Today on www.BetUSradio.com - Live from the Masters, at 2:30pm EST, David Dusek of Golf Magazine!!!Also, Brian Murphy for MLB and Jared Culpepper for NBA.Running of the Bulls by Mark Rothstein  Skiles saving his job? We've been wrong all this time. You actually can have your cake and eat it, too - provided you're the Chicago Bulls. Just two weeks ago, the Bulls looked like they were firmly on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff race, 3 games behind the Philadelphia 76ers for the No. 8 seed with just 14 games remaining. Chicago was also in a 2-6 slump straight up (4-4 against the spread) and threatening to take up permanent residency in the Central Division basement. Losses to the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers ran the Bulls' record against division foes to a woeful 3-12 SU. Such a late-season slide usually signals the beginning of Tank Time, that glorious time of the year when handicappers make money off teams who pack it in and give it less than 100 percent, thanks to a combination of player indifference and the team's desire to improve its lottery chances for the NBA draft. But the Bulls have less reason than most to go into the tank. Thanks to the Eddy Curry deal with the Knicks, Chicago owns the rights to New York's first-round pick this year. And what a deal that's turning out to be - the Knicks have the worst record in the NBA at 20-54 SU (33-41 ATS). Getting the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs isn't much of a cause for celebration. A date with the Detroit Pistons awaits - they've already clinched the conference title at 60-14 SU (35-37-2 ATS). However, with their draft position already secure, the Bulls have little to lose by making an honest push for the postseason. And you never know what kind of upset a hot Chicago team could pull off in the first round, lest we forget the No. 8 Denver Nuggets eliminating the No. 1 Seattle SuperSonics back in 1994. With that in mind, the Bulls have gone 6-1 SU and ATS over their past seven games to leapfrog the slumping Sixers for eighth place in the East. This is the scrappy Chicago club basketball fans have been waiting to see. Coach Scott Skiles has been having difficulty finding the right roles for his talented players; fortunately for Bulls supporters, he appears to have hit paydirt with a lineup that brings center Tyson Chandler and guard Ben Gordon off the bench, with Michael Sweetney and Chris Duhon in the starting lineup. Chicago's current streak began with that roster shuffle. Gordon in particular may not relish a return to his sixth-man status, but it's hard to argue with the success the Bulls are having. Gordon had 21 points and five assists to help Chicago dust off the Sixers 99-92 Wednesday night at the Wachovia Center, cashing in as a 3-point underdog. The Sixers will get their chance at revenge Saturday night when these two teams renew hostilities at the United Center. Philadelphia is an abysmal 4-12 SU and 5-11 ATS since Mar. 5. Now it's the Philly press that's having the debate over the relative merits of Tank Time. Coach Maurice Cheeks has admitted some of his players are not showing up, which was obvious in Tuesday's 124-91 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. If the Sixers can't be bothered to give it an honest effort Saturday night, they'll be prime "fade" candidates for the rest of the regular season. Comments or Questions? Email FaceOff@Bodog.com. --- by BetUSradio at 1800-sports.com on April 07, 2006
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