Despite having the best record.....

[Glide2keva]

And overall #1 seed, the Bulls don't seem to given much of a chance to win the NBA Championship.

Do you like the underdog status the Bulls have despite having HCA in every series they play in?

I don't care for it, but it is what it is.

 

[Saluki]

When has a Chicago team been favored to win anything over the last 15ish years? We get no respect from the national media, everyone just assumes the Chicago team can't go all the way.

 

[thechosenone]

Who cares? This means more pressure for our opponents. We can take advantage of that. The less the press is writing about us the better. We don't need to focus on other things other than basketball and winning.

 

[dabynsky]

When has a Chicago team been favored to win anything over the last 15ish years? We get no respect from the national media, everyone just assumes the Chicago team can't go all the way.

The Blackhawks in 2009-2010?

 

[Bear06]

I love the underdog status it will motivate them even more.

 

[Glide2keva]

I know people will say that they were in the same position last year, but last year was last year and this team is much improved from then.

The whole team has stepped up and gotten better. I like the Bulls chances in the playoffs and I think they are the best team.

 

[Bear06]

I know people will say that they were in the same position last year, but last year was last year and this team is much improved from then.

The whole team has stepped up and gotten better. I like the Bulls chances in the playoffs and I think they are the best team.

I see it as the 06 and 07 playoffs dejavu when in 06 the Heat beat the Bulls and in 07 the Bulls swept them. Last year the Heat beat the Bulls and this time we will beat them.

 

[Diddy1122]

The players in the locker room don't give two shits about it & neither do I. Actions speak louder than words.

I seem to remember not a single soul picking the Mavs to win it all last year (except maybe me after they swept LA ), so I put little stock in "expert" predictions.

 

[DCguy]

Those "experts" are just giving their opinions, no different then what we are doing. They just have a platform for their opinions to be read and heard by many. But let then think what they want. The underdog role is what keeps the fire burning for the guys so let the "experts" keep fueling that.

 

[Venom]

I believe in Chicago, but I just can't see them getting past the Heat.

 

[Crystallas]

Don't forget to factor in the marketing. Some writers are affiliated with the leagues marketing to do PR and sell the sport. That means teams that are expected to make money no matter what, will get less love from the handful of writers that are strictly publishing predictions in such a favor. Then shit just starts rolling and we witness the sheep effect of other writers repeating what they have read.

Sure, our homer-ism is huffing and puffing at some of the lewd predictions. Sure, they can make a case for why they made those predictions as well. But in the end, those predictions don't mean a god damn thing. Popping an nebuchadnezzar over the Larry O'Brien means everything.

 

[Glide2keva]

I believe in Chicago, but I just can't see them getting past the Heat.

I can. But I don't think they will have to get past the Heat.

 

[BNB]

I know people will say that they were in the same position last year, but last year was last year and this team is much improved from then.

The whole team has stepped up and gotten better. I like the Bulls chances in the playoffs and I think they are the best team.

We haven't gotten much better. We're better defensively this season compared to last, but we have gotten worse offensively. We're shooting a lower percentage from the field and on free throws. We're averaging less PPG. Only thing we really improved on offense is our 3 pt. %... but only by one percent.

So we got slightly better on D and slightly worse on O... how are we much better?

 

[Glide2keva]

We haven't gotten much better. We're better defensively this season compared to last, but we have gotten worse offensively. We're shooting a lower percentage from the field and on free throws. We're averaging less PPG. Only thing we really improved on offense is our 3 pt. %... but only by one percent.

So we got slightly better on D and slightly worse on O... how are we much better?

Because it isn't all about stats. But since you want to use stats. They are one of the best passing teams, they get some of the most assists to made baskets, they are one of the best rebounding (offensively and defensively) and they are one of the top teams in second chance points.

Other players have increased their overall production offensively and defensively. While you're looking at stats like it's the be all, end all. I'm looking what they do on the court during the games.

So like I said, they have improved overall as a team. They have better chemistry on the floor and Boozer & Noah are player extremely well together. Something they weren't doing last year. We have better production overall from the 2 spot (Korver is even playing decent defense) and the bench is better than last year.

But yeah since it doesn't say so in the stats, it must not be true.

Next thing you know you'll be telling me the Heat got drastically better.

:gtfo:

 

[Axl Rose]

who cares?

 

[Diddy1122]

We haven't gotten much better. We're better defensively this season compared to last, but we have gotten worse offensively. We're shooting a lower percentage from the field and on free throws. We're averaging less PPG. Only thing we really improved on offense is our 3 pt. %... but only by one percent.

So we got slightly better on D and slightly worse on O... how are we much better?

5th in offensive rating compared to 11th last season, so YES, the offense has improved. 5th in league in overall assist totals, compared to 9th last season. This team has improved greatly from last season. I don't see how you can't see that. Sure ppg totals, fg% & ft% are down, but they are down all across the league, so that doesn't do much for your argument.

There's a clear difference between this team & last year's team. Last year, Rose was relied on almost solely to create & score. This year, the team has had to rely on each other to create & score with Rose missing nearly half the season. And they didn't miss a beat with him gone. That right there should scare the ever-loving bejeebus out of every other team in the league. It's the reason I believe we win it all this year.

 

[Glide2keva]

5th in offensive rating compared to 11th last season, so YES, the offense has improved. 5th in league in overall assist totals, compared to 9th last season. This team has improved greatly from last season. I don't see how you can't see that. Sure ppg totals, fg% & ft% are down, but they are down all across the league, so that doesn't do much for your argument.

There's a clear difference between this team & last year's team. Last year, Rose was relied on almost solely to create & score. This year, the team has had to rely on each other to create & score with Rose missing nearly half the season. And they didn't miss a beat with him gone. That right there should scare the ever-loving bejeebus out of every other team in the league. It's the reason I believe we win it all this year.

:clap:

That's what I'm saying. Thanks for putting the ranks up there because man it gets on my nerves how people act like this is the same team as last year when this team is CLEARLY better than last year.

 

[BNB]

Because it isn't all about stats. But since you want to use stats. They are one of the best passing teams, they get some of the most assists to made baskets, they are one of the best rebounding (offensively and defensively) and they are one of the top teams in second chance points.

Other players have increased their overall production offensively and defensively. While you're looking at stats like it's the be all, end all. I'm looking what they do on the court during the games.

So like I said, they have improved overall as a team. They have better chemistry on the floor and Boozer & Noah are player extremely well together. Something they weren't doing last year. We have better production overall from the 2 spot (Korver is even playing decent defense) and the bench is better than last year.

But yeah since it doesn't say so in the stats, it must not be true.

Next thing you know you'll be telling me the Heat got drastically better.

:gtfo:

We were also one of the best rebounding and passing teams last season too.

Who's increased their production on offense? Noah is averaging less PPG and shooting a worse % than last season. Rose is scoring less and shooting a worse %. Deng is scoring less and shooting a worse %. Boozer is scoring less but has a an increase in 2% in shooting %. Brewer is scoring about the same but shooting a worse %. Watson is scoring more because of Rose's injury, but he's shooting a worse %. Gibson is about the same as last season as is Asik and Korver.

Hamilton brings more to the offense than Bogans brought, but it clearly hasn't been enough because our offense struggles a lot at times.

Chemistry may be better, but we still look the same. The team actually looks more in sync when Rose is out because they got used to playing without him.. that's gonna be terrible for us in the playoffs if they can't get that together. Rose looks out of rhythm with his shot and everyone around him.

and considering that every team steps it up defensively in the playoffs, the Bulls should be concerned. We'll probably still be the better defensive team compared to whoever we're playing, but they'll also be playing hard defense. So it'll probably come down to the offense just like it did last season... and I don't trust our offense enough right now.

 

[Glide2keva]

We were also one of the best rebounding and passing teams last season too.

Who's increased their production on offense? Noah is averaging less PPG and shooting a worse % than last season. Rose is scoring less and shooting a worse %. Deng is scoring less and shooting a worse %. Boozer is scoring less but has a an increase in 2% in shooting %. Brewer is scoring about the same but shooting a worse %. Watson is scoring more because of Rose's injury, but he's shooting a worse %. Gibson is about the same as last season as is Asik and Korver.

Hamilton brings more to the offense than Bogans brought, but it clearly hasn't been enough because our offense struggles a lot at times.

Chemistry may be better, but we still look the same. The team actually looks more in sync when Rose is out because they got used to playing without him.. that's gonna be terrible for us in the playoffs if they can't get that together. Rose looks out of rhythm with his shot and everyone around him.

and considering that every team steps it up defensively in the playoffs, the Bulls should be concerned. We'll probably still be the better defensive team compared to whoever we're playing, but they'll also be playing hard defense. So it'll probably come down to the offense just like it did last season... and I don't trust our offense enough right now.

Please shut up about last season. Stop living in the past. What do you think because they lost last season, they will lose this season?

I didn't know they decided playoffs based on what happened the year before.

So ppg and %'s are the only stats you look at? This team is better than last year, if you can't see it then I don't know what to tell you.

What team are you going to root for? I mean seeing as the Bulls have no chance, why waste time waiting on the inevitable?

 

[BNB]

5th in offensive rating compared to 11th last season, so YES, the offense has improved. 5th in league in overall assist totals, compared to 9th last season. This team has improved greatly from last season. I don't see how you can't see that. Sure ppg totals, fg% & ft% are down, but they are down all across the league, so that doesn't do much for your argument.

There's a clear difference between this team & last year's team. Last year, Rose was relied on almost solely to create & score. This year, the team has had to rely on each other to create & score with Rose missing nearly half the season. And they didn't miss a beat with him gone. That right there should scare the ever-loving bejeebus out of every other team in the league. It's the reason I believe we win it all this year.

You're totally right on your first point. It has been down across the league. I'll back off those numbers.

But we still have the same problems we had last year. We go stretches every game where we can't do SHIT on offense and we need our defense to step up to bring our offense back in it. That'll help us beat Philly and either Boston or ATL.. but if our offense keeps disappearing like it has done this season and last against Miami again, I don't think we'll win.

And like I said to glide, yeah.. we played great without Rose. But we have looked terrible with him since he has been back. If that carries into the playoffs, we're fucked. We can't have Rose out of rhythm like that and expect to win. It's easier to get away with in the regular season when teams aren't going 100% or we're playing bad teams, but the playoffs are a different animal. Even when Rose was healthy earlier this season, we had similar problems as last season. Rose was doing too much and everyone else was doing too much standing around on offense. Rose's first game back against the Knicks this season after missing 3 weeks, it went right back to that shit after they played so well without him. If Rose is trying to do too much and put up 30 shots, we won't win.