Deveney: Does anyone want to play the Bulls?

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5. Does anyone want to play the Bulls?

If this was the NBDL, where a change in playoff format allows the top teams to pick their opponents from the lower seeds, no one would want to take on Chicago. They've gone 9-3 since their bummer of an early-March road trip, and since the All-Star break, they're 12-1 at the United Center -- the one loss was to the Lakers, and came after the Bulls had built a 16-point lead.

New additions John Salmons (who is nursing a groin injury) and Brad Miller have fit in very well, and young big men Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah have gotten more reliable. Rookie point guard Derrick Rose fought through some midseason struggles, free-agent-to-be Ben Gordon still is a potent scorer and Kirk Hinrich's acceptance of a bench role has made him the glue that has held the whole thing together.

"We just have a good rhythm going," Hinrich said. "Especially at home, we have a comfort level here and I am sure that will carry over into the playoffs. But we've been able to get our offense going and we've been getting stops on the defensive end when we need them. I think we really like how we've been playing."

It's possible that the Bulls will slide ahead of the Pistons for the No. 7 seed in the East (the two teams play each other in Detroit on Monday), which would create an interesting tangent in the race between the Celtics and Magic for the East's No. 2 seed -- it might be better to be third and avoid Chicago in the first round.

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=536504

 

[cool007]

If I am Boston/Orlando - I don't know if I am winning/losing because we want to avoid Chicago in the 1st round.

THey probably feel really confident actually, Last couple of years both Orlando and Boston have beaten us big time - and most were blowouts so why would they be afraid???

Although, if you look at Detroit/Philly/Chicago, Chicago is the team that is HOT right now and has been playing as good as anyone at home and that should be enough to be a little (tiny bit) worry.

IMO, Bulls can take those teams to 6 games by winning couple of home games vs if they face Pistons or Sixers.

 

[dougthonus]

There's no way Boston or Orlando would give up home court vs each other in order not to play us in the first round.

I'd rather play Chicago in round 1 and have home court against a big gun in round 2 than play Philly in round 1 and not.

 

[cool007]

Agree Doug.

Chicago would probably tire them out and probably force 6 games but I would rather have home court in 2nd round than worry about Chicago (might be) forcing 6 games.

Home court is so important in playoffs - if it wasn't for that, Boston might have been out in 1st round last year.

 

[sephcast]

Without a doubt, teams would rather play Detroit or Charlotte than us, but I don't think any team is really afraid of us. We're horrible on the road, recently losing to Indiana and Toronto. Sure, our home court record is impressive lately, but the game slows down in the playoffs, and that isn't exactly our strength.

 

[dougthonus]

sephcast wrote:

Without a doubt, teams would rather play Detroit or Charlotte than us, but I don't think any team is really afraid of us. We're horrible on the road, recently losing to Indiana and Toronto. Sure, our home court record is impressive lately, but the game slows down in the playoffs, and that isn't exactly our strength.

I especially agree with us struggling in slowed down games. Plus who is scared of a team coached by Del Negro in the playoffs right now? He's still getting his feet wet as coach and is far less likely to do a good job his first time through.

I think Philly, Charlotte, and Detroit are marginally better matchups, but you could make a case for Detroit being worse given that they have lots of playoff experience and a heck of a lot better halfcourt team than we do. Even so, I can't imagine the gap between us and them feels that large.

 

[chi_hawks_23]

I'm pretty sure Boston and Orlando could care less who they play in the first round. Both ballclubs are approaching 60 wins (meaning they are damn good) and have dominated this bulls team, more then once, already this year.

And you guys are right, that 2 seed is so important come 2nd round.

 

[sdeezy]

If anything, those teams will want to avoid Detroit, the Pistons despite their sh*tty play still have a world of playoff experience and a bunch of solid players. The Bulls are an uptempo team that plays no defense,cant execute well in the halfcourt in crunch time, and is coached by a rookie coach who kinda sucks at x's and o's. I would want to play the Bulls if i was Orlando/Boston

 

[J-Mart]

dougthonus wrote:

There's no way Boston or Orlando would give up home court vs each other in order not to play us in the first round.

I'd rather play Chicago in round 1 and have home court against a big gun in round 2 than play Philly in round 1 and not.

Couldn't have said it better. I agree that no one will go out of their way to avoid us, but they would be happy not seeing us in the first round.

 

[sephcast]

sdeezy wrote:

If anything, those teams will want to avoid Detroit, the Pistons despite their sh*tty play still have a world of playoff experience and a bunch of solid players. The Bulls are an uptempo team that plays no defense,cant execute well in the halfcourt in crunch time, and is coached by a rookie coach who kinda sucks at x's and o's. I would want to play the Bulls if i was Orlando/Boston

The Pistons are a shell of their former selves. Without Billups, the team isn't the same, defensively or offensively. They've got young players playing major minutes in Stuckey, Bynum, Johnson. Finally, their veterans are disgruntled, unmotivated, and slipping into the twilight of their careers. Add all of this to the fact that their coach is hot garbage, and you have a non-dangerous playoff team.

 

[Gene]

None of the top 3 teams in the East are fearing the Bulls right now. Maybe we can put some doubt in their heads by winning a game or two when it comes time, but I don't see them fearing us.

 

[Kush77]

Gene wrote:

None of the top 3 teams in the East are fearing the Bulls right now. Maybe we can put some doubt in their heads by winning a game or two when it comes time, but I don't see them fearing us.

I agree with Gene on this. The Bulls are playing well, but I don't think they are worried. But maybe Devaney was thinking that Cleveland would rather play Charlotte than a Bulls team that's hot at home. I can understand that. But at the end of the day the Bulls won't upset any of the 3.

 

[collisrost]

It's true that the Pistons aren't playing very well and the Bulls are at the moment. But The Pistons have a great array of battle hardened talent including Iversoon who can take over games, so playing them is risky too.

 

[Manic Devourer]

collisrost wrote:

It's true that the Pistons aren't playing very well and the Bulls are at the moment. But The Pistons have a great array of battle hardened talent including Iversoon who can take over games, so playing them is risky too.

I thought Iverson has called it quits for the season?

 

[collisrost]

Manic Devourer wrote:

collisrost wrote:

It's true that the Pistons aren't playing very well and the Bulls are at the moment. But The Pistons have a great array of battle hardened talent including Iversoon who can take over games, so playing them is risky too.

I thought Iverson has called it quits for the season?

Oh, did he? last I knew he was complaining about it but coming off the bench. Well then never mind... Looked it up and you're right.

 

[step]

I agree with Gene on this. The Bulls are playing well, but I don't think they are worried.

Most definitely, we have the ability to be a nuisance, extending the series to maybe 5-6 games if we're lucky. I'm sure all 3 would love to get a team that they could easily sweep and give guys some much needed rest.

We still could possibly be that team, just that we're too unpredictable to bank on it.

*edit* My only hope is that we magically do some damage in the first round, scaring say Boston in a good 6 game series that Bosh ends up forcing the issue. It's a pipe dream I know, please don't burst the bubble just yet for me .

 

[dougthonus]

My hope is just that our 3 point shooters come alive.

When Gordon, Salmons, and Hinrich are shooting 3s well this team is extraordinarily difficult to beat.

 

[Hendu0520]

I would agree with the fact that the Bulls should give Boston or Orlando a good series but every team in the playoffs is pretty solid. No one wants to face an 8th seed Detroit team either or that Philly team with all those athletes running around. The Heat have Wade. So I don't think there are any easy outs this year in the East.

 

[TSD]

http://news.yahoo.com/second-largest-u-indian-tribe-expels-slave-descendants-011650136.html



After the civil war apparently the cherokee nation voted to include the descendants of slaves the cherokee owned into their tribe and now they are giving them the boot.



I don't know what to think about this. I mean i kind of understand it, because from what I read these descendants arent actually indian, but then why did you admit them to begin with?

 

[LordKOTL]

All I can think about is Blazing Saddles: