2005–06 Chicago Bulls season

2005–06 Chicago Bulls season
Head coach	Scott Skiles
General manager	John Paxson
Owners	Jerry Reinsdorf
Arena	United Center
Results
Record	41–41 (.500)
Place	Division: 4th (Central) Conference: 7th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	First Round (Lost to Heat 2–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	WGN-TV WCIU-TV CSN Chicago
Radio	WMVP

The 2005–06 Chicago Bulls season was one of mixed results. While the Bulls reached the playoffs for a second straight season, they posted a record of just 41-41 in the regular season, 6 wins fewer than they had recorded in the previous year even though the roster was mostly the same.

In the playoffs, the Bulls lost to the eventual NBA champion, the Miami Heat, in six games in the First Round.

On December 9, 2005, the Bulls' retired Scottie Pippen's jersey number 33 on his rafters during halftime ceremony reunited with his former executive Jerry Krause, his former teammates Michael Jordan, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman, Craig Hodges, Randy Brown, his former assistant coach Johnny Bach, and former Bulls head coach Phil Jackson.

Offseason

The Bulls did not have any picks in the 2005 draft. The core of the team remained based around Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, and Kirk Hinrich, all draft picks from the previous two years. The Bulls did not sign any household name players through free agency, but did add Malik Allen, Darius Songaila and Michael Sweetney (through the trade explained below), all of which would split time between the starting lineup and the bench. They also added Tim Thomas; however due to a clash with Scott Skiles he appeared in just 3 games for the Bulls and would eventually move to the Phoenix Suns. The Bulls also traded their once first-round draft pick Eddy Curry to the Knicks after Curry missed some of the 2004-2005 season with a heart condition. The move was met with some controversy, although it ended up resulting in high draft picks for the Bulls due to the Knicks' poor records in the coming seasons.

NBA Draft

The Bulls did not have any draft picks in 2005.

Roster

Chicago Bulls roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From PF 35 Allen, Malik 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Villanova SG 13 Basden, Eddie 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Charlotte C 3 Chandler, Tyson 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Dominguez HS (CA) SF 9 Deng, Luol 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Duke PG 21 Duhon, Chris 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Duke SG 7 Gordon, Ben 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Connecticut PF 24 Harrington, Othella 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Georgetown PG 12 Hinrich, Kirk 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Kansas PG 1 Livingston, Randy 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 209 lb (95 kg) LSU SF 5 Nocioni, Andres 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Argentina PG 15 Pargo, Jannero 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Arkansas SG 52 Piatkowski, Eric 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Nebraska C 45 Schenscher, Luke 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Georgia Tech PF 25 Songaila, Darius 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 248 lb (112 kg) Wake Forest PF 50 Sweetney, Michael 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 275 lb (125 kg) Georgetown

Head coach Scott Skiles (Michigan State) Assistant coach(es) Ron Adams (Marquette) Jim Boylan (Marquette) Pete Myers (Little Rock) Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

Standings

Central Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Detroit Pistons	64	18	.780	-	37–4	27–14	13–3
x-Cleveland Cavaliers	50	32	.610	14	31–10	19–22	11–5
x-Indiana Pacers	41	41	.500	23	27–14	14–27	6–10
x-Chicago Bulls	41	41	.500	23	21–20	20–21	4–12
x-Milwaukee Bucks	40	42	.488	24	25–16	15–26	6–10

Eastern Conference
#	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Detroit Pistons	64	18	.780	-
2	y-Miami Heat	52	30	.634	12
3	y-New Jersey Nets	49	33	.598	15
4	x-Cleveland Cavaliers	50	32	.610	14
5	x-Washington Wizards	42	40	.512	22
6	x-Indiana Pacers	41	41	.500	23
7	x-Chicago Bulls	41	41	.500	23
8	x-Milwaukee Bucks	40	42	.488	24
9	Philadelphia 76ers	38	44	.463	26
10	Orlando Magic	36	46	.439	28
11	Boston Celtics	33	49	.402	31
12	Toronto Raptors	27	55	.329	37
13	Charlotte Bobcats	26	56	.317	38
14	Atlanta Hawks	26	56	.317	38
15	New York Knicks	23	59	.280	41

Record vs. opponents

2005-06 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHA	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MEM	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NOK	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	TOR	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	—	2–1	1–3	0–3	1–2	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–2	1–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	0–2	1–3
Boston	1–2	—	2–1	0–4	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–3	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–3	1–1	1–3	2–0	3–1	1–3	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	0–2	3–1	2–0	1–3
Charlotte	3–1	1–2	—	2–2	0–3	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–4	0–3	1–1	1–3	0–2	3–0	1–3	3–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–3
Chicago	3–0	4–0	2–2	—	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–2	2–2	1–1	2–1	1–1	2–1	3–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	4–0	1–1	3–1
Cleveland	2–1	4–0	3–0	4–0	—	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–2	3–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–0	2–0	1–3
Dallas	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	—	3–1	1–1	1–3	4–0	2–0	3–1	1–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–1	1–1	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	4–0	2–1	2–2	3–0	2–0	3–1	2–0
Denver	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3	—	1–1	2–1	2–2	2–0	1–3	1–2	2–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	0–2	2–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3	4–0	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–0	1–3	1–1
Detroit	3–1	3–0	4–0	4–0	3–1	1–1	1–1	—	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	3–1	3–1	2–0	2–2	2–0	3–1	2–1	3–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	3–1	0–2	0–3
Golden State	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	1–2	0–2	—	1–3	0–2	1–3	0–4	0–3	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3	4–0	2–2	0–4	2–1	2–0	1–3	0–2
Houston	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	2–2	0–2	3–1	—	1–1	2–2	1–2	0–4	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–3	2–1	2–2	0–4	3–1	0–2	1–2	2–0
Indiana	0–4	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–3	2–0	1–1	—	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–1	2–2	1–1	2–1	2–0	2–2	3–0	2–1	0–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–0	2–2
L.A. Clippers	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3	3–1	0–2	3–1	2–2	0–2	—	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	3–1	1–1	1–2	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–2	3–0	0–4	1–2	3–1	2–0	2–1	2–0
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–1	2–1	1–1	4–0	2–1	1–1	2–2	—	1–3	1–1	2–0	1–3	0–2	3–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–1	2–0	2–2	1–1
Memphis	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–2	0–2	3–0	4–0	1–1	3–1	3–1	—	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–3	2–0	2–0	0–2	2–1	2–1	2–2	0–4	3–1	2–0	3–1	2–0
Miami	3–1	3–1	4–0	2–1	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	1–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	—	3–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	3–0	2–2	3–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	2–0	3–1	2–0	4–0
Milwaukee	3–1	3–0	3–0	2–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–3	—	1–1	1–3	1–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–1	0–2	2–1
Minnesota	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–2	1–3	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–3	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	—	1–1	1–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–2	2–2	2–1	0–4	2–2	0–2	1–3	1–1
New Jersey	3–1	3–1	3–1	1–2	2–2	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	—	2–0	3–1	3–0	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	2–1
New Orleans/Oklahoma City	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	0–4	1–2	0–2	2–1	3–1	0–2	2–1	1–3	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–1	0–2	—	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3	3–1	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–0	1–3	1–1
New York	2–2	1–3	0–3	1–2	2–1	1–1	0–2	1–3	0–2	0–2	2–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–3	1–3	0–2	1–3	0–2	—	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	2–0	1–3
Orlando	2–2	3–1	3–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–2	1–1	1–1	0–3	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	0–3	1–1	3–1	—	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–2	1–1	2–2
Philadelphia	2–1	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–3	1–1	1–1	1–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–3	1–3	2–0	3–1	1–1	3–1	1–3	—	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	0–2	2–2
Phoenix	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–2	3–1	0–2	3–1	3–0	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–2	2–0	1–1	2–1	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	—	3–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–1	1–1
Portland	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–4	1–2	0–2	0–3	2–2	1–2	0–2	0–2	2–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	—	1–2	0–4	1–3	1–1	0–4	1–1
Sacramento	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–2	3–1	0–2	2–2	2–2	0–2	4–0	2–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–2	2–1	—	1–2	3–1	1–1	3–1	0–2
San Antonio	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	4–0	4–0	2–0	2–1	3–1	4–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	4–0	2–1	—	2–1	2–0	3–0	1–1
Seattle	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–3	2–2	0–2	1–2	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–2	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–2	—	1–1	3–1	1–1
Toronto	3–1	1–3	3–1	0–4	0–3	0–2	0–2	1–3	0–2	2–0	2–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–2	2–0	1–3	0–2	3–1	2–1	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	—	0–2	1–2
Utah	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–3	3–1	2–0	3–1	2–1	0–2	1–2	2–2	1–3	0–2	2–0	3–1	1–1	3–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–2	4–0	1–3	0–3	1–3	2–0	—	1–1
Washington	3–1	3–1	3–1	1–3	3–1	0–2	1–1	3–0	2–0	0–2	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–4	1–2	1–1	1–2	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–1	1–1	—

Postseason

At 41-41, the Bulls managed to sneak into the Eastern Conference Playoffs as a 7th seed. They would lose in the first round to the eventual NBA Champion Miami Heat, although they did manage to stretch the best of 7 series to 6 games, ending a season in which they played very inconsistently on a somewhat positive note. A year later, the Bulls would defeat the Heat in a sweep in the first round.

East First Round

(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) Chicago Bulls

ESPN

April 22 8:00 pm

Recap

Chicago Bulls 106, Miami Heat 111
Scoring by quarter: 24–26, 27–37, 31–24, 24–24
Pts: Ben Gordon 35 Rebs: Andrés Nocioni 16 Asts: Kirk Hinrich 8		Pts: Dwyane Wade 30 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 16 Asts: Dwyane Wade 11

American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida Attendance: 20,288 Referees: Tony Brothers, Joe Crawford, Joe DeRosa

TNT

April 24 8:00 pm

Recap

Chicago Bulls 108, Miami Heat 115
Scoring by quarter: 26–33, 31–35, 19–27, 32–20
Pts: Andrés Nocioni 35 Rebs: Tyson Chandler 9 Asts: Kirk Hinrich 7		Pts: O'Neal, Williams 22 each Rebs: Antoine Walker 10 Asts: Dwyane Wade 7

American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida Attendance: 20,214 Referees: Mike Callahan, Dan Crawford, Courtney Kirkland

TNT

April 27 8:00 pm

Recap

Miami Heat 90, Chicago Bulls 109
Scoring by quarter: 23–31, 19–17, 29–39, 19–22
Pts: Dwyane Wade 26 Rebs: Udonis Haslem 10 Asts: Wade, Williams 4 each		Pts: Ben Gordon 24 Rebs: Andrés Nocioni 9 Asts: Kirk Hinrich 11

United Center, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 22,133 Referees: Bob Delaney, Bernie Fryer, Mark Wunderlich

ABC

April 30 1:00 pm

Recap

Miami Heat 87, Chicago Bulls 93
Scoring by quarter: 23–21, 17–23, 19–21, 28–28
Pts: Antoine Walker 21 Rebs: Udonis Haslem 9 Asts: Dwyane Wade 10		Pts: Andrés Nocioni 24 Rebs: Andrés Nocioni 7 Asts: Kirk Hinrich 9

United Center, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 22,361 Referees: Ron Garretson, Monty McCutchen, Greg Willard

TNT

May 2 8:00 pm

Recap

Chicago Bulls 78, Miami Heat 92
Scoring by quarter: 19–25, 19–15, 23–21, 17–31
Pts: Andrés Nocioni 23 Rebs: Andrés Nocioni 10 Asts: Kirk Hinrich 5		Pts: Dwyane Wade 28 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 10 Asts: Dwyane Wade 5

American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida Attendance: 20,287 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Scott Foster, Jack Nies

TNT

May 4 8:00 pm

Recap

Miami Heat 113, Chicago Bulls 96
Scoring by quarter: 29–19, 26–22, 29–28, 29–27
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 30 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 20 Asts: Dwyane Wade 6		Pts: Kirk Hinrich 23 Rebs: Luol Deng 6 Asts: Kirk Hinrich 6
Miami wins series, 4–2

United Center, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 22,584 Referees: Steve Javie, Tom Washington, Jess Kersey

Regular-season series

Miami won 2–1 in the regular-season series:

November 26, 2005

Recap

Miami Heat 100, Chicago Bulls 97

United Center, Chicago, Illinois

March 18, 2006

Recap

Miami Heat 85, Chicago Bulls 84

United Center, Chicago, Illinois

April 16, 2006

Recap

Chicago Bulls 117, Miami Heat 93

American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida

Last Playoffs meeting: 1997 Eastern Conference Finals (Chicago won 4–1)

Transactions

• August 8, 2005: Signed G Eddie Basden
• August 15, 2005: Resigned G Chris Duhon
• August 26, 2005: Resigned F Othella Harrington
• September 1, 2005: Resigned C Tyson Chandler
• September 2, 2005: Signed F Malik Allen
• September 23, 2005: Signed F Darius Songaila
• October 3, 2005: Resigned G Jannero Pargo
• October 4, 2005: Traded C Eddy Curry and F Antonio Davis to the New York Knicks for F Mike Sweetney, F Tim Thomas, G Jermaine Jackson, a conditional first round draft pick and two second round draft picks
• October 18, 2005: Waived G Jermaine Jackson
• January 5, 2006: Signed F Randy Holcomb to a 10-day contract
• January 17, 2006: Signed G Stephen Graham to a 10-day contract
• January 27, 2006: Signed F James Thomas to a 10-day contract
• March 1, 2006: Waived F Tim Thomas
• March 5, 2006: Signed C Luke Schenscher to a 10-day contract
• March 15, 2006: Signed C Luke Schenscher to a 10-day contract
• March 22, 2006: Signed G Randy Livingston to a 10-day contract
• March 25, 2006: Signed C Luke Schenscher for the season