Breakdown/Analysis of the matchup aside right quick...Just a simple, knowledgebale basketball logic needed posed question here: Does anyone really believe a team with Shaquille O'Neal(Not even talking about Wade) on it is losing in the first round? In the Eastern Confernce. Homecourt or not. ANYONE?
The Bulls are good team. Very cohesive unit. They play tough(they especially play the Heat tough). Their guard penetration is a tough mathup...Ben Gordon and his catch and shoot abilites off screens, Deng and Hinrich with their sound play.
But the dudes are a jumpshooting team.(*analysis mode back on) Simple as that. I mean absolutely no consistent low block threat to go through for some easy buckets. And that's exactly what's going to bite them in this series. Shaq again has pretty much no one to guard(outside of occasionaly stepping out on the pick and rolls) And the Heat with EJ on board this run are much more equip defensivily on handling that pick and roll in as opposed to last year series, he's been there done that for this team.
And the P & R pretty much the Bulls bread and butter...You switch off of them are they're dead in the water. Shaq is going to have his way whether they come with the double and he'll hit the open shooters and cutters(Kapono, EJ, Pose, Toine UD, etc) or they'll go up 1 up on him and he'll take advantage, and D-Wade is going to close them out..Same ol Same ol..
The Heat been on coast mode, but now the on switch has been flipped on.
I think the Bulls can pull this series out in 7 but it all depends on how they play in the last 5 minutes of the game that will determine the outcome because i think these games will be close. If the another Bull besides Ben Gordon can step up it would be huge because in the fourth it seems like all the Bulls do is try and force feed Gordon and just let him score on his own. If this happens the Heat can just deny him the ball which the Nets did well last night and when Ben finally gets the ball he takes tough contested shots. The Bulls need to keep in their sets near the end instead of relying on Gordon for their fourth quarter offense.
shaq/wade vs wallace/gordon im going with the bulls in 5 so its gonna be convincing, my only worry is that the HEAT are playoff performers but not this year
shaq/wade vs wallace/gordon im going with the bulls in 5 so its gonna be convincing, my only worry is that the HEAT are playoff performers but not this year
I wouldnt say it is the Bens vs. Shaq/Wade it is more like the Bulls perimeter players vs. the Heat interior strength. If the Bulls come out shooting well they will be hard to stop considering the Heats lack of perimeter quickness. But i dont see and answer for Shaq in the post because Big Ben can not take him 1 on 1.
I wouldnt say it is the Bens vs. Shaq/Wade it is more like the Bulls perimeter players vs. the Heat interior strength. If the Bulls come out shooting well they will be hard to stop considering the Heats lack of perimeter quickness. But i dont see and answer for Shaq in the post because Big Ben can not take him 1 on 1.
Good point but i think shaq will give wallace trouble but gordon and deng will give more trouble to miami so i think the gordon and deng outway the shaq
Good point but i think shaq will give wallace trouble but gordon and deng will give more trouble to miami so i think the gordon and deng outway the shaq
Yeah the Bulls create a lot of mismatches on the perimeter even with Nocioni and Hinrich but Shaq's impact all depends on how many touches he gets and the pace of the game. If the Heat control the pace and feed it to Shaq he could average 20/10 but if the Bulls push the pace and make it a running game they will win.
Yeah the Bulls create a lot of mismatches on the perimeter even with Nocioni and Hinrich but Shaq's impact all depends on how many touches he gets and the pace of the game. If the Heat control the pace and feed it to Shaq he could average 20/10 but if the Bulls push the pace and make it a running game they will win.
The Bulls MUST get out and run, they can't rely on a halfcourt game with the pick and roll becusae of Ben Wallace. I don't think Gorden will give us much trouble this year becuase I'm fairly confident that Eddie Jones will do a good job of holding him in check like he did in our last meeting. I think Nocioni is the key to this series for the Bulls. He was a monster last year against us. If he can be equally as effective (not sure if he can becuase of his injury) then the Bulls have a shot at winning.
All the Bulls had to do was win their last game of the regular season (against a team they are better than, New Jersey) and they would've had the easiest road to the Eastern Conference Finals anyone has ever seen. Instead, they happily hand that easy route to the Finals to their rival Cavs and now they are facing a very likely scenario where they get eliminated in the first round. Oh well...
Bulls in six! Chicago should start out hot with the first two games being played at home and since the Bulls are really good at home this year they should lead the series 2-0 after two. The third game is at Miami so the Heat will do all they can to win so expect the game to go their way, the series would be 2-1. The fourth game will also be at Miami, but I think this one will be a battle and the Bulls should surprise everyone with an away win (3-1). Next game would have the Heat returning to Chicago and probably will be a pretty good win for the Heat (3-2). Finally the sixth game of the series will bring Miami back home with hopes of tying up the series, but when the end of the game nears the Bulls shock everyone once again and steal the win making the Bulls win the series (4-2) and most likely versing the Pistons in the Semifinals. If events were to come down similar to this, than the series would probably go down as one of the best first round series we've seen in a long time. It's comeback time!
Re: Round 1 : Heat v Bulls Official Thread
