Hlas: Hoiberg bullish on Cyclones; own team struggles

CHICAGO — Fred Hoiberg was introduced before the start of the Chicago Bulls' game against the New York Knicks in the United Center Wednesday night, to no response from the fans.

This isn't Iowa State's Hilton Coliseum. This isn't unconditional love for the native son of Ames from the Cyclone crowd. This is the cold, hard, what-have-you-done-for-us-right-now NBA.

The 21,788 souls in the arena certainly weren't satisfied with Chicago's 115-107 loss to the 29-43 Knicks that dropped the 36-34 Bulls into ninth place in the East, a game behind Detroit. Only eight teams per conference make the playoffs. Chicago has 12 games left.

'They just outworked, out-hustled us all night long,' Hoiberg said.

'I don't get it, with this amount of time left.'

The Iowa State team Hoiberg left last June to become the Bulls' coach was in the stands to see the Knicks' Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis have their way. Rookie sensation Porzingis had hit a recent lull, shooting just 33 percent over his previous nine games. Here, he was 11 of 16, scored 29 points, and played like a 10-year vet.

Friday night, the players Hoiberg brought to Ames will meet Virginia here in the NCAA tournament's Midwest Region semifinals. If they can emulate the way the Knicks played Wednesday, they'll meet Gonzaga or Syracuse Sunday.

Wednesday afternoon, Hoiberg addressed the Cyclones at the Bulls' practice facility across the street from the arena.

'I told them to take of business because we will be on the road,' he said. 'I'll be in a bar in Orlando watching somewhere (Friday).

'I already have a ticket for Sunday, so I'm ready to watch them cut down those nets and go to the Final Four.'

Hoiberg the coach might not appreciate the way Hoiberg the fan is talking about the Cyclones.

'I think they match up well with Virginia,' he said. 'There's a lot of things they can do against that team.'

The seasons of the Bulls and Cyclones have a parallel. Both have been bumpy, both have gotten better. At least the Bulls had been getting better until Wednesday.

In December, leading-scorer Jimmy Butler said Hoiberg had to coach the team 'a lot harder.' Butler toned down his remarks soon after, and Hoiberg never took public offense.

More troublesome were the teams' many injuries to key players. The starting lineup Hoiberg envisioned last summer — Butler, Derrick Rose, Mike Dunleavy, Taj Gibson and Pau Gasol — made their third-straight start together Wednesday and third of the year. Dunleavy missed 50 games. Power forward Joakim Noah was shelved for the season in January because of shoulder surgery.

Iowa State, meanwhile, lost starting guard Naz Mitrou-Long for the season in mid-December because of a hip problem. In February, starting center Jameel McKay was suspended for two games for behavioral issues.

But lately, McKay has played like last season's McKay, and the Cyclones were terrific last week in NCAA wins over Iona and Little Rock in Denver.

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'I commended Coach (Steve) Prohm for, I think, doing a masterful job at keeping that team together and getting them to play their best basketball of the season. It's been a lot of fun to watch.'

Is it more fun than being 36-34?

'It … it's been … yeah, I've enjoyed it,' he said. 'I've enjoyed being here. I tell you, one thing I have not missed, and that's recruiting calls at 10 o'clock at night.

'It's been a good group of guys to be around. I've enjoyed them and I think we've grown together as the season's gone on.'

This is the same franchise that went 255-139 over five seasons with Tom Thibodeau as coach. Thibodeau didn't get along with the Bulls' front office, and was fired after Chicago lost in a six-game conference semifinal series against Cleveland.

Hoiberg was hired to some skepticism in Chicago and around the league. The skepticism persists.

'It's been a trying year,' said Hoiberg. 'We've battled a lot through the course of the season.

'But again, when you don't have the other responsibilities, all the other things that go with the college job, it's been fun being focused solely on basketball.'

With an exception of two hours on Wednesday night, that is.

Hoiberg and his team then had a flight to New York to catch. They play the Knicks in Madison Square Garden Thursday night. They need a win. And several more after that.