can bulls contend for a title this year?

[The_Game]

thoughts?

[Pistons < Spurs]

No.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

I say yes, why not

[sa_butta]

They should get into the playoffs but, experience will factor in and they will probably have an early exit.

[The_Game]

they are alot like the 04 verison of the pistons. the PF spot not as much but everywhere else they are comparable

[cornbread]

Playoff team yes, not yet a contender

[dirk4mvp]

A top 5 team in the East. Not saying much though :drunk

[MaNuMaNiAc]

The Bulls are going to surprise everyone this year, bet on it

[Marklar MM]

they are alot like the 04 verison of the pistons. the PF spot not as much but everywhere else they are comparable


I would take the 04 Pistons in a 4, maybe 5 games.

[Texas_Ranger]

Yes, but it will be very tough.

[Chris Childs]

Bulls can contend for a title. I think alot of people are underestimating them. They do have good players like hinrich, gordon, nocioni, pj, and big bengay wallace and a good solid bench........ what is their starting lineup anyway?

[himat]

They'll be a legit team and contend, but they won't get too far. I don't see them getting past Cleveland, Miami, and Detroit. If they some how do they'll have to face a Spur, Sun, or Maverick team. Bulls will make it to the second round with the Heat, Pistons, and Cavs but that's it.

[~~Ice Man 2000~~]

The bulls can get past the heat... the cavs can light em up though....

[TDMVPDPOY]

the dairy cows are pretenders

[Joepa]

The Bulls are going to have a very good record this year. The East, once again, is terrible.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

The east is wide open enough that I could see them making a deep run in the playoffs, even getting to the finals. But I can't see them beating the best that the west has to offer.

[MrChug]

I'm pretty sure many of you will be shocked. Coaching? Check. Talent? Double check. Toughness? Check. Experience is what is desired, but if you have that combo of defensive focus, toughness, and clutch performance with Gordon, Hinrich, and now Big Ben, not too much to fold under the pressure. Nocioni's a big-game experience player, so's Duhon (college). Luol's a star in the making. Yes. They could end up in the ECF.

[DarkReign]

There are only a handful of teams that truly have no shot at the title.

The Bulls are nowhere near being on that list.

[DirkAB]

The Bulls are going to surprise everyone this year, bet on it


We rarely agree, but this is one of those times.

[Spurminator]

Not enough offense.

[himat]

Bulls were one win away from being out of the playoffs. Ben is not that good that he can make lottery teams into champions.

[DirkAB]

Bulls were one win away from being out of the playoffs. Ben is not that good that he can make lottery teams into champions.

They weren't a lottery team by record. They were missing an interior player badly last year, and now they have two bangers. They have Wallace and P.J. Brown now, those are huge additions! Plus they added Adrian Griffin, Tyrus Thomas, and Thabo Sefolosha. Seriously, they are stacked, well coached, and very defenisive minded.

[himat]

Sefalosha won't do much this season. Brown is solid, but that's it he won't be a threat. Lottery team is too harsh, but the moves the Bulls have made are not so good it will turn them into champs. What you'll see is a Bull team that will do great on defense, but they won't be able to score. It got tough in the playoffs for the Pistons and they had 4 all stars. Ben is good, and so are the Bulls but they are not good enough.

[Fillmoe]

Sefalosha won't do much this season. Brown is solid, but that's it he won't be a threat. Lottery team is too harsh, but the moves the Bulls have made are not so good it will turn them into champs. What you'll see is a Bull team that will do great on defense, but they won't be able to score. It got tough in the playoffs for the Pistons and they had 4 all stars. Ben is good, and so are the Bulls but they are not good enough.

why not? they have a lot of good players.. their bench is deep.... they are better than the pistons when they won the championship in my eyes.... hinrich is a better pg than billups.... deng and gordon are solid.... duhon is solid off the bench... not to mention nocioni and pj brown..... i think they have what it takes to get their and win

[DarkReign]

hinrich is a better pg than billups...

You lost me right there. You and Hinrich are the only 2 people on the planet who believe that mess.

[Bob Lanier]

I believe it. Hinrich plays far better defense and can run a break.

[DarkReign]

I believe it. Hinrich plays far better defense and can run a break.

And that is your definition of being better? That he runs the break and maybe better defense?

Chauncey is no slouch on defense, but I agree Hinrich is better.

How many TOs for Hinrich per game?
How many points?
Assists?
Assists to TOs?

Mind you, I love Hinrich. I think he is awesome. But better than Chauncey? No sir.

[atxrocker]

hinrich is a fucking stud. detroit haters may not give him his props, but the dudes only gonna get better. not to take anything away from billips, who has mad game too. i think the bulls could very well upset a few teams this year, but ultimately will fall short of a miracle season. i'm rooting for them though, as they are my favorite eastern conference team.

[Spurminator]

Bulls are done. Stick a fork in them.

[Medvedenko]

They looked ragged against the Lakers....and when Bynum out muscles Ben Wallace...you have a problem. They need a go to guy, like a pierce or something...they have a lot of talent that they should move to get a superstar type player.

[1Parker1]

It's only about 10 games into the season...it'll take a while for the Bulls to integrate their defense together and get on one page. In spurts, their defense looks great. I agree they lack a go to guy...but hopefully as the season progresses, Hinrich, Gordon, or Nacioni can be that guy.

Bulls look to me like a sleeping team....like the Heat were last season. They looked easily beatable in the regular season and really came together in the playoffs. I think the same can happen to the Bulls, especially considering the East is a little weak outside of Cavs, Pistons, and possibly Miami.

[TDMVPDPOY]

they are better off tankin the season, since it will give them at least 1 in 2 chances of landin that first pick, since knicks own them a pick unprotected...

[jacobdrj]

Wow. Already condemning them after just, what, 8 games? You were fooling yoursleves if you thougth it would be an instant superpower. It takes time to develop chemstry on the court. Especialy with Defense.

Did you think Ben would go to the Bulls and they would instantly resemble the 04 lakers and dominate the NBA early?

That wasn't gonna happen. It isn't going to happen for the Pistons post-Ben either. New teams take more than 8 games to either gel, or crack.

Wait for the ALL STAR BREAK!

I refuse to comment on any 1 team until then.

[Spurminator]

What needs to gel? Nothing's wrong with their defense. And Ben Wallace having time to adjust to their system isn't going to help their offense.

They need more reliable scorers. So barring a blockbuster trade that gets them someone who can score on the inside, I'm writing them off.

But don't misunderstand. I'm not writing them off after 8 games. I wrote them off before the season started. I just bumped to reiterate.

[G-Money]

No. They seem to have a hard time to finish at the rim too. Oh and by the way the 04 Pistons>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>06 Bulls.

[NBA Junkie]

Bulls are gonna struggle being a top tier team for the sole reason that they have no interior scorers.

Say what you will about Eddy Curry with his poor work ethic and attitude, but the Bulls were a far more dangerous team when they had him than with Wallace because he gave them much needed scoring inside.

That said, the Bulls will improve as the season progresses, but I don't see them being a threat in the East since they have to rely heavily on perimeter shooting and their most explosive player in Ben Gordon is too hot and cold to carry that team.