The Eastern Conference has come down to the number 1 seeded Chicago Bulls and the number 2 seeded Miami Heat. On one side, you have a once glorious franchise returning to the top of the conference. On the other side, you have arguably the most polarizing team to play the game. Here's an overview of what could be the most interesting playoff series this year.
Center: Joakim Noah vs. Joel Anthony
Both Noah and Anthony are both hustle players who make plays using determination rather than skill or speed. Both are great defenders and superb rebounders on both the offensive and the defensive end. Where they differ is offensively. Noah is a better offensive player than Anthony. Noah possesses the ability to shoot the jump shot and take the ball off the dribble. He also is better at moving away from the ball. Noah will also run on the fast break more often than Anthony. Advantage: Chicago
Power Forward: Carlos Boozer vs. Chris Bosh
Both Boozer and Bosh are looking to prove something in this series. Boozer is trying to prove to his fans that he can be the number 2 option that Chicago is looking for. Bosh is trying to prove that he is more than a third wheel to the James-Wade party. Both are notorious for their criticism. Bosh has been called soft and inconsistent. Boozer has been called a defensive liability, who has not justified his weakness on one end with strength on the other. But both Boozer and Bosh are very good offensively at times. When their jump shots are falling, they are two of the more feared post players in the game. Boozer has a nice fade away jumper he relies on, and Bosh uses his left handedness to his advantage. Advantage: Draw
Small Forward: Luol Deng vs. LeBron James
This is not as lopsided as it seems. LeBron James is the best player in the NBA. He is too strong to cover and with his jump shot, he can create a shot out of any scenario. He also is one of the better defenders because of his size and speed. He has perfected the art of the chase-down block. But I don't think that James will have easy picking against the Bulls. Luol Deng is one of the best defenders in the game and can force James to take difficult, contested shots. Deng also plays long minutes, so he will have the job of wearing down James. Deng has a good outside jumper and can slash his way to the basket. But when LeBron James is the person you are facing down, it is impossible to have an advantage. Advantage: Miami
Shooting Guard: Keith Bogans vs. Dwyane Wade
This is as lopsided as it seems. Dwyane Wade is one of the most dynamic players in the game. He can make his way to the basket. He can change the game with his jump shot. He and James are feared on the fast break. Bogans takes 3 shots a game on average, all of them from downtown. Bogans, however, will give Wade fits on the defensive end. He did a great job stopping the larger Joe Johnson against the Hawks, so expect him to give Wade fits. But once again, when Dwyane Wade is the person you are facing down, it is impossible to have an advantage. Advantage: Miami
Point Guard: Derrick Rose vs. Mike Bibby
This is another extremely lopsided matchup. Unlike Jeff Teague, Mike Bibby has no speed when compared to Rose. Bibby takes too many shots and is typically the beneficiary of slashing by James or Wade. Derrick Rose, on the other hand, carries the Bulls. He is developing as a passer, and will allow his teammates to try to take over the game. But when he needs to carry the load, Derrick Rose is prepared. He can now stretch teams with a perimeter shot to keep his defenders honest. But when you play Rose too tight, he can beat you off the dribble like no other. If Wade and James are the best slashing shooting guard and small forward respectively, I'd argue that Derrick Rose is the best slashing point guard in the league. His speed allows him to attack the rim at will, and his ability to finish, as well as his pure athleticism, allows him to score on these drives. When Derrick Rose is the person you are facing down, it is very difficult to have an advantage. Advantage: Chicago
Bench:
The Chicago Bulls have filled the bench very well with role players. They have a superb young backup center in Omer Asik. Asik can add some energy with hustle rebounds and blocked shots. They have a starting caliber backup power forward in Taj Gibson. Gibson helps out defensively and can add some offensive help when Boozer is on the bench. Ronnie Brewer is a super defender, and Kyle Korver is one of the best sharpshooters in the game. C.J. Watson can run the plays to give Derrick Rose ample time to rest. Then they have Kurt "Big Sexy" Thomas, who adds some old school defense to the game. The Heat have Mario Chalmers, a defensive point guard, and James Jones, another good 3-point shooter. Everyone else is either a non-factor (Zydrunas Ilgauskas) or recovering from injury (Udonis Haslem). Advantage: Chicago
Coaching: Tom Thibodeau vs. Erik Spoelstra
No offense to Spoelstra, but he really is merely Pat Riley's pawn. When you have LeBron James or Dwyane Wade, drawing up plays is rather easy. He has established a good defense, but once again, that seems to fall under the influence of James and Wade. Spoelstra is very good in the video room at pinpointing where his team needs to improve. Thibodeau, on the other hand, is the defensive mind that was able to stop LeBron James the last two years when he played Boston. He has masterfully crafted a defense that has allowed low field goal percentages and points. Though he does not have an offensive mind near to where his defensive mind is, he is a disciple of the game and lives and breathes basketball. He is in the video room analyzing footage. But most importantly, he got his team to buy into his strategy, and it has worked. Both are relatively new head coaches, but based on where they are with what they have, Thibodeau has seemed to do more with less. Advantage: Chicago
Intangibles:
The Miami Heat have successfully embraced their role as the villain in the NBA. LeBron James (as well as Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh for that matter) has to prove that he made the right decision by spurning the Bulls and creating a Big Three in Miami. The Chicago Bulls have home court advantage. They have the serendipity of having a chance to win a championship 20 years after Jordan's first. They are entering as the underdogs. The Heat have a sense of entitlement, but the Bulls have a sense of urgency. The Bulls are scrappier and defying the odds. The Heat are riding the talent of their two stars. There are too many storylines in this series. Advantage: Draw
Interesting Notes:
-The Chicago Bulls are 3-0 versus the Heat in the regular season. Those three games were won by a total of 8 points.
-Which Kyle Korver will show up? The clutch Kyle Korver from the Indiana series or the struggling Kyle Korver from the Atlanta series?
-Don't expect any big games from James Jones. The Bulls are one of the best perimeter defending teams in the league.
-Mario Chalmers beat Derrick Rose in the 2007 NCAA championship. Can we expect a similar outcome?
-Derrick Rose broke LeBron James' attempt at a three-peat for MVP. Will LeBron James finally win a championship without the burden of being MVP?
-LeBron James beat the Celtics...after Thibodeau was hired as the head coach of the Bulls. Maybe James' biggest enemy is not the Celtics, but their former assistant coach Tom Thibodeau.
-Pat Riley and Gar Forman both won Executive of the Year. John Paxson also received three votes, meaning that the Bulls' executives combined could have won that award.
Prediction:
The Miami Heat are playing amazing basketball, and with two superstars, it is difficult to imagine the less star-studded Bulls to pull off the upset. But the Bulls are a hustle team who looks to outwork you, especially so in the playoffs. I see this as a 7-game-thriller. Bulls will have home court advantage, but Miami's star power will shine and (unfortunately) the Bulls go down in 7 games. Miami advances to the NBA Finals.
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