Sixty years ago today, the first-year Bulls lost 123-100 in Boston and still became the only expansion team to reach the playoffs. Monday's 134-99 loss in Boston was worse, and the winless Knicks come to Chicago on Wednesday.
Sixty years apart. On Oct. 27, 1966, Johnny "Red" Kerr's expansion Bulls lost at Boston, 123-100. That team finished 33-48, sent Guy Rodgers and Jerry Sloan to the All-Star Game and made the playoffs anyway. Monday's group lost in the same city by 35, never led and trailed by as many as 40.
First-year coach, first lesson. Kerr won Coach of the Year in the franchise's first season. Tiago Splitter is four games into his first season, at 1-3 and the East's 11th seed. The Celtics scored 33 in each of the first two quarters and 39 in the third. Payton Pritchard came off the bench and hit 7 of 10 threes.
The number that matters. Through four games Chicago's defensive rating is 120.2 and its net rating is minus-18.3. The Bulls play at a 108.3 pace and still score only 101.8 per 100 possessions. Joe Cowley of the Sun-Times wrote that the defense "remains an ongoing issue." Toronto put up 135 on them and Boston 134.
A rookie, not a savior. Michael Jordan went third overall in 1984 and won Rookie of the Year. Chicago took Caleb Wilson fourth this year, and he leads the team through four games with 21.0 points and 7.3 rebounds. The jumper still needs work: he is at 17.9 percent from three and went 1-of-5 in Boston.
October lies, sometimes. The Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah Bulls lost at Oklahoma City on this date in 2010, 106-95, then won better than 73 percent of their games that season. One October loss proves little. Two losses by 35 or more in four games, with zero lead changes on Monday, add up to a pattern.
Knicks, the old rival. New York is one of the franchise's defining rivals, and the Knicks arrive 0-3 with a minus-7.2 net rating. Jalen Brunson averages 22.7 points. Karl-Anthony Towns adds 21.0 with 12.0 boards. Jose Alvarado is out. The Knicks have had two days off and the Bulls one.
Bodies coming back. Patrick Williams has been upgraded from out with his right groin injury, and his projected return is Wednesday. Noa Essengue is cleared and was in the lineup when Monday's game ended. Nic Claxton is still out with a hamstring injury, with a projected return of Nov. 4, the return trip to New York.
Did the Bulls make the playoffs in their first season?
Yes. The 1966-67 Bulls went 33-48 and are still the only expansion team ever to reach the playoffs.
When is Nic Claxton expected back for the Bulls?
Claxton is out with a hamstring injury. His projected return is Nov. 4 at New York.
