2003–04 Chicago Bulls season

The 2003–04 NBA season was the Bulls' 38th season in the National Basketball Association.[1] During the offseason, the Bulls re-signed free agent and former Superstar forward Scottie Pippen. However, they continued to struggle finishing last place in the Central Division with a 23–59 record, missing the playoffs for the sixth straight season. Following the season, Pippen retired and Jamal Crawford was traded to the New York Knicks. (See 2003–04 Chicago Bulls season#Regular season)

2003–04 Chicago Bulls season
Head coach
General managerJohn Paxson
Owner(s)Jerry Reinsdorf
ArenaUnited Center
Results
Record23–59 (.280)
PlaceDivision: 8th (Central)
Conference: 14th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television
RadioWMVP

Offseason

NBA draft
Main article: 2003 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College / Club Team
1 7 Kirk Hinrich PG  United States Kansas
2 36 Mario Austin F  United States Mississippi State
2 45 Matt Bonner F  United States Florida
2 53 Tommy Smith F  United States Arizona State

Roster
2003–04 Chicago Bulls roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
F/C 3 Chandler, Tyson 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1982-10-02 Dominguez HS (CA)
G 1 Crawford, Jamal 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1980-03-20 Michigan
F/C 2 Curry, Eddy 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 285 lb (129 kg) 1982-12-05 Thornwood HS (IL)
F/C 34 Davis, Antonio 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1968-10-31 UTEP
F 20 Dupree, Ronald 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 209 lb (95 kg) 1981-01-26 LSU
F 21 Fizer, Marcus 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 262 lb (119 kg) 1978-08-10 Iowa State
G 13 Gill, Kendall Injured 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1968-05-25 Illinois
G 12 Hinrich, Kirk 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1981-01-02 Kansas
F 6 Jefferies, Chris 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1980-02-13 Fresno State
F 8 Johnson, Linton 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1980-06-13 Tulane
G 15 Pargo, Jannero 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1979-10-22 Arkansas
F 33 Pippen, Scottie Injured 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1965-09-25 Central Arkansas
F 32 Robinson, Eddie 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1976-04-19 Central Oklahoma
F 45 Shirley, Paul Injured 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1977-12-23 Iowa State
G 22 Williams, Jay Injured 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1981-09-10 Duke
F 11 Williams, Jerome 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 206 lb (93 kg) 1973-05-10 Georgetown
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: March 15, 2004

Roster Notes
  • Point guard Jay Williams missed the entire season due to a dislocated left knee from a motorcycle accident.

Regular season

Heading in to the season, Bulls fans were as optimistic as they had been in years. Before it was done, however, winds of change had blown through the Windy City leaving a roster and a coaching staff upside down.

After closing out the previous season with four solid wins in the final six games to reach the 30–victory plateau, the team was hopeful of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 1998 and new pieces were added to the team’s puzzle for that to happen.

First, Kirk Hinrich was taken with the seventh overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft to fill the void at the guard spot. This happened just days after the team learned it would be without services of Jay Williams, who was injured in a motorcycle accident in June and would miss this entire season.

Later in the summer, the Bulls brought back one of the sport’s all-time legends when free agent Scottie Pippen—a seven-time NBA All-Star, two-time Olympic gold medalist and one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history—returned to Chicago on 07/20/03.

“I think I know how to win games in the NBA. It may sound simple, but both winning and losing can become a mindset, and I won’t accept losing—ever. Whether it’s on the floor, in the huddle, at practice or just demonstrating a winning leadership, I plan on helping this team win,” said Pippen.

Just one month into the season, however, it became clear that expectations were not being met and changes were necessary. With a 4–10 record, the team relieved Bill Cartwright of his head coaching duties (11/24/03). A few days later, Scott Skiles was named head coach (11/28/03) as he set out to instill a tough, defensive-minded, and high-effort mentality upon his new team.

The Bulls makeover wasn’t done yet. A blockbuster of a deal went down on 12/01/03, when Chicago traded Lonny Baxter, Donyell Marshall and Jalen Rose to Toronto for Antonio Davis, Chris Jefferies and Jerome Williams.

“This trade helps us address a couple of different areas, areas that we needed to get stronger in. It not only provides us with size, but also with energy,” said John Paxson.

While the Bulls continued to struggle, improvements in effort under Coach Skiles were evident, and the roster re-make had only begun. The team’s 23–59 record qualified it for a sixth consecutive NBA Draft Lottery appearance.

Other Notes: Hired Assistant Coaches Johnny Bach (07/15/03) and Ron Adams (07/16/03) … snapped a 26-game road losing streak versus Western Conference teams with a 95–79 win at Utah (02/04/04) … Hinrich dished out 506 assists and his average of 6.7 apg ranked tied for 7th in the NBA, despite the Bulls ranking last in the league in team field goal percentage (.414) … Hinrich was the only rookie in the NBA to tally a triple–double when he registered 11 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against the visiting Golden State Warriors (02/28/04) … Jamal Crawford went for a career–high 50 points (18–34 FG, 8–11 FT) at Toronto (04/11).

Honors: Kirk Hinrich (freshman team) participated in the Schick Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend … Hinrich also was named to the got milk? NBA All-Rookie First Team … the Bulls drew an average of 19,736 fans through 41 home games (third in the NBA), including 11 sellouts … the Bulls also hosted the seven largest crowds in the NBA, including a season-high draw of 23,067 versus the L.A. Lakers at the United Center.

Standings
Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Indiana Pacers 6121.744–34–727–1420–8
x-Detroit Pistons 5428.659731–1023–1817–11
x-New Orleans Hornets 4141.5002025–1616–2514–14
x-Milwaukee Bucks 4141.5002027–1414–2715–13
Cleveland Cavaliers 3547.4272623–1812–2914–14
Toronto Raptors 3349.4022818–2315–2611–17
Atlanta Hawks 2854.3413318–2310–3110–18
Chicago Bulls 2359.2803814–279–3211–17
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Indiana Pacers6121.744–
2 y-New Jersey Nets4735.57314
3 x-Detroit Pistons5428.6597
4 x-Miami Heat4240.51219
5 x-New Orleans Hornets4141.50020
6 x-Milwaukee Bucks4141.50020
7 x-New York Knicks3943.47622
8 x-Boston Celtics3646.43925
9 Cleveland Cavaliers3547.42726
10 Toronto Raptors3349.40228
11 Philadelphia 76ers3349.40228
12 Atlanta Hawks2854.34133
13 Washington Wizards2557.30536
14 Chicago Bulls2359.28038
15 Orlando Magic2161.25640

Record vs. opponents
2003-04 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MEM MIA MIL MIN NJN NOH NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA WAS
Atlanta —3–13–11–32–02–01–30–20–20–40–21–10–21–32–21–11–32–20–31–31–21–10–20–21–11–11–30–22–2
Boston 1–3—1–23–11–12–00–32–01–11–30–20–21–12–21–31–12–20–41–33–13–11–10–21–10–21–13–11–13–1
Chicago 1–32–1—2–20–20–20–41–10–21–31–10–20–20–41–30–20–32–22–23–10–41–10–20–20–20–24–01–11–3
Cleveland 3–11–32–2—0–20–22–20–20–21–31–10–20–22–22–20–21–23–14–02–13–10–21–10–21–12–01–31–12–2
Dallas 0–21–12–02–0—2–21–13–13–10–22–22–22–21–11–12–22–02–02–02–01–13–13–13–13–13–11–12–21–1
Denver 0–20–22–02–02–2—0–23–12–20–22–21–32–21–12–01–30–21–11–11–12–04–04–02–21–32–20–23–12–0
Detroit 3–13–04–02–21–12–0—1–11–11–32–01–12–04–03–10–22–21–33–13–12–22–02–00–21–11–13–11–13–0
Golden State 2–00–21–12–01–31–31–1—2–20–22–21–31–31–11–12–20–20–22–01–11–12–22–22–22–23–11–12–21–1
Houston 2–01–12–02–01–32–21–12–2—1–14–02–21–31–12–02–21–12–02–02–02–01–33–10–40–41–31–12–22–0
Indiana 4–03–13–13–12–02–03–12–01–1—2–01–11–13–01–31–13–12–23–13–14–02–01–10–21–12–04–02–02–1
L.A. Clippers 2–02–01–11–12–22–20–22–20–40–2—1–30–40–22–00–40–21–11–12–01–13–12–20–41–30–41–11–30–2
L.A. Lakers 1–12–02–02–02–23–11–13–12–21–13–1—2–22–02–01–32–01–12–02–01–13–12–21–33–13–12–03–12–0
Memphis 2–01–12–02–02–22–20–23–13–11–14–02–2—1–11–11–32–01–11–12–02–02–22–22–23–11–32–01–32–0
Miami 3–12–24–02–21–11–10–41–11–10–32–00–21–1—1–20–23–23–11–34–01–31–10–21–10–22–02–11–14–0
Milwaukee 2–23–13–12–21–10–21–31–10–23–10–20–21–12–1—0–23–11–32–23–12–11–11–11–11–10–23–11–13–1
Minnesota 1–11–12–02–02–23–12–02–22–21–14–03–13–12–02–0—1–12–01–12–01–14–01–33–12–23–12–02–22–0
New Jersey 3–12–23–02–10–22–02–22–01–11–32–00–20–22–31–31–1—2–13–14–03–11–10–21–10–22–02–21–14–0
New Orleans 2–24–02–21–30–21–13–12–00–22–21–11–11–11–33–10–21–2—1–24–02–21–12–00–21–10–21–31–13–1
New York 3–03–12–20–40–21–11–30–20–21–31–10–21–13–12–21–11–32–1—3–13–11–11–11–10–21–13–10–24–0
Orlando 3–11–31–31–20–21–11–31–10–21–30–20–20–20–41–30–20–40–41–3—2–21–10–20–20–20–21–21–14–0
Philadelphia 2–11–34–01–31–10–22–21–10–20–41–11–10–23–11–21–11–32–21–32–2—1–11–10–22–01–11–30–22–2
Phoenix 1–11–11–12–01–30–40–22–23–10–21–31–32–21–11–10–41–11–11–11–11–1—2–21–30–42–20–21–31–1
Portland 2–02–02–01–11–30–40–22–21–31–12–22–22–22–01–13–12–00–21–12–01–12–2—3–10–42–21–12–21–1
Sacramento 2–01–12–02–01–32–22–02–24–02–04–03–12–21–11–11–31–12–01–12–02–03–11–3—2–23–12–03–11–1
San Antonio 1–12–02–01–11–33–11–12–24–01–13–11–31–32–01–12–22–01–12–02–00–24–04–02–2—4–02–04–02–0
Seattle 1–11–12–00–21–32–21–11–33–10–24–01–33–10–22–01–30–22–01–12–01–12–22–21–30–4—1–11–31–1
Toronto 3–11–30–43–11–12–01–31–11–10–41–10–20–21–21–30–22–23–11–32–13–12–01–10–20–21–1—1–11–3
Utah 2–01–11–11–12–21–31–12–22–20–23–11–33–11–11–12–21–11–12–01–12–03–12–21–30–43–11–1—1–1
Washington 2–21–33–12–21–10–20–31–10–21–22–00–20–20–41–30–20–41–30–40–42–21–11–11–10–21–13–11–1—

Player statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Season
Player GP GSi MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG

Awards and records

See also

References
  1. "2003-04 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats".
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