage and Boston's big men keep dropping with knee ailments.

It's a stretch, however, to see Chicago doing much beyond that. The best-case scenario for the Bulls in this postseason would be a thrilling upset over the defending champs followed by an honest run at Orlando in the second round. Holding on to get waxed by Cleveland in the Conference Finals would be a dream come true.

In other words, this is not a group with a bead on an '09 title run. If the Bulls are a dark horse, they're running on three legs.

But this nascent barn-burner of an opening round has gone a long way toward illuminating the missing pieces that could change that outlook.

Of course, GM John Paxson's offseason shopping list will feature more than one bullet point.

The Bulls needs a perimeter stopper who can stay in front of guards (or a refresher course for Kirk Hinrich on the art of grabbing wrists).

They need an enforcer who can dole out a few unhappy endings in the paint (start working on that glower, Aaron Gray).

And they might need somebody on the sidelines reminding Vinny Del Negro to save a timeout down the stretch now and then (is Chris Webber available?).

If this team wants to make the most of Del Negro's up-tempo mantra, though, it also needs a finisher.

Sure, a hot Ben Gordon can finish games just find. And DeMarcus Nelson, like all good Duke recruits, finished his degree (don't feel bad, Luol Deng—you've got plenty of time free for night classes these days).

But the Bulls need the kind of closer who knows what to do with the ball when he's within handshake range of the rim.

To the team's credit, the offense has made strides since the "live-by-the-jumper, die-by-the-jumper" efforts of the Scott Skiles era. These days, a healthy number of sets start with inlet passes or drives to the basket.

The problem is what the Bulls do once they get there.

Joakim Noah has no trouble going up at close range, but he can't figure out how to convert on his way down. Brad Miller looks as if he might not reach the rim with the aid of a trampoline. Tyrus Thomas looks far too comfortable taking his improved 15-footer rather than putting his high-flying talents to good use.

Layups are rolling the wrong way, put-backs won't stay put, and more than a few fastbreaks have ended not in emphatic dunks but in "who's-lane-is-it-anyway" bouts of confusion.

The Bulls bricked 10 of their 22 layup attempts on Monday after missing 15 of 23 of their tries in the series opener.

On the front line, Noah, Miller, and Thomas have combined to shoot 8-of-22 on layups in the series. The trio has thrown down just six dunks — five from Noah, one from Thomas.

During one three-one-one fast break in Game Two, a streaking Noah collected a pass a few feet in front of the basket, but couldn't rise up to slam the ball home...over Rajon Rondo.

He settled instead for an awkward leaning bank-in. The shot was good; the implications for Chicago's ability to make good at point-blank range were not.

The Bulls deserve credit for returning to relevance. The team's arrow is pointed up for the first time in a season and a half.

Now it's time to find someone—either on the roster or elsewhere—who can finish what they've started.