Looks like Chicago took a page from Boston's playbook ...

[Moranis]

When will people come to the realization that the Miami Heat are just a [dang] good basketball team?  The Heat have 3 of the 4 best players in the series, they should win.  If anything, the Bulls should be thankful James and Wade were terrible in game 1.  Haslem is back and actually playing well, which adds some more interior toughness.  The championship is the Heat's to lose.

[housecall]

Carlos Boozer needs to step up and play better.Rose didn't have one of his best night but thats when your number 2 and 3 best players are suppose to show up.Boozer hasn't been consistent throughout the playoffs.Comeon Booz,get with the program!

Deng gets a little bit of a pass last night because his job is not an easy one...can't expect him to come up big each night on the offensive end when you're trying to defend LBJ.

[Donoghus]

When will people come to the realization that the Miami Heat are just a [dang] good basketball team?  The Heat have 3 of the 4 best players in the series, they should win.  If anything, the Bulls should be thankful James and Wade were terrible in game 1.  Haslem is back and actually playing well, which adds some more interior toughness.  The championship is the Heat's to lose.

Disagree with this last part.  I think Dallas takes them down and I'm not even on the fence about that one. 

I still think Chicago has an excellent shot to take this current series, though.  Defensively, they're doing a helluva job.  Just need to be more consistent on offense.

[BballTim]

The Bulls need shooters ; theyre roleplayers are just pitiful

  No, they're like us. They just need a point guard that can score. It's practically impossible to go on a scoring drought or put up, say, 10 points in the fourth quarter if you have one. I read that somewhere, possibly here.

[MBz]

When will people come to the realization that the Miami Heat are just a [dang] good basketball team?  The Heat have 3 of the 4 best players in the series, they should win.  If anything, the Bulls should be thankful James and Wade were terrible in game 1.  Haslem is back and actually playing well, which adds some more interior toughness.  The championship is the Heat's to lose.

Disagree with this last part.  I think Dallas takes them down and I'm not even on the fence about that one. 

I still think Chicago has an excellent shot to take this current series, though.  Defensively, they're doing a helluva job.  Just need to be more consistent on offense.

Agreed.  No team has played better than Dallas has this post season.  Also, I just enjoy watching them so much more than Miami.  The game Tuesday night was one of my favorite games to watch all year long.  I even enjoyed it more than most Celtics games.

[CelticG1]

Carlos Boozer needs to step up and play better.Rose didn't have one of his best night but thats when your number 2 and 3 best players are suppose to show up.Boozer hasn't been consistent throughout the playoffs.Comeon Booz,get with the program!

Deng gets a little bit of a pass last night because his job is not an easy one...can't expect him to come up big each night on the offensive end when you're trying to defend LBJ.

When has Boozer ever stepped up?

The guy is so overrated. Always injured, front running guy who just isn't made for big moments. I know the Bulls didn't have many free agent options last year but Boozer was not a great consolation prize IMO

[Moranis]

When will people come to the realization that the Miami Heat are just a [dang] good basketball team?  The Heat have 3 of the 4 best players in the series, they should win.  If anything, the Bulls should be thankful James and Wade were terrible in game 1.  Haslem is back and actually playing well, which adds some more interior toughness.  The championship is the Heat's to lose.

Disagree with this last part.  I think Dallas takes them down and I'm not even on the fence about that one.  

I still think Chicago has an excellent shot to take this current series, though.  Defensively, they're doing a helluva job.  Just need to be more consistent on offense.

Dallas will give them their best game, but Miami actually matches up well with them.  Kidd has slowed down a lot so even Bibby can guard him (and JJ vs. Chalmers is fairly equal as well), and Chandler and Anthony are non-factors.  I think their benches each have strong parts, Terry v. Miller should be an intersting matchup.  If Haslem keeps coming back stronger and stronger, I'd give Miami the slight edge on the bench.

To me the series comes down to Marion v. James, Bosh v. Dirk, and Stevenson v. Wade and I just can't see Dallas winning that overall battle.  Even Bosh does an adequate job on Dirk given their respective styles, and frankly I wouldn't be surprised if Bosh actually won that matchup in a game or two in the series.  James and Wade are just too good for their respective counterparts.

I picked Miami in 6 over Chicago and Dallas in 5 over OKC before those series, and then had Miami over Dallas in 6 in the final.  I'm sticking with those predictions.  Though want Dallas to win of all the teams left.  It's time for Dirk to finally get his due and Kidd to finally hit pay dirt.

[vinnie]

and decided to stink it up on offense: only 75 points for the game on 34.1% shooting (including just 3 of 20 on threes), featuring a miserable 10-point fourth quarter. Yes, Miami's defense was pretty good, but I saw nearly the whole thing, and Chicago just missed a lot of open looks, from the first quarter on.

Hmmm, good offense at the start but almost nonexistent in the fourth? Where have I seen that before?

If Chicago had Perk they would not have gone on a cold streak.  He would have been the difference maker for them tonight (ailing knees and all). 

As a matter of fact, if the Celtics hadn't traded Perk they would be playing Chicago right now and would be up 2-0 because Perk was that good. Boston was NEVER out-rebounded with him in the lineup so there is no way Miami could have controlled the boards. He has almost singlehandedly carried OKC to the WCF. 

Durant, Westbrook and company would be useless without that anchor in the middle. Perk has already blocked 8 shots in 13 playoff games and is rolling offensively with one (1) playoff game where he has scored more than 7 points so far.

Don't let his +/- numbers below fool you........they got their $9 million dollar man for the 2011 playoff run and the Celtics clearly lost out!


TOP INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS
PLAYER 1       +/-               Games
N. Collison       +77           13
K. Durant       +65           13
J. Harden       +54           13
R. Westbrook       +51           13
N. Mohammed  +21           13
D. Cook             +6           13
S. Ibaka                + 3            13
N. Robinson         -4              3
R. Ivey                 -4              2
E. Maynor         -8            13
T. Sefolosha       -20                13
K. Perkins       -26           13

http://www.nba.com/statistics/plusminus/plusminus_sort.jsp?pcomb=1&season=42010&split=9&team=Thunder

Love the shots Perk continues to take. At this point, it is clear that he is the worst player in the NBA. Just shaking my head.

[Mr October]

When will people come to the realization that the Miami Heat are just a [dang] good basketball team?  The Heat have 3 of the 4 best players in the series, they should win.  If anything, the Bulls should be thankful James and Wade were terrible in game 1.  Haslem is back and actually playing well, which adds some more interior toughness.  The championship is the Heat's to lose.

TP. James and Wade are really really good. The Miami defense is really really good too. They destroy passing lanes like no other team.

Sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due.

[Finkelskyhook]

Carlos Boozer needs to step up and play better.Rose didn't have one of his best night but thats when your number 2 and 3 best players are suppose to show up.Boozer hasn't been consistent throughout the playoffs.Comeon Booz,get with the program!

Deng gets a little bit of a pass last night because his job is not an easy one...can't expect him to come up big each night on the offensive end when you're trying to defend LBJ.

When has Boozer ever stepped up?

The guy is so overrated. Always injured, front running guy who just isn't made for big moments. I know the Bulls didn't have many free agent options last year but Boozer was not a great consolation prize IMO

After reading the above...... Boozer sounds like a modern-day Jermaine O'Neal.

[pearljammer10]

When will people come to the realization that the Miami Heat are just a [dang] good basketball team?  The Heat have 3 of the 4 best players in the series, they should win.  If anything, the Bulls should be thankful James and Wade were terrible in game 1.  Haslem is back and actually playing well, which adds some more interior toughness.  The championship is the Heat's to lose.

TP. James and Wade are really really good. The Miami defense is really really good too. They destroy passing lanes like no other team.

Sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due.

Hard to argue against this. Wade and James are all the shots the need to, and are supposed to be making... James has hit huge huge clutch three's in almost all of their wins, and Wade has been doing pretty much the same throughout all the games.

[j804]

When will people come to the realization that the Miami Heat are just a [dang] good basketball team?  The Heat have 3 of the 4 best players in the series, they should win.  If anything, the Bulls should be thankful James and Wade were terrible in game 1.  Haslem is back and actually playing well, which adds some more interior toughness.  The championship is the Heat's to lose.

TP. James and Wade are really really good. The Miami defense is really really good too. They destroy passing lanes like no other team.

Sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due.

Hard to argue against this. Wade and James are all the shots the need to, and are supposed to be making... James has hit huge huge clutch three's in almost all of their wins, and Wade has been doing pretty much the same throughout all the games.

while I hate them have to agree the pretty much just take turns when each other is gassed

[kozlodoev]

When will people come to the realization that the Miami Heat are just a [dang] good basketball team?  The Heat have 3 of the 4 best players in the series, they should win.  If anything, the Bulls should be thankful James and Wade were terrible in game 1.  Haslem is back and actually playing well, which adds some more interior toughness.  The championship is the Heat's to lose.

Chris Bosh is not better than Carlos Boozer.

[u2larkin04]

Looks like they took our assistant coach and our Scalabrine too 

[Mr October]

When will people come to the realization that the Miami Heat are just a [dang] good basketball team?  The Heat have 3 of the 4 best players in the series, they should win.  If anything, the Bulls should be thankful James and Wade were terrible in game 1.  Haslem is back and actually playing well, which adds some more interior toughness.  The championship is the Heat's to lose.

Chris Bosh is not better than Carlos Boozer.

I'd take Bosh over Boozer any day. Bosh is taller, faster, healthier.

Both rely mostly on scoring from the outside.

Boozer is the better banger, but he struggles mightily when facing a tall opposing star forward.