Professional and College Basketball Forums banner

Can The Bulls Hold On?

1K views 20 replies 11 participants last post by  yodurk 
#1 ·
My friend that works at the store up the street told me yesterday, "Don't worry I have two teams and they still have time to dethrone your Bulls." LOL! He's talking of course about Miami Heat and Boston Celtics. But do you guys really think they have time to dethrone the Bulls? I don't think so. I think Bulls will hold on to the top seed in the East... Now, only if those Spurs would start to lose a couple of games.

Also, a lot of people say that Bulls can't go all the way? In the words of Derrick Rose when he said he wanted to be MVP, "Why not?" This team has stood up to everyone this season and has beaten them all consistently. Why can't they win the title? I say they will win it all!
 
#2 ·
Things are looking good for the #1 seed. That's important. You just don't know what these guys can do in the playoffs. I'm hopeful. If we play our game, we can play with anyone. We've shown it. Now we've got to prove it when it really counts. I'm really looking forward to it.

And welcome to the board, edifier. Your screen name is promising...:)
 
#3 ·
Here is my take on the race to the number one seed in the east. The bull are 3 games ahead of Miami but it is really 4 games since the bulls one the season series. So the bulls are 57 - 20 and Miami has 23 losses so the bulls will have to go 1 and 4 in there last five games to loss the top seed to Miami if they win there last 5 games and they play Boston and Alt and we play Cle and on Friday and NJN the last game of the season so that seems really unlikely the bulls go 1 and 4 thier last five games.

As for Boston they also have 23 losses but they also have a to play 5 games in 7 nights starting Thursday night in chicago. Then Was at home, one day off then at Miami on Sunday, at Was on Monday, and then at home against NY. So pretty rough schedule for a team that is not playing that well and they look exhausted to me.

Really the big game in on Thursday when the bulls play Boston at home. If the bulls win this game it is pretty much over since that would only require the bulls to win one of their last four games and that includes CLE and NJN. But we do have two rough away games at Orlando on sunday and at NY on Tuesday but neither of these team is play very good BBall.

So my prediction is the bulls finish the seaon 60 and 22!
 
#5 ·
Seriously, I thought our plateau this season was the #4 spot. In fact, I was a little nervous as to whether we could even get that spot. I scoffed and sneered at mere peons who suggested we could get the #2 spot. Months later I stare up at the standings and what do I see? Us at the #3 spot? NO. #2? NO. But #1!!!!!!

So, I don't know. This team has surpassed all of my expectations. I do know however that teams are a lot more serious deeper into the playoffs than they are in the first round. How much of a killer is Derrick Rose? Can our supporting cast carry the load without getting fatigued? We know we have a battle tested coach, but the last two times he was at the big dance he was an assistant. Exciting times, YES!

I'll have fun rooting the Bulls each step of the way. Whether they will win it all I don't know, but they certainly have displayed championship level basketball. So if not this year, I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen next year or the year after.

GOOOOOOOOOOOO BULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLS!
 
#6 ·
The odds of losing the #1 seed at this point are very low.

For the past 2 weeks, I've just been thinking "please get to 59 wins...that should do it"

Sure enough, I think 59 wins is our goal to lock up that #1 seed. Miami could feasibly win all their remaining games and it still won't matter, as long as we get win #59. I somehow doubt Boston is going to reach 59 wins with how they've been playing (need to go 5-0 to close out the season).

Granted, none of the Bulls' remaining games are gimmes. Boston certainly isn't. The road games at Cleveland and Orlando won't be either, despite Cleveland's record they've beat some good teams at home. At New York is no picnic either; I hope Rose remembers who embarrassed them on Christmas Day.

I do think we'll mop the floor with New Jersey at the United Center in that last game, if we really need to.
 
#7 ·
The odds of the Heat or Celtics taking the East are getting slimmer and slimmer. The goal for Chicago should be to win 60 games this season and have a better record than the Lakers. IMO, it will be very hard for the Spurs to come out of the West. If our record was better than the Lakers, and we did come out of the East, we would have HC throughout the playoffs. And that is important.
 
#10 ·
Well, Miami just lost to Milwaukee and is no longer a threat to steal the #1 seed from us. That alone makes this a successful season.

All the Bulls need to do is win 1 more game and they've clinched that spot over Miami.

Would be great to beat Boston tomorrow, that will really put that #1 seed to bed once and for all.
 
#12 ·
I am worried about the Heat. I have to be honest with how I feel, and I believe the Heat will beat the Bulls in seven. I know this is hard to imagine but closing Wade and Lebron out is going to be almost impossible.
I don't think any Bulls fan thinks losing to the Heat is hard to imagine.
 
#14 ·
IMO, if the Heat get any momentum in the Playoffs (beating the Celtics), they will be very difficult to handle. The most difficult thing for them is to keep all 3 guys healthy. That is not easy to accomplish given their depth. All 3 are expected to play 40+ mins in the playoffs.
 
#15 · (Edited)
The Heat's big problem is they aren't good at sharing the ball, and exploiting that fact is really the key to beating them, IMO.

I get grilled for even suggesting this on the general board, but I'm becoming less of a fan of Lebron James' style of play with each passing season. As much as as I hate his guts, he is arguably the most gifted player the league has ever seen: a power forward's body with the athleticism and skills of a point guard. In spite of this, he has this habit of pounding the ball for 2/3 of the shot clock and going into iso mode to the point where his teammates get bored and oftentimes useless. Sure his stat sheet looks pretty and he does things that other players only dream about, but does it really make the team better (that habit, I mean)? Furthermore, the Heat just don't have very many good off-the-ball players to benefit from that style.

So basically, if Thibs designs the defensive schemes to tempt Lebron or Wade into constant iso situations, I don't see them beating the Bulls. They will certainly blow out teams like Minnesota and Washington by 40 using this approach, but the Bulls are one of the most disciplined defensive teams in the league with the interior size to shut down the iso. If the Heat learn to move the ball effectively without so much dribbling, then IMO we're screwed.
 
#19 ·
Kurt really is something else. We need to make it a rule to have at least 1 guy like him every season. Continue the tradition of old wily vet big men -- Antonio Davis to PJ Brown to Brad Miller to Kurt Thomas.

As for the #1 seed, might as well crown ourselves regular season champs. The Boston win clinched it as far as I'm concerned. The big thing now is to ensure we keep home court advantage over the Lakers, who most think will make the Finals.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top