Insider Special: Best/Worst ~ Bulls

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By Sam Smith

Special to ESPN.com

Editor's note: Here's a glimpse of the good -- and the bad -- that could happen to the 2003-04 Chicago Bulls.

Eddy Curry's next lesson: learn how to pass out of double teams.

Best Case Scenario

The Bulls will make the playoffs for the first time in six years if these three things happen.

1. Eddy Curry gets an assist. OK, maybe more than that. But the point is, Curry needs to think more like a point center on occasion. The 6-foot-11, 300-pounder is one of the rare, true low-post centers to come into the NBA lately. Barely being noticed last season after the Bulls fell 2,000 games out of first place, Curry ended up leading the NBA in field-goal percentage. The NBA will notice this season. Curry is going to see a steady diet of double teams and various junk defenses, and he better be prepared to find teammates after averaging fewer than a half assist per game last season. Curry has exceptionally soft hands and quick feet and is a natural scorer. The Bulls' triangle offense puts the ball in the center's hands first, and he has to make decisions for the offense. Curry needs to be unselfish.

2. Jamal Crawford begins wearing a John Stockton mask. With Jay Williams' motorcycle accident, he'll miss at least all of the 2003-04 season. That leaves rookie Kirk Hinrich the only backup to Crawford at point guard. Crawford is a good shooter and excellent scorer who often has a playground mentality about the game. He has the talent to lead the league in assists, but tends to be more offensive minded. He is being asked to run the offense and direct an inside/outside offense. Those rarely work when the perimeter players shoot quickly. The Bulls' hopes ride on whether Crawford can play strong defense on the ball and distribute since his scoring comes naturally.

3. Scottie Pippen is able to play 70 games. Having veterans is nice, says coach Bill Cartwright. Having them play is even better. The Bulls brought back Pippen to provide guidance and experience for their young core of players. It's hard to do that from the bench. Pippen has had back and knee problems the last three years, missing at least 18 games in each season. The Bulls know Pippen, at 38, doesn't have much left. But they are counting on him to get the team into the offense, calm the young players during crunch time and help them make the right decisions. He cannot do it in a pin-striped blazer.

Worst Case Scenario

The Bulls will miss the playoffs -- a goal being demanded by managing partner Jerry Reinsdorf this season after the departure of former general manager Jerry Krause -- if the following three things happen.

1. They get off to a poor start. Winning and losing become habit forming, especially for young players. This young Bulls' core of Curry, Crawford, Tyson Chandler and Marcus Fizer has known nothing in the NBA but losing and failure. Management wonders if they've become comfortable collecting checks and losing. The Bulls get a break to open the season with a schedule filled mostly with home games against lesser teams. After the first three weeks, they go on a Western Conference trip and they were 3-38 on the road last season. If they don't take advantage the first three weeks and again fall into a deep hole after their big West road trip, it could be a long, unfulfilled season again.

2. If they think DE-fense is something they have to paint in the summer. They're not built for defense. No team is after it spends five years accumulating high No. 1 draft picks. Those guys are picked there because they can score. They tried to recruit some role players in Pippen and Kendall Gill, but they are aging veterans more suited to mentoring than doing dirty work. And starting shooting guard Jalen Rose is an offensive-minded player. Who'll set the hard picks? Who'll get the tough rebounds? Who'll pressure up court and get into the passing lanes? Who'll give up their body? Especially when no one has their first contract extension yet.

3. Curry gets hurt. He's the key. They traded Elton Brand in 2001 for the rights to Chandler, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. But their offense is going to revolve around Curry, the No. 4 overall pick in that draft. They're deep on the perimeter with additions Pippen and Gill, but they failed to protect themselves up front. Many in the organization feel Chandler eventually will be a small forward and that Fizer and Donyell Marshall are better suited for small forward. Perhaps only perpetually injured journeyman Corie Blount can play any backup center minutes.

Sam Smith, who covers the NBA for the Chicago Tribune, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.