Post-Jordan Chicago Bulls: 2004-05 Recap

Post-Jordan Chicago Bulls: 2004-05 Recap

The Chicago Bulls were the undisputed kings of professional basketball in the 1990s, winning six NBA championships in the span of eight years from 1991 to 1998. Teams that featured amazing talents such as Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were some of the best teams in NBA history. After the sixth and final championship of his era, Michael Jordan announced his second retirement from the game of basketball, which led the Chicago front office to dismantle the team. From 1999 until 2003, the Bulls endured a painful rebuilding process marked by multiple losing seasons. However, the Bulls finally saw a light at the end of the tunnel as the post-Jordan Chicago Bulls began to take shape.

A Young Core Takes Shape

In the 2004-05 NBA season, the Chicago Bulls went 47-35, finishing seven games behind the Detroit Pistons in the Central Division. The Bulls went 27-14 on their home court at the United Center and 20-21 on the road, going 8-8 in divisional play.

The Baby Bulls Arrive

Coming from the University of Connecticut, shooting guard Ben Gordon helped represent the era of Bulls basketball known as the “Baby Bulls Era,” as the team consistently featured a young overall roster. Gordon was taken with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft. Gordon finished the season with 1,235 points, 164 assists, and 53 steals, making 134 of 331 three-point attempts and 233 of 270 free throws. Gordon earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team and was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

Point guard Kirk Hinrich had 1,206 points, 304 rebounds, 494 assists, and 122 steals, making 145 of 408 three-point attempts and 171 of 216 free throws. Center Eddy Curry had 1,012 points, 338 rebounds, and 58 blocks, making 393 of 730 field goal attempts and 226 of 314 free throws. Small forward Luol Deng was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the seventh pick in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft, but the standout Duke University star was traded to the Bulls on June 24, along with center Justin Vroman, whom the Bulls had selected with pick No. 32 in the second round of the same draft. Deng had 711 points, 322 rebounds, and 48 steals, making 31 of 117 three-point attempts and 120 of 162 free throws. Deng was also named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Depth Fuels the Rotation

Small forward Andres Nocioni had 677 points and 386 rebounds, making 25 of 97 three-point attempts and 170 of 222 free throws. Center Tyson Chandler had 640 points, 775 rebounds, 69 steals, and 141 blocks, making 226 of 336 free throws. Power forward Othella Harrington had 561 points, making 217 of 424 field goal attempts and 127 of 177 free throws. Center Antonio Davis had 501 points and 428 rebounds, making 115 of 152 free throws. Point guard Chris Duhon, another standout from Duke University, was taken with the 39th pick in the second round by the Bulls in the 2004 draft, and he had 487 points, 398 assists, and 82 steals, making 94 of 265 three-point attempts and 49 of 67 free throws.

Shooting guard Eric Piatkowski made 57 of 134 three-point attempts. Point guard Jannero Pargo made 23 of 66 three-point attempts.

Momentum Builds in the Regular Season

Winning Streaks

Relying on the depth of their youthful talent, the post-Jordan Chicago Bulls strung together wins throughout the regular season, highlighted by two notable streaks. The first was a seven-game winning streak that began with a 95-89 win over the New Orleans Hornets on January 5 and ended with a close 88-86 win over the New York Knicks on January 17. The second was a nine-game winning streak that began with a 94-88 win over the Philadelphia 76ers and ended with a 112-97 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on April 2.

Signature Victories

The Bulls also pulled off several satisfying victories during the regular season. One came on January 12 at the United Center, when they routed the Philadelphia 76ers 110-78. Ben Gordon had 31 points and 3 assists, making 3 of 5 three-point attempts. Eddy Curry had 24 points and 154 rebounds, and Kirk Hinrich had 16 points and 9 assists, making 4 of 8 three-point attempts. Another came on February 22 at the United Center, when the Bulls narrowly beat the Miami Heat in overtime, 105-101. Gordon had 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, making 6 of 9 three-point attempts, while Curry had 16 points and 3 rebounds.

A Return to the Playoffs

The Bulls finally qualified for the playoffs for the first time since the Michael Jordan era, earning the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. In the first round, they couldn’t sustain their momentum for long, falling to the Washington Wizards four games to two. Early in the series, however, it looked as though the Bulls had a legitimate chance to advance.

In Game 1 on April 24 at the United Center, the Bulls beat the Wizards 103-94. Ben Gordon had 30 points and 3 rebounds while making 3 of 5 three-point attempts. Andres Nocioni had 25 points, 18 rebounds, and 4 assists, making 2 of 4 three-point attempts. Kirk Hinrich had 17 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. In Game 2 on April 27, the Bulls beat the Wizards 113-103. Hinrich led the team in scoring with 34 points and 3 assists, making 5 of 5 three-point attempts, while Antonio Davis added 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.

The 2004-05 campaign marked the beginning of a new identity for the post-Jordan Chicago Bulls, who were no longer a struggling team searching for an identity beyond Michael Jordan. From this point forward, the Bulls became a respectable NBA franchise, making fairly deep playoff runs for much of the next decade.