Media Doesn’t Know It, But Series Far From Over After Game 2 Between Bulls & Heat

Feast your eyes on this gem by Adrian Wojnarowski from Yahoo! Sports. By the way, he describes Wednesday’s Game 2 between the Bulls and the Miami Heat, you’d think the series was over, LeBron James is Michael Jordan, and Pat Riley got his revenge on the Bulls for the 1990s.

Wait, what? This is a seven game series, correct? And it is tied 1-1, right? In fact, the Bulls are off to a much better start than they were against Atlanta, in which they lost Game 1 in Chicago, but went on to win the series in six games.

Woj went on to spend a good chunk of his article praising LeBron James for his performance in Game 2, and rightfully so. James killed the Bulls, especially in the latter half of the fourth quarter, when the Bulls could hit nothing, and he couldn’t miss. It was a clutch as we have ever seen him in the postseason.

But Michael Jordan he is not, as Woj went on to mention No. 23 several times. One solid performance in the clutch when you’ve been around as long as LeBron James has doesn’t earn you a comparison to the greatest basketball player the world has ever seen.

Sure, the way he performed late was similar to Jordan. But for a guy who has never had that MJ killer instinct, it’s just stepping up at the right time. Not to take anything away from James or his play in Game 2, but any Jordan comparisons went out the window when he decided to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.

But that’s not even my real bone to pick with Woj’s, who I’ve always admired as a columnist, article. The real issue here is the idea of Pat Riley getting ‘revenge’ on the Bulls, not only for the way Jordan killed his teams in the 90s, but the fact that Riley was forced to share NBA Executive of the Year with Bulls general manager, Gar Forman.

First of all, winning one game to even a best-of-seven series doesn’t classify any sort of revenge for or on the Bulls. Second, how exactly is Riley so much more deserving of Exec of the Year than Gar?

Sure, Riley brought together three of the top, and the two best, free agents from this summer, but how much did he actually do in bringing in his Big Three, aside from maybe crunching some numbers? We know Wade did the recruiting, and it’s pretty easy to decide to live in Miami over Cleveland if you just look at the setting itself, and not at the ‘sports town’ aspect of it. Beyond the Big Three, who do the Heat have? Mike Bibby, who left his prime in Sacramento years ago?

Gar Forman, along with John Paxson, worked diligently to put a quality team together. Say what you want about him missing out on top tier free agents, most of their minds were made up before the free agent period even began. Aside from throwing too much money at Carlos Boozer, Gar put together a team of role players and character guys to create a defensive monster. Let’s not forget the hiring of the NBA’s Coach of the Year, Tom Thiobdeau, who led this group to 62 wins, far more than anyone expected.

Are the Bulls a better team than the Heat? Overall, from top to bottom, yes. Will they beat the Heat in these Eastern Conference finals? That remains to be seen. What we can chalk Woj’s column, and the opinion of much of the mainstream media (looking at you ESPN) is the fact that they’re simply caught up in the moment of each individual game. The media loves to get excited.

After Game 1, the Heat were doomed and the Bulls were going to go on to sweep them. After Game 2, apparently LeBron becomes Jordan and Riley gets the last laugh. Why can’t we all just sit back and enjoy the series that has been destined to go seven games since it started?

Bulls Don’t Stand a Chance Against Miami Heat? Not So Fast..

If you’ve read any headlines since the Miami Heat knocked off the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, then you know virtually no one else stands a chance in this postseason. Not the Dallas Mavericks, who swept the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, and surely not the Oklahoma City Thunder or Memphis Grizzlies.

Of course, the Bulls were just a stepping stone for the Heat, as well, given their troubles in getting past the Atlanta Hawks in six games. After all, the Heat beat the Celtics in five, and have been proclaimed unbeatable.

Well, there is a reason they play the games. Yes, it was impressive to see LeBron James and Dwayne Wade lighting it up together against the Celtics, but who did they really beat? A banged up, old Boston team, which had a point guard playing with one arm, in Rajon Rondo, and a frontcourt that included an aging Kevin Garnett and a should-have-retired-years-ago Shaquille O’Neal, who made less of an impact on this series than Brian Scalabrine did for the Bulls.

Not to discount the Heat, though. Obviously they’re a top tier team, given that potent backcourt. James and Wade are both all-NBA talents, which certainly showed against the C’s. Sure, they lack depth and a strong frontcourt, but they are still as deadly and explosive as any team remaining in these playoffs.

But to completely dismiss this series as over, as some have already done (looking at you Skip Bayless) could be considered nothing short of absurd. Yes, the Heat have great players, but the Bulls have proven this season that they have the all-around talent to keep up with anyone in the league.

At this point, dismissing the Bulls is irresponsible. They actually match up against the Heat much better than one might realize, even if many have already tossed the Bulls aside as an easy opponent for Miami.

In fact, the Bulls hold an advantage over the Heat, which could end up shaping this series. That advantage lies in the both the frontcourt of the Bulls, and their depth.

There is certainly no shortage of talent down low for the Bulls. After a few tough games in the playoffs, Carlos Boozer found his stride in Thursday’s Game 6 against the Hawks, along with the fact that he plays next to one of the most intense, and a top notch guy on the boards, in Joakim Noah.

Beyond those two, the hat still goes deeper. Taj Gibson has shown that he can stick with anyone in the league and is proving to be a key cog in the Bulls machine. There’s also Omer Asik, who is a beast on the boards and a solid backup for Noah, as well as the veteran big man Kurt Thomas, who is fresh after seeing little time to this point in the postseason.

What do the Heat have down low? Chris Bosh. Now Bosh has had a good postseason, but he was also playing against a Celtics frontcourt that looked very sorry in their series in the past week or so. Joel Anthony certainly isn’t in a league with Boozer or Noah, meaning whichever one Bosh does match up with, will have an extremely favorable matchup in this series.

Of course, there’s still that outlandish advantage the Heat have in the backcourt. Yes, the Bulls have the league MVP in Derrick Rose, but Miami boasts two of the game’s best players in Wade and James. Wade will most likely guard Rose, but luckily for the Bulls, Rose can keep himself fresh on the defensive side of things, with Keith Bogans expected to match up with Wade with the Bulls on D. There’s also the matter of that Luol Deng guy, who is a pretty great defender, matching up against James.

Say what you want about the Bulls not blowing teams out in the playoffs or not looking overly impressive. The fact is, that this team is sound from top to bottom, and has as much depth and defensive skill as any team in the league. They’re not built to blow teams out, and whether they come out on the winning or losing side of this series, each game should prove to be a close one.

On paper, you see the names of Wade and James and assume the Heat have an outstanding advantage over the Bulls in this series. But Chicago is the better overall team, with a better frontcourt and more depth, meaning this is going to be an extremely close, and nerve-racking series for Bulls fans, no matter the result.

Frontcourt Finally Comes To Play As Bulls Eliminate Hawks In Blowout

You knew it was just a matter of time before the Bulls’ entire team actually showed up for a post season game, and they finally did it in Chicago’s 93-73 win over the Hawks on Thursday, expelling Atlanta from any hopes of postseason glory.

The Bulls got going in this one and never really stopped, leaving little chance for an Atlanta squad that was enduring one of its worst shooting nights of the postseason.

Surprisingly, the biggest source of offense for the Bulls on Thursday came from Carlos Boozer, who dropped 23 on the Hawks in the win. Boozer has struggled throughout this postseason, both with his scoring touch and his turnovers, so Thursday was a big step in the right direction for him.

Chicago’s big free agent catch of last summer found his rhythm in this one, scoring on 10 of his 16 shots from the field, with 10 boards to add to his double-double. Seemingly every jumper that Boozer launched fell for him, and he played with more confidence than we had seen to this point in the postseason.

His scoring frenzy took some of the pressure off of Derrick Rose, who only had to play 38 minutes in the win. The MVP did make an impact though, with 19 points and 12 dimes, as well as the fact that the team was a game-high plus-24 with Rose on the court.

The Bulls’ bench also saw plenty of time again in this one, and did manage to make another impact, just as they’ve done all season. Omer Asik played the most minutes off the bench, scoring five points and grabbing five boards. Taj Gibson also had another hot shooting night, getting five of his seven shots to drop, which were good for 10 on the night.

The Hawks didn’t have such luck shooting on Thursday night. They shot just a touch over 36 percent for the game, with Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford combining to go 9-28 from the field. The fact that their two biggest scoring options, once again, let their team down due to poor shooting and a stout Chicago defense, ultimately doomed the Hawks.

The one Hawk that did have a strong game was Josh Smith, who was second on the team with 18 points. But he had an all-around solid game for Atlanta, with five rebounds, a couple of blocks, and three steals of the night.

With the win, the Bulls will now move on to face the powerhouse Miami Heat, who cruised by an old and hobbled Boston Celtics squad earlier this week. While the Heat were nearly unanimously handed the NBA title after Wednesday’s Game 5 win, there is certainly more to this series that meets the eye.

Big Fourth Quarter Propels Bulls To 3-2 Series Lead Over Hawks

The early stages of Chicago’s Game 5 on Tuesday night had all the makings of what Game 3 was for the Bulls. They jumped out to an early lead and looked to be running away with it, but the persistent Hawks would stay in it until the late-going in this one, with the Bulls eventually grabbing the 95-83 win.

The Bulls started off hot, leading by 11 points after the first quarter. Rather than Derrick Rose taking the early shots, which he did, it was Luol Deng who had the hot hand, scoring the first seven points for the Bulls in this one. As the Bulls pulled away early, Keith Bogans scored eight consecutive points to help the Bulls jump out to their early lead.

But the Hawks would not be denied. Aided by another sound performance from the youngster Jeff Teague, as well as some solid play early from Josh Smith, the Hawks crept back into this one in the second and early third quarters. Towards the end of the third, they would eventually hold their first lead over the Bulls.

It wasn’t as if the Bulls were playing poorly, either. The Bulls shot almost 49 percent from the field and were sound defensively, but the Hawks were also solid in their shooting, finishing with about a 48 percent. Even with the Atlanta rally, though, the Bulls held a one-point lead after three.

After blowing a double digit lead that they held early, many were certainly weary of the Bulls heading into the game’s final frame. Searching for energy, the Bulls got it from the usual source, as well as one that was a bit more unexpected for some.

The Bulls outscored the Hawks 26-15 for the quarter, with Rose accounting for 11 of those points. Coming up with another 11 of them was Taj Gibson, who did  not score in the previous three quarters. He provided a nice spark off the bench, which was absolutely necessary on a night in which Joakim Noah and Kyle Korver combined for zero points.

Atlanta didn’t do themselves any favors on Tuesday either. Despite a solid night from Josh Smith, and another sound performance from Teague, the  Hawks’ major scoring threats, Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford, fell silent once again. The two combined for 17 points, and 15 of those came courtesy of Johnson.

Even though it wasn’t the prettiest win for the Bulls, this shouldn’t come as anything new to fans. This isn’t a team that’s going to blow many teams out, even if they were able to decimate Atlanta in the regular season. Expect another gritty performance when the Bulls try and close out the series in Atlanta on Thursday night.

It’s Official: Bulls Guard Derrick Rose Named 2010-11 NBA MVP

At the beginning of the season, Derrick Rose sat there and asked why he couldn’t win the MVP award. Most analysts, and even some fans, scoffed at the remarks by the third-year point guard. After all, with the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard vying for the award, what chance did little ol’ Rose stand?

Fast forward to May 3rd, 2011. Derrick Rose stood in front of media, teammates, and family as he accepted the MVP award for the 2010-2011 season, besting all three of the superstars mentioned above. And it wasn’t even close.

Rose took him 113 of 121 first place votes. Those three all-world talents combined for the other eight. That’s absurd. Sure, many expected Rose to take home the MVP when all was said and done, but perhaps no one could have expected that sort of landslide victory.

It’s not as if it isn’t deserved. Rose led the Bulls to a 62-20 record, tops in the entire league. And that’s having played the majority of the season without Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah playing at the same time.

A quick look at Rose’s stats would indicate he’s not the league MVP. In fact, it would probably tell you that he’s not even close to being near the most elite candidates for the award. Rose was seventh in the league in points per game, and 10th in assists per. Not mind-blowing numbers, but in the MVP discussion, it goes beyond the numbers.

Rose’s teammates and observers will be the first to tell you that it’s difficult to match his work ethic. In fact, it’s damn near impossible. During the press conference in which it was announced that Rose won the award, head coach Tom Thibodeau gave an account of how he became familiar with the tough-as-nails guard that is Derrick Rose.

Upon winning the FIBA World Championships last summer, in Turkey, Rose returned only to immediately begin working out with his teammates. The next day. For those of you that aren’t aware, Turkey is roughly seven hours ahead of the United States’ and eight ahead of Chicago. What jet lag?

But it’s what we saw during the season from Rose that has made him truly remarkable. His ability to take over a game is something unseen in the Windy City since the days of  wait for it….Michael Jordan. And while the Jordan comparisons are still completely outlandish, there’s no denying the late-game ability of Rose.

I’ve referred to him as the best closer in sports since Mariano Rivera, and with good reason. One example that immediately comes to mind goes back to March 26th, against the Bucks in Milwaukee.

In the 95-87 Bulls win, Rose dropped 30 points, as well as 17 dimes to the effort. But it was his effort in the late-going that firmly established him as one of the game’s top closers. Rose scored eight of Chicago’s last 12 points and contributed two key assists to those other four points to seal the deal against a pesky Bucks squad.

On Tuesday, in front of all the naysayers and those who had written off the Bulls as a five-seed, at best, heading into the season, Rose stood as humble as ever. Taking little credit for the award, Rose thanked his Bulls teammates, staff, coaches, fans, and, perhaps most importantly, his family. Nearly tearing up when mentioning his mother, Rose proved to the Bulls fan base that that kid who grew up on the South Side of Chicago is still as humble and as human as anyone.

As the Bulls prep to host the Atlanta Hawks for Game 2, Rose now has the hardware he coveted at the beginning of the year, but he still knows there is work to be done. Bulls fans should prep to see a rejuvenated Rose after a rough Game 1 as the Bulls look to continue onward towards their title hopes on  Wednesday night, in Chicago.

 

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