ECF guarantee for Bulls? Don't think so!

[csfansince60s]

This anointing of Rose and coronation of the Bulls EC Finalists/Champions is getting a little old and tremendously premature to me. I mean, why even bother playing the games. Just give the Bulls a bye right to the ECF and let the other pretenders fight it out for the honor of being the sacrificial lamb to these unstoppable Bulls.

Gimme a blankin' break!

Remember the Cavs last year? Rolled thru the league during the regular season, Huh? What then?

The Bulls most likely get by the Pacers, that I'll concede. Then they most likely play the Magic. The Bulls do not match up well against the Magic, and as we know, the playoffs are all about match-ups.

The Bulls have the edge at the 1, but Rose's advantage over Nelson/Arenas (the combo of whom will keep Rose busy at the other end) is nowhere near the advantage that the Magic have at the 5.

The Bulls have no answer for Howard. Yeah, Thibs D minimized Howard's effectiveness, but that was because of the Perk/Baby muscling of Howard away from the hoop which allowed us to run their 3 point shooters off the arc. The Bulls will have no such luxury. Noah (too weak) and Thomas (too immobile) have no chance against Howard. Orlando's wings will be getting all sorts of open looks.

The Bulls have a slight edge at the 4 with the Boozer/Gibson combo over the Bass/Andersen/Turkoglu (when they go small) group, but Bass is underrated and will give Boozer some physicality (which he doesn't like) and  Andersen and Turkoglu will draw Gibson outside with their 3 pt range which will leave Noah/Thomas all alone vs Howard underneath. Good Luck with that!

Where the Magic have a decisive edge over the Bulls is at the wing positions. JRich/Reddick/Arenas/Turkoglu vs Deng and a bunch of nobodies is a huge edge to the Magic and along with the Magic dominance at the 5, I feel become a true match-up nightmare for the Bulls.

In addition to the match-up advantages, the Magic are a far more playoff tested, seasoned team, which is intimately familiar with Thib's D. All the match-up and experience edges the Cs had/have vs the Magic, the bulls do not possess.

Has Rose gotten out of the 1st round yet?

The Bulls may yet get to the ECF and could win it all. I'm just not convinced yet, and I don't think Orlando is either. The bulls are 6(Rose, Deng,Thomas,Boozer,Gibson,Noah)players deep. Let's see how far that gets them.

 

[PosImpos]

They've got a really easy road there.

The Celtics / Heat do not.

The Bulls will have HCA in the ECF, and they match up well with both the Celtics and the Heat.

Anybody who doesn't think the Bulls are the overwhelming favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in the Finals is being wildly optimistic.  Yes, the same could be said for the Cavs at this time last year.  If Rose goes into a funk the way LeBron did in the second round last year, then the equation will change.  But I really don't think that's going to happen.  The Bulls are a much different team than the Cavs were.  I think they're for real.

[Kane3387]

Don't forget we had Sheed as well to D up on D12. I think Orlando can beat them.

[PosImpos]

Don't forget we had Sheed as well to D up on D12. I think Orlando can beat them.

Orlando might not beat Atlanta.

[CelticSooner]

They've got a really easy road there.

The Celtics / Heat do not.

The Bulls will have HCA in the ECF, and they match up well with both the Celtics and the Heat.

Anybody who doesn't think the Bulls are the overwhelming favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in the Finals is being wildly optimistic.  Yes, the same could be said for the Cavs at this time last year.  If Rose goes into a funk the way LeBron did in the second round last year, then the equation will change.  But I really don't think that's going to happen.  The Bulls are a much different team than the Cavs were.  I think they're for real.

I would take the Heat over the Bulls in a series. Rose would have his way but so would Wade and LeBron. Bosh and Boozer is a wash.

[manl_lui]

theres 4 more games left, and if Chicago and Orlando meet in the semis, im pretty sure Orlando can stop them for us, as we will try to fight off the Heat in the 2nd round (someone correct me if i'm wrong)

if I'm right about the 2nd round then I do not see Orlando as a threat in the ECF

[CelticG1]

They've got a really easy road there.

The Celtics / Heat do not.

The Bulls will have HCA in the ECF, and they match up well with both the Celtics and the Heat.

Anybody who doesn't think the Bulls are the overwhelming favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in the Finals is being wildly optimistic.  Yes, the same could be said for the Cavs at this time last year.  If Rose goes into a funk the way LeBron did in the second round last year, then the equation will change.  But I really don't think that's going to happen.  The Bulls are a much different team than the Cavs were.  I think they're for real.

Cavs faltered 2 years in a row.

Still don't see much of a difference between the 2. They were both heavily relied on a superstar and were both top defensive teams in the league.

They both went a hundred miles an hour in the regular season. We can only wait and see if this Bulls team can do something in the playoffs but they certainly have a lot to prove and a lot of pressure on them.

Never been out of the first round anda  first year coach.

I'm siding with the good guys on this

[csfansince60s]

Anybody who doesn't think the Bulls are the overwhelming favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in the Finals is being wildly optimistic.  Yes, the same could be said for the Cavs at this time last year.  If Rose goes into a funk the way LeBron did in the second round last year, then the equation will change.  But I really don't think that's going to happen.  The Bulls are a much different team than the Cavs were.  I think they're for real.

Words like "overwhelming" and "wildly optimistic" seem somewhat hyperbolic to me. The Magic match up well against the Bulls and can beat them in a 7 game series. Here are the current odds on who wins the EC:

Miami Heat    3-2    In Progress

Chicago Bulls    11-10    In Progress

Boston Celtics    2-1    In Progress
Orlando Magic    6-1    In Progress
New York Knicks    25-1    In Progress
Atlanta Hawks    75-1    In Progress
Philadelphia 76ers    100-1    In Progress
Indiana Pacers    500-1    In Progress

http://props.scoresandodds.com/section_display.cfm?event=2010%2F2011%20NBA%20Eastern%20Conference%20-%20Odds%20to%20Win&sporttype=583&startdate=4/8/2011

In gambling parlance, these numbers don't scream "overwhelming favorites". Maybe compared to the Pacers, 6ers, Hawks and Knicks, but definitely not compared to the Heat, Cs and Magic.

Also, last year's Cavs were every bit as good as these Bulls in the regular season, if not better. The real question is "did LeBron go in the funk on his own resulting in the Cs winning OR did the Cs play place LeBron into his funk because they were mentally tougher?" I think the latter and submit that Cs and Magic are mentally tougher than the Bulls.