The Bernstein Brief: Bulls Need More Than Just Return Of Pau Gasol
By Dan Bernstein--
CBSChicago.com senior columnist
(CBS) An inspirational return sometimes needs help.
We remember Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals as the "Willis Reed Game," when the injured Knicks center took the floor despite an injured thigh that was believed to be enough to keep him out. He scored their first two baskets on his first two attempts, and New York went on to beat the Los Angeles Lakers for the title, 113-99.
Oh, and after Reed made those shots for his only points of the game, Walt Frazier finished with 36 points and 19 assists. It could easily be thought of as the "Walt 'Clyde' Frazier Game" too -- and probably should.
Whatever the Bulls' Pau Gasol has tonight as he battles a strained left hamstring, he will give, but his teammates will have to make it matter.
Otherwise this era of Bulls basketball will mirror some later Knicks in another way: always good enough to dream but never able to get past one of the best players in NBA history.
Dan Bernstein is a co-host of 670 The Score's "Boers and Bernstein Show" in afternoon drive. Follow him on Twitter @dan_bernstein and read more of his columns here.
