Tag Archives: Taj Gibson

by | April 27, 2012 · 5:20 PM

Chicago Bulls vs. Philadelphia 76ers First Round Preview

Why so serious?

It was an almost monumental collapse that sent the Philadelphia 76ers to the verge of missing the playoffs entirely. Luckily, they aren’t the 2007 New York Mets and they just squeezed into the postseason, aided by the perpetual hump that taunts the Milwaukee Bucks. As with anything in this culture of spin, the Sixers readily admitted that they prefer to face the Chicago Bulls, who are the number one seed in the East. It seems as though they have an aversion to playing the Miami Heat and as such they didn’t even try to win their last regular season game so that they could lock up the eighth seed. If this logic seems flawed, that’s because it is. Yet, when a team realizes who and what it is, as the Sixers may have done as they watched their excellent first half of the season be for not, they must adapt to a mindset that reaches above limited expectations. Therefore: bring on the Bulls!

Obviously, this is not an ideal scenario for the Sixers. They are the eighth seed and have lost all sense of identity as the shortened season slogged into a battle of attrition with body, fatigue, and Doug Collins. Despite having capable players and some depth the defined roles of players have been blurred and they can no longer threaten an opponent from all sides. Especially in late game situations, Philadelphia becomes a haphazard mess as player take arrant, contested jumpers and become uninterested defensively. Though they possess the ability to force turnovers late, and have done so repeatedly, their instinct to close and win games is nonexistent. If they hope to overcome this self-imposed obstacle they better have a damn good plan and execute it flawlessly because at the end of games, Chicago is their antithesis.

Perhaps, with an oft ailing Derrick Rose, the Sixers thought they matched up well with the Bulls. On paper, maybe. Andre Iguodala and Luol Deng matchup well and should cancel one another out. This same line of thinking is extended to the matchups of Elton Brand and Carlos Boozer; and Lou Williams and the shell formerly known as Rip Hamilton, who, despite riding the pine (a dated term as the folding chairs the players sit on resemble the luxury of a fine recliner) for much of the season, has shown occasional bursts of his former, productive self; and Thaddeus Young, with his range, could conceivably draw Taj Gibson out of the paint, where his shot blocking is to be feared. That is where the comparisons, flawed as they are, end.

Jrue Holiday is not the reigning NBA MVP, Rose is. Evan Turner was the second overall draft pick a couple of years ago but he has yet to fully understand his roll on the Sixers and can get completely lost over the course of a game. Then there is Jodie Meeks and Spencer Hawes. All are decent players, unrefined, but decent nonetheless. Yet, they cannot fully match the depth that Chicago brings to the table.

The Bulls, to go along with the players already mentioned, have Joakim Noah, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, John Lucas, C.J. Watson, Omer Asik, Mike James (remember him?), and the main man, Brian Scalabrine. Here the advantage is the Bulls’. Oh, and they have Rose.

One interesting note, however, is that the Sixers, this season, performed better against the Bulls when Rose was on the court. Their net rating goes from -5.2 with him on the bench to 5.8 while he is in the game. This can be attributed to the rise in their 3-point percentage from 18.8 percent to 26.3 percent with Rose on the floor.

It will be interesting to see who Iguodala guards. He will likely split time between Rose and Deng but when not guarding one, the other has the potential to thrive.

Personnel aside, the Bulls implement one of the most disciplined defenses in the league. They hold their opponents to a league low 88.2 points per game on 42.1 percent field goal shooting, a number that is second best in the league. Chicago also allowed a league low in number of 3-point shots they allowed their opponents to take as they are quick to chase players off the arc, forcing them into the teeth of their defense. Perhaps the heart of their defense is their rebounding. They led the league in defensive rebounding, rarely allowing a second chance opportunity. What the Bulls lack in mediocre offense, and it is just that, make no mistake, they more than make up for in superb defense that will be tough for the Sixers to crack.

This series will be dominated by defense. The 76ers have the third best defense in the NBA so Chicago shouldn’t feel all high and mighty entering this match up. Where the Sixers should try and exploit the Bulls is by getting to the free throw line. Philadelphia is much more adept at creating fouls and going to the line than Chicago. This could be a great equalizer as the Sixers are ranked 23 in points per game and 24 in pace.

Essentially, the meeting of the Bulls and Sixers will not be exciting to the casual fan. It will be marred with slow, tedious action, countless turnovers forced by two good defenses, and a veritable lack of scoring. In the end the Bulls will out bore (and it will be boring) the Sixers and advance to the second round. One could hope this series would be similar to the Bulls and Pacers first round meeting last season, but that seems a bit far-fetched. Those Pacers were hungry, these Sixers are lost.

Doyle Rader predicts: Bulls defeat 76ers 4-1

Travis Huse predicts: Bulls defeat 76ers 4-1

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by | May 15, 2011 · 8:44 PM

Taj Gibson’s Put Back Dunk

Ok, we said his dunk over Dwyane Wade in game one would be hard to beat.  Well, Taj Gibson did it again with a put back dunk late in the fourth.  Monster.

“I have been to the mountain top and back.”

-Reggie Miller

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by | · 7:11 PM

Taj Gibson’s Monster Dunk Over Dwyane Wade

It’s only game one but Taj Gibson’s dunk over Dwyane Wade will be hard to match.

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by | · 2:38 PM

Eastern Conference Finals Prediction: Bulls vs. Heat

Battle of wills.

The league’s MVP squares off against Miami’s three-headed beast for the chance to go to the NBA Finals.

1. Chicago Bulls vs. 2. Miami Heat

What the regular season taught us was that the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat are very evenly matched. Their three meetings were decided by a combined total of eight points, all Bulls victories. That was the regular season, and that was before each of these teams slogged their way to within a series of the NBA Finals. Miami, despite having to go through the Boston Celtics, has seemingly had the easier road thus far. They were never in any real trouble against the Philadelphia 76ers and handled the Celtics better than most anyone could have imagined. They celebrated like East and West Germans did when the Berlin Wall fell after they beat the Celtics. All they needed was David Hasselhoff in a light-up jacket and their celebration would have been complete. Perhaps the celebration was a bit premature; Ganesa has not removed all of their obstacles. Miami is, after all, only half way to their goal and have to face the team with the best record in the league.

Chicago faced their largest test in the first round as the Indiana Pacers threw everything they had at the Bulls, exposing a multitude of weaknesses that had been overlooked by outside observers. The Pacers eventually succumbed to the Bulls’ rebounding might. Though the Atlanta Hawks won two games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, they were their own Achilles heel falling back into predictable Isolation sets late in games which allowed Tom Thibodeau to keep his defensive unit on the floor stifling Atlanta’s best efforts to play one-on-one basketball.

Defense will dominate this series. It has been the hallmark of both of these clubs throughout the regular season and in the playoffs. This post season, Chicago has limited its opponents to the fewest points per possession while Miami ranks fourth. Defensive rebounding has a lot to do with limiting an opponent’s points and both teams are adept at cleaning the defensive glass.  Where the Bulls do out-pace the Heat is in turnovers. Chicago creates more turnovers, and thereby more scoring opportunities, than the Heat. However, history would not appear to be on Chicago’s side despite the similarities of the two clubs. Six times in NBA history a team with the league MVP and no All Star teammates has faced a club with three or more All Stars in the playoffs. The team with more All Stars has won five of those meetings. The last time this happened was last season when the Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated by the Celtics in the second round.

Marquee Matchups:

Derrick Rose vs. the Miami Heat

Head Coach Erik Spoelstra and LeBron James have made it very clear that Miami will employ multiple defenders in their attempts to slow down the league’s MVP. Everyone from Mike Bibby, Mario Chalmers, Dwyane Wade, and James will spend time guarding Rose. Bibby will start the game “guarding” Rose, Spoelstra has said, but Chalmers will be the one tasked with defending him for much of the game. “I think he’s one of the best in the NBA in getting in the paint. I have to do a good job of keeping him out,” Chalmers said and the numbers support his belief. Rose leads the playoffs in points inside of five feet with 106. When Rose gets into the paint he is shooting 45 percent, but when he gets within the restricted area his average climbs to 54 percent. In terms of shot distribution, 38.7 percent of Rose’s field goal attempts are taken at the rim. If the Heat does manage to limit Rose’s drives to the rim they still have not completely stopped him. He is shooting 46 percent on his midrange field goal attempts and most of these shots come as a result of the pick-and-roll. Rose leads the playoffs in scoring off the pick-and-roll with 118 points and runs 11.9 of them per game. To contain Rose’s scoring Miami must trap him along the perimeter and force him into a three-point shot. Beyond the arc, where Rose takes his second highest percentage of shots, he only shoots 27 percent.

Chicago’s defense vs. Miami’s offense

King Ghidorah

Slowing down the trio of James, Wade, and Chris Bosh (or Ghidorah as Hoopdata refers to them) is near to impossible. Even if one has a bad night or is swept into the emotion of a game, the other two will step up. What makes them especially potent is their ability to get to the free throw line. During the regular season, the Heat’s trio went to the charity stripe 36.3 percent of the time they attempted a field goal against the Bulls. As a team, Miami has the third highest offensive rating at 111.7 and that is despite playing a slow paced game. However, Chicago has the top rated defense in the league.

The Bulls have the pieces in place to pester Miami’s attack. Keith Bogans and Ronnie Brewer will be the primary defenders on Wade. Both are defensive minded two guards who can make Wade’s offense not flow as smoothly as it did against the Celtics. In the post, Joakim Noah will guard Chris Bosh. Noah has flustered each and every opponent that he has defended this post season and even had Josh McRoberts take a half-hearted punch at him that missed out of frustration. If Bosh let the ambiance of the TD Garden get to him, Noah will have him completely off kilter. As for James, his main defender will be Luol Deng. Size wise, Deng matches up well with James, however, in their regular season meetings James connected on 54.6 percent of his shots with Deng defending him.

X-Factors:

Because Miami will not be able to keep Rose out of the paint all the time, Joel Anthony will be the team’s last line of defense. Luckily for the Heat, he is their best defender and a more than capable shot blocker, blocking 4.1 percent of the shots taken while he is on the court. In fact, he is much more than that. He is Miami’s version of what Kendrick Perkins was for the Celtics in previous seasons. Anthony’s efficiency rating during the playoffs is a +101. In another nod to how valuable he is to the team, Miami’s opponents shoot 50 percent while Anthony in on the bench. While he is on the floor their opponents shoot 39 percent.

What are we to make of Carlos Boozer? This has been his worst post season statistically. He has shown flashes of why the Bulls signed him last summer, but they have yet to be consistent. He must show up in this series. Miami will focus primarily on Rose which will create opportunities for Boozer and he must capitalize on them. Many of his scoring opportunities will come off missed shots and he needs to be in position to get the offensive rebound and the put-back. Activity on the offensive glass will help the Bulls limit Miami’s possessions and their transition offense. If Boozer continues to slump, Taj Gibson will be called upon. Gibson is far more active on the offensive glass than Boozer and has been more productive over all. His athleticism could be the key to creating more scoring opportunities for the Bulls, especially when bench players are in the game. Chicago’s bench out-classes Miami’s.

Prediction:

This will not be high scoring series, that much is certain. Both of these teams’ defenses are too good. Since these teams are evenly matched across the board, this series will not feature many, if any, blowouts. These games will be close. Can the Bulls find their offense when Rose is not creating off the dribble? They have yet to show that they can. What does Miami have left in its tank after their emotional series victory over the Celtics? Did they exhaust themselves? In terms of an overall team, Chicago has the advantage. Yet, when it comes to edge, Miami is the team that has it after defeating its archetype. The Heat defeats the Bulls 4-3.

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by | April 14, 2011 · 10:33 AM

Eastern Conference Playoff Predictions: Bulls vs. Pacers

Rose will be particularly thorny for the Pacers

Two rookie head coaches square off as division rivals become first round opponents.

1. Chicago Bulls vs 8. Indiana Pacers

The Bulls enter the postseason with a 60 plus win season for the first time since the Jordan era. Headed up by the likely MVP, Derrick Rose, the Bulls, coached by the likely COY in Tom Thibodeau, bring a formidable defense to the playoffs. Chicago has the best team defensive rating in the league at 100.2 and the second best opponents points per game holding the  opposition to 91.3 points. With that strong defense, the Bulls are also tops in the league in rebounding margin. They average 44.1 rebounds per game while holding their opponents to 38.5. The Pacers will have their work cut out for them if they hope to have a chance in this series.

Chicago won the regular season series three games to one and averaged 102.3 points per contest while Indiana mustered an average of 90.8 points. However, the Pacers are one of the few teams that were able to keep up with the Bulls on the glass in their regular season meetings. Indiana averaged 45.8 rebounds against Chicago, which averaged 48. They will need to keep the rebounding close if they wish to keep games manageable.

Marquee Matchups:

Darren Collison vs Derrick Rose

This will be the point guard matchup for the series. It will be up to Collison to stop, or at least steer Rose into the defense behind him which is easier said than done. Their regular season meetings this season were a lopsided affair to say the least. Rose averaged 27 points against Collison and the Pacers this season. This is because of all the Isolation plays that the Bulls run for Rose. Chicago is tops in the league in terms of offensive Isolation efficiency while Indiana is one of the worst at defending it. Collison, himself, allows 1.16 points per possession when an opposing player isolates him. That mark is the worst on the Pacers and he will be the one tasked with covering Rose most often.

Danny Granger vs Luol Deng

Neither Deng nor Granger shot particularly well when matched up with against each other this season. Both small forwards are lengthy which gives them the ability to pester shots and disrupt the passing lanes. Deng’s primary weapon is his work off the ball and his ability to slash into the paint for easy scoring opportunities. Granger will likely have to work through a variety of screens to keep up with Deng’s movement around the court.  Luckily for Granger, the Pacers are one of the better teams in the league at defending ball and off ball screens.

Granger’s takes his shots either at the rim or from 16 feet and out. These are the area’s where he is most effective as he shoots 61.1 percent at the rim, 35 percent from 16-23 feet, and has an effective field goal percentage of 57.9 from behind the arc. Deng will need to defend the perimeter well and also keep Granger from getting into the paint. Limiting Granger to mid-range jumpers will be key for Deng and the Bulls.

X-Factors:

Despite what Dr. Jack Ramsay thinks, Keith Bogans is not that great of a defender. That much will be shown during this series when he is forced to chase Mike Dunleavy Jr. all over the court. Dunleavy is not a Reggie Miller type in terms of movement but picks his spots nicely. Dunleavy, who is six-foot-nine, should have no problem shooting over the six-foot-five frame of Bogans either. For these reasons Thibodeau should call on Ronnie Brewer to take over the main duties of defending Dunleavy. Brewer is six-foot-seven and the best defender on the Bulls. He wont be on the floor for scoring purposes, Chicago has plenty of scoring threats, but his play will be crucial in disrupting the offense of the Pacers and creating turnovers.

Despite what many people assume, the Bulls do not have good offensive post production. Chicago is ranked 22nd in the league in points per possession when posting up. They will not have much success in the post against the Pacers because of Indiana’s frontcourt size and especially because of Jeff Foster. Foster is the best post defender on the team and will force players like Carlos Boozer and Taj Gibson out of any semblance of a comfort zone when down on the blocks. Along with his post defense, Foster will also provide much-needed rebounding for the Pacers. Anyone familiar with his game knows that he is a rebounding machine. Foster averages 6.1 offensive and 7.3 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes of game time. Those numbers are good for a total rebounding percentage of 20.7 while he is on the floor.

Prediction:

The Indiana Pacers matchup with the Chicago Bulls fairly well in every way except one. They cannot stop Derrick Rose. For Frank Vogel’s team to have any chance at drawing out this series they will need to get out in transition and press the issue. Unfortunately, the Pacers are very poor at scoring in transition and too often settle for contested or low percentage shots. They need to get to the rim and finish. All of this is moot, however, because Derrick Rose is going to slice though their defense and create open looks and layups for himself. It is not out of the question that Indiana might be able to squeak out two wins this series but it is somewhat improbable. Bulls defeat the Pacers 4-1.

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by | December 16, 2010 · 3:32 PM

Joakim Noah has Successful Surgery

 

Injuries continue to hamper the Bulls

Joakim Noah had successful surgery on his thumb today. He will have a follow-up visit on Monday and will likely need a cast. When speaking about his need to have surgery, Noah said, “it sucks, but it’s [the] right thing.”

With Noah down for anywhere from eight to ten weeks for the Chicago Bulls the same old Bulls story of recent years begins to emerge once again. Noah played through the pain this season and kept it quiet. It was obvious that his thumb was bothering him though as he wrapped it regularly. Yet, he continued to produce because the team needed him as they waited for Carlos Boozer to return to health after tripping over his gym bag this summer.

Injuries during the regular season have unfortunately become the modus operandi of the Bulls in recent seasons but that in no way undermines their resilience. Last year, with Noah out, the Bulls went 6-12 and lost ten in a row. Derrick Rose missed four of the games during the ten game slide so that certainly did not improve their chances of success. Nonetheless, the Bulls, with the backing of a Rose guarantee, battled through the pain on route to the playoffs.

This season Chicago is a different squad. They brought in pieces to help them battle beyond and in spite of injuries. Last season it was Brad Miller and Taj Gibson who stepped in during Noah’s absence. This year Miller is gone. However, in his place the Bulls have Omer Asik and a veteran in Kurt Thomas who has proved time and again that he is still a valuable frontcourt commodity with a nice midrange jump shot with the ability to defend and rebound. Certainly, the Bulls will need all the help they can get from their depth now.

More than just bench help, the Bulls will need to keep their young point guard healthy. Rose has been battling a sprained right wrist, bruised elbow, a tweaked ankle, and sore hip the past several games and has been listed as day-to-day. Ever the determined player, Rose said, “If it is up to me, I’m playing. I’m sore, but I should be able to play through it.” Chicago certainly needs him to. If they were to lose Rose for any length of time the Bulls would find themselves in a precarious situation.

Chicago currently sits in first place in their division with a record of 16-8 which has them in fourth overall in the eastern conference. They likely will not seed much if any ground to the Pacers who are back to Indy .500 form in the central division. What they do have to worry about is being caught and surpassed by Orlando, Atlanta, and New York who are all breathing down Chicago’s neck. The Knicks and Hawks are a game back of the Bulls while Orlando is just a half game back. Milwaukee is also showing a marked improvement in their play of late and may start making a push in the central division.

What bodes well for Chicago is that the next ten weeks are arguably the easiest part of their schedule. The Bulls will not see a considerably tough stretch of games in a row until 7 February through the beginning of March. Until that time the only teams that Chicago faces with winning records are the Knickerbockers, Celtics, Heat, Mavericks, and Magic during a span of 25 games. By that time Noah should be back to full health and they will need him.

On 7 February the Bulls will be on the road in Portland in the middle of a five game road trip swing through the west. After Portland they travel to Salt Lake City and then to New Orleans before returning home for two games in which they host the Spurs. They then host the Heat two games later before going on another five game road trip in which they will play the Bucks, Wizards, Hawks, Magic, and Heat. For this stretch of games the Bulls will need to be at full strength as the battle for playoff seeding will be in full force especially after the All Star break.

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by | October 3, 2010 · 7:38 PM

Boozer’s Break

Carlos Boozer won't be waiving his right hand anytime soon

The Chicago Bulls made some of the most noise in free agency this summer. They acquired enough talent to thrust them into the upper ranks of the Eastern Conference without even playing a single game. Maybe all that praise and talk was a bit premature. It seems that one major issue was completely overlooked. Carlos Boozer is a walking injury waiting to happen. He has never played a full season in his eight years in the NBA and has missed a total of 145 games. He has played 81 games twice in his career most recently during the 2007-08 season. Last year, Boozer played in 78 games, up from his 37 the previous season, but was plagued by nagging injuries late in the season that hampered his play despite trying to play through it. Now, the Bulls know all too well what the Jazz were firmly aware of, Boozer gets hurt easily.

On Saturday (October 2), Boozer broke his hand. He did not even break the hand during practice or any other team activity. No, Boozer broke his right hand, technically the fifth metacarpal bone, after he tripped and fell over a gym bag in his home. Tough break…literally, for the Bulls. Queue “The Breaks” by Kurtis Blow. Boozer is expected to be out for eight weeks placing his return well into December. He will have surgery on the hand on Tuesday and is keeping his arm in a sling and the hand in a cast until then. These are the breaks. Break it up, break it up, break it up!

Boozer was signed this offseason by Chicago this summer to a five-year deal worth approximately $75 million dollars and was considered one of the better free agent acquisitions of the summer. Now, the Bulls will have to wait to see a return from their investment. Breaks to win and breaks to lose. However, what this does mean for the Bulls is that Taj Gibson will see an increased role in the rotation. Gibson was featured in all 82 of Chicago’s regular season games, starting in 70 of them, and played in all five of their playoff games during his rookie season last year. He averaged ten rebounds and twelve points per 36 minutes while shooting over 49 percent from the field. If Gibson can increase his production, even just slightly, during Boozer’s absence, the Bulls should be able to easily manage the first of what is likely to be many injuries that Boozer sustains.

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by | April 16, 2010 · 3:45 PM

Eastern Conference Round One Predictions

Start your engines

They did it. In the East, every team in the playoffs has at least a .500 record. You cannot say that often. Good for them. However, simply having all eight teams at .500 or better does not make the conference as strong as its counterpart where all eight teams have at least 50 wins. Nonetheless, a team from the East has just as much of a chance at winning the NBA Championship as one from the West. Everybody is equal for now, on Saturday this will change.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 8. Chicago Bulls

I wrote some time ago that the Bulls would make the playoffs because Toronto was not good enough to win the games they needed down the stretch to make it. What was not foreseen was the injury sustained by Chris Bosh sidelining him for the remainder of the regular season. The Raptors did not prove me wrong and sputtered to a finish. C’est la vie, Toronto. Chicago put the fate of their playoff lives in the hands of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Noah stoked the flames when he returned from injury and was a catalyst to get the Bulls into the playoffs. They are in now and they face the team that Rose referred to as simply “LeBron” when he said the Bulls would make the playoffs. It would be improper, despite the other quality players surrounding the Cavaliers’ central figure, to correct Rose’s notion of who the Bulls face.

To congratulate the Bulls the man who is responsible for Chicago’s six championships personally paid them a visit after the Bulls defeated the Charlotte Bobcats to get the last playoff spot. Michael Jordan was in the Bulls locker room after the game giving the team his well wishes. It is not every day that His Airness personally expresses a message of luck to a team that just beat his. This should serve to boost and motivate the moral of an already fired up group.

During the regular season the Bulls beat the Cavaliers twice. This scrappy team knows how to play them. The Bulls also have history on their side going into this matchup as they have never lost a postseason series to the Cavaliers. Will history repeat itself? Noah has stated that he wants “to try to shock the world” and beat the Cavaliers in the first round. If the Bulls were to accomplish this it would be the biggest upset since the Golden State Warriors defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs. Waiting for the Bulls, however, is a “different monster” who will stop at nothing until his post season dream is realized. For the Bulls, it will be an uphill battle.

Chicago’s backcourt matches up favorably with their counterparts in Cleveland. Rose and Kirk Hinrich are a good combo set with Rose exhibiting the flash and get to the cup quickness and Hinrich being able to hit from all points on the floor as well as create off the dribble. Luol Deng has the potential to score at will from the three spot and at 6’9” can shoot over Cleveland’s guards, but it is unlikely that he will get that mismatch often. Chicago’s best players are Rose and Noah. They rely on them to fight and scrap. Noah is especially talented with his ability to score and rebound in buckets. However, he, along with the other Bulls centers, is going to have his hands full.

Shaquille O’Neal is returning from his thumb injury for the playoffs. His size and physical presence will likely disrupt every play that comes near the paint for the Bulls. Brad Miller, Taj Gibson, and Noah will have to alternate shifts against the big Aristotle and avoid foul trouble. Shaq, however, is not the top concern for the Bulls. Their main concern is to try and contain a force of nature. LeBron James presents matchup problems across the board. Committee defense and switching on screens may be the Bulls only option if they hope to slow him down. A healthy Hakim Warrick would also serve the Bulls well in their defense of James. Warrick’s size and length are enough to hamper James’ abilities but probably not enough to stop them all together. If Warrick is not healthy, duties will fall to Deng who is one of the Bulls best defenders. It will be interesting to see what strategy Vinny Del Negro employs to stop the Cavaliers attack, either try and stop James or let James run free and shut down the rest of the Cavaliers.

Series Prediction: For some reason this series has an eerie feel about it. On one side you have the team that prognosticators and analysts have fawned over all season and on the other you have a tough never say die team that took matters into their own hands and won when they need to most. Do not be surprised if this series plays itself out over the course of seven games; conversely do not be surprised if it lasts a mere four. Could Lebron’s rest become an issue? Doubtful. Will any of Cleveland’s guards slowdown Derrick Rose? Probably not. To be safe, Cleveland wins in five too close for comfort games.

2. Orlando Magic vs. 7. Charlotte Bobcats

Nobody expected the Bobcats to make the playoffs this season. Yet, here they are. Snagging Stephen Jackson this season was a steal for them as he almost instantly clicked with his new squad and propelled them toward the playoffs. The Bobcats also have a new face higher up in the team ranks. Well, in all reality his face is not so new to the team but his position is. Michael Jordan became the majority owner of the NBA’s second youngest franchise this year. This will be the Bobcats’ first trip to the NBA’s second season and greeting them are the defending Eastern Conference Champions. Roll out the welcome mat.

(Much of the following has been taken from a previous article I wrote to save time and my fingers.) The matchup of the Bobcats and Magic has the potential to be the lowest scoring series in the modern playoff era as these teams rank number one and two in team defense and defensive efficiency with Charlotte being first in team defense and Orlando being first in efficiency.  Orlando has been the league’s best team since the All Star break and looks to continue this trend into the Playoffs. Maybe the Bobcats have been planning this matchup all season because they five players listed as centers on their roster and that does not even include Tyrus Thomas who is listed as a power forward. Larry Brown will of course have to shrink his roster down for the playoffs but it can be taken for granted that he will have plenty of bodies to throw at Dwight Howard throughout the series. Having many bodies to wear down Howard is a key to this series for the Bobcats. If they can get Howard into foul trouble or simply get him fatigued and force him to the bench it will open up lanes that Charlotte can use to get high percentage shots and not run the risk of seeing the ball in the third row. Honestly, teams must get really annoyed when Howard gives them the ball right back.

Simply put, Orlando is good, real good. (I cannot believe I admitted it but circumstances forced my hand.) They will be heavy favorites to return to the Eastern Conference Finals coming into the playoff but they should not get that far ahead of themselves just yet. Charlotte stands in their way. Orlando does not match up well against the likes of Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace. Vince Carter is not a noted defender and will have his hands full with Jackson. It is possible that Matt Barnes, Jackson’s former teammate in Golden State, will be called upon by Stan Van Gundy to guard him but then this likely gives either Carter or Rashard Lewis defensive duties against Wallace. Mickael Pietrus factors to play a large role in the series with his efficiency and the defensive end of the court and his ability to stretch the floor on the offensive end with the three-point shot.

What should be the biggest factor in this series is the Magic’s penchant to fire up the long ball. This season they set the NBA record for made three-pointers with 841. The previous record was 837 set by the seven seconds or less Suns during the 2005-06 season. It is rather astounding that a team considering that this season’s Magic team is the complete antonym to D’Antoni’s doctrine in Phoenix when the Suns set the previous record. Orlando does, however, live and die by the three. If it is not falling they have little hope of winning a game. Jameer Nelson will be key in this regard. He has been heating up of late and if this trend continues he could propel the Magic forward with his outside shooting. J.J. Redick has also been playing well this season displaying that he is no longer just the face up jump shooter he was at Duke. He now has the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the lane. (Kid has also beefed up like crazy.) It will be a tall order to stop the Magic’s outside shooting but it should be the number one priority of the Bobcats.

Series Prediction: Charlotte has brought in playoff veterans to help guide the team to where it wants to be in players, their head coach, and their owner. This wealth playoff knowledge should serve the Bobcats well as they enter their first ever test of the postseason. Stephen Jackson, Larry Brown, and Michael Jordan all have rings which is more than anyone in the Magic’s organization can say (except White Chocolate). These rings will undoubtedly be on display around the Bobcats’ locker room to motivate the team. Motivating Orlando is their sense of failure and an unfinished business from last season. Charlotte will surprise many in this series, but a surprise is only just that. It does not translate to the second round. The Magic will win the series in six games.

3. Atlanta Hawks vs. 6. Milwaukee Bucks

This would have been a great series. It could have gone seven games and been a knockdown, drag out, slugfest. Sadly it will not be. The loss of Andrew Bogut has completely curtailed any belief that the Bucks could pull off a first round upset. It is rather unfortunate that this had to happen too. Milwaukee was hitting stride and clicking on all cylinders after the acquisition of John Salmons from the Bulls. They were poised to be the dark horse, err…deer rather, in the Eastern playoff picture. With Bogut anchoring a stingy Skiles coached defense and a proven offensive attack even with Michael Redd out for the season (again) they were scary. “Fear the Deer” the saying went. But then Bogut came crashing down. Since the injury to Bogut the Bucks are 6-7 after going 40-29 with him in the lineup. This does not bode well for a team looking for its playoff series win since losing in the Eastern Conference finals in 2001.

Atlanta has played with the big boys in the playoffs before and they expect to do better this year than they did last after going home in the second round. They have added fire power to their lineup this season with the addition of (the Kobe Beef’s sixth man award winner) Jamal Crawford and have watched as Josh Smith (our DPOY runner up) has grown into a statistical monster who eats up boards, hounds the ball, and swats shots like flies. Offensively the Hawks have the second most efficient attack in the league with a rating of 111.9. Their offense will be tested by the Bucks defense but without Bogut clogging the middle they pose little threat to Atlanta.

Expect Joe Johnson to put on a display worthy of saying, “Hi, I’m Joe Johnson and this summer I become an unrestricted free agent. Here is what I am good at. Wouldn’t you like me on your team?” The Hawks would certainly like to keep Johnson right where he is. Johnson is the main weapon in the Hawks arsenal and will pace the team throughout their playoff run. Any potential wild cards that may appear this season for Atlanta does not seem like a likely occurrence as each player knows their role and performs it to a T.

Series Prediction: The “if only’s” abound for Milwaukee but without Bogut their playoff aspirations have become mere dust in the wind. Atlanta will win the series in five games.

4. Boston Celtics vs. 5. Miami Heat

On paper the Boston Celtics should run away with this series. On paper the Boston Celtics have a stingy defense that shuts down opponents with ease. On paper this is a team that was built for the playoffs. On paper this is a team of champions who know how to win. On paper I can draw a picture of myself with hair like Aaron Eckhart surrounded by Scarlett Johansson, Alicia Keyes, Hillary Duff, Mandy Moore, Rachel McAdams, and Beyonce in a harem on my own tropical island. What the hell, let me pencil in Megan Fox too as a cheap gimmick. Oh, and while I’m at it lets throw in Salma Hayek and Carmen Electra. What a lovely drawing. Ah, the joys of paper potential. Boston has stumbled into the playoffs tripping over their own feet. This is not the same team that people said could challenge the Cavaliers for the Eastern crown at the start of the season. Their last good defensive performance came against the Mavericks on 20 March and their defense has looked anemic since. In their last meeting with Cleveland the Celtics blew a 22 point lead which would have cost them the game if LeBron James could have made a few more free throws down the stretch and not taken an ill advised three on a fastbreak. This month the Celtics have lost to Houston, New York, and Washington. Last time anyone checked none of these teams were postseason bound. They are playing for lottery positions. FDR once said that they only thing we have to fear is fear itself. In the Celtics case they need to fear themselves, their ineptitude on the court, their age, and a certain player who will face them in the first round.

(Some of what is included in this paragraph is reprinted from an earlier article.) Dwyane Wade is the Miami Heat. He has them playing at a high level and streaking at the right time. Miami is 18-4 since the start of March and has its eyes set on the second round. Wade will not let the frail and withered Celtics stop him. What this series will turn into is Dwyane Wade’s audition tape for free agency. Expect him to slice through Boston’s feeble and aging defenders, scoring frequently and at will. The only player the Celtics have on their roster that is capable of keeping up with Wade is Rajon Rondo. However, Rondo is too small and lacks the strength to guard Wade. Certainly guard duties will not fall to Jesus Shuttlesworth; he has never been known for his defensive capabilities and will likely see little time guarding him. The task of defending Wade will fall to Paul Pierce. Pierce has somehow molded himself into a serviceable defender since the acquisition of Kevin Garnett but will remain a step behind the slashing Wade who is expected will make mincemeat of the Celtics lethargic frontcourt when getting into the paint. If Kevin Garnett wants to complain about fouls he should have saved his breath for this series. Sources have just informed me that Dwyane Wade has just purchased a new condo on the foul line for this series and plans to make it his permanent residence. In every series that Wade plays in during the playoffs the spectral calls of 2006 follow him. This series should be no different.

Outside of Wade, the Heat matchup rather nicely with their aging blunder counterparts. Their frontcourt consists of Jermaine O’Neal, Udonis Haslem, and Michael Beasley. Expect this trio to out rebound the hapless Celtics in almost every game of the first round. But what the series will come down to essentially is the scoring duel between Wade and Pierce. Both players look to be their respective teams leading scorers each game and this will not change. Boston’s bench is a joke other than Tony Allen and Big Baby when it comes to actual contribution.

Series Prediction: The most anticipated part of this series will be how quickly Boston loses its cool. I’m going to guess either ‘Sheed or KG is assessed a technical foul around three minutes into the second quarter of game one. Boston and its management might want to reassess the win now policy that they enacted several years ago. Sure they won a title but in all reality what did it truly cost them. Their team is so old (how old are they?) that they have destroyed their future and may lose many of their players in free agency this summer. Miami might also lose its best player this summer too. Dwyane Wade sold his property in south Florida last month so the outlook is grim for the Heat. However, they do have the ability resign Wade, add a max player and another player at $9-10 million this off season with the cap room they will have available. As for now they will have one last hurrah with Wade firmly at the helm. Miami wins in seven.

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by | March 11, 2010 · 11:33 PM

Battered Bulls beaten down by injuries

Just when injuries didn’t look like they could get any worse for the Chicago Bulls (can we still call them the Baby Bulls? No?), Derrick Rose collided with Dwight Howard during tonight’s game against Orlando with 55 seconds left in the first quarter. Rose did not return to the game that resulted in a 111-82 loss for the Bulls. He was taken to the locker room for X-rays that they revealed a sprain. This is the second time this season that Rose and Howard have collided with the smaller Rose bearing the brunt of the damage. The first collision resulted in a bruised hip.  Hopefully, the injury doesn’t linger as the Bulls are in the middle of a tight and heated battle for a playoff spot in the East.

Luol Deng did not suit up for the game against the Magic and is not expected to play in the second game of their back-to-backs in Miami on Friday. Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro (who still has a job despite rampant speculation that he will be fired) said that Deng is, “day-to-day,” with a strained calf.

These two injuries add to the misfortune that the Bulls have already endured with Joakim Noah being sidelined with plantar fasciitis in his left foot (as we have written about in a previous entry). The Bulls need all the bodies they can muster at this point. Both Brad Miller and young standout Taj Gibson are walking wounded with Miller nursing a thumb injury and Gibson also beleaguered by plantar fasciitis.

In addition, they lost scorers Tyrus Thomas and John Salmons to trades with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Charlotte Bobcats.  Salmons was shipped off for the expiring contracts of Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander.  Thomas was traded for veteran Flip Murray, former Texas A&M star Acie Law and a protected, first-round draft pick.  Both Salmons and Thomas have helped position their respective teams for the playoffs.

To maintain any hope of making the playoffs, the Bulls will need to be at full strength. After losing to Orlando tonight, the Bulls are 1.5 games behind the Heat, Bobcats, and Raptors and sit in ninth place in the East. If Derrick Rose is out for the foreseeable future, the Bulls can consider their postseason prospects lost and will only have the memory of last year’s playoff series with the Celtics to keep them company through the post season.

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