May 27--At least the Bulls identified the right free-agent target in 2010.
That's intended as sarcasm for a serious problem, which is the stranglehold LeBron James holds on the rest of the Eastern Conference, including the Bulls.
This will mark five straight NBA Finals appearances for James since the Bulls joined the Knicks, Nets, Cavaliers, Clippers and Heat in wooing him at a downtown Cleveland office building in July 2010 before "The Decision."
Most everything about James demands capital letters, or at least a glance at the history book. He's the first player to be part of five straight conference champions since the Celtics' streak of eight straight championships ended in 1966.
The Bulls left their July 2010 meeting with James in a good mood, buoyed by the connection they felt and cautiously optimistic he'd leave his homestate Cavaliers. He did -- for South Beach and a 2-2 Finals mark with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and solid role players such as Ray Allen.
The Bulls, who had gone all in for James by trading Kirk Hinrich to the Wizards for nothing, moved quickly to fill out the roster with Carlos Boozer and other useful parts to win a conference-best 62 games and advance to the conference finals. James and the Heat foiled them there, just as James and whatever team he plays for has done to the Bulls four times in the last six postseasons.
This season's second-round playoff series may have represented the Bulls' best opportunity to vanquish James. Kevin Love was out for the rest of the playoffs because of an injury. J.R. Smith sat suspended for the first two games. And a clearly hobbled Kyrie Irving proved largely ineffective.
Instead, the Bulls suffered a gut-wrenching Game 4 home loss on -- what else? -- a James buzzer-beater. Their consolation prize is they're the only team to beat the Cavaliers, who swept the Celtics and top-seeded Hawks.
When James left the Cavaliers for the Heat in 2010, the Cavaliers' win total dropped from 61 to 19 and the Heat's improved from 47 to 58. Similarly, this season, the Heat's record dropped from 54 victories to 37 after James' departure. The Cavaliers' win total jumped 20 games from 33 to 53.
That's greatness.
Shortly after James' "The Decision" TV special, ESPN broadcaster Michael Wilbon asked James about the Bulls, who were widely considered the runner-up to the Heat.
"It's great talent," James said then. "Derrick Rose is one of the best point guards we have in our league at age 21. And Joakim Noah is one of those players you can't substitute for. And with the addition of Boozer, they're going to be a really good team.
"They have great pieces. They have a great coach in Tom Thibodeau, who I believe when I had my meeting with them was a great guy and a great coach. He's going to have those guys real prepared. Hopefully we'll see them down the line."
James did and still does and continues to conquer all in his path.
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