CHICAGO - The iconic bent horns with red tips have lost its sharp edge.
The growling, menacing, stomping red-faced beast that emits fumes of rage from its nostrils has become as less intimidating as a fluffy teddy bear.
And the trademark defense, once hailed as a feisty doberman, has become more like a harmless puppy with no teeth.
Where have the mighty Chicago Bulls gone?
Actually, they're still around, still balling at the United Center. And thanks to a brand that has had a loyal fan base for generations, Michael Jordan's heirs remain a top ticket, pulling in a total of 195,073 fans following today's 10th home game of the season.
Unfortunately, coach Jim Boylen's boys are spectacularly underwhelming. Only six wins in 18 outings and a mere 3-7 in front of their faithful.
Playing in America's third largest media market, the Bulls are still a draw. But a show, they clearly are not.
Portland 117. Chicago 94.
The Blazers entered the United Center today bleeding from a four-game skid. The Bulls, meanwhile, just returned from a miraculous trip in Charlotte where they stung the Hornets with a huge road win that saw them overcome an eight-point deficit in the final 45.3 seconds.
So much for momentum.
Whatever was gained in that Charlotte romp went away in a hurry as the Bulls went back to their old habits of surrendering too many points and giving up runs.
The Bulls are currently 18th in the league in points per game allowed at 110.8 per. They conceded 114 to Portland, which shot 51.7 percent from the filed (46 of 89).
It was a close and winnable game for Chicago, which trailed only by two with just 2:59 left before halftime. But a 40-20 spurt quickly pushed Portland away, 90-62, time down to 1:27 in the third period. After the Bulls crept to within 50-48, the Blazers outscored them 67-46 the rest of the way.
Some teams possess a potent offense that can hide the stench of their defense. The Bulls are not one of those teams.
Their offensive rating of 104.3 is 28th in the league. And their point production of 107.1 points per is 22nd overall.
But a weak defense and an inconsistent offense are minor headaches compared to the potential migraine that is a brewing team mutiny.
After being benched briefly in the Miami Heat game at the United Center last Saturday, Zach LaVine expressed his displeasure with coach Boylen and told Yahoo Sports, "it's hard to trust someone who doesn't trust you."
And even after the Charlotte miracle, two key players also raised their concerns. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, Lauri Markkanen wants more minutes while Wendell Carter Jr. wants more touches.
Is coach Jim Boylen losing the locker room?
LUKA IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS. With three triple-doubles in six games and a 41-point gem he dropped on James Harden and Russell Westbrook in Dallas' arrogant 137-123 win in Houston yesterday, 20-year old Luka Doncic is the real deal.
And like any superstar, he deserves a bad ass monicker. Listeners on sports radio were eager to provide. Here are some of the really good ones.
1) "Luka in the sky with dimaonds," obviously a tribute to the 1967 Beatles hit song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."
2) BeLuka whale, as in Beluga whale
3) The expression, "Don't Luka me now"
4) Luka Brasi, an obvious reference to the fictional character Luca Brasi in the film The Godfather.
But this one takes the cake.
Luka Skywalker.
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