What are the chances of the Bulls winning the East?

[iDefend5]

I thought the signing of Rip Hamilton was an excellent move by the Bulls front office. Rip is a significant upgrade over Bogans and he will also help take a good amount pressure off of Rose. Rip is going to be great in the motion offense with the Bulls. Teams can't just ignore the Bulls 2 guard anymore because the Bulls' 2 guard is now a threat to make shots unlike before with Bogans.

I do believe that the Bulls can win in a 7 game series over the Heat now. That is the keyword in that sentence, can. I am not sure if they will but I certainly think they can. The 2011 ECF was a lot closer than the series indicated. All of the games that the Heat won were close and were determined in the last 2 minutes of the game.

Keep in mind that Hamilton has always given Wade and the Heat fits. Wade hates defending the type of players that chase and run around and through screens; Rip is one of the best at that. I feel sorry for whoever is going to have guard Rip for a 7 game series because that player will be exhausted near the end of the series.

I like the Bulls chances of winning the East. I like them a lot better than I liked them last season.

[ballinhun8]

They've got the most complete starting 5 in the NBA but in a series with the Heat, the Heat have two of the three best players.



Itll be tough but the upgrade at SG helps a ton. Rip is still one of the most well conditioned players in the league and will make whoever's guarding him a living Hell. On this team it helps a lot because it can free up Booze inside or around his 15 ft. area and opens the lanes for Luol to cut or settle for a jumpshot.


Miami tho got a significant upgrade in Battier though. I believe Miller is done and doesn't have much left so there bench is still weak but they are hungry and just as determined as the Bulls. I expect a rematch in the ECF. And I expect the Bulls to have Homecourt because their depth will be an advantage during the regular season.

Should be fun in the playoffs. I expect the Heat, Bulls, Knicks, and Celts in the ECSF which will make for fantastic matchups.

[All Net]

Bulls stand a great chance to beat Miami. Getting Rip is huge if Rip is going to produce good numbers. Depends how much he as left. SG is the big reason why Miami beat them last year.

Bulls are a very complete team now...Rose needs to step it up this year and has to shoot well throughout a series. He was poor in the playoffs.

[nathanjizzle]

I thought the signing of Rip Hamilton was an excellent move by the Bulls front office. Rip is a significant upgrade over Bogans and he will also help take a good amount pressure off of Rose. Rip is going to be great in the motion offense with the Bulls. Teams can't just ignore the Bulls 2 guard anymore because the Bulls' 2 guard is now a threat to make shots unlike before with Bogans.

I do believe that the Bulls can win in a 7 game series over the Heat now. That is the keyword in that sentence, can. I am not sure if they will but I certainly think they can. The 2011 ECF was a lot closer than the series indicated. All of the games that the Heat won were close and were determined in the last 2 minutes of the game.

Keep in mind that Hamilton has always given Wade and the Heat fits. Wade hates defending the type of players that chase and run around and through screens; Rip is one of the best at that. I feel sorry for whoever is going to have guard Rip for a 7 game series because that player will be exhausted near the end of the series.

I like the Bulls chances of winning the East. I like them a lot better than I liked them last season.

i do believe they beat miami this year also. i felt they had a descent chance last year to beat miami but rose just wasnt playing very well.

[guy]

Both Miami and Chicago got better. So :confusedshrug:

[Go Getter]

They've got the most complete starting 5 in the NBA but in a series with the Heat, the Heat have two of the three best players.



This reasoning didn't work in the finals, please give it up.

The Bulls are still a little bit behind the Heat in my mind.

They need to gain experience and gel while the Heat decline with minutes and injuries.

Or we need to get another player or two.

[Go Getter]

Both Miami and Chicago got better. So :confusedshrug:


I think Battier is aging and his defense isn't as good as it was 3 years ago plus he's redundant.

The Bulls filled a bigger void.

People are talking a lot about Cole but he's not going to be any better than Chalmers as a rookie.

[hoopaddict08]

They will have the best record in the league.

[Bigsmoke]

Heat Are still better.

They beat the Bulls in 5 with Wade not playing well.

[Hank]

I think Battier is aging and his defense isn't as good as it was 3 years ago plus he's redundant.

How's he redundant ? After Wade and James the Heat didn;t have anyone on the wings who could defend like they could. They spent so much energy defending in the playoffs that it affected their offense, their stamina, and energy levels. It's why they looked fatigued at the end of the Mavs series. Those 2 guys were "stretched" all over the place and all over the floor responsible for many jobs out there on the court.

With Battier in there taking a matchup defending a top perimeter player, this frees up Wade and LeBron more to do their thing. conserve energy, conserve more for offense being the dynamic offensive players they are. Allowing one of them, or both of them to "roam" more as they're excellent in that capacity. And be tremendous in all the other areas of their games, taking more risks with better results.

I can;t believe someone would think it's "redundant" when it cost a measly $3M per year to free up 2 of the best players on the world to do their thing. Battier was an outstanding acquisition on many levels for the team, and their 2 best players.

[LosBulls]

Heat wouldn't be able to put LeBron on Rose anymore or they would get torched by Rip now.

[Go Getter]

How's he redundant ? After Wade and James the Heat didn;t have anyone on the wings who could defend like they could. They spent so much energy defending in the playoffs that it affected their offense, their stamina, and energy levels. It's why they looked fatigued at the end of the Mavs series. Those 2 guys were "stretched" all over the place and all over the floor responsible for many jobs out there on the court.

With Battier in there taking a matchup defending a top perimeter player, this frees up Wade and LeBron more to do their thing. conserve energy, conserve more for offense being the dynamic offensive players they are. Allowing one of them, or both of them to "roam" more as they're excellent in that capacity. And be tremendous in all the other areas of their games, taking more risks with better results.

I can;t believe someone would think it's "redundant" when it cost a measly $3M per year to free up 2 of the best players on the world to do their thing. Battier was an outstanding acquisition on many levels for the team, and their 2 best players.
Battier plays the three and Lebron plays the three. They needed a PG or center.

The Bulls filled a bigger void.

It's the truth man.

[PJR]

Zero.

[Hank]

Battier plays the three and Lebron plays the three.

The Bulls filled a bigger void.

1. Lebron plays anywhere from 1-4. Did you even watch the playoffs last year ?

2. Battier plays anywhere from 2-4. Guy can defend anyone as those positions for the most part. Both lebron and battier will be on the floor together alot.

Riley mentioned how important Battier was as an acquisition. It makes our roster extremely flexible. He said it reminded him when he had Magic, B Scott, Worthy and Cooper all on the floor at the same time that changed games. Having versatile players that can play multiple positions and do multiple things like battier and lebron can

Wade and lebron being the best they can be with less responsibilities >>>> RIP

[Go Getter]

1. Lebron plays anywhere from 1-4. Did you even watch the playoffs last year ?

2. Battier plays anywhere from 2-4. Guy can defend anyone as those positions for the most part. Both lebron and battier will be on the floor together alot.

Riley mentioned how important Battier was as an acquisition. It makes our roster extremely flexible. He said it reminded him when he had Magic, B Scott, Worthy and Cooper all on the floor at the same time that changed games. Having versatile players that can play multiple positions and do multiple things like battier and lebron can

Wade and lebron being the best they can be with less responsibilities >>>> RIP

1. Doesn't matter where Lebron plays. They still needed a traditional PG or center more than an over the hill perimeter defender.

2. Battier isn't a lockdown defender anymore. He's not guarding Dirk. He's not guarding Durant. He's not guarding Kobe.

3. Of COURSE Riley mentioned how good an acquisition it was:facepalm

They needed to get a CENTER or a PG.

[derb2k2]

so now Rip is this damn great player who's flown under the radar for several years? NO. Rip has been an average role player who has a nice IQ but will not pose a problem for the Heat. Ray Allen was held in check last ECSF and he's one of those players that is phenomenal at getting open through screens.

[2010splash]

Pretty much guaranteed. They are the deepest team in the league with quality players at every single position. Miami sucks at PG and C. Rose will also improve significantly as last season was only his third. Old man Wade and Bron Bron's mileage gon' be catching up to them this season.

[bagelred]

I think Miami's raw talent might be too much. Bulls seemed to maximize everything last year. Can they go a level higher?

[swi7ch]

0

NBA will be ruled by MIA for years to come. Neg me all you want but it's the truth. If nobody in the east can beat them on their alpha year, imagine what they will do on year 2 and beyond...

[PJR]

Lol Rip Hamilton has been irrellevent since 2006.

[brownmamba00]

Miami almost sweeped the Bulls while their first option was putting up 18ppg on 40%.

Heat in 6

[swi7ch]

Lol Rip Hamilton has been irrellevent since 2006.

PPL here just don't understand the concept of aging and what it does to an athlete. They think Kobe, Rip, TMac, Vince, etc are all just like what they were 5+ years ago. :facepalm

[2010splash]

Miami got lucky that not a single Bulls player was playing up to his standards. Not one. Every one of them was below average that series. And they needed an OT and some fluke threes from terrible 3-pt shooters LeBron/Wade to win 2 games.

Hamilton's per 36 numbers 19 ppg, 3 rpg, 4 rpg.

Rose 25/5/9
Hamilton 16/3/3
Deng 17/7/2
Boozer 20/10/2
Noah 11/13/2

That will be their starting 5. They'll dominate Miami this year.

[Go Getter]

PPL here just don't understand the concept of aging and what it does to an athlete. They think Kobe, Rip, BATTIER, TMac, Vince, etc are all just like what they were 5+ years ago. :facepalm


Fixed.

And Rip is replacing an old player in Bogans. Al we expect Rip to do is score 12-14 points a game (hit open shots) and not make too many mistakes.

Not like we're being unreasonable.

[TheMan]

The Heat have a nice addition with Battier but they haven't adressed their weak points, PG and C.I predict whoever has home field advantage wins, last year the Bulls had HC but they were a young team with virtually no CF experience while the Heat had more seasoned veterans.The Bulls now have that experience and that will put them on top.

[Hank]

Miami almost sweeped the Bulls while their first option was putting up 18ppg on 40%.

Heat in 6

I said Heat in 5 over the Bulls last year and I said that during the regular season.

This year it could be in 4, a total sweep.

As bulls fans underestimated us last year, they are underestimating us even more this year it seems like. And they are underestimating how much more cohesion the Big 3 have now. They are light years ahead of where they were in training camp last year. And are implementing a lot more into the playbook this year now that they have more chemistry. Spo said how much more we're going to see on the floor this year from an offensive standpoint... much more than last year.

And Norris Cole is going to be a stud. Shall I say "Big-4" ?!!

Bottom line is the Bulls can't compete with Miami's small ball lineup. Chicago's one and only advantage is their size and it's nullified and TOTALLY useless against it, and so is Noah when he's on the bench against it in 4th quarters as we saw in the series last year. That clown was riding the pine and totally useless. Boozer is a dog, he's garbage. And Haslem >> Gibson.

Thibs isnt stupid, he knows it, the bulls front office knows it... they know they're toast against this Miami team (in their 2nd year together) in a 7-game series.

.

[iDefend5]

Miami almost sweeped the Bulls while their first option was putting up 18ppg on 40%.

Heat in 6
All of those games were close and they didn't almost sweep the Bulls. If there was any game that wasn't close in that series it was Game 1 when the Bulls won.

[RRR3]

I said Heat in 5 over the Bulls last year and I said that during the regular season.

This year it could be in 4, a total sweep.

As bulls fans underestimated us last year, they are underestimating us even more this year it seems like. And they are underestimating how much more cohesion the Big 3 have now. They are light years ahead of where they were in training camp last year. And are implementing a lot more into the playbook this year now that they have more chemistry

And Norris Cole is going to be a stud. Shall I say "Big-4" ?!!

Bottom line is the Bulls can't compete with Miami's small ball. Their size up front is useless against it, and so is Noah when he's on the bench against it in 4th quarters as we saw in the series last year. Thibs isnt stupid, he knows it, the bulls front office knows it... they know they're toast against this Miami team (in their 2nd year together) in a 7-game series.
Stop overrating Norris Cole. Jesus. :facepalm He had a good SCRIMMAGE, so did Udonis Haslem and Juwan Howard. Next Dexter Pittman will have a good scrimmage and you'll be calling him the next Shaq. :banghead:

[RRR3]

Miami almost sweeped the Bulls while their first option was putting up 18ppg on 40%.

Heat in 6
Wade isn't the first option. :facepalm

[All Net]

Miami got lucky that not a single Bulls player was playing up to his standards. Not one. Every one of them was below average that series. And they needed an OT and some fluke threes from terrible 3-pt shooters LeBron/Wade to win 2 games.

Hamilton's per 36 numbers 19 ppg, 3 rpg, 4 rpg.

Rose 25/5/9
Hamilton 16/3/3
Deng 17/7/2
Boozer 20/10/2
Noah 11/13/2

That will be their starting 5. They'll dominate Miami this year.

There is a reason they struggled.

Miami's D was great and will be even better this year.

[Legends66NBA7]

Wade isn't the first option. :facepalm

I think it's still pretty much 1a/1b tandem, but as Wade gets older it will be more clear that LeBron will be the clear 1st option.

[RRR3]

Miami got lucky that not a single Bulls player was playing up to his standards. Not one. Every one of them was below average that series. And they needed an OT and some fluke threes from terrible 3-pt shooters LeBron/Wade to win 2 games.

Hamilton's per 36 numbers 19 ppg, 3 rpg, 4 rpg.

Rose 25/5/9
Hamilton 16/3/3
Deng 17/7/2
Boozer 20/10/2
Noah 11/13/2

That will be their starting 5. They'll dominate Miami this year.
LeBron is not a terrible three point shooter. :facepalm

[RRR3]

I think it's still pretty much 1a/1b tandem, but as Wade gets older it will be more clear that LeBron will be the clear 1st option.
It's 1A/1B, yes, but LBJ is 1A. It's worth noting that when Wade struggles LBJ can carry them to win, but not vice versa.

[brownmamba00]

It's 1A/1B, yes, but LBJ is 1A. It's worth noting that when Wade struggles LBJ can carry them to win, but not vice versa.
Last years finals pretty much showed Wade was 1A.
If Bron is 1A just because he played better in the ECF then Kobe was running LA back in '01 aswell.

[returnofthemack]

there chances of winning the east are as good as anyones. they were on of the best teams in the league last year and now they have another year of experiance under their belts. i think the kincks will be better and there is always a chance of an upset early in the playoffs but i think miami will finish with the best record in the east and chicago will finish with the 2nd seed. i see them meeting in the ECF again. who wins? i think thats hard to say. two very talented teams. the key for miami is how well bosh comes back and if he really try to turn it into the big three. bosh is key for the heat. lebron and wade noth play with very similar styles and if bosh can somehow turn himself into the true 2nd option on that team they would be unstoppable. luckly i dont see that happening with egos and what not.

[All Net]

Btw anybody counting on Boozer in the playoffs are in for a surprise..

[iDefend5]

Fixed.

And Rip is replacing an old player in Bogans. Al we expect Rip to do is score 12-14 points a game (hit open shots) and not make too many mistakes.

Not like we're being unreasonable.
Sorry, Rip is too old at the age of 33 to score 12-14 ppg and hit open shots. :rolleyes:

[Dengness9]

Hank = Worst Poster on Ish for this upcoming season?? Definitely.

Just another bandwagon ******gin follower of the Heat, who I may add knows nothing about being a heat fan except for after Lebron and Bosh signed there.

Pathetic. Go swallow some more Norris Cole semen now. Ha.

[RRR3]

Last years finals pretty much showed Wade was 1A.
If Bron is 1A just because he played better in the ECF then Kobe was running LA back in '01 aswell.
Bullshit. When LeBron is leading, they win, when Wade is leading, they lose. LeBron was better than Wade throughout the regular season and the playoffs until the finals, and then Wade has 6 better games and now he's the "first option". :rolleyes: Wade is the team leader, but LeBron is the best player on offense and one of, if not, the best on defense as well.

[iDefend5]

so now Rip is this damn great player who's flown under the radar for several years? NO. Rip has been an average role player who has a nice IQ but will not pose a problem for the Heat. Ray Allen was held in check last ECSF and he's one of those players that is phenomenal at getting open through screens.
Really? Since when was 16.4 ppg with 47.3% FG, 50.0% 3 pointer, getting held in check? If the Bulls had that production from their starting SG last season in the ECF they would have made the NBA Finals instead.

[Hank]

there chances of winning the east are as good as anyones. they were on of the best teams in the league last year and now they have another year of experiance under their belts. i think the kincks will be better and there is always a chance of an upset early in the playoffs but i think miami will finish with the best record in the east and chicago will finish with the 2nd seed. i see them meeting in the ECF again. who wins? i think thats hard to say. two very talented teams. the key for miami is how well bosh comes back and if he really try to turn it into the big three. bosh is key for the heat. lebron and wade noth play with very similar styles and if bosh can somehow turn himself into the true 2nd option on that team they would be unstoppable. luckly i dont see that happening with egos and what not.
Did you forget how Bosh destroyed the Bulls in that playoff series ? Here's a reminder:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkifS6KOuTU

The only game where he had a subpar performance was in game 2. Otherwise he was fantastic in that series and made the Bulls look like chumps

[TDPrime2030]

Last years finals pretty much showed Wade was 1A.
If Bron is 1A just because he played better in the ECF then Kobe was running LA back in '01 aswell.
Sounds about accurate. I am a die hard LeBron fan and even I can admit Wade is better than him. It's too bad phags like that RRR3 guy who are biased as hell when it comes to LeBron can't understand the same.

[RRR3]

Sounds about accurate. I am a die hard LeBron fan and even I can admit Wade is better than him. It's too bad phags like that RRR3 guy who are biased as hell when it comes to LeBron can't understand the same.
You're not a LeBron fan at all, you're swagg3r posing as a LeBron fan. You hate LBJ and everyone knows it. You're also pretty alone in your thinking, even on ISH. Look at the polls we've had, LBJ has been voted over Wade time and time again. LBJ>Wade. Past, present and future. Deal with it.

[TDPrime2030]

You're not a LeBron fan at all, you're swagg3r posing as a LeBron fan. You hate LBJ and everyone knows it. You're also pretty alone in your thinking, even on ISH. Look at the polls we've had, LBJ has been voted over Wade time and time again. LBJ>Wade. Past, present and future. Deal with it.
Huh? I'm a die hard LeBron fan but even I can admit Wade is better. It's homo nut-huggers like you that make us LeBron fans look bad. Wade is better because he has led and won his team a championship while LeBron hasn't. It's really that simple.

[RRR3]

Huh? I'm a die hard LeBron fan but even I can admit Wade is better. It's homo nut-huggers like you that make us LeBron fans look bad. Wade is better because he has led and won his team a championship while LeBron hasn't. It's really that simple.
You're not a LeBron fan you clown. You spam this board constantly with your stupid bs about LeBron. I can't believe you think you fool anyone these days we all know your vast array of accounts (RG, Swagg3r, DaPerceive, TrueAristotle, Inception28, Da Heroic One, etc., etc.). Shut up and go jack off to Wade.

[brownmamba00]

Bullshit. When LeBron is leading, they win, when Wade is leading, they lose. LeBron was better than Wade throughout the regular season and the playoffs until the finals, and then Wade has 6 better games and now he's the "first option". :rolleyes: Wade is the team leader, but LeBron is the best player on offense and one of, if not, the best on defense as well.

No he's not. C'mon dude just admit it already. Anytime Bron got the ball in his hands he defered directly to Wade, was scared to take big time shots late, not agressive, making excuses, etc.

That's textbook beta dog behaviour.
And you act like it's Wade faults that Bron played like shit.

Anyway this is topic is for another time, but I thought that all Miami fans already agreed that Wade was top dawg after last year. Oh well:sleeping

[nashwade]

have you guys seen how Rip played over the last 2 years?

[TheMan]

I said Heat in 5 over the Bulls last year and I said that during the regular season.

This year it could be in 4, a total sweep.

As bulls fans underestimated us last year, they are underestimating us even more this year it seems like. And they are underestimating how much more cohesion the Big 3 have now. They are light years ahead of where they were in training camp last year. And are implementing a lot more into the playbook this year now that they have more chemistry. Spo said how much more we're going to see on the floor this year from an offensive standpoint... much more than last year.

And Norris Cole is going to be a stud. Shall I say "Big-4" ?!!

Bottom line is the Bulls can't compete with Miami's small ball lineup. Chicago's one and only advantage is their size and it's nullified and TOTALLY useless against it, and so is Noah when he's on the bench against it in 4th quarters as we saw in the series last year. That clown was riding the pine and totally useless. Boozer is a dog, he's garbage. And Haslem >> Gibson.

Thibs isnt stupid, he knows it, the bulls front office knows it... they know they're toast against this Miami team (in their 2nd year together) in a 7-game series.

.
I don't think it's underestimating the Heat, they are good, Bulls fans are just more confident that with one more year of maturing, an upgrade at SG, hopefully a healthy team come playoffs time, this time we'll get over the hump, no disrepect to Miami.

Obviously you think we are nowhere near Miami's level and we have no chance, try taking your homer glasses off.

[TDPrime2030]

You're not a LeBron fan you clown. You spam this board constantly with your stupid bs about LeBron. I can't believe you think you fool anyone these days we all know your vast array of accounts (RG, Swagg3r, DaPerceive, TrueAristotle, Inception28, Da Heroic One, etc., etc.). Shut up and go jack off to Wade.
Yeah looks like you got nothing on me. Good job taking it boy. :applause:

[RRR3]

No he's not. C'mon dude just admit it already. Anytime Bron got the ball in his hands he defered directly to Wade, was scared to take big time shots late, not agressive, making excuses, etc.

That's textbook beta dog behaviour.
And you act like it's Wade faults that Bron played like shit.

Anyway this is topic is for another time, but I thought that all Miami fans already agreed that Wade was top dawg after last year. Oh well:sleeping
Well, I'm not a Miami fan so I can't speak for them. I am a fan of logic though and seeing LeBron play like shit doesn't change the fact that he is still the best player in the NBA at the moment.

[RRR3]

Yeah looks like you got nothing on me. Good job taking it boy. :applause:
What a comeback. Swagg3r defeated again. You're becoming inept and ridiculously obvious in your trolling, you used to at least be somewhat sneaky.

[brownmamba00]

Sounds about accurate. I am a die hard LeBron fan and even I can admit Wade is better than him. It's too bad phags like that RRR3 guy who are biased as hell when it comes to LeBron can't understand the same.
Thanks. Nice to see Heat fans that aren't blind and can judge things without being delusional.

[TDPrime2030]

Thanks. Nice to see Heat fans that aren't blind and can judge things without being delusional.
Yeah just ignore that phagqggot RRR3. He is just some 14 year old kid with no life, check his post count per day, 35.07 since July 27th, 2011 :facepalm There are Heat fans that will believe LeBron is better and there will also be Heat fans that believe Wade is better. If I had to take a guess more Heat fans will believe Wade is better.

[RRR3]

Thanks. Nice to see Heat fans that aren't blind and can judge things without being delusional.
Swagg3r isn't a Heat fan and he certainly isn't a LeBron fan. You are talking to RocketsGreatness AKA DaPerceive, Aka ThaSwagg3r, Aka Inception28, AKA TrueAristotle, AKA Da Heroic One, AKA The worst troll of all time. He spams the board with his "Yao>Dwight and Wade>LBJ" shit constantly. That's all he does. Don't let him fool you.

[Hank]

Wade = Lebron

Lebron was better in the Philly series.

Wade was better in the Boston series.

Lebron was better in the Bulls series.

Wade was better in the Mavs series. But LeBron was a lot worse in this series than Wade was in the Bulls series. Wade was doing a lot of good things out there Vs the Bulls with his incredible rebounding, defense and passing etc. Lebron was a total no show against the Mavs.

Per minute both players are dead equal in just about every statistic since they've been in the league. Therefore

Wade = Lebron and Lebron = Wade

[TDPrime2030]

Swagg3r isn't a Heat fan and he certainly isn't a LeBron fan. You are talking to RocketsGreatness AKA DaPerceive, Aka ThaSwagg3r, Aka Inception28, AKA TrueAristotle, AKA Da Heroic One, AKA The worst troll of all time. He spams the board with his "Yao>Dwight and Wade>LBJ" shit constantly. That's all he does. Don't let him fool you.

Yeah okay phaqqot, you got owned and you are now trying to dismiss my credibility. Just deal with the fact that you are a 14 year old loser with no life.



Wade = Lebron

Lebron was better in the Philly series.

Wade was better in the Boston series.

Lebron was better in the Bulls series.

Wade was better in the Mavs series. But LeBron was a lot worse in this series than Wade was in the Bulls series. Wade was doing a lot of good things out there Vs the Bulls with his incredible rebounding, defense and passing etc. Lebron was a total no show against the Mavs.
inb4thatphaqRRR3comments

[RRR3]

Wade = Lebron

Lebron was better in the Philly series.

Wade was better in the Boston series.

Lebron was better in the Bulls series.

Wade was better in the Mavs series. But LeBron was a lot worse in this series than Wade was in the Bulls series. Wade was doing a lot of good things out there Vs the Bulls with his incredible rebounding, defense and passing etc. Lebron was a total no show against the Mavs.
Incredible defense? Against who? Keith Bogans? :bowdown:

[RRR3]

Yeah okay phaqqot, you got owned and you are now trying to dismiss my credibility. Just deal with the fact that you are a 14 year old loser with no life.



inb4thatphaqRRR3comments
You seem insecure about your age. Perhaps it is you who are 14. I already told you (when you were on your inception account) I am 19. And you have ZERO credibility.

[Hank]

Incredible defense?

Learn how to watch the games:

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/miamiheat/post/_/id/7804/dwyane-wades-unheralded-game-2-defense

Incredible... and "UNHERALDED"

Dwyane Wade's unheralded Game 2 defense

Lost amid the inspiring return of Udonis Haslem and the late-game heroics of LeBron James was the best performance nobody is talking about this morning -- Wade's defense in Game 2.

Wade was simply brilliant on the Bulls' side of the floor Wednesday night. His 40 minutes in Game 2 were a composite of his best defensive attributes, both his instincts and his fundamentals. Over the course of the evening, he covered all three of the Bulls' shooting guards then, when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter, he took on the assignment of handling Derrick Rose.

Wade's electrifying defensive effort began 15 seconds into the game on Chicago's very first possession. Wade was covering Keith Bogans, who has been a lightning rod for Chicago fans all season. With Bogans on the court in the postseason, the Bulls are scoring only 94.4 points per 100 possessions. When he's on the bench, they're a robust 106.8 points per 100 possessions.

Like many teams this season, the Heat penalized the Bulls for Bogans' presence and Wade was the main disciplinarian. We saw this dynamic at work 15 seconds into the game, when Wade blocked Carlos Boozer at the rim. How was Wade in position to make the play? When Boozer caught a pass from Rose at the foul line on a slip screen, Wade was already set up in the paint -- not coming over, not collapsing -- but waiting with a magazine and a cup of coffee. Where's Bogans? In the right corner completely unattended.

If the pass had gone out to Bogans and he drained an open 3-pointer, we'd probably skewer Wade for cheating off his man. Bogans has drained a very respectable 21-for-46 from 3-point range in the postseason, but Wade has the quicks and instincts to be a defensive playmaker. Between the Bulls' reluctance to entrust Bogans and his more pedestrian career 35.5 percent mark from beyond the arc, Wade had every incentive to be aggressive as a rover. And in the 16 minutes Bogans was on the floor, the Heat outscored the Bulls 32-23.

When you watch the Bulls' offense grind during these possessions, there's a single constant -- Wade was everywhere. When the Heat loaded up in the lane on a Rose-Boozer pick-and-roll, forcing a reverse pass to Luol Deng in the left corner, there was Wade flying in to close out on the 3-point attempt. When Rose tried to go left off a high pick and got a step on Mike Bibby, there was Wade coming to the rescue, putting his body in front of a driving Rose at the foul line, forcing a kickout. And when the Heat trapped Rose on a high screen-and-roll with Joakim Noah, who was there to rotate promptly onto the 7-foot-1 Bulls center even though he was giving up eight inches?

Dwyane Wade. And not once, but routinely.

At one point in the third quarter, Wade picked up Noah after the center caught a pass off a screen from Rose. Noah was about 12 feet away from the rim just off the left block, and there was Wade harassing him. If you're looking for a defensive crescendo for the Heat in the second half, the moment when they begin to tighten the screws on the Bulls, this was it. With nowhere to go and Wade smothering him, Noah looked for anywhere he could pass the ball. Wade had Noah under such duress that Bosh darted over to pin the Bulls big man against the baseline. Noah eventually delivered a dangerous, leaping pass way back up top, but it was another empty possession for Chicago.

Aside from the small-on-big block of Boozer, none of these snippets is highlight reel material. They were subtle wrinkles in the larger fabric of the game. You don't hand a game ball to a guard for anticipating Deng's drive to the middle, beating the lanky forward to the spot, then forcing him to backtrack, as Wade did in the third quarter. But if we want to fully understand why Chicago struggled so mightily to get anything accomplished in the half court, we should start by looking at the work Wade did as a help defender.

For all the quality team defense Wade played in Game 2, his finest moments came during the Bulls' anemic fourth quarter. Chicago scored only 10 points in the period, and Wade spent the bulk of that time as Rose's primary defender. Rose failed to convert a field goal in the fourth quarter. In the 11 possessions Wade guarded Rose, the Bulls' point guard saw paint exactly three times. He earned a couple of trips to the line, once when he beat Wade with a left-handed drive (but missed the pair of free throws), the next when he rejected an Omer Asik screen and slithered away from Wade and drew another foul.

During the six-minute stretch he was guarded by Wade, Rose never attempted a field goal. James relieved Wade midway through the fourth quarter, as Wade slid over to guard Deng -- who had no better success against Wade than Rose had. Yet Wade wasn't done tormenting Rose. With the Bulls on their last legs, down seven with 1:20 remaining in the game, Rose drew Wade on the switch. Rose tried to push ahead with the ball, but couldn't make a dent past 21 feet, so he reversed course and pitched the ball over to Deng, who sent it right back. Wade was locked in, yielding maybe 18 inches to the MVP. Rose took a single dribble to his left, then launched from beyond the arc.

The shot never reached the rim. Wade got his fingertips on the ball.

[Legends66NBA7]

Thanks. Nice to see Heat fans that aren't blind and can judge things without being delusional.

He ain't even a Heat fan... He's said before he was a Bulls fan on another account.

[TDPrime2030]

You seem insecure about your age. Perhaps it is you who are 14. I already told you (when you were on your inception account) I am 19. And you have ZERO credibility.
Yeah okay keep telling yourself that. You post 35 times a day on this site. You are pathetic. Go find a hobby because it is not like you are doing this board a favor by posting here that many times. If you aren't 14, you have the intelligence and the maturity of one so why does it matter? I am sure people think you have credibility on this site :oldlol: 35 times a day you post here, 35, I am sure people will ask you for life advice.

[RRR3]

Learn how to watch the games:

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/miamiheat/post/_/id/7804/dwyane-wades-unheralded-game-2-defense

UNHERALDED

Lost amid the inspiring return of Udonis Haslem and the late-game heroics of LeBron James was the best performance nobody is talking about this morning -- Wade's defense in Game 2.

Wade was simply brilliant on the Bulls' side of the floor Wednesday night. His 40 minutes in Game 2 were a composite of his best defensive attributes, both his instincts and his fundamentals. Over the course of the evening, he covered all three of the Bulls' shooting guards then, when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter, he took on the assignment of handling Derrick Rose.

Wade's electrifying defensive effort began 15 seconds into the game on Chicago's very first possession. Wade was covering Keith Bogans, who has been a lightning rod for Chicago fans all season. With Bogans on the court in the postseason, the Bulls are scoring only 94.4 points per 100 possessions. When he's on the bench, they're a robust 106.8 points per 100 possessions.

Like many teams this season, the Heat penalized the Bulls for Bogans' presence and Wade was the main disciplinarian. We saw this dynamic at work 15 seconds into the game, when Wade blocked Carlos Boozer at the rim. How was Wade in position to make the play? When Boozer caught a pass from Rose at the foul line on a slip screen, Wade was already set up in the paint -- not coming over, not collapsing -- but waiting with a magazine and a cup of coffee. Where's Bogans? In the right corner completely unattended.

If the pass had gone out to Bogans and he drained an open 3-pointer, we'd probably skewer Wade for cheating off his man. Bogans has drained a very respectable 21-for-46 from 3-point range in the postseason, but Wade has the quicks and instincts to be a defensive playmaker. Between the Bulls' reluctance to entrust Bogans and his more pedestrian career 35.5 percent mark from beyond the arc, Wade had every incentive to be aggressive as a rover. And in the 16 minutes Bogans was on the floor, the Heat outscored the Bulls 32-23.

When you watch the Bulls' offense grind during these possessions, there's a single constant -- Wade was everywhere. When the Heat loaded up in the lane on a Rose-Boozer pick-and-roll, forcing a reverse pass to Luol Deng in the left corner, there was Wade flying in to close out on the 3-point attempt. When Rose tried to go left off a high pick and got a step on Mike Bibby, there was Wade coming to the rescue, putting his body in front of a driving Rose at the foul line, forcing a kickout. And when the Heat trapped Rose on a high screen-and-roll with Joakim Noah, who was there to rotate promptly onto the 7-foot-1 Bulls center even though he was giving up eight inches?

Dwyane Wade. And not once, but routinely.

At one point in the third quarter, Wade picked up Noah after the center caught a pass off a screen from Rose. Noah was about 12 feet away from the rim just off the left block, and there was Wade harassing him. If you're looking for a defensive crescendo for the Heat in the second half, the moment when they begin to tighten the screws on the Bulls, this was it. With nowhere to go and Wade smothering him, Noah looked for anywhere he could pass the ball. Wade had Noah under such duress that Bosh darted over to pin the Bulls big man against the baseline. Noah eventually delivered a dangerous, leaping pass way back up top, but it was another empty possession for Chicago.

Aside from the small-on-big block of Boozer, none of these snippets is highlight reel material. They were subtle wrinkles in the larger fabric of the game. You don't hand a game ball to a guard for anticipating Deng's drive to the middle, beating the lanky forward to the spot, then forcing him to backtrack, as Wade did in the third quarter. But if we want to fully understand why Chicago struggled so mightily to get anything accomplished in the half court, we should start by looking at the work Wade did as a help defender.

For all the quality team defense Wade played in Game 2, his finest moments came during the Bulls' anemic fourth quarter. Chicago scored only 10 points in the period, and Wade spent the bulk of that time as Rose's primary defender. Rose failed to convert a field goal in the fourth quarter. In the 11 possessions Wade guarded Rose, the Bulls' point guard saw paint exactly three times. He earned a couple of trips to the line, once when he beat Wade with a left-handed drive (but missed the pair of free throws), the next when he rejected an Omer Asik screen and slithered away from Wade and drew another foul.

During the six-minute stretch he was guarded by Wade, Rose never attempted a field goal. James relieved Wade midway through the fourth quarter, as Wade slid over to guard Deng -- who had no better success against Wade than Rose had. Yet Wade wasn't done tormenting Rose. With the Bulls on their last legs, down seven with 1:20 remaining in the game, Rose drew Wade on the switch. Rose tried to push ahead with the ball, but couldn't make a dent past 21 feet, so he reversed course and pitched the ball over to Deng, who sent it right back. Wade was locked in, yielding maybe 18 inches to the MVP. Rose took a single dribble to his left, then launched from beyond the arc.

The shot never reached the rim. Wade got his fingertips on the ball.
Yes, Wade is a great defender. He had his moments, but he played very poorly for his standards. I'm not faulting Wade, he's an amazing player and one of the best perimeter players ever. LeBron is even better, though.

[RRR3]

Yeah okay keep telling yourself that. You post 35 times a day on this site. You are pathetic. Go find a hobby because it is not like you are doing this board a favor by posting here that many times. If you aren't 14, you have the intelligence and the maturity of one so why does it matter? I am sure people think you have credibility on this site :oldlol: 35 times a day you post here, 35, I am sure people will ask you for life advice.
I have one account. You have at least 40. Pretty sure your total post count combined is pretty damn high. Posting a lot doesn't decrease my credibility either, you ****, I'm not a great poster, but I don't troll like you do either. Hilarious how a schizophrenic pathological liar is calling anyone else a loser. :facepalm

[Legends66NBA7]

Anyway this is topic is for another time, but I thought that all Miami fans already agreed that Wade was top dawg after last year. Oh well:sleeping

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=157369

[Theoo's Daddy]

smh @ some of the comments from bulls homers. :oldlol: We'll see ya'll in the playoffs if ya'll make it far.

[Court Vision]

Miami got lucky that not a single Bulls player was playing up to his standards. Not one. Every one of them was below average that series. And they needed an OT and some fluke threes from terrible 3-pt shooters LeBron/Wade to win 2 games.

Hamilton's per 36 numbers 19 ppg, 3 rpg, 4 rpg.

Rose 25/5/9
Hamilton 16/3/3
Deng 17/7/2
Boozer 20/10/2
Noah 11/13/2

That will be their starting 5. They'll dominate Miami this year.

This isn't golf.

Miami didn't get lucky the Bulls didn't play up to standard; they were the reason for it.

[pegasus]

Miami has more talent, but Chicago has the most balanced team from starting 5 to the 12th guy on the bench. We addressed our weakness, whereas Miami got stronger in their already strong positions.

I actually see Miami losing to NYK in the second round, so Chicago may not even need to go through them. But if they did, the series will be a lot closer (even the last year's was pretty close despite the 4-1 end result), and the team with HCA will win it in 7.

Dallas showed everyone the blueprint to beat Miami, and the Bulls have the similar pieces to make the zone work. I'm very optimistic that the Bulls will be in the finals this year.

[TDPrime2030]

I have one account. You have at least 40. Pretty sure your total post count combined is pretty damn high. Posting a lot doesn't decrease my credibility either, you ****, I'm not a great poster, but I don't troll like you do either. Hilarious how a schizophrenic pathological liar is calling anyone else a loser. :facepalm
Yeah good job avoiding my point again loser. You post here 35 times a day and none of it is productive. Yeah you are right you aren't a great poster, you are a terrible poster.

You post here 35 times a day, that's all most people need to know about you and your pathetic life.

[RRR3]

Miami has more talent, but Chicago has the most balanced team from starting 5 to the 12th guy on the bench. We addressed our weakness, whereas Miami got stronger in their already strong positions.

I actually see Miami losing to NYK in the second round, so Chicago may not even need to go through them. But if they did, the series will be a lot closer (even the last year's was pretty close despite the 4-1 end result), and the team with HCA will win it in 7.

Dallas showed everyone the blueprint to beat Miami, and the Bulls have the similar pieces to make the zone work. I'm very optimistic that the Bulls will be in the finals this year.
What "blueprint"? Hope LeBron chokes? :rolleyes:

[Legends66NBA7]

Yeah okay keep telling yourself that. You post 35 times a day on this site. You are pathetic. Go find a hobby because it is not like you are doing this board a favor by posting here that many times. If you aren't 14, you have the intelligence and the maturity of one so why does it matter? I am sure people think you have credibility on this site :oldlol: 35 times a day you post here, 35, I am sure people will ask you for life advice.

Why don't you take that advice yourself?

One of the best posters on this board already told you this in another thread:

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6386193&postcount=65

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6386236&postcount=67

[Legends66NBA7]

smh @ some of the comments from bulls homers. :oldlol: We'll see ya'll in the playoffs if ya'll make it far.

Well they did see in Miami in the ECF last year.

Those two are probably my picks to make it back to the ECF.:cheers:

[RRR3]

Yeah good job avoiding my point again loser. You post here 35 times a day and none of it is productive. Yeah you are right you aren't a great poster, you are a terrible poster.

You post here 35 times a day, that's all most people need to know about you and your pathetic life.
I'm not avoiding anything, you are the one avoiding things, Swagg3r. Go post on another account, you're really gonna give yourself away when you start posting "LeBron sucks" threads with a LeBron avatar. :facepalm

[TDPrime2030]

I'm not avoiding anything, you are the one avoiding things, Swagg3r. Go post on another account, you're really gonna give yourself away when you start posting "LeBron sucks" threads with a LeBron avatar. :facepalm
35 posts per day and none of them being productive. Get a life.

[RRR3]

35 posts per day and none of them being productive. Get a life.
Good job avoiding! :applause:

[TDPrime2030]

Good job avoiding! :applause:
Yeah we evened out, 35 posts per day. :roll: :roll:

[JohnnySic]

Yes, of course the Bulls could win the east.

As a side note, the way people are practically handing the east to the Heat is stupifying. They also could, but I would not be surprised to see them ousted in the first round. I wouldn't even bat an eyelash. :sleeping

[Kingwillball]

Heat wouldn't be able to put LeBron on Rose anymore or they would get torched by Rip now.


LOL.. no your thinking of Rip of 5 years ago.

[pegasus]

What "blueprint"? Hope LeBron chokes? :rolleyes:

I don't see all three of their superstars putting up their regular stats against the Bulls (or any other elite team), ever, so yes, it is very possible that one of them under-performs again like Wade did last year, or Lebron and Bosh (to some extent) did in the finals. So, Lebron's or someone else's choking is not necessarily a part of the blueprint, it's pretty much expected. Their skills just don't mesh well enough, and that gets exposed against elite defenses.

What I'm saying is that the Bulls now have enough power to keep up with them this season, assuming 2 out of 3 will play well. If all three blow up somehow, then there's not a team in the league that can beat them anyway.

[PJR]

Lol Bulls fans really think RIP is still good? :roll: :roll: :roll:

[returnofthemack]

Did you forget how Bosh destroyed the Bulls in that playoff series ? Here's a reminder:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkifS6KOuTU

The only game where he had a subpar performance was in game 2. Otherwise he was fantastic in that series and made the Bulls look like chumps

im not a bulls fan or a heat fan. there is no doubt bosh is talented. there is no doubt the miami heat are very talented. there is no doubt that the heat should win at least one rings soon. but if they want to be truely dominant and have a threepeat or a fourpeat. then bosh HAS to be the 2nd option. not just for a series here or there but all the time. again i dont think that will happen bc both wade and lebron are better and have huge egos but if they want to win not 1 not 2 but 4 or 5 then this needs to happen in my opinion

[Bigsmoke]

Miami has more talent, but Chicago has the most balanced team from starting 5 to the 12th guy on the bench. .

The Kings and Blazers were clearly and i meant CLEARLY more balanced and deeper than the Lakers were in the early 2000's.

The Heat didnt win because LeBron **** up in the Finals. I see the Heat beating the Bulls in 6 unless the Bulls get Kobe or something.

[Hank]

im not a bulls fan or a heat fan. there is no doubt bosh is talented. there is no doubt the miami heat are very talented. there is no doubt that the heat should win at least one rings soon. but if they want to be truely dominant and have a threepeat or a fourpeat. then bosh HAS to be the 2nd option. not just for a series here or there but all the time. again i dont think that will happen bc both wade and lebron are better and have huge egos but if they want to win not 1 not 2 but 4 or 5 then this needs to happen in my opinion

I don't think that's needed. How many champs had a talented player like Bosh as their 3rd option ?

But I know where you;re trying to get at. However I always thought that the Heat would ring off multiple titles as soon as LeBron learned how to play well down low (posting up, etc). And here we are and LeBron's game is being redefined as we speak. He worked on his post game for 4-5 months this offseason, did plenty of work with Hakeem Olajuwon at his home.

All reports out of camp is that LeBron's post game is tremendously improved. Coupled with the fact that Spoelstra talking about how we're going to see many new things on offense as the Big 3 understand each other better and have more chemistry now.. and Spo saying that we are going to do a much better job of accentuating the talent of each player on the team offensively, so we will surely see what I envisioned

you're not going to see lebron running the point as a 6th man anymore when bench players came on the court where he was able to ring up shots whenever he wanted . He will play more PF, play more in and around the paint areas as a SF. Lebron is as big as Karl Malone was, and Lebron is a much better athlete and quicker than Malone was. There's no reason why he can't be a great player down low rounding out his total game

LeBron will be more of a SF/PF combo player rather than being a SF/PG or point forward. And this was the key to their success for multiple titles. Not Bosh as Bosh will get his no matter what.


.

[nathanjizzle]

The Kings and Blazers were clearly and i meant CLEARLY more balanced and deeper than the Lakers were in the early 2000's.

The Heat didnt win because LeBron **** up in the Finals. I see the Heat beating the Bulls in 6 unless the Bulls get Kobe or something.

arnt you a bulls fan?

[nathanjizzle]

I said Heat in 5 over the Bulls last year and I said that during the regular season.

This year it could be in 4, a total sweep.

As bulls fans underestimated us last year, they are underestimating us even more this year it seems like. And they are underestimating how much more cohesion the Big 3 have now. They are light years ahead of where they were in training camp last year. And are implementing a lot more into the playbook this year now that they have more chemistry. Spo said how much more we're going to see on the floor this year from an offensive standpoint... much more than last year.

And Norris Cole is going to be a stud. Shall I say "Big-4" ?!!

Bottom line is the Bulls can't compete with Miami's small ball lineup. Chicago's one and only advantage is their size and it's nullified and TOTALLY useless against it, and so is Noah when he's on the bench against it in 4th quarters as we saw in the series last year. That clown was riding the pine and totally useless. Boozer is a dog, he's garbage. And Haslem >> Gibson.

Thibs isnt stupid, he knows it, the bulls front office knows it... they know they're toast against this Miami team (in their 2nd year together) in a 7-game series.

.

so you predicted miami comming back 17 points with 4 minutes left in game 5? otherwise it would have went to game 6

[pegasus]

The Kings and Blazers were clearly and i meant CLEARLY more balanced and deeper than the Lakers were in the early 2000's.

The Heat didnt win because LeBron **** up in the Finals. I see the Heat beating the Bulls in 6 unless the Bulls get Kobe or something.

Yes, but Lebron and Wade (two perimeter players) are not Shaq and Kobe (best inside/out combo ever). They are almost identical players.

Don't bring up Jordan and Pippen either, because they had clearly defined roles that mesh well together.

[KelticForce1349]

The Kings and Blazers were clearly and i meant CLEARLY more balanced and deeper than the Lakers were in the early 2000's.

The Heat didnt win because LeBron **** up in the Finals. I see the Heat beating the Bulls in 6 unless the Bulls get Kobe or something.



...seriously?! The Bulls NEED Kobe Bryant to beat the Heat? :wtf:

[Bigsmoke]

...seriously?! The Bulls NEED Kobe Bryant to beat the Heat? :wtf:

or Eric Gordon/Kevin Martin or Wade getting injured for the entire season.

[Clutch]

ECF will be Knicks-Heat

[All Net]

Yes, of course the Bulls could win the east.

As a side note, the way people are practically handing the east to the Heat is stupifying. They also could, but I would not be surprised to see them ousted in the first round. I wouldn't even bat an eyelash. :sleeping

Thats just idiotic, nobody can seriously see Miami losing in the first round. it would be the biggest shock this decade.

[Miserio]

Heat Are still better.

They beat the Bulls in 5 with Wade not playing well.
Bogans shuts his ass

[Hank]

Let's not forget the fact that Wade has totally owned Hamilton head-to-head

Wade makes him his bitch time and time again ever since the 05 and 06 playoff series' vs Detroit

[vinsanity2756]

those chances are very high especially with hamilton. he's a great off the ball player, kinda like reggie, and ray ray running of screens which may lead to more rose assists. plus he's got championship experience, he's been in the finals so that may help. you got luol deng, noah, and if boozer has a better season than last year i really see them claiming the east.

[305Baller]

The Bulls could use Hamiltons experience.

[iDefend5]

Let's not forget the fact that Wade has totally owned Hamilton head-to-head

Wade makes him his bitch time and time again ever since the 05 and 06 playoff series' vs Detroit
:facepalm Too bad Hamilton was never the one that guarded Wade. Hamilton was always the one that played well offensively against Wade though.

[D-Wade316]

:facepalm Too bad Hamilton was never the one that guarded Wade. Hamilton was always the one that played well offensively against Wade though.
LOL 20.7ppg on 37.8fg%.

[GOBB]

Odds arent in their favor. But outside of the Bulls and Heat, what other teams in the East are scary? Throw Boston out there. They split the season series vs the Bulls so my guess homecourt could be a big factor in a series. But Chicago or Boston handling Miami I cant see. People talked all that smack about them not having chemistry, gelling. They got one season under their belt. Good luck Eastern Conference.

[iDefend5]

Odds arent in their favor. But outside of the Bulls and Heat, what other teams in the East are scary? Throw Boston out there. They split the season series vs the Bulls so my guess homecourt could be a big factor in a series. But Chicago or Boston handling Miami I cant see. People talked all that smack about them not having chemistry, gelling. They got one season under their belt. Good luck Eastern Conference.
The Knicks are also another team I would throw out there for the East. I think the Knicks could win in a 7 game series against Miami. Playoff series can be more about matchups than it is about who the better team is. I think the Bulls and Heat would both easily dominate the Celtics but the Knicks would have the most trouble with the Celtics.

[GOBB]

The Knicks are also another team I would throw out there for the East. I think the Knicks could win in a 7 game series against Miami. Playoff series can be more about matchups than it is about who the better team is. I think the Bulls and Heat would both easily dominate the Celtics but the Knicks would have the most trouble with the Celtics.

I think they could possibly enter a discussion. For myself I'll need to see the guard play of the NYK if I buy or sell the idea they could take Miami in a 7gm series. Frontcourt is solid as hell. Backguard is a question mark. Who would be the 3 guys NYK lean on off the bench? Stuff I'd need to see answered during the course of a season for myself that is.

[CJ Mustard]

0%

[Duncan21formvp]

I thought the signing of Rip Hamilton was an excellent move by the Bulls front office. Rip is a significant upgrade over Bogans and he will also help take a good amount pressure off of Rose. Rip is going to be great in the motion offense with the Bulls. Teams can't just ignore the Bulls 2 guard anymore because the Bulls' 2 guard is now a threat to make shots unlike before with Bogans.

I do believe that the Bulls can win in a 7 game series over the Heat now. That is the keyword in that sentence, can. I am not sure if they will but I certainly think they can. The 2011 ECF was a lot closer than the series indicated. All of the games that the Heat won were close and were determined in the last 2 minutes of the game.

Keep in mind that Hamilton has always given Wade and the Heat fits. Wade hates defending the type of players that chase and run around and through screens; Rip is one of the best at that. I feel sorry for whoever is going to have guard Rip for a 7 game series because that player will be exhausted near the end of the series.

I like the Bulls chances of winning the East. I like them a lot better than I liked them last season.

Honestly I think Chicago needs to have the HCA to beat Miami as I think this year it will go 7.

[NUPE_1911]

RIP is essentially going to be a spot up / mid-range shooter and can't create his own shot. I don't see how adding RIP is even an upgrade worth talking abut. Bulls fans are delusional.

[NUPE_1911]

those chances are very high especially with hamilton. he's a great off the ball player, kinda like reggie, and ray ray running of screens which may lead to more rose assists. plus he's got championship experience, he's been in the finals so that may help. you got luol deng, noah, and if boozer has a better season than last year i really see them claiming the east.

Except RIP is not known to be a good 3 point shooting so all he will do is clog the areas Rose wants to drive through.....

[madmax]

Heat will still win in 5 or 6 no mater who has HCA

[2010splash]

Fools thinking Rip doesn't make the Bulls a lot better. :roll:

They had Keith Bogans starting at SG. Keith Bogans. When he wasn't in they had Ronnie Brewer. That's zero offense from your SG's.

Rip can shoot the 3 as evidenced by his 38.2 3-pt% last season.

Rose and Deng used to never shoot 3's, both suddenly took and made a lot last season. All because Coach of the Year winner Tom Thibodeau understands basketball philosophy. Rip has proven to be a better pure shooter than either Rose or Deng. Thibodeau will force him to take 3's instead of long 2's.

Heat are overrated and will choke again.

[NUPE_1911]

Fools thinking Rip doesn't make the Bulls a lot better. :roll:

They had Keith Bogans starting at SG. Keith Bogans. When he wasn't in they had Ronnie Brewer. That's zero offense from your SG's.

Rip can shoot the 3 as evidenced by his 38.2 3-pt% last season.

Rose and Deng used to never shoot 3's, both suddenly took and made a lot last season. All because Coach of the Year winner Tom Thibodeau understands basketball philosophy. Rip has proven to be a better pure shooter than either Rose or Deng. Thibodeau will force him to take 3's instead of long 2's.

Heat are overrated and will choke again.

Guy with Bulls avatar hyping Bull acquisition :D

RIP is a decent player but won't be making a huge difference against any of the top teams.

[97 bulls]

Except RIP is not known to be a good 3 point shooting so all he will do is clog the areas Rose wants to drive through.....
What do you mean "not known". He's been routinely a low 40s high 30s 3pt shooter. He even led the league in 3pt shooting in 06 shooting 46%

[97 bulls]

RIP is essentially going to be a spot up / mid-range shooter and can't create his own shot. I don't see how adding RIP is even an upgrade worth talking abut. Bulls fans are delusional.
Because you've replaced a guy that routinely missed wide open shots for a player that has a history of hitting shots. Along with having championship expierence.

And you keep talking non-sense. Hamilton doesn't need to create his own shot cuz the bulls have boozer who is a damn good low post scorer. They can run their offense through boozer when rose is taking a breather.

[brownmamba00]

LOL 20.7ppg on 37.8fg%.
Better then what Wade averaged against the Bulls last year :roll:

[greymatter]

He's an upgrade, but by no means is he the piece that'll get them over the hump. The guy turns 34 in February and has shot the ball horribly in his last two seasons (.409, .429). He's basically a poor man's Reggie Miller on his last legs.

[iDefend5]

Hamilton is an off-ball player which is why he will fit well with Rose. Also, Hamilton doesn't need the ball to create his own shot and that is the one thing that makes him a special player.

[Pharcyde]

The Bulls still have the #1 defense.
They filled their biggest void and added a more offensive capable 2.

I think they will play better offensively through out the season and into the playoffs and beat the Heat. They have a 2 now that you have to stick to who is also a great playoff performer.

[CardiacKemba]

:facepalm at thinking RIP will solve the Bulls Shooting Guard problem. Dude hasn't balled any good for years. I'd be more concerned with whether Boozer is going to have a go this year.

[Pharcyde]

:facepalm at thinking RIP will solve the Bulls Shooting Guard problem. Dude hasn't balled any good for years. I'd be more concerned with whether Boozer is going to have a go this year.

He's a lot better then Bogans. So basically the Bulls added a 14/15 ppg player and still kept the other parts of the roster in tact. I don't see how this could not make them better?
They have some of the best depth in the entire league.

[All Net]

He's a lot better then Bogans. So basically the Bulls added a 14/15 ppg player and still kept the other parts of the roster in tact. I don't see how this could not make them better?
They have some of the best depth in the entire league.

They will be better but so will Miami with adding Battier, big 3 having a full year together, Haslem back to 100% is huge for them, they have more depth now too. So it will be tough for them to beat Miami but it can be done. Bulls are the only team in the east who can.

[Dizzle-2k7]

Heat wouldn't be able to put LeBron on Rose anymore .

says who? rose showed he was very scared of lebron and i dont see why that would change this year or the next

lebron in his head

http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/visual/whatshot/lebron-rose.jpg

[AngelEyes]

I'd love to see the Bulls win the east and I do think it will come down to them and the heat but I can't help but think they are still missing a viable threat on offense. Hamilton is definitely a nice addition as he provides experience in winning and a much more all around threat than Bogans can provide. Boozer came into training camp having lost twenty pounds, hopefully that can provide an added boost to last year's squad.

[Human Error]

Pretty much guaranteed. They are the deepest team in the league with quality players at every single position. Miami sucks at PG and C. Rose will also improve significantly as last season was only his third. Old man Wade and Bron Bron's mileage gon' be catching up to them this season.
The Bulls fans think the signing of Richard Hamilton is enough to push them over the top and attack Wade(29) and LeBron(26) for being old? How old do you think Richard Hamilton is then? :facepalm

[Lebron23]

Rose needs to take his game into a much higher level if he wants the Bulls to beat Miami in the playoffs. He shoot 35 percent from field in the Eastern Conference Finals, and he still needs to improve his defense.

[Hank]

Rose needs to take his game into a much higher level if he wants the Bulls to beat Miami in the playoffs. He shoot 35 percent from field in the Eastern Conference Finals, and he still needs to improve his defense.

And he only shot 10% in the 4th quarters against the Heat in that series.

That's when Miami tagged him with Wade guarding Rose for the 1st half of the 4th quarters in the playoff series, and then LeBron in the 2nd half of 4th quarters. A monumental one-two punch that made Rose look like the overrated chump he was last year.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/miamiheat/post/_/id/7804/dwyane-wades-unheralded-game-2-defense

Rose is useless when either Wade or LeBron are guarding him.

[poido123]

The Bulls fans think the signing of Richard Hamilton is enough to push them over the top and attack Wade(29) and LeBron(26) for being old? How old do you think Richard Hamilton is then? :facepalm

Well your talking about the two key players on the heat team who will carry the load, think wade will be 30 soon, hamilton's game is not reliant on slashing/physicality, the bulls only need hamilton to boost the scoring and hit the jumpers, which really doesnt matter that hes 34..and yes, I do think the signing of Hamilton is enough to put them over the top.. You have to factor in the bulls will have more experience, and improvement expected from rose, gibson asik, and even noah, who battled injury through the year...Plus thibs will have another year to work on the offense, which was exposed a bit in the playoffs, hamilton will help that..Boozer lost some weight, but boozer just needs to be what he was last year..

[32Dayz]

Heat/Knicks >>> Bullz.

They had their Cinderella run last year its over for them.

I like the Bullz.. just saying they dont have enough firepower although Rip was a very nice and smart pickup.

[Lebron23]

And he only shot 10% in the 4th quarters against the Heat in that series.

That's when Miami tagged him with Wade guarding Rose for the 1st half of the 4th quarters in the playoff series, and then LeBron in the 2nd half of 4th quarters. A monumental one-two punch that made Rose look like the overrated chump he was last year.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/miamiheat/post/_/id/7804/dwyane-wades-unheralded-game-2-defense

Rose is useless when Wade or LeBron are guarding him.


Suffocating Defense.


:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

[poido123]

Heat/Knicks >>> Bullz.

They had their Cinderella run last year its over for them.

I like the Bullz.. just saying they dont have enough firepower although Rip was a very nice and smart pickup.

Denial. Your Knicks are not better than the bulls, bulls got better and now more experienced, key players are at a good age too..Hamilton signing > Battier signing, well more important anyways, the heat bulls series was very close..Could go into questionable calls, but it is what it is.

[poido123]

Suffocating Defense.


:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

If rose is 20% better from that series, Miami will be mince meat. The team still remained very close in that series, even with roses struggles..After a summer to review what went wrong, and another year under his belt, Rose can certainly make amends..

[All Net]

Miami don't get enough credit for their defense and they completely took Rose out of the series. They have two of the best perimeter defenders in Wade and Lebron and great team defenders and now added Battier...their perimeter defense should be the best in the league.

Bulls are not a great offensively team so a great defensive team can stop them and Miami did last year. Even with Haslem not close to 100% and Miller hurt.

[D-Wade316]

No chance... really. I see the current Bulls as Cavs 2.0. Rose being a lesser player than James but with better teammates.

[poido123]

[QUOTE=All Net]Miami don't get enough credit for their defense and they completely took Rose out of the series. They have two of the best perimeter defenders in Wade and Lebron and great team defenders and now added Battier...their perimeter defense should be the best in the league.

Bulls are not a great offensively team so a great defensive team can stop them and Miami did last year. Even with Haslem not close to 100% and Miller hurt.[/QUOTE

What happens when the heat cant key in on rose? and hamilton is knocking down the open jumpers..More room for rose, means more problems for the heat, theres no way Rose is going to do the same thing as he did in that series..even if he played half as good as he can, that would of been enough..With more floor spacing, which hamilton will create, Rose will be able to drive the lanes more often, Noah and Boozer will also have more oppotunities to score, as the heat will be scrambling to cover all of them..

[blacknapalm]

not sure how we can count them out. great defensive team with a good coach and a superstar will always have a chance. also, they have more upside than any contender in the east. we know what those other guys are. rose and asik are still improving. boozer is boozer, but gibson and noah are both great effort guys that can change the momentum of games.

i also feel thibs will focus more on offense this season. last season, it was time consuming to implement a new system and teach guys rotations through repetition. now they know what to expect and their roles will be more defined.

rip might be the x-factor but if i were a betting man, i'd still put miami/chicago at the top in the east. saying stuff like 'no chance' is just...off. as long as chicago plays hard, they're going to be a tough out.

[poido123]

No chance... really. I see the current Bulls as Cavs 2.0. Rose being a lesser player than James but with better teammates.

I don't think you understand basketball..Bulls are a far more balanced and deeper team than those cavs teams..Lebron, mo will, gooden verejao, and other scraps? that team was terrible...Your in for a rude shock when the bulls play the heat in the finals next time round..Wade is going to have a small decline as he is aging, and lebron has been losing a step or two, NTM that epic meltdown he had in the finals against the mavs, that was abyssmal..

[D-Wade316]

What happens when the heat cant key in on rose? and hamilton is knocking down the open jumpers..More room for rose, means more problems for the heat, theres no way Rose is going to do the same thing as he did in that series..even if he played half as good as he can, that would of been enough..With more floor spacing, which hamilton will create, Rose will be able to drive the lanes more often, Noah and Boozer will also have more oppotunities to score, as the heat will be scrambling to cover all of them..
Not as easy as you might think. Even with additional firepower, it all comes down to star power. Seriously, Rose Boozer & Rip > Lebron Bosh & Wade? Boozer and Rip can't carry an offense. Miami has 3, Bulls only 1.

[poido123]

not sure how we can count them out. great defensive team with a good coach and a superstar will always have a chance. also, they have more upside than any contender in the east. we know what those other guys are. rose and asik are still improving. boozer is boozer, but gibson and noah are both great effort guys that can change the momentum of games.

i also feel thibs will focus more on offense this season. last season, it was time consuming to implement a new system and teach guys rotations through repetition. now they know what to expect and their roles will be more defined.

rip might be the x-factor but if i were a betting man, i'd still put miami/chicago at the top in the east. saying stuff like 'no chance' is just...off. as long as chicago plays hard, they're going to be a tough out.

:applause:

Heat fans are scared, you speak the truth right here :pimp: asik and rose, along with gibson should all improve, heat dont have that much upside, their players are pretty much what they are and will be from what they were last year..only noteable mentions would be haslem and miller now healthy, and the addition of battier..

[poido123]

Not as easy as you might think. Even with additional firepower, it all comes down to star power. Seriously, Rose Boozer & Rip > Lebron Bosh & Wade? Boozer and Rip can't carry an offense. Miami has 3, Bulls only 1.

Its balance and cohesion in a team that wins, along with good defense..The bulls dont need hamilton to carry an offense, they just need him to be better than bogans, and hit the open shots..the bulls have a starting lineup that all contribute, miami still weak in two key positions, centre and PG..reason why heat were so successful against the bulls, was that rose was keyed in on, rose had no one else who could take some scoring pressure off, no one to kick the ball out to and hit the open shot, which is why hamilton will be huge...series will still be close, but i expect the bulls to improve their offense enough to get over the heat..

[derb2k2]

sorry to say, but after reading most of Bulls' fans responses in this, they are delusional. You talk about the Bulls' having another year under their belt, but what about the Heat?? Our starting five will show vast improvement as far as chemistry goes, and Udonis will fit in quite fast and nice. I still fail to see how Rip's addition will have put the Bulls over the top. Most of the offense in the playoffs will still come from Rose. The Heat's defense will surely be improved and I don't see how Rose will dominate when he has Wade and Bron on him.

I'd go so far as to say that Norris Cole is a bigger addition to the Heat then Rip is to the Bulls. Assuming he gets a good amount of playing time in the regular season, I'm sure Spoelstra will not hesitate to implement him in the playoffs for some "run and gun" type plays where Wade and Bron are off to the races.

[Go Getter]

sorry to say, but after reading most of Bulls' fans responses in this, they are delusional. You talk about the Bulls' having another year under their belt, but what about the Heat?? Our starting five will show vast improvement as far as chemistry goes, and Udonis will fit in quite fast and nice. I still fail to see how Rip's addition will have put the Bulls over the top. Most of the offense in the playoffs will still come from Rose. The Heat's defense will surely be improved and I don't see how Rose will dominate when he has Wade and Bron on him.

I'd go so far as to say that Norris Cole is a bigger addition to the Heat then Rip is to the Bulls. Assuming he gets a good amount of playing time in the regular season, I'm sure Spoelstra will not hesitate to implement him in the playoffs for some "run and gun" type plays where Wade and Bron are off to the races.

I'd go so far as to say you're talking out of your ass.

[Human Error]

Well your talking about the two key players on the heat team who will carry the load, think wade will be 30 soon, hamilton's game is not reliant on slashing/physicality, the bulls only need hamilton to boost the scoring and hit the jumpers, which really doesnt matter that hes 34..and yes, I do think the signing of Hamilton is enough to put them over the top.. You have to factor in the bulls will have more experience, and improvement expected from rose, gibson asik, and even noah, who battled injury through the year...Plus thibs will have another year to work on the offense, which was exposed a bit in the playoffs, hamilton will help that..Boozer lost some weight, but boozer just needs to be what he was last year..
Wade is coming off a 25-6-4 season when he shot 50 percent from the field. You Bulls fans are saying like Wade is in a serious decline or what but based on his performance in the recent years he still has not shown any sign of wear and tear. However, when was the last time that Richard Hamilton was any relevant? Of course he is a better offensive player than Bogans but Hamilton is old and has had his share of injuries, I understand your excitement as I was excited over the signing of Mike Bibby last year, but it was completely unnecessary and idiotic to say Wade and LeBron are getting old to make the Hamilton signing look better, because Hamilton is much older than any Heat player not named Juwan Howard. And what kind of idiot can say Wade will decline because he is old while Boozer will improve because he is young?

[poido123]

Wade is coming off a 25-6-4 season when he shot 50 percent from the field. You Bulls fans are saying like Wade is in a serious decline or what but based on his performance in the recent years he still has not shown any sign of wear and tear. However, when was the last time that Richard Hamilton was any relevant? Of course he is a better offensive player than Bogans but Hamilton is old and has had his share of injuries, I understand your excitement as I was excited over the signing of Mike Bibby last year, but it was completely unnecessary and idiotic to say Wade and LeBron are getting old to make the Hamilton signing look better, because Hamilton is much older than any Heat player not named Juwan Howard. And what kind of idiot can say Wade will decline because he is old while Boozer will improve because he is young?

The type of game wade plays, he has to decline at some point..you would think around about the age of 30, which he is now, he will start to decline..as for boozer, well his game isnt built on athleticism, his only concern is being injury prone..What your failing to understand is that Hamilton plays a low physicality game, if your going to say hes declined the last few years, id put that on the fact his team was going nowhere, and the coach was a nutter, not so much that his game has disappeared..Im not saying lebron is so much getting old, just I think that players who go hard and bang in all the time, will decline faster, its only natural, and i think rose will be the same..

[32Dayz]

Wade takes HGH regularly he wont start declining until he is 33-34 at the earliest.

:facepalm

[D-Wade316]

Its balance and cohesion in a team that wins, along with good defense..The bulls dont need hamilton to carry an offense, they just need him to be better than bogans, and hit the open shots..the bulls have a starting lineup that all contribute, miami still weak in two key positions, centre and PG..reason why heat were so successful against the bulls, was that rose was keyed in on, rose had no one else who could take some scoring pressure off, no one to kick the ball out to and hit the open shot, which is why hamilton will be huge...series will still be close, but i expect the bulls to improve their offense enough to get over the heat..
Why are you so certain about your assumptions? And what makes you think Rip goes off against the best perimeter defense in the league? In the end it's all about star power. That has always been the factor that decides series.

[D-Wade316]

The type of game wade plays, he has to decline at some point..you would think around about the age of 30, which he is now, he will start to decline..as for boozer, well his game isnt built on athleticism, his only concern is being injury prone..What your failing to understand is that Hamilton plays a low physicality game, if your going to say hes declined the last few years, id put that on the fact his team was going nowhere, and the coach was a nutter, not so much that his game has disappeared..Im not saying lebron is so much getting old, just I think that players who go hard and bang in all the time, will decline faster, its only natural, and i think rose will be the same..
:oldlol: People have been saying this since 07.

[32Dayz]

:oldlol: People have been saying this since 07.

Wade is a smart player and he takes good care of his body.

He probably wont seriously start physically declining until 2 years from now at the earliest and even then he is an Elite Mid-Range shooter and has one of the best skillsets in the league at his position.
It wont severely hamper his game even if he slows down abit.
He is a competitor and if he needs to adjust his game he will trust me.

[nathanjizzle]

Wade is coming off a 25-6-4 season when he shot 50 percent from the field. You Bulls fans are saying like Wade is in a serious decline or what but based on his performance in the recent years he still has not shown any sign of wear and tear. However, when was the last time that Richard Hamilton was any relevant? Of course he is a better offensive player than Bogans but Hamilton is old and has had his share of injuries, I understand your excitement as I was excited over the signing of Mike Bibby last year, but it was completely unnecessary and idiotic to say Wade and LeBron are getting old to make the Hamilton signing look better, because Hamilton is much older than any Heat player not named Juwan Howard. And what kind of idiot can say Wade will decline because he is old while Boozer will improve because he is young?

wade is on a stat decline...check his season averages...so is lebron, Boozer isnt improving skill wise, but he can play better then he did in the post season last year...i dont expect rip hamilton to score more then 16 - 18 points...and that would be 7- 9 more points more then bogans. Derrick rose is just improving every year while lebron is in his prime and wade is over the hill, every year that goes by the bulls have more of an advantage.

[D-Wade316]

wade is on a stat decline...check his season averages...so is lebron, Boozer isnt improving skill wise, but he can play better then he did in the post season last year...i dont expect rip hamilton to score more then 16 - 18 points...and that would be 7- 9 more points more then bogans. Derrick rose is just improving every year while lebron is in his prime and wade is over the hill, every year that goes by the bulls have more of an advantage.
LOL Wut? Their stats declined because both are dominant ball-handlers and must share the rock in order for fluidity in the offense. Plus Chris Bosh.

[poido123]

Why are you so certain about your assumptions? And what makes you think Rip goes off against the best perimeter defense in the league? In the end it's all about star power. That has always been the factor that decides series.

Bulls have one star player, and four very good players in the starting lineup, they dont rely on two players, they also have a very good bench..If you want to make that claim that starpower is the factor, then Bulls should have no right being close to the heat..You have to look further than that to understand what wins championships, lets not forget that miami did NOT win it all last year.

[D-Wade316]

Wade is a smart player and he takes good care of his body.

He probably wont seriously start physically declining until 2 years from now at the earliest and even then he is an Elite Mid-Range shooter and has one of the best skillsets in the league at his position.
It wont severely hamper his game even if he slows down abit.
He is a competitor and if he needs to adjust his game he will trust me.
Yep. Wade has played less games in his career than James or Bosh so there's less wear and tear on his body. His competitiveness and work ethic is criminally underrated, as it always has been.

[poido123]

LOL Wut? Their stats declined because both are dominant ball-handlers and must share the rock in order for fluidity in the offense. Plus Chris Bosh.

I like how you answered the stat decline comment, but didnt answer the other part :oldlol:

[D-Wade316]

Bulls have one star player, and four very good players in the starting lineup, they dont rely on two players, they also have a very good bench..If you want to make that claim that starpower is the factor, then Bulls should have no right being close to the heat..You have to look further than that to understand what wins championships, lets not forget that miami did NOT win it all last year.
So the Heat rely on 2 stars? You gotta be kidding me. Please don't forget how Bosh torched your team and the chances of it repeating, if the Bulls meet the Heat, is rather high. And your underrating Joel and Chalmers. :no:

[D-Wade316]

I like how you answered the stat decline comment, but didnt answer the other part :oldlol:
:oldlol: His agenda is obvious. I expect nothing out of him except negativity about the Heat, like Wade is on decline. And he's explicitly propping up Rose acting as if he'll surpass Wade or James.

[I.R.Beast]

They've got the most complete starting 5 in the NBA but in a series with the Heat, the Heat have two of the three best players.



Itll be tough but the upgrade at SG helps a ton. Rip is still one of the most well conditioned players in the league and will make whoever's guarding him a living Hell. On this team it helps a lot because it can free up Booze inside or around his 15 ft. area and opens the lanes for Luol to cut or settle for a jumpshot.


Miami tho got a significant upgrade in Battier though. I believe Miller is done and doesn't have much left so there bench is still weak but they are hungry and just as determined as the Bulls. I expect a rematch in the ECF. And I expect the Bulls to have Homecourt because their depth will be an advantage during the regular season.

Should be fun in the playoffs. I expect the Heat, Bulls, Knicks, and Celts in the ECSF which will make for fantastic matchups.

not having a a reliable SG is the main reason they lost to miami. I dont think miami wins a series withthe bulls if RIP hamilton is as consistent as he always is for the bulls. Wade is gonna be chasing hamilton ALL NIGHT.

[poido123]

So the Heat rely on 2 stars? You gotta be kidding me. Please don't forget how Bosh torched your team and the chances of it repeating, if the Bulls meet the Heat, is high. And your underrating Joel and Chalmers. :no:

Boozer defending bosh says it all..I think boozer didnt have his confidence, carrying an injury etc..If im to underrate joel and chalmers, then Im also to put forward that the bulls depth is significantly stronger than the heat..bulls bench has further improvement from promising players asik and gibson..Alot depends on gibsons development, as i feel he could be key in defending and nullifying any affect bosh has in the game..

[CP_Hornet]

Bulls have one star player, and four very good players in the starting lineup, they dont rely on two players, they also have a very good bench..If you want to make that claim that starpower is the factor, then Bulls should have no right being close to the heat..You have to look further than that to understand what wins championships, lets not forget that miami did NOT win it all last year.

You bulls fans were saying the same crap last year heading into last years series.when will you idiots learn? star power wins...Rose is not on the level of Lebron/Wade which is why Bulls have no chance to beat Miami. laughable that these bulls fans think a 34 year old Rip who has barely played for two years will make much of a difference.

All these idiots were saying heading into the playoffs was..3-0...Bullls swept the season series...blah blah blah. Thats all they talked about but got waxed when it mattered. Same will happen again this year.

[DMV2]

I have Chicago making it to the Finals but only to lose to the Thunder.

I really like Thibs and the Bulls front-court but I have a feeling they won't have enough offensively to be a championship team. Rose and Rip won't be enough.

With that said, I wouldn't be surprised at all though if they win a championship though.

[nathanjizzle]

LOL Wut? Their stats declined because both are dominant ball-handlers and must share the rock in order for fluidity in the offense. Plus Chris Bosh.

yea...because wade and lebron were playing together for the last 4 seasons...check the stats idiot.

[D-Wade316]

yea...because wade and lebron were playing together for the last 4 seasons...check the stats idiot.
Bulls stan telling a Heat fan to look at stats. What a twist of irony.:oldlol:

[Pharcyde]

They will be better but so will Miami with adding Battier, big 3 having a full year together, Haslem back to 100% is huge for them, they have more depth now too. So it will be tough for them to beat Miami but it can be done. Bulls are the only team in the east who can.

How much of a difference will Battier make in the 10 or less minutes a game he plays?

Miami didn't even address their biggest weaknesses, the Center and PG rotation, this off season. Their big rotation is a joke overall and will still be exploited. I'm sure they will try to "go small" too and the Bulls superior rebounding will take that advantage away.

Bulls depth > Miami's depth.

[nathanjizzle]

You bulls fans were saying the same crap last year heading into last years series.when will you idiots learn? star power wins...Rose is not on the level of Lebron/Wade which is why Bulls have no chance to beat Miami. laughable that these bulls fans think a 34 year old Rip who has barely played for two years will make much of a difference.

All these idiots were saying heading into the playoffs was..3-0...Bullls swept the season series...blah blah blah. Thats all they talked about but got waxed when it mattered. Same will happen again this year.

:roll: at first statement

:roll: 2nd statement...because bogans averages 9 points and rip averages 18 points but it wont improve our team.


like i said...lebron wade and bosh are on stat declines...while loul deng rose joakim naoh taj gibson are improving...+adding rip hamilton over bogans (9 point 4 assist +)
:lol

not to mention the bench mob.

[KingBeasley08]

Miami will still dominate them like last year

[Bigsmoke]

Bulls stan telling a Heat fan to look at stats. What a twist of irony.:oldlol:

just face it. Wade is Tmac in 2 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YckTXZ3WjA0

lol

[PJR]

Their big rotation is a joke overall and will still be exploited. I'm sure they will try to "go small" too and the Bulls superior rebounding will take that advantage away.

Bulls depth > Miami's depth.

Wasn't this the SAME ideology the Bulls were swearing up and down on before they were OUSTED in 5 games? :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

[KingBeasley08]

Wasn't this the SAME ideology the Bulls were swearing up and down before they were OUSTED in 5 games? :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
yea :oldlol: that "small" lineup actually outrebounded the bulls in two games lol

[CP_Hornet]

Wasn't this the SAME ideology the Bulls were swearing up and down on before they were OUSTED in 5 games? :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

:roll: yep

thats all they went on about before the series..and all year. Shows how dumb Bulls fans are. Heat are a far better team. Depth means nothing as the playoffs proved Bulls can't score to save their lives. Bulls fans kept going on about how much bulls would kill them on the boards, having a far better frontcourt yet through the first half of the series Miami outrebounded them.

[knickswin]

i really think the bulls should have pushed hard for jamal crawford. i understand that he's "ball dominant" (i think his ball dominance gets overstated, personally) and so is derrick rose, but really that's a good thing. it's no good to have only one player on your team who can create off the dribble. jamal is younger and more talented than rip. he would have taken more of the scoring pressure off of rose.

[Theoo's Daddy]

Bulls fans will be crying for Bogans when the playoffs gets here. :oldlol: :oldlol:

[Hernando]

I feel, the bulls were lacking a SG that can score. Bogans averaged 4 points on the season, when RIP could easily average 12+. (not going to over rate him until I see him play). Rose can now have a +1 scoring option on the court which could result in less turn overs and more open shots. Rose had a hard time because the Heat had to put a 6'9 player that can play any position, on a 6'3 PG. Its hard to create space. Now RIP will have to be guarded with more attention, and less attention on Rose. I would love to see them throw D Wade on Rose so Rose can cross him and pop his knee :oldlol:

[D-Wade316]

just face it. Wade is Tmac in 2 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YckTXZ3WjA0

lol
:pimp:

[D-Wade316]

What depth are they talking about?

Haslem, Battier, Miller, Jones, Cole, Curry, House, Juwan:lol > any

[iDefend5]

Miami don't get enough credit for their defense and they completely took Rose out of the series. They have two of the best perimeter defenders in Wade and Lebron and great team defenders and now added Battier...their perimeter defense should be the best in the league.

Lebron and Wade are not the two best perimeter defenders in the league. Tony Allen and Andre Iguodala are.


not sure how we can count them out. great defensive team with a good coach and a superstar will always have a chance. also, they have more upside than any contender in the east. we know what those other guys are. rose and asik are still improving. boozer is boozer, but gibson and noah are both great effort guys that can change the momentum of games.

i also feel thibs will focus more on offense this season. last season, it was time consuming to implement a new system and teach guys rotations through repetition. now they know what to expect and their roles will be more defined.

rip might be the x-factor but if i were a betting man, i'd still put miami/chicago at the top in the east. saying stuff like 'no chance' is just...off. as long as chicago plays hard, they're going to be a tough out.
:applause:


:facepalm at thinking RIP will solve the Bulls Shooting Guard problem. Dude hasn't balled any good for years. I'd be more concerned with whether Boozer is going to have a go this year.
Bulls are asking Rip to be a 3rd/4th option and to bring like 12-14 ppg. Is that really asking for too much? :confusedshrug:

[Roundball_Rock]

70%. :cheers:

62-20 last year with a scrub starting at SG...The MVP, the best defense, the best rebounding, 5 quality starters now, and an excellent and deep bench. Keep in mind Rose and Noah will also improve this year.

[Millennium X]

:roll: yep

thats all they went on about before the series..and all year. Shows how dumb Bulls fans are. Heat are a far better team. Depth means nothing as the playoffs proved Bulls can't score to save their lives. Bulls fans kept going on about how much bulls would kill them on the boards, having a far better frontcourt yet through the first half of the series Miami outrebounded them.
Not as dumb as hornets fans, lol their team sucks even worse and should be contracted they'll win like 15 games every year. :roll: :roll:

[Human Error]

The type of game wade plays, he has to decline at some point..you would think around about the age of 30, which he is now, he will start to decline..as for boozer, well his game isnt built on athleticism, his only concern is being injury prone..What your failing to understand is that Hamilton plays a low physicality game, if your going to say hes declined the last few years, id put that on the fact his team was going nowhere, and the coach was a nutter, not so much that his game has disappeared..Im not saying lebron is so much getting old, just I think that players who go hard and bang in all the time, will decline faster, its only natural, and i think rose will be the same..
LOL, all you are saying is Wade has to suddenly decline because he will turn 30 soon, but in reality, he hasn't shown any sign of slowing down, posted 25-6-4 and converted 50% from the field as a guard. On the other hand, Richard Hamilton at 33 is coming off his worst season and he was only able to start 39 games in the last season due to health issues and since Hamilton is a type of player who runs around all the time to create open space even without the ball, getting older will take out some of his efficiency as well. It's just insane to me to say Wade will decline only because he will be 30 soon, while Boozer and Hamilton will revive or at least not decline - they are the guys who actually started declining if anything.

[Hank]

Wade looks to be in much better shape than he was at this time last year. Remember it took him 2 months into the season to get into game shape as he missed all of preseason with an injury. He had a ridiculous training regimen down in miami this offseason.

I was at the scrimmage the other night sitting right at courtside. And Wade looks leaner than last year and looks like he's in the same physical shape with that burst and athleticism as he was in 2008/09 when he should have won league MVP.

Anyone who say Dwyane Wade is going to decline is stupid and they don't know what they'e talking about. He's going to have a huge year.

he also does extensive work with Tim Grover

[quote]Wade then works out with Tim Grover, Michael Jordan

[Hank]

And working with Ed Downs this offseason and why Wade looks so lean and is in such tremendous physical condition coming into this season:


http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/miamiheat/post/_/id/10513/how-wade-big-three-stayed-big-in-lockout

Demember 12th, 2001
MIAMI -- Tucked away on a one-way street in a small industrial area of South Miami, in between construction companies and electrical supply stores, lies TERF Athletic Facility, an elite training ground for personalized sports fitness programs that specialize in core development.

Its founder, Ed Downs, a U.S. Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee who has previously worked with Navy Seals, wanted his gym to be unassuming to shed his celebrity clients from public attention. In the past, Downs, a trainer to the pros for more than 20 years, has consulted with NBA, NFL and MLB stars including Alonzo Mourning, Carlos Boozer, Alex Rodriquez, Baron Davis, LaMarr Woodley, Tim Hardaway, Jamal Mashburn and Penny Hardaway.

But when Downs opened TERF on Oct. 4, he never imagined just a month later that sports

[RRR3]

just face it. Wade is Tmac in 2 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YckTXZ3WjA0

lol
So Wade will learn how to shoot? :applause:

[Hank]

And working with Ed Downs this offseason and why Wade looks so lean and is in such tremendous physical condition coming into this season:

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/miamiheat/post/_/id/10513/how-wade-big-three-stayed-big-in-lockout

Demember 12th, 2011
MIAMI -- Tucked away on a one-way street in a small industrial area of South Miami, in between construction companies and electrical supply stores, lies TERF Athletic Facility, an elite training ground for personalized sports fitness programs that specialize in core development.

Its founder, Ed Downs, a U.S. Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee who has previously worked with Navy Seals, wanted his gym to be unassuming to shed his celebrity clients from public attention. In the past, Downs, a trainer to the pros for more than 20 years, has consulted with NBA, NFL and MLB stars including Alonzo Mourning, Carlos Boozer, Alex Rodriquez, Baron Davis, LaMarr Woodley, Tim Hardaway, Jamal Mashburn and Penny Hardaway.

But when Downs opened TERF on Oct. 4, he never imagined just a month later that sports’ biggest rock band would be seeking out his services. That would be the Heat’s Big Three of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

Wade was the first to arrive in late October. He had heard about current and former Heat players, such as Hardaway, Juwan Howard and Mark Strickland, going to TERF, which stands for Training Enthusiasm Respect Fundamentals. When Wade stopped by on a Saturday, he was drawn to Downs’ unique workouts that maximized an athlete’s performance while decreasing his chances of injury. He had never done them before, and just two days later he was there training one-on-one with Downs.

From weights to functional training
Turns out, Wade’s physical therapist had been looking for him to transition from weight training to more functional training, which would take some load off his joints, especially his surgically-repaired left knee from 2008.

“He wanted to do less weights and try something different that would help him improve his performance, more so than just getting stronger and built,” Downs said. “At the same time, it’s going to help take away some of those aches and pains, and help with his left knee issues. The muscle around the knee wasn’t built back up like it should be. We got that built up probably within the first two weeks of working out. He saw a significant change in the musculature around his knee.”

Before they really went to work, Downs put Wade through a test to see how his body would respond to different attributes that define an athlete: speed, torque strength, overall power, agility and athleticism. Downs said that Wade’s combined score, 97.2 percent, was the highest out of anyone he’s ever worked with.

"He’s one of the most naturally strong and athletic athletes there is," Downs said of Wade. "His level is just very unique. He gives credit to other guys, like he’ll say, 'LeBron is also unique, and Derrick Rose is unique.' I’d put those guys in the same category. There are other guys, of course, like Steve Nash, but they may not have that explosiveness -- not across the board like Wade."

Downs then watched game footage of Wade on YouTube in order to best construct a customized workout for him utilizing weights, resistance bands and his Air Force-engineered balance discs that can each withstand 600 pounds of weight. Downs then molded an overall workout routine for Wade that focused on balance exercises and sports-specific exercises, many mimicking his exact movements on the court so he could improve his performance in those areas. Downs’ overall objective was to increase Wade’s power, force and acceleration.

A rigorous regimen
Downs has been training Wade for about two and a half hours per day, five days per week, in between his other regular and renowned clients. A typical workout consists of 25 percent baseline exercises and 75 percent functional, endurance and circulation exercises (13 to 15 of them). Here are the five sections of the training, with each day’s itinerary never the same so Wade’s body is always feeling fresh:
Light warmup, followed by a passive stretch on the training table and a standing dynamic stretch
Core firing with Downs’ own resistance, including a series of jabs and punches to prepare Wade’s body for torque strength, and the twists and turns he does on the court
Plyometrics, including ladder drills, plank rows and jump squats
A series of unique, functional exercises designed for Wade himself, incorporating on-court moves he performs, including a crossover, first step, Euro step, step back and off-balance fadeaways off one leg (with the first step, Downs makes sure Wade jumps out on one leg at a 60-degree angle, instead of 45 degrees, so he’ll develop a better direct line getting to the basket)
Advanced balancing and core strengthening maneuvers to help control full-body limb movement

Wade has enjoyed the sports-specific movements the most, especially the latest one Downs incorporated only a few days ago to strengthen his spinning fadeaway moves in the post. In a criss-cross pattern, Down applied resistance bands from Wade’s right wrist to left knee and his left wrist to right knee, with bands between his ankles, in order to simulate a defender bumping him on the block. The first day Wade went through the exercise, he stayed in the gym 40 minutes longer than his designated workout time to fight through the added pressure, and he finally mastered it. Downs said that even during an exercise where he had Wade shooting leaning back while standing on one leg on a balanced disc, he made more baskets than being flat-footed.

As for the most challenging workout for Wade? That’s been the core and balance exercises, topped off by a move Downs refers to as “Ready to Fly.” Downs puts Wade in a push-up position, but makes it unstable for him by putting a balance disc under his feet and one under one of his hands. Downs then makes him raise his right or left hand off the ground to his chest, out in front of him and then by his side -- moves that make it look like he’s flying. The exercise forces Wade to control all his arm and leg movements; therefore, strengthening his core and entire body at the same time.

"I compare him to a fighter aircraft because his thrust that he generates is off the charts for any human being to have while under the conditions he is faced with," Downs said.

Recruiting LeBron James and Chris Bosh
Just a month into the workouts, Wade already saw tremendous results. He felt he regained the strength he had entering the 2008 Olympics, going from 228 to 231 pounds, and his body fat went down from 4.8 to 3.5 percent, meaning that he gained additional lean muscle for better power and acceleration. He also noticed his body was working more efficiently on the court, and the aches and pains he experienced at the end of last season were gone.

"This training is what he’s going to need to gain more longevity in his career," Downs said. "He feels more explosive and strong. Think of a Ferrari, and if someone can improve it, wow, is it street legal (laughs)? So you can imagine what he’s going to do this year (laughs)."

Wade was so impressed with Downs that in mid-November, he started bringing James and Bosh along with him (see photo here). James had done some functional and core training in the past, including pilates, but not to the degree he did at it at TERF. The main difference between pilates and TERF is that Downs’ clients don’t work their core muscles lying on their back; they engage in dynamic movement. For Bosh, it was his first time doing any kind of functional training.

Since then, James and Bosh have joined in on Wade’s workout a couple of times per week, only with a few adjustments for both. James, who Downs measured at 265 pounds and having a 5.2 percent body fat, wasn’t focused on any particular growth area, but Bosh wanted to improve his lower-body strength in the post and for off-balanced shooting. Bosh came in at 238 pounds and has since gained a few pounds by practicing down-low moves with resistance bands.

"[LeBron and Chris’] main comment about the training was, 'It makes sense,'" Downs said. "LeBron kept saying, 'I can see how it can help our game.'”

What lies ahead
Wade hasn’t trained with Downs since Heat training camp opened, but he plans to see him consistently during the season. In preparation of the grind schedule ahead, with some weeks featuring four games in five nights, Downs is focusing a lot on endurance training and pushing Wade’s body to recover faster in between workouts.

Once the season starts, Downs will scale Wade’s workouts back to once every four or five days, but he’ll still make sure his body is firing properly and functionally. Downs’ goal is for Wade to maintain the same power and endurance he has at a playing weight no less than 225 pounds. They haven’t discussed traveling together yet, but the plan for now is when Wade is on the road, Downs will film 20-second clips of the exercises that he’ll want Wade to do, and then send them to him through e-mail.

James and Bosh will be more infrequent during the season, but Downs foresees James coming a few times a week next summer and Bosh becoming more of a regular. Downs also expects more of their Heat teammates to show up this year and during the 2012 offseason.

By the way, there’s someone else who’s been getting a burn along with the Big Three. Try the trainer himself.

“When they’re all here, I am getting a workout,” Downs said laughing. “I had to pace myself and space out the circuit properly so I could make it through. They’re like modern-day gladiators.”

This is a photo of Wade with Ed Downs taken late this fall showing what tremendous shape he's in:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n157/Pro-sports/nba_e_wade02jr_576.jpg

[97 bulls]

LOL, all you are saying is Wade has to suddenly decline because he will turn 30 soon, but in reality, he hasn't shown any sign of slowing down, posted 25-6-4 and converted 50% from the field as a guard. On the other hand, Richard Hamilton at 33 is coming off his worst season and he was only able to start 39 games in the last season due to health issues and since Hamilton is a type of player who runs around all the time to create open space even without the ball, getting older will take out some of his efficiency as well. It's just insane to me to say Wade will decline only because he will be 30 soon, while Boozer and Hamilton will revive or at least not decline - they are the guys who actually started declining if anything.
Hamilton didn't play very many games last season due to a problem with the coach. Not due to injuries.

What I don't understand is why people are trying to minimalize hamilton and what he will bring to the bulls. Bogans avg 4 ppg. And he routinely missed wide open shots. I don't see hamilton doing the same thing. If he plays up to his ability, he will have a lot of open jumpshots and should avg around 12-14 ppg.

I also don't see the age thing. I havent seen a bulls fan say he's a long term answer. Besides, bogans himself is 32. Only one year younger than hamilton

[D-Wade316]

So Wade will learn how to shoot? :applause:
:lol Wade dunked on Perkins in that video.

[Lebron23]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RevcwSUnpxk&feature=related

[iDefend5]

70%. :cheers:

62-20 last year with a scrub starting at SG...The MVP, the best defense, the best rebounding, 5 quality starters now, and an excellent and deep bench. Keep in mind Rose and Noah will also improve this year.
Of course people specifically Heat fans/bandwagoners forget that other teams and more importantly players can improve as well other than them. It is just a perfect example to show how those guys think the world and the league revolves around them. :oldlol:

[D-Wade316]

Of course people specifically Heat fans/bandwagoners forget that other teams and more importantly players can improve as well other than them. It is just a perfect example to show how those guys think the world and the league revolves around them. :oldlol:
Addition of Battier, Cole, Curry, and healthy Haslem and Miller > Addition of Rip.

Rip Hamilton? Seriously? :roll:

[iDefend5]

Addition of Battier, Cole, Curry, and healthy Haslem and Miller > Addition of Rip.

Rip Hamilton? Seriously? :roll:
I appreciate you ignoring the addition of Jimmy Butler. The Heat did a great job addressing their weak spots in the front-court especially at C this off-season. :rolleyes:

[D-Wade316]

I appreciate you ignoring the addition of Jimmy Butler. The Heat did a great job addressing their weak spots in the front-court especially at C this off-season. :rolleyes:
Just think about it for a second will you. Rip Hamilton? :roll:

And Jimmy Butler? Who the **** is that? :facepalm

[iDefend5]

Just think about it for a second will you. Rip Hamilton? :roll:

And Jimmy Butler? Who the **** is that? :facepalm
-Yeah they fixed their weak-point, what is the problem here?

-A rooke that is about as relevant as Norris Cole.

[iDefend5]

Anybody have a change of heart about the bulls now?

[PJR]

Anybody have a change of heart about the bulls now?

No. Will still be raped by Miami in a 7 game series. Don't care what the records are at the end.

[Tenchi Ryu]

Anybody have a change of heart about the bulls now?
Nope, the Suns game proved how good our team is without Rose. Rose on that team definitely has a chance to take Heat.

[cteach111]

Nope, the Suns game proved how good our team is without Rose. Rose on that team definitely has a chance to take Heat.

i'd be disappointed if the Bulls fail to take the Heat to at least 6 games (they gotta get there first though)

[DRose1899]

I don't care as long we avoid the Hawks :facepalm

we gonna win, but game against them always ugly.. I don't watch that shit-of-7-series :facepalm

Let the Heat deal with them.

[Tenchi Ryu]

I don't care as long we avoid the Hawks :facepalm

we gonna win, but game against them always ugly.. I don't watch that shit-of-7-series :facepalm

Let the Heat deal with them.
Can't argue there...let them go against the Pacers and Hawks this year, and see the shit we had to go through lol.

Yet, "its just the Pacers and Hawks"
:oldlol: :oldlol:

[nba_55]

If Lebron plays at his best, nobody can beat this Heat team. Lebron was at his best last year against Bulls and result: The team with the MVP, the best defense, one of the best rebounding lost 4-1 to them. Wade didnt even play well.

Lebron will be the difference maker, not Rip, even though he is a good addition to the team.

[StateOfMind12]

Hopefully the Heat deal with the Celtics and the Knicks in the first two rounds. That will take a lot out of them since those two matchup kind of well against Miami. I'm not afraid of the Hawks especially with Horford out for 3-4 months.

[nba_55]

Can't argue there...let them go against the Pacers and Hawks this year, and see the shit we had to go through lol.

Yet, "its just the Pacers and Hawks"
:oldlol: :oldlol:

Philly, Celtics > Pacers, Hawks

[Tenchi Ryu]

If Lebron plays at his best, nobody can beat this Heat team. Lebron was at his best last year against Bulls and result: The team with the MVP, the best defense, one of the best rebounding lost 4-1 to them. Wade didnt even play well.

Lebron will be the difference maker, not Rip, even though he is a good addition to the team.
You can't compare last year Bulls to this one though cause this is a completely different team offensively. The main thing the Heat were able to exploit has already been patched up pretty damn good. So its basically the best team will win it. Bulls have the best Offensive starting 5 in the league right now as a Team.

Rip is a difference maker, cause he's gonna be adding something Bulls lacked last year, better spacing. That's gonna be a huge difference this year.


Philly, Celtics > Pacers, Hawks

:no:
The strong Hawks we are seeing this year are the SAME Hawks we faced, just replace T-Mac with J-Crawford

Hawks > Celtics > Philly = Pacers
This same Hawks team took out Dwight last yeat BTW.

[themurph]

No. Will still be raped by Miami in a 7 game series. Don't care what the records are at the end.


How is it possible to be "raped" by anyone in a long seven game series?

And is your vocabulary that limited that you have to use an ugly word like rape?

Just asking...

[DRose1899]

Hopefully the Heat deal with the Celtics and the Knicks in the first two rounds. That will take a lot out of them since those two matchup kind of well against Miami. I'm not afraid of the Hawks especially with Horford out for 3-4 months.
Hawks don't scare me, they're disgusting me :facepalm
Feck it, let the heat fan that have super ugly series on their TV. like the last game that they have :roll:

[trig]

Heat beat chicago in 5 but it is much closer than it looked. Wade played bad, but for some reason he always play bad in chicago even in the Kirk Hinrich era. . A lot of the games were close and it took clutch shots by lebron to win it. Lebron hit a ton of tough shots in crunch time but during Mavs series, he was missing open shots. If he missed some of the contested shots vs chicago, we could've seen a different result.

Heat is still the better team with them having the Big 3 but chicago upgraded a major weak point. Heat basically ignored Bogans and let his man zone up and pressure Drose. Battier and Cole are nice additions but we all know that the center position is their weakpoint.

A 7 game series this playoffs with both teams healthy will be fun

[Alamo]

The Bulls have a much higher chance this year. They have been playing much better than last year so far. Rip addition aside, they have been playing better together as a team. Rose is older and more experieced. The chemistry with Carlos Boozer is there, everyone is starting to mesh offensively. Even their defense has improved. lol