We are young, we took the World Champs to 7 games in a wonderful series, and hopes are high.  We even have a diary that is a Tribute to the 2008-9 Bulls.  We heard this before.  After the 2006-7 49 - 33 season we beat Miami, who were the world champs 4 - 0 and then took a strong Detroit team to 6 games.  Perception for the 2007-8 team did not meet reality.  The reality for 2007-8 was we were were not a good team.  In retrospect, Miami wasn't as good as we thought.  Deng fizzled.  Gordon was an easy target to stop at the end of games.  The great coach Skiles was not as great as we thought.  We finished the 2007-8 season 33 - 49. 

Let me say that I am excited about Rose and loved the way we played against Boston.  However, we were burned in 2007-8 and I am wondering how good we will be 2009-10.  Do I see the Bulls through the tunnel vision of a Bulls fan or objectively?  Here is what I am wondering.

1. If Detroit picks up Boozer will we be better than Detroit?
2. Will we be better than Washington who will have Arenas, Jamison, Butler and Haywood plus a high first round pick? 
3. Will we be better than a healthy Indiana? 
4. Will we be better than a Philadelphia team attempting to integrate Elton Brand again?
5. Will we be better than a Charlotte team that has an excellent coach now with players that fit his system?
6. Will we be better than a Toronto team that played with Calderon injured a significant part of the season and seemed to improve when he returned at the end of the season?  Will Toronto rebound in 2009-10 like the Bulls did this year?
7. Atlanta and Miami seem to be improving.  Do we feel we can leap over these teams?
8. Milwaukee played most of the year without Redd and Bogut.  Will we be better than Milwaukee?
9. How good is the Boston team we played toe-toe?  Are we being fooled by a mediocre Boston team without Garnett like we were against Miami?
10. Unless I am totally off we should be better than NJ and the Knicks.

I remain very hopeful and am really looking forward to next year.  We may be better than the teams listed above.  Rose should improve and if we retain Gordon and Deng returns to the pre- 2007 Deng this could be fun.  However this is a tough league and we will not be the only team that appears on the rise next year.