Reply With Quote
I'm looking at Chicago as THE dark horse in the East. As I've posted before, the key for Da Bulls is if Boozer can hold his own defensively against Miami or Boston in a 7-game series. Orlando ain't going to do .
What y'all think?
Boston's still my favorite but I'm not as bullish now that they've replaced Perk with two whiteys and a Baby.
Heat look like they're gonna need another piece or year before they get to the Finals or win one.
Chicago seems like they'd be a year away, probably need to just gain the experience and take their lumps before winning it all, but maybe not - Orlando's already been to the Finals and I don't think it's a stretch to say they could beat any of the aforementioned teams now if they hit their 3's like they did in '09.
Thoughts?
I'm looking at Chicago as THE dark horse in the East. As I've posted before, the key for Da Bulls is if Boozer can hold his own defensively against Miami or Boston in a 7-game series. Orlando ain't going to do .
How can the bulls be a dark horse at this point?
Nobody, but, nobody is wise-guying the Celtics out of The Finals.
Hm you got me at that part. My bad, they're championship contenders for real now.
Forreal.
Orlando's lack of a legit back-up center puts them way behind in the race imo. Also in a playoffs series their lack of quality talent is going to show especially if Hedo and Arenas log more minutes than they are now. The second best player on the Magic wouldn't even make the top 3 or even the top 4 of the other contenders.
Boston, Miami, and Chicago seem like the three most likely teams to come out of the East and in that order. Orlando's the best out of the pretender group though which also has the Hawks and Knicks.
Had they not made that trade, I'd agree 100%.
Chicago looks legit to me. That frontline they've got, all the they can do defensively, Rose is much better than I ever could have imagined... the only thing preventing me from getting on the bandwagon is that inexperience/taking their-lumps-type that almost every team has to go through - they're not some well-constructed team that just added a couple of All-Star veterans who needed each other to get over the top, a la Boston.
It's definitely looking like the East could have a representative the likes of '09. It may be Chicago, or maybe even the same team it was last time, Orlando...
Daddy's comin'. I want to see these teams deal with Daddy with the end in sight.
If KG gets injured again or another key player goes down, sure the Magic has a better chance. But as is they seem like a bunch of weak minded has-beens and one-dimensional jumpshooters. Their franchise player is prone to picking up untimely fouls and he will likely be sitting on the bench during key moments without Gortat to help.
The Magic seem like one of the easier teams to gameplan against especially with what they've shown in past playoffs and this season.
Chicago might not have the expierence, but they got some key ingredients to compete. A mvp candidate, and tough fornt line, and they play hardnosed defense.
That's true. Big fella was having that media up there talking All-Star consideration for a stretch there...
But I don't think he helps them as much against Chicago as he does Orlando. Could turn out to be a rock-paper-scissors-type scenario like it was in '09, where Boston didn't want Cleveland, Cleveland didn't want Orlando and Orlando didn't want Boston...
Still, I'm taking the Chicago/Orlando threat to the Celtics much more seriously nowadays.
I think Boston has dropped and Chicago has gone up. The other two are about where I thought they would be. I don't think HCA matters all that much, and it is overrated a bit. Boston may be better off without it, they have lost 4 game sevens in their own arena; 1973, 1982, 2006, and 2009. They also lost a best of 5 at home in the fifth game vs. the Knicks in 1990. Plus, there have been plenty of other series they were favored in and had HCA, but lost in 4-6 games. Last year, they won two series without HCA. I'm thinking it could end up a Celtics/Bulls ECF, and Chicago is 0-4 against them all time. Boston never played the Bulls in the playoffs during Jordan's championship seasons.
Chicago did give Boston a couple years ago. They're much better now and the C's have aged and lost Perkins.
Gotta give the nod to the C's until proven otherwise, though...
The approximate, and rare, parity of those 4 teams is great for the NBA & fans, compared to the years where a .500 record was good enough EC 5th seed.
True dat. Nice to not see the Pistons, one threat to them and a bunch of teams that wouldn't make the playoffs out West.The approximate, and rare, parity of those 4 teams is great for the NBA & fans, compared to the years where a .500 record was good enough EC 5th seed.
The Bulls lack a very much needed second scorer. I would like to say I have faith in Boozer to be that guy but I don't. He's a good rebounder but he plays too soft in the middle and relies on his high-arching rainmaking jumpshot too much. Deng has gotten more reliable lately but he doesn't have the skill to draw the defense away from Rose. The Bulls are going home in the 2nd round most likely. If they get extremely fortunate they could get to the ECF. If they somehow got all the way to the Finals I think they could beat any Western Conference opponent handily except the Spurs. I can only dream of an epic Spurs/Bulls series.
I'm pulling for the Bulls to come out of the East. Derrick Rose deserves playing in the big stage.
Racist comment tbh.
That's a good ol' realistic/pessimistic fan right there.
That's pretty much the type of thinking that had me dismiss them as potential champions this year. But if you look at the compe ion in the East, especially after the trade deadline, you begin to ask yourself: Why not?
Boston deserves to get the nod for the East, even if it reeks of late-term procedure, but I can't sleep on the Bulls or Magic these days. I thought it was Boston or Miami and that the Perk trade may have swung in the favor of the Heat, but they're just not ready yet, imo.
Dem Bulls and Magic could do some tings...
I think Chicago is the best team in the east and they likely have the best player right now. Rose is playing phenomenal.
Knew they'd be good coming into the year but HOLY did Derrick Rose go Berserker...
Venti is a
i love chicago, and it seems that rose has been getting more respect, unlike that game 7 in boston where the refs hated him. but a part of me still cant see a team with a starting scrub like bogans making to the finals. but they are the team that can do it.
I don't want Chicago interloping. It's the Lakers/Celtics.
No strangers, ever.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
