Shocking Similarities between 2016-17 Thunder and 1988-89 Bulls
By Eric Snyder
Billy Donovan and the OKC Thunder are forced to rely on a star player in much the same way as Doug Collins did in the 1988-89 Chicago Bulls season. But, the similarities between the clubs don’t end there.
Collins was fired after the end of that season and replaced by a certain ‘Zen Master’. Which begs the question does this offseason hold the same destiny for Billy Donovan?
Who is Doug Collins?
The history of the legendary Doug Collins could provide Thunder fans with insight into the future in Oklahoma City. Collins played College Basketball at Illinois State before playing for Team USA and eight years for the Philadelphia 76ers.
In four of his eight years in Philly, Collins was an All-Star. Prior to coming to the NBA as a Coach, Collins spent time as an Assistant Coach for two years with Arizona State and a Basketball analyst for CBS.
Known for his fiery personality and Basketball IQ, the Bulls brought Collins in to guide a young star named Michael Jordan. Collins lasted three years with the Bulls before being replaced by one of his assistants: Phil Jackson.
In his time as Chicago Bulls coach, Collins had young and inexperienced versions of both Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Many thought Collins relied on Jordan too much while he overlooked such players as Bill Cartwright and Craig Hodges. Even so, the Bulls won 50 games in his second season only to lose to the Pistons in the Conference Semifinals.
In the third and final year of his tenure in Chicago, Collins Bulls won 47 games and made it to the Conference Finals. Consequently, Collins continued to rely heavily on Jordan and the Bulls once again lost to the Pistons. In July of the offseason, the Bulls decided to move on from Collins despite the improvement of the team.