"I wouldn't say everybody's in their best shape, but we're not used to playing with each other yet," Rose said with a smile. "We have two-a-days (today), so I think we'll play a lot better."
Bernie Bickerstaff interviewed for a position on Vinny Del Negro's first coaching staff Monday. Recently ousted from the Bobcats' organization, Bickerstaff owns a career head-coaching mark of 414-512 in stints with the Sonics, Nuggets, Washington Bullets/Wizards and Bobcats.
Bickerstaff followed interviews with former head coaches Bob Hill, Paul Westphal and Del Harris that took place last week. But with draft preparation dominating this week, it's unlikely the Bulls will announce anything official on assistant coaches this week.
Del Negro has talked to holdovers Pete Myers and Ron Adams, both of whom will remain in the organization if not on the bench. It's likely Paxson will find front-office roles for both.
Paul Westphal, who coached the Phoenix Suns against the Bulls in the 1993 NBA Finals, interviewed Wednesday for an assistant's job on Vinny Del Negro's first staff, sources said.
Westphal went 267-159 in stints with the Suns and SuperSonics over five full seasons and parts of two others. He worked on Avery Johnson's staff last season in Dallas.
At his introductory news conference, Del Negro said he would seek the most qualified staff but stressed previous head coaching experience wasn't mandatory.
Nevertheless, Westphal's interview follows one for Bob Hill, who went 310-293 in head coaching stints with the Knicks, Pacers, Spurs and Sonics. Hill last coached in 2006-07, going 31-51 in Seattle.
Both Hill and Westphal are considered creative offensive minds who could serve as the lead assistant for that area. As for defense, the Bulls are considering making a run at Tom Thibodeau, whose one-year contract with the Celtics is expiring.
Thibodeau received the lion's share of credit for orchestrating the Celtics' league-leading defense this season. Given that his efforts helped Boston secure an NBA championship, prying him loose could be difficult—and pricey.
Yet Thibodeau is someone who intrigued the Bulls enough that he landed on the original list of candidates for the head coaching job that went to Del Negro.
Veteran head coaches Del Harris and Bernie Bickerstaff also could be interviewed for positions on Del Negro's staff.
Bickerstaff, currently the Bobcats' general manager, went 414-512 in stints with the Sonics, Nuggets, Washington Bullets/Wizards and Bobcats. Harris, who made noises about retiring after last serving as an assistant in Dallas, owns a career record of 556-457 in stints with the Rockets, Bucks and Lakers.
General manager John Paxson has said organizational jobs will exist for holdovers Pete Myers and Ron Adams if Del Negro chooses not to have them on his bench.
Mike Wilhelm will return to his role as the Bulls' advance scout.
The bear hug was more survival than celebration, a spent embrace between Tiger Woods and his caddy 91 holes deep into this forever U.S. Open. Rocco Mediate’s final putt had failed to fall on the playoff round’s first extra playoff hole and finally this 14th major was Tiger’s to embrace with a grip perhaps tighter and more appreciative than any other.
It wasn’t just outlasting Rocco here with the midday California sun beating down, it wasn’t even Woods’ second consecutive 18th hole-overtime-forcing birdie, it wasn’t even winning a mental and physical test of wills – 358 strokes to 359.
If it was just that, then maybe Woods wouldn’t have been calling this his greatest major championship.
“I think this is the best,” he said. “This week had a lot of doubt to it, to be honest with you.”
This was about Woods simply not allowing himself to lose, perhaps because of how much he knows this one might wind up meaning. It wasn’t just how difficult it was, it was the fear that this is how difficult it may be from here on out.
