It is the day after what I consider was one of the darkest in Chicago sports history. It is impossible to overestimate his importance to the team and their aspirations. The way it went down, was so unbelievable that if it was a movie script it would have been criticized for being melodramatic. It was bad.
And the question on everybody's mind is, "Why was he playing?" It was garbage time, right? It didn't even matter.
It did.
He needed to play.
These are the playoffs. Every game is a statement game. The Sixers were putting together a nice little run to close out the game. Every uncontested basket provides more data for their coaches to pour over. You don't want to give the other team any hope. Punch 'em in the mouth. Close out the series as quickly as possible.
He needed to shake off the rust. He's spent a considerable amount of the season on the bench. In the previous 3 years, he's missed a total of 6 games. He needed every moment possible to find his rhythm. The teams only get harder from here.
Hindsight is 20/20. If he didn't get hurt, no one would question Thibbs. He's Coach of the Year material. There's no room for Monday morning quarterbacking here. He could have gotten hurt in the first five minutes or even in practice. It was a freak accident.
Which leads me to my last point: He has to learn how to play differently. No other player in the league puts that much tension and torque into his movements. He is so amazing because he plays so recklessly. He can't afford to do that anymore. Unfortunately, he may have no choice in the matter. He's developed his shot and defense. The success of his comeback will ultimately rely on his ability to increase his basketball IQ.
These are all the logical reasons. But it sill sucks. It still hurts. It just doesn't seem fair.
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