HITE'S MUSINGS - by RYAN WILLHITE

Some players come into the league and are instantly successful. Deep playoff runs and championships are associated with these players seemingly from the second they don a NBA uniform. Other players have to go through years and years of struggle as they try to build themselves into championship caliber players. Some players rise to the challenge, á la Michael Jordan, others become content in their mediocrity and never find the champion within, á la Antoine Walker.

As fans, we don’t always appreciate this struggle. We don’t realize all that goes into the making of a NBA champion. We think of it as a game of NBA Live 2010. Just push the right buttons and voilá. We forget that Jordan went through six tough years before winning. We don’t forget, however, that Antonie Walker had all the gifts in the world, but seemed content to just spend his money and party, rather than put in the effort that it takes to become a champion. (Not to say that I give Antoine grief, running through 110 million dollars must have made for some ridiculous stories!)

With this in mind, I turn my attention to tonight’s early NBA game, Bulls v. Spurs. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili are clearly in the champion category, and unlike Jordan they didn’t have to wait very long for their rings. Tim won in his second year in the NBA. Parker and Manu didn’t come to the championship team ostensibly championship ready. The Spurs are perhaps the most underrated NBA franchise ever, certainly of our generation. All they do is win.

Conversely, the Bulls aren’t known for anything at the moment. They gave the Celtics all they could handle in the first round of the 2009 playoffs, but with the departure of Ben Gordon no one knows what to make of the Bulls. The general consensus is that they should take steps forward with: the maturation of Derrick Rose, the return of Luol Deng, and the emergence of Noah and Thomas. However, the Warriors were also on the brink of taking these same steps in the summer of 2007. With Baron Davis in Los Angeles and Stephen Jackson on the verge mutiny, we see how that turned out for them. Which way will the Bulls go?

Onto the game...

First Quarter:

Will Derrick Rose join the likes of Deon Williams or Mike Bibby?

Its looking like Deron early on as he opens with crisp passes and confident leadership. He looks surprisingly sharp for someone who hasn’t played a game in a couple of weeks.

Noah is yelling at the top of his lungs after every rebound, with these new muscles and constant scowl (not to mention hustle) I envision a modern day Dennis Rodman.

Rose chases down Richard Jefferson for the patented Lebron block. Rose speeds down the court with his head up and his shoulders squared, the epitome of calm. He throws a no-look pass to Noah who scores the easy two.

Noah looks like a new player, until he passes to the referee and puts his head down; real change takes time, I guess.

Tony Parker glides into the lane like no other, plus his acceleration and ball control are exemplary. If Rose is a bright red Ferrari, Tony Parker is a jet blue BMW. A fast BMW. One as fast as a Ferrari. I don’t know why I wrote that, it just sounded like an analogy Bill Simmons would use.

Parker uses the pick and roll to perfection with shots from the top of the key.

Doug Collins: “If you can’t guard the ball, you can’t play defense in this league.” Amen to that.

George Hill comes into the game doing his best Parker impersonation passing to Manu who makes a whirling dervish shot as he is fouled. Free throw good. Spurs are on a 13-2 run.

The Spurs are not only recent champs, they play like it. Never getting flustered. It strikes me just now that you never seen this team yelling at each other. Contrast that with Kobe constantly scowling at his teammates as the ball bounces off of their heads and out of bounds because he passed it to them for the first time in 3 weeks.

Cheryl Miller compares Rose’s first year maturation process to that of Melo. In Melo’s first two years he had weed and a gun in his car, produced a Stop Snitching DVD, and was in a bar fight. What exactly has Rose done to draw this comparison, Ms. Miller?

McDyess with sick pass to second rounder Blair. I remember this guy was at my Alma Matter, University of Pittsburgh. I can’t believe he fell to the Spurs. The rich get richer, I guess. Blair will make the second team all rookie squad. Sorry Taj Gibson fans.

Manu drives down the lane with ease for another whirling dervish lay-up. His focus on these off balance drives is sick. Kirk responds with a deep three. Manu responds with an easy three off of a Duncan pick. Why couldn’t Iverson agree to this role on a contender? If Manu could be a 6^th man surely Iverson could do so as well.

Anyways, first quarter is over. Bulls jumped out to lead spurs came back. Rose is on bench.

2^nd Quarter:

Rose is back into game with 11:18 left. Score is tied.

Rose crosses up Hill on screen and hits shot.

Rose gets into traffic, turnover.

Rose tries to pass. George Hill kicks it with his foot. Is Rose trying to attack Hill too much?

Rose comes off screen and hits floater in lane over Ratliff. And one. 29-4, bulls.

Parker replaces Hill. Let’s see if things change.

Rose attacks lane and passes to Taj. Taj is fouled. Seems like the Bull's strategy is to attack the lane.

Parker goes at Rose with Tim setting pick, Parker gets open shot, Rose fouls. Free throw good. Game tied.

Rose, Salmons and Kirk drive the lane and kick back out. Deng and Noah crash offensive boards and get second chance shots.

Spurs come back with ease.

Bulls continue to crash boards, with Deng getting last second rebound and kicking it out to Hinrich. Hinrich hits the three. Bulls up one. Halftime.

Stories of first half: Bulls get into paint with ease. Spurs look lackadaisical. Bulls have tons of energy and are attacking boards. This looks like Bulls v. Celtics all over again! Can the Bulls hold on for the win?

3^rd quarter:

Dunks, Drives, threes, Bulls are in sync! They play with lots of hustle. Clicking on all cylinders. Bulls up 72-58 with 2 minutes to go.

Miller moves like slow poke down lane for off balanced lay-up. Bulls up 13.

Hill does another T.P. impersonation; spurs bring it down to 10. Bulls on 22-3 run to end the 3^rd.

Can the Bulls make a statement that last year was no fluke and that B.G. is not needed?

One quarter remains. By the way, Duncan has 20 points but the Spurs as a whole seem quiet. Will the sleeping giant wake?

Nike Break to Build ad campaign = hotness. I should apply that philosophy to my life, but I won’t.

4^th Quarter:

Spurs big three are on the bench to start the quarter. Interesting when down by 10. Let’s see what Jefferson and Blair can do. Wait? What? Surely the spurs aren’t giving up so early?

Tyrus throws ball away, Miller claims he was fouled. Both of them are yelling. The Spurs never yell.

Jefferson takes horrible three. Manu, Duncan, and Parker come off bench. Whew. I knew Spurs couldn’t let Jefferson and Blair lead them to victory.

Duncan gets to the line off a pick and roll with Manu. Bulls up 13.

Duncan misses first. Makes second.

Rose shows up Parker. Bulls back up to 14.

Rose with rebound off a missed Bonner shot comes down court and does a nifty spin move and is fouled on lay up attempt. When Rose gets this whole package together he will be a joy to watch. No Mike Bibby.

Bulls up 81-67.

Spurs can’t buy a basket missing 14 consecutive 3 points attempts until Finley catches the Duncan pass! Lead 81-70. If Finley hadn’t hit that shot, I was ready to wrap up this recap. No Santa.

Duncan gets ball in post after failed Bulls possession. He is fouled, Bulls have one to give. Finley then throws the ball away. 81-70 with 5:55 left.

Spurs look off today, but the Bulls look great.

Bulls are essentially driving the lane and kicking out for open shots, the bigs of the Bulls are just playing volleyball on the offensive glass. Will this strategy work all year long? Can the bulls survive on energy alone? Will lack of post presence hurt them? These questions and more, next week on Jeopardy!

Hinrich with the baseline floater. Bulls up 13

Ball in low to Duncan he posts up Noah, kisses it off the glass. Bulls up 11.

Deng off screen wide open shot, good. Bulls up 13.

Finley misses a three.

Rose misses wild shot.

Manu fouled, makes both free throws, Bulls up 11.

Manu as whirling dervish passes to Duncan under the basketball. Bulls by 9.

Deng knocks down jumper, 3 min to go bulls by 11.

This game appears to be over as the Bulls are not giving up their lead. Who knows if the Bulls will ascend to the top of the ranks of the east, but if the first game is any indication the Bulls are preparing themselves to take that step...