There was the six-game losing streak in the first month of the season. The 10-game losing streak that ran to just before Christmas. A six-game losing streak that ran into the All-Star break. And through it all, the Washington Bullets never have lost sight of a playoff spot.
And there was no reason to. Some 7 1/2 games separated the Bullets from the eighth playoff spot at the All-Star break. Play in the Eastern Conference has been so poor that three losing teams would make it to the postseason today, including Boston, 19-27 going into last night's game.
But the Bullets can't continue to hold on to the hope that other Eastern Conference teams will keep on playing poorly. The Bullets have to stop the "we're still not out of it" rhetoric and start winning.
Washington had an 11-34 record going into the All-Star break, and had lost 26 of its previous 31 before last night's win in Minnesota. With the exception of their opening-night win over the Orlando Magic, the Bullets failed to beat a team with a winning record in the first half of the season -- the only team in the league to claim that distinction.
A big part of Washington's problem has been team chemistry. And that is largely due to the Bullets' revolving door of injuries. Tonight will be the sixth game back for forward Chris Webber, who missed nearly six weeks with a separated shoulder. Forward Don MacLean, last year's leading scorer, has been out since Dec. 12 with first tendinitis in his knees and now a broken thumb. Guard Rex Chapman went down with a strained groin muscle in late December and recently broke his thumb.
"We've had so many times where key players have been out with injuries," said rookie forward Juwan Howard, whose late arrival with Webber didn't help team chemistry either. "And that's really hurt us."
It's also hurt that the Bullets have been inconsistent at center. Kevin Duckworth started the season well and appeared to be in better shape than a year ago. But hampered by a sore Achilles' tendon, he lost that edge and was suspended for being out of shape before the All-Star break.
Gheorghe Muresan, at 7 feet 7, is the starting center, and has played well against Charlotte's Alonzo Mourning, Orlando's Shaquille O'Neal and New York's Patrick Ewing. Muresan's biggest problem was best demonstrated in a Feb. 3 game against the Miami Heat -- Matt Geiger used his speed to score 21 points and grab 12 rebounds, forcing coach Jim Lynam to limit Muresan to five minutes.
The problems the Bullets have faced over the first half of the season will prove too much to overcome. A playoff berth would be a minor miracle. What the Bullets should do over the second half of the season is to develop some type of winning attitude that will eliminate the stigma of losing that has haunted the team over the last decade.
It won't be easy. The Bullets don't have a strong bench. Forward Anthony Tucker has played well enough to remain in the NBA, but the amount of time he's spent on the court this season probably would not have happened with another team. Forward Larry Stewart had been a key contributor in the past, but has not earned court time with the new coaching staff. And there is no real depth at either guard position.
In the backcourt, Scott Skiles has played reasonably well, although chances are the free-agent guard won't be back next season.
What the Bullets really need is Calbert Cheaney to demonstrate consistency missing in his two seasons in the league. There are nights when Cheaney can look unstoppable, reminding many of his days at Indiana. But there are too many other nights such as the game just before the All-Star break in Miami, when he scored four points in 27 minutes.
Howard and Webber, since his return from his injury, have done their share. Howard already is one of the league's more polished power forwards. There's nothing flashy about his game, just a smoothness and intelligence in the low post that some veteran players could learn from. He should be a future All-Star.
So should Webber, who has averaged 19.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists since his return. Webber does most of his damage on sheer talent. Once he develops a go-to offensive move, he'll be difficult to contain.
Don't worry about Webber's going anywhere at season's end. He likes the Washington area, and is looking for property to build a home. He enjoys playing alongside Howard, his former Michigan teammate. And even if he didn't like it, the Bullets have the right to match any offer to him at season's end.
The Bullets will play the second half of the season not for the playoffs, but for lottery positioning. And should they land a quality big man in the draft (Rasheed Wallace or Cherokee Parks) and a free-agent point guard for next season, they should be able to make their run for the playoffs then.
What the Bullets have to do over the rest of the season is have the players start believing they can win. And beating only the likes of the Los Angeles Clippers and Detroit Pistons is not the way to go about it.