It seems like just last yesterday (well, last March, anyway) that John Paxson was being hailed as a brilliant young GM, while Danny Ainge was being criticized as confused and desperate.
Paxson had supposedly assembled a great team of young talent that was on the threshold of taking the Chicago Bulls to the next level, while no one was sure "what Danny Ainge was doing up there in Boston."
The Bulls were one player away--Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant--from winning a championship. The Celtics? Well, they were one injury to Paul Pierce away from being the worst team in the NBA.
The Bulls had one of the best coaches in the NBA, the Celtics one of the worst.
Now the shoe is on the other foot.
Ben Wallace's career is in the dumper. The numbers for every other player returning from last year, save one, are going in the wrong direction. Many Chicago fans are starting to wonder what value there is in having two young players, Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas, who play the same position and whose skills are largely redundant.
Meanwhile, the Celtics, notwithstanding the loss to the Pistons, remain one of the top teams in the NBA.
The Celtics are talking about acquiring one or two more impact players to put them over the top.
Pundits are talking about the Bulls not getting out of the hole they have dug for themselves any time soon.
Doc Rivers has won coach of the month once already, and will probably win it again in December, if the Cs do well out West. Scott Skiles' job may be in jeopardy if the Bulls continue to nose dive.
Just goes to show the value of patience.
Doc and Danny deserve all the praise they are getting today.
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