The Bulls and Cavs: 4-factors
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 16, 2010 12:45 PM CDT
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Print82 games makes for a perhaps-too-long season, but it at least it provides a robust sample size of data. So I figure it'd be a good exercise to 'match-up' the four factors for both teams.
Now clearly the entire season doesn't provide all the necessary context of what to expect this particular series. The Bulls have had some roster upheaval that weakened their defense. We don't know how injuries to Noah, Deng, Taj and even James Johnson will impact them going forward (though Noah looks all-the-way back). Kirk Hinrich is playing better this month than he had most of the season, the first month can be thrown out with Derrick Rose's injury, etc.
On the other side, the Cavs have added Antawn Jamison, recently re-added Big Z, and Shaq is returning after a couple months out. And obviously these are stats are against the entire league, not in 82 games against eachother.
With all the caveats out of the way, lets start with pace:
| Pace (Rank) | |
| Cavs | 91.4 (25) |
| Bulls | 93.1 (11) |
No doubt we'll probably hear Charles Barkley say that the Bulls should play faster because they're younger, and the Cavs to play faster since they have LeBron. But the Bulls have more experience at the faster pace, and it's out of necessity, given their ineptitude in offensive sets (more on that later). The Cavs are notoriously slow, and even with LeBron it makes more sense than in past years, given the Shaq-Ilgauskas center combination. Playoff basketball in general is played at a slower pace, so the Bulls will have to be conscious of that. Hey, maybe this is where Vinny's 'coaching' ("Run! Run!") can help.
Now on to some relatively good news, the Cavs offense vs. (in a way) the Bulls defense:
| Eff | eFG | TO% | OREB% | FT/FG | |
| Cavs Offense | 111.2 (6) | 53.2 (3) | 15.1 (14) | 25.1 (T21) | 24.6 (8) |
| Bulls Defense | 105.3 (11) | 48.4 (7) | 14.1 (24) | 25.2 (8) | 21.2 (9) |
The first number is obviously the biggie. The Bulls flirted with a top-10 defense all season but finished outside of it, no doubt that number submarined by Noah's 10-game absence and anything that can be blamed on Hakim Warrick. I think the Bulls can hold their own here moreso than in the second half of the season may suggest. The Bulls will have an extra-tight rotation so that should limit the poor bench defenders, and even Brad Miller shouldn't be exploited as much as long as he can body-up a fellow plodding big and not have to switch out on LeBron or something. At least lets hope the Bulls aren't switching those kinds of screen/roll plays.
And how about the Bulls defensive rebounding this season? Last year they were 28th, but Noah's obviously improved, Taj got better over the course of the season, a healthier year from Deng, and Vinny's limited the small-ball for the most part. I'm surprised the Cavs did so poorly on the offensive glass this season considering their size. and Varejao being one of the league's best. So if they turn it up in the playoffs that's a cause for concern.
Now, the bad news...and that means we have to look at Bulls offensive (pun) statistics.
| Eff | eFG | TO% | OREB% | FT/FG | |
| Bulls Offense | 103.5 (27) | 47.7 (28) | 15.2 (15) | 26.6 (16) | 21.7 (21) |
| Cavs Defense | 104.1(7) | 48.2 (3) | 13.9 (T26) | 22.8 (2) | 21.8 (13) |
This is the thing about facing the best team in the league. They can be good at both offense and defense, a concept us fans in mediocrity-land don't believe is possible.
And the Bulls offense is awful, and not even a single factor is even above-average, not even our once-great offensive rebounding. This is where we hope Joakim Noah is peaking and about to have the series of his life, but the Cavs' size may make even that version of Noah's time difficult getting extra possessions.
What Bulls fans can hope for is the type of play that transcends what we've seen over the course of a long season, and that is Derrick Rose brilliance. It's sporadic enough to where we know it exists, but it can't be depended on. But on the games he does have his shot falling and is taking over every possession, both teams work against the rest of the league won't matter, it'll just be how they can stop Rose.
So maybe there's one game they can't. Otherwise I don't see how the Bulls score enough to where the Bulls D can keep games close. Cavs in 5.
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Send in the goon (James Johnson)
and perhaps we have a shot. A small one, but still a shot.
by NerdVernacular on Apr 16, 2010 12:49 PM CDT reply actions 3 recs
a shot at what?
beating LeBron in a fight?
Becuase, if that’s what you mean, then yes we do!
"I want people to fear me"- Derrick Rose.
"That boy is BAD"- Stacey King.
I know it was not your point
but we would have more then a shot, JJ would destroy him period :)
by TruEChiFaN... on Apr 16, 2010 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions
JJ is a better defender than Deng. I hope VDN let JJ play some mintues.
by summeralicia20111 on Apr 16, 2010 1:42 PM CDT up reply actions
no he's not
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 16, 2010 1:46 PM CDT up reply actions
If he'd had more minutes all season
and thus the time to develop (even a smidgeon) á la Taj, then maybe
As they stand now, no
I will say he did a fair job on him when they went head to head.
Then the Bulls coaching staff started to over coach him and it went down hill from there.
Luol Deng 24 going on 54.
Fouling isn't good defense
It’s bad defense.
12/31/08: Fire Vinny Del Negro.(upd: 1/7/10)
by NBA Observer on Apr 16, 2010 3:31 PM CDT up reply actions
Its a type of defense.
Milwaukee is 2nd in DRtg this year and 4th in opponent Free Throws. There are good fouls, bad fouls, smart fouls but Skiles has always incorporated fouling into his defense.
Bosh or Bust
by JockstrapNoah on Apr 16, 2010 5:14 PM CDT up reply actions
Skiles always had that mentality that if you foul all the time, the refs eventually get sick of calling them
And eventually, they kinda do
If the Bulls don’t make the playoffs I won’t need to watch basketball, its on to basketball.
by QUINTEN DALEY on Apr 2, 2010 12:38 PM PDT
i sure hope they learned after an entire season of doing it
At least lets hope the Bulls aren’t switching those kinds of screen/roll plays.
I'm cuckoo for Kukoc!!!
One thing I like about the Bulls is that (theoretically) they won't have the deer in headlights thing going on
The playoff experience last year should have them understand the intensity that is required for this series. It doesn’t mean we’ll win, but we should at least put up a fight. And if it’s a good learning experience then it will have definitely been worth it.
agree with you there
I don’t expect them to be scared either. And this team is actually full of veterans at this point. I’m sure they’ll show the ’look at how much more playoff games the Cavs have played" graphic regardless.
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 16, 2010 1:21 PM CDT up reply actions
I almost hate to say it, but I think it's true
If the Bulls want to have any chance of turning this series into a series, they need the attitude of the say ’88-89 Pistons
If they get that attitude
The starting lineup would be suspended for sneezing on Danny Glover formerly known as Lebron “Prince Crab” James.
Probably
But at least he would look like an even bigger horse’s ass
Im a bit geeked to see Deng in the playoffs
he a HUGE ex-factor. He was always better in the playoffs, just that he’s never healthy to get there..so here’s hoping the green switch clicks in his brain and he steps up huge. If Deng, Kirk, Noah and Rose play great ball this series – WATCH OUT!
heh
If Deng, Kirk, Noah and Rose play great ball this series – WATCH OUT!
i have a bigger chance of finding $1,000 on the ground than this happening…..
Practice beats talent when talent doesn't practice.
by iamsasquatch on Apr 16, 2010 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions
Ha, exactly.
It’s plausible that Rose averages 30 and 10, Noah 15 and 15, Deng 20 and 10, and Kirk 20 and 7. If that happens, we have a shot.
by Stacey_Is_King on Apr 16, 2010 3:27 PM CDT up reply actions
Shit if we can count on Kirk for 15/5
That means either things are going incredibly well or things are going so poorly the laws of what the fuck have taken effect and he just decided to start playing respectably
hah "ex" factor, as in past tense
I get it.
"This is not Vietnam, Smokey, there are rules here." - Walter Sobchak
by Rose Colored Goggles on Apr 16, 2010 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions
Haha, yeah I'm back
got a new job and wasn’t really around the computer much at first (off-site training and what-not) plus I’ve been really busy at home. I’ve been lurking/reading, just not commenting much.
But y’know, it’s playoff time, then the draft, then FA so there’s a lotta reasons to be here ;-)
Looks like there’s a lot of new users too, good to see some familiar faces(names)
"This is not Vietnam, Smokey, there are rules here." - Walter Sobchak
by Rose Colored Goggles on Apr 16, 2010 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions
Bulls must run and play more of a fast pace tempo all series
The bulls are faster and more athletic than the cavs. The only fast and athletic player on the cavs is lebron. Shaq and the other center can’t run back faster on a fast break to catch up with noah, maybe miller.
subtract parker from that list, please
Go Rockets/Nets[CDR]/Bucks[Jennings]!
I got a feeling the Bulls will force this series to 6 games
based on inspired play of Rose and Noah alone.
Wade 2010!!!!!
Cleveland loves the back cuts on the baseline.
Luol Deng is awful at anticipating a back cut. If I was Cleveland I would isolate James on on Deng and get the hell out of the way. You could do so many things off that. Lobs, back cuts.
The Bobcats did that for Wallace and he absolutely destroyed Deng.
Luol Deng 24 going on 54.
If we see the same Luol Deng that we have the past few weeks then...
I think JJ will be getting a playoff baptism. He won’t get any calls though because A. It’s LeBron and B. He’s a Rookie. So the Karate Chop to the throat might be the best defense.
Luol Deng 24 going on 54.
A playoff baptism he'll have to ....
witness?!?
Go Rockets/Nets[CDR]/Bucks[Jennings]!
hmmm. i dont have a lot of memories of luol defending back cuts, but if i know your analysis
i’d say you saw him get burned by that once or twice and automatically raised it to a general principle.
there is something awesome about Pargo, though.
Seriously. It’s kind of awe inspiring: he WILL shoot. He has no conscience. No remorse. He will shoot – the situation, the opponent, the country. He could be in zero gravity floating in orbit. The dude would be jacking up shots. And missing.
-MPG
by TheMoon on Apr 16, 2010 3:33 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
Most people in life beat the odds
by putting in the world to become skilled enough to overcome each obstacle. Vinny has consistently done none of that, and still keeps beating the odds. It’s a frightening combination:
Being a second round pick who was forced out of the NBA at age 23? No problem. VDN returned two years later as basically the same player and stuck for at decade.
Being a 6’4" white dude without a 3pt shot, with a career 13.5 PER and suspect defense? No problem. VDN started on 55-win Spurs playoff teams.
Landing the head coaching job for the world’s most well known basketball team while having zero coaching experience? No problem. Guaranteed 3 year deal.
Regardless of what the stats say, the Bulls have an equalizer. He stands on the sidelines, and his name is Vinny Del Negro.
- Coaches who have to deal with a whole host of injuries, slow starts, in-season trades, the front office’s dumping of three starters, rosters including Jannero Pargo, Larry Hughes, Lindsey Hunter, Tim Thomas, Aaron Gray, a national story a month into the season claiming he’d already been fired without being told about it himself, a quasi-GM who never gave him a vote of confidence, and a real non-GM who physically fought him don’t make the playoffs two consecutive years. Besides Vinny Del Negro.
by YaoPau on Apr 16, 2010 3:04 PM CDT reply actions 11 recs
Anyway, to make a long story short
Vinny somehow doesn’t go quietly, never has. And it would be perfectly fitting for every screwup the Bulls front office has made these last three years to lead to accumulate into one hilariously awkward moment when the Bulls fire their coach who just knocked off the Cavs. Or at least took them to 7. Vinny walks out with his head held high before continuing his dominance of life.
by YaoPau on Apr 16, 2010 3:12 PM CDT up reply actions 6 recs
Rec'd
And rec’d again here.
Sorry to quote a horrible Rod Stewart song from when I was a little kid, but it’s all I could think of “some guys got all the luck”….
7/1/2010: D. Wade comes back home
his wife would be proof or something
of that concept i guess
“some guys got all the luck”
I dont care what the D.N.A. Says, the Guy wearing number 12 Cannot be Kirk Hinrich, he is definetly Kurt. Kirk can actually play basketball!
you've convinced me to change my prediction
Cavs in 4.
BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"
by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 16, 2010 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
One of the best posts I've ever seen on this site
you should’ve used a fanpost for this YaoPau, I feel like its brilliance is being wasted in a comment.
"This is not Vietnam, Smokey, there are rules here." - Walter Sobchak
by Rose Colored Goggles on Apr 16, 2010 3:58 PM CDT up reply actions
what the hell the Bulls are in the East!
They lost to NJ twice. All he has to do is sit watch Derrick. They have no offense. Equalizer of what?
Luol Deng 24 going on 54.
I'm seeing something here in my crystal ball
I see D. Rose, hanging in mid-air, waiting for the defender to fly by, then releasing a perfect shot at the buzzer to win the series in game 7.
He is the second coming, no?
"But a true champion, face to face with his darkest hour, will do whatever it takes to rise above. A man fights, and fights, and then fights some more. Because surrender is death, and death is for pussies."
by jimmyjr on Apr 16, 2010 3:13 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
That sounds a little like what mine shows
Except it’s Lebron missing the same shot in OT to give the Bulls the win
this is my favorite part of the postseason: the part where i can still entertain ideas that
the bulls will make this a hell of a series.
there is something awesome about Pargo, though.
Seriously. It’s kind of awe inspiring: he WILL shoot. He has no conscience. No remorse. He will shoot – the situation, the opponent, the country. He could be in zero gravity floating in orbit. The dude would be jacking up shots. And missing.
-MPG
Bulls in 4
if Brad Miller shows up with cornrows.
12/31/08: Fire Vinny Del Negro.(upd: 1/7/10)
by NBA Observer on Apr 16, 2010 3:35 PM CDT reply actions 7 recs
JJ
James Johnson is a better defender than Luol Deng. JJ did a good job against Lebron on March 19th. It was a good team effort but lebron was turning the ball over left and right. In the 4th quarter when luol was back in, thats when Lebron had around 20 of 30 points that night. By no means am i saying JJ can shut down lebron but throw him out there and give him a chance.
He'll get his chance
Foul trouble always has a way of forcing you to play players you normally wouldn’t want to
If the Bulls don’t make the playoffs I won’t need to watch basketball, its on to basketball.
by QUINTEN DALEY on Apr 2, 2010 12:38 PM PDT
Doesn't that just mean
VDN will get the opportunity to play the Kirk-Rose-Pargo lineup?
Go Rockets/Nets[CDR]/Bucks[Jennings]!
Rose and Noah + An overconfident/slightly disinterested
Cavs team will be good for at least one game. My biggest concern is that have so many bodies to throw at Jo with Shaq, Z, Jamison, Hickson and Varajeao. I could see him getting in foul trouble and us being screwed for most of this series. We really only have Jo, Brad and Taj as Warrick and Richard are pretty useless. Our backcourt will need to dominate and I don’t see Kirky Wirky playing like he did the other night for a full series. Cavs in 5.
Joakim on whether he ever tried tennis: "I played a little bit. If anybody on the Bulls wanted to play me, I would kick their ass."
The Cavs are also approaching this series
from the perspective of a long playoff run. For them its a marathon not a sprint. They’ve had two starters out for long enough that they must be banking on this series for working out offensive and defensive kinks. So I agree with you that the Bulls can take advantage of the difference in attitudes for at least one win.
Bosh or Bust
by JockstrapNoah on Apr 16, 2010 5:34 PM CDT up reply actions
Brad Miller will win the game all by himself
Here is the key play..
Cavs up by 35 in the first quarter and Lebron starts to show signs of boreness. He takes a pass from Mo Williams and sees no one but Brad. He smell a poster, he sees blood, he starts to salivate. He goes down and Miller tries to get to the spot. His foot does and Lebron too. Lebron takes a mighty step.. on top of MIller’s foot. His ankle twists like pretzel and falls down. In the hospital he watches as the Bulls make a comeback behind Rose’s feefftee. I prefer this one to JJ taking a chop to his neck.
I know not to expect much
But, I’m sitting here in the Charlotte airport with a Sox cap on, and random strangers are coming to me and saying how excited they are to watch Derrick Rose tomorrow. It makes me feel warm inside.
by Ozzie Montana on Apr 16, 2010 6:45 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
wow.
there is something awesome about Pargo, though.
Seriously. It’s kind of awe inspiring: he WILL shoot. He has no conscience. No remorse. He will shoot – the situation, the opponent, the country. He could be in zero gravity floating in orbit. The dude would be jacking up shots. And missing.
-MPG
Is this what happens
the year before Rose averages a triple-double and losing the free agent lottery doesn’t mean anything anymore?
Second that wow
If you flew all the way to Charlotte to watch the Bulls clinch the playoffs
You’re aloud to feel warm everywhere
If the Bulls don’t make the playoffs I won’t need to watch basketball, its on to basketball.
by QUINTEN DALEY on Apr 2, 2010 12:38 PM PDT
by Option27 on Apr 16, 2010 8:21 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
He did just win player of the month...
His play is getting noticed…I am excited too.
Thomas, Miller, Salmons, James, Pargo, Gray, MLE, and (there is no LLE thanks to the Pargo signing) will not be here with a Max Free Agent...don't get too attached.
In all seriousnes
Cavs in 7
Each team wins their home games. Cleveland has a ton of pressure on them. The 1 vs 8 matchup is misleading. A full Bulls team, fully healthy, wins 50+ games this year.
Do not be surprised if Rose and friends put on a show, at least at home, where this time, maybe even the subdued Bulls crowd can go crazy.
I just can’t believe how crazy Rose is. There is no going back now. He’s going to do something crazy, like hit 5 threes in a row, or swat Lebron from behind on the Cavs final possession.
I just can’t see Cavs in 4 or 5, like how everyone is predicting.
"Michael Redd's owed 18.3 million next year. He can either opt out like an idiot or opt in like a douche bag." - NittanyCub
So you're saying you can't see the Cavs win it in 4 or 5
But you can see Rose hitting 5 threes in a row, swat LeBron from behind on the final Cavs possessions and the Bulls winning all their home games?
Well now I see why you can’t see the Cavs winning it in 4 or 5. I wouldn’t be able to see it too if I was that blind
If the Bulls don’t make the playoffs I won’t need to watch basketball, its on to basketball.
by QUINTEN DALEY on Apr 2, 2010 12:38 PM PDT
to be fair, just because blindness can result from drinking homemade grain alcohol doesnt mean
this guy IS blind.
there is something awesome about Pargo, though.
Seriously. It’s kind of awe inspiring: he WILL shoot. He has no conscience. No remorse. He will shoot – the situation, the opponent, the country. He could be in zero gravity floating in orbit. The dude would be jacking up shots. And missing.
-MPG
I have faith in Rose
Didn’t Atlanta, take Boston to 7 in 2008?
I can see Rose going off, yes I can. And I did say, it would be crazy to hit 5 threes in a row, but would it surprise me? Not really.
"Michael Redd's owed 18.3 million next year. He can either opt out like an idiot or opt in like a douche bag." - NittanyCub
Yes they did
Boston played back-to-back 7s last year
Rose can’t do anything yet. But he is fast approaching the point where nothing he does should surprise anyone
by OwlNotebook on Apr 17, 2010 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions
Sorry; that should read
“Rose can’t do everything yet”
by OwlNotebook on Apr 17, 2010 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions
Boston never had anyone who could singlehandedly dominate the game like LeBron.
Hell, Cleveland played them the best out of anyone in that playoffs, and they were starting Ben Wallace.
by Ozzie Montana on Apr 17, 2010 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions
Boston was really shitty on the road.
Go Rockets/Nets[CDR]/Bucks[Jennings]!
well...
The 1 vs 8 matchup is misleading
Not to be a Debbie Downer here, and yes I do realize you picked the Cavs, but the 8 vs. 1 thing is pretty rock solid historically. I do believe that an 8 has beaten a 1 exactly 3 times in history, and 2 of the times were in best of 5 matchups. The third was Don Nelson coached GS team that went nothing less than crazy with small ball too… Crazy.
I also realize you are saying that we should have won 50 games with a healthy lineup thus negating our low seed. Perhaps not 50, but higher than an 8 seed I’ll grant you that. Still doesn’t matter IMO. The notion that 8 seeds have only won 3 times is just as impressive as the fact that 1 seeds have only LOST 3 times. The Cavs are legit this year. I doubt the Bulls win more than 1 game.
How can we have the worst offense in the league when everything about our team owner and coach is offensive?
by Khalid El-Amin on Apr 16, 2010 8:26 PM CDT up reply actions
You are correct
I was just pointing out, we are not the traditional 8 seed that gets drubbed in the first round. We did beat Cleveland this year, too
"Michael Redd's owed 18.3 million next year. He can either opt out like an idiot or opt in like a douche bag." - NittanyCub
Didn't we beat them without LeBron though?
Or did we beat them with LeBron too?
How can we have the worst offense in the league when everything about our team owner and coach is offensive?
by Khalid El-Amin on Apr 17, 2010 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions
one thing i keep forgetting is this: last year every Cav not named lebron completely and
utterly choked. guys were missing open shots left and right, 40% 3pt shooters became 33% 3pt shooters, it was like a plague. and this was the case for the whole playoffs, not just the orlando series. i guess what i am saying is, until these guys prove otherwise, they are playoff bums.
there is something awesome about Pargo, though.
Seriously. It’s kind of awe inspiring: he WILL shoot. He has no conscience. No remorse. He will shoot – the situation, the opponent, the country. He could be in zero gravity floating in orbit. The dude would be jacking up shots. And missing.
-MPG
The Cavs swept through the first 2 rounds last year (Det and Atl) winning each game by an average
of 16 points/game. In their 6 game loss to Orlando, a team they match up poorly against, 3 games could have gone either way (2 decided by 1pt, another in OT) with Orlando taking 2. They just came out on the short end in a close series. They’re not “bums” and they have nothing to prove.
It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition he may abuse it.
George Washington
by snley on Apr 17, 2010 8:33 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
yes, how did they manage to defeat a crumbling detroit team with an injured tayshan prince?
or an atlanta team with an injured horford and williams? the non-lebron guys were awful last year. joe smith put up a 14 PER, .57 TS% and decent rebounding and no joke (look it up) he was probably the best non-lebron player on that team in the playoffs last year.
there is something awesome about Pargo, though.
Seriously. It’s kind of awe inspiring: he WILL shoot. He has no conscience. No remorse. He will shoot – the situation, the opponent, the country. He could be in zero gravity floating in orbit. The dude would be jacking up shots. And missing.
-MPG
I remember Mo Williams being the biggest culprit.
And looking it up, he shot .408% in the playoffs last year, .372% from 3pt. I think the Orlando series was his low point, but I can’t find his stats for that series.
Bosh or Bust
by JockstrapNoah on Apr 17, 2010 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions
yeah but now they have Jamison, Shaq and Parker
those guys are less important. Hickson has improved as has Varejao. This is a much deeper team this season
by Basketball Smurf on Apr 17, 2010 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions
3 guard lineup
I’m excited to see Vinny go to his 3 guard lineup with Pargo on LeBron! Woohoo!
Be honest fellow blog-a-bullshiters
Would you guys be down with one of our players purposely injuring lebron james, like say paxson created a fan poll on to send alexander to cheapshot/bulldoze james with intent to seriously injury, would you be down on no
by Blog-a-bullshiter9 on Apr 16, 2010 10:09 PM CDT reply actions
I'd be down for
seeing Pargo sneak up and snatch his headband then get chased around the court by all the Cavs a la Benny Hill…
LeRose, LeNoah, LeDeng, LeTaj, LeKurt, LeBrad, LeParg, LeFlip, LeJJ, LeDelNegro...
by headphones on Apr 16, 2010 10:42 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
LOL
Joakim on whether he ever tried tennis: "I played a little bit. If anybody on the Bulls wanted to play me, I would kick their ass."
If Paxon wants to do it himself
Otherwise that’s a big no
by OwlNotebook on Apr 16, 2010 10:42 PM CDT up reply actions
No for 4 reasons
1. That’s a slime ball move.
2. We could still lose to the Cavs without LeBron. We only barely beat them without LeBron (and Shaq) when the rest of their team had nothing to play for.
3. Beating the Cavs without LeBron wouldn’t be all that impressive of a feat anyways.
4. I don’t wish ill upon the guy who may lead us to our next championship.
Brad Miller is god.
Shaq rusty?
Building on the concept that the Cavs are in the ‘long haul’ playoffs mindset, wouldn’t it be reasonable to expect them to allow Shaq some time to get back up to speed? This could be an opportunity for the Bulls to rise up. RISE UP! And, you know, potentially not get swept.
Cavs in 5.
Prediction...?
I suck at predictions. So I hope this is wrong. Cavs in 5. I basically see it like yfbb – the Bulls simply don’t have the depth or scoring ability to keep up with the Cavs. Outside of the starters and Miller, I don’t trust anyone on this team to make a play. And I don’t think this is the type of coaching staff that comes up with great ideas to narrow the gap with a great opponent.
The Bulls are basically going to come out and try to do 3 things – rebound, push the ball, and not turn it over. Expect to hear VDN yelling “attack, attack” every time he is miked up. If the Bulls can do those things, they will keep the games close.
If they win a game, it will come down to keeping Lebron off the free throw line, Kirk/Deng/Miller hitting shots, and Rose coming through in the 4th. As much as this series will be about Noah and Rose, Deng is the guy I’m most interested in seeing. For at least 4 games Deng is going to be matched up with the best player in the world. The player the Bulls are going to have to get by if they want to win a championship in the next 5 years. Its Deng’s chance to make a statement? Lets hope the statement is more than “i’m a scrub.”
by Basketball Smurf on Apr 16, 2010 10:49 PM CDT reply actions
cavs in 8.
there is something awesome about Pargo, though.
Seriously. It’s kind of awe inspiring: he WILL shoot. He has no conscience. No remorse. He will shoot – the situation, the opponent, the country. He could be in zero gravity floating in orbit. The dude would be jacking up shots. And missing.
-MPG
by TheMoon on Apr 17, 2010 12:17 AM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Hey,
at leas we won the turnover battle …
kinda ,,,
Go Rockets/Nets[CDR]/Bucks[Jennings]!
What I wanna know
If the Bulls win will LBJ congratulate the Bulls, especially Noah, or just stomp off the floor.
If I were Lebron
I’d take that opportunity to sign with the Chicago Bulls! Then everyone’s happy.
by Stacey_Is_King on Apr 16, 2010 11:55 PM CDT up reply actions
pax will be standing at the tunnel and grab his jersey
“you go back there and congratulate my players”
I give you a hard time now and then, Matt, but...
this:
“Hey, maybe this is where Vinny’s ‘coaching’ (”Run! Run!“) can help.”
was excellent!
by badnewsintennisshoes on Apr 16, 2010 11:49 PM CDT reply actions
Man we are getting disrespected all over the freakin place
everyone has Cavs in 4. Check out the fucken stat geeks at ESPN. They can’t even realize that those stats are skewed because we had injuries and had to fight like hell to make the playoffs.
Fuck that shit. You mess with the Bulls, you’re gonna get the horns!
Let’s do this!
"Michael Redd's owed 18.3 million next year. He can either opt out like an idiot or opt in like a douche bag." - NittanyCub
by Trey23 on Apr 17, 2010 8:14 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
ESPN writers mostly had Celtics in 4 last year too..
Call me crazy optimistic, but i see the Bulls win 3 games in the series or even upset the Cavs and move to the second round…
by simonswiss on Apr 17, 2010 9:27 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
The Yahoo folks have Cavs in 5
Someone had Cavs in 6, I forget who
Not that I want to see the Bulls get decimated but it’s not like we had the best year. Or anything resembling a good year. At full health & strength we win 48+ games in the regular season. But we weren’t at full health or strength, at all. Hence the “disrespect,” which in large measure we’ve earned.
There are two constants in this series that I can see–they are named James and Rose. Everything else is a variable. Which makes the series a lot of fun to think about.
Tip-off in 3 hours and 12 minutes…
by OwlNotebook on Apr 17, 2010 10:48 AM CDT up reply actions
You can put down Noah
for 13 rebounds a game.
Bosh or Bust
by JockstrapNoah on Apr 17, 2010 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions
At full health/strength I think we win 50+
We went on a 10-game losing streak, lost to the Nets twice, lost to the Kings, and those dozen or so games we lost at the beginning could’ve went our way if Rose was healthy. Despite all that, we still finish with the same record as last year.
by Stacey_Is_King on Apr 17, 2010 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions
Cavs in 6
its a realistic optimistic prediction. Bulls win game 1, lose game 2, 3, win game 4 lose game 5 and 6
I dont care what the D.N.A. Says, the Guy wearing number 12 Cannot be Kirk Hinrich, he is definetly Kurt. Kirk can actually play basketball!
Bulls win in game 7
rose over elhoo game winner
by Blog-a-bullshiter9 on Apr 17, 2010 10:36 AM CDT reply actions
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