4/15 - Bulls (41-40) vs. Toronto (32-49) - 7 pm, CSN

[wolf stansson]

The Magic are extremely beatable, and based on their style of play should be beaten.

 

It all depends on how the Bulls attack Orlando. If we force Orlando to go to an up-tempo game, I think we'll win the series. I have a lack of confidence in Del Negro being able to outcoach SVG in a seven game series.

 

With the way the Bulls are currently playing, I don't see this being a 7 game series. I have ??? about the Magic depth outside of their starting lineup. Outside of Howard they don't have much of a defensive prowess, and offensively it's either dump it in to Howard (and sometimes the Magic forget to include Howard in their offense) or basically settle for the 3 pointer. In other words, I would be disappointed if the Bulls don't win the series.

lollllll

 

 

I don't really disagree with your analysis of the Magic based on recent performance, but you're throwing it out there without any analysis on the Bulls, which is important, considering they are the comparative other half of the equation.

 

You say Howard is the only good defender on the Magic. Hinrich is the Bulls best defender and he's working on grindy hustle and not much else.

 

You say their offense is dump it in to Howard or settle for a three pointer. As opposed to the Bulls offense of just settle for a 3 pointer.

[bukie]

15 word synopsis of the Orlando Magic:

 

They are the Bulls, except with Howard instead of Tyrus.

 

I like Tyrus, but really.

[RedFlash]

15 word synopsis of the Orlando Magic:

 

They are the Bulls, except with Howard instead of Tyrus.

 

I like Tyrus, but really.

 

Exactly.

[David]

15 word synopsis of the Orlando Magic:

 

They are the Bulls, except with Howard instead of Tyrus.

 

I like Tyrus, but really.

 

Exactly.

 

 

ummm... lol... exactly

[David]

Do you not see why that means they're a lot better than the Bulls?

[WrigleyField 22]

Dude, obviously, Tyrus>Howard

[UMFan83]

Rose > Alston

Gordon > Lee

Salmons = Turkoglu

Thomas < Lewis

Noah < Howard

 

Basketball is the hardest spot to break down simply by player by player comparisons though because while Thomas is not as good as Lewis, they both do different things and play different styles. Also Howard's advantage over Noah is much much greater than Rose's over Alston

[manbearcub]

Philly loses to Boston.

[WrigleyField 22]

We control our own destiny. woooo

[Flames24Rulz]

Magic number for the 6 seed is now at 1.

[UMFan83]

It's so crazy that this is pretty much the best case scenario that the Bulls could have hoped for. Many people were hoping that the Bulls would just get the 8 seed. All the sudden we have the 6 seed if we win tomorrow.

 

Since the Jordan years, we've been the 4th seed (04-05), 5th seed (06-07), 6th seed (08-09 if we win tom.) and 7th seed (05-06). Pretty sweet.

[Wilson A2000]

It's so crazy that this is pretty much the best case scenario that the Bulls could have hoped for. Many people were hoping that the Bulls would just get the 8 seed. All the sudden we have the 6 seed if we win tomorrow.

 

Since the Jordan years, we've been the 4th seed (04-05), 5th seed (06-07), 6th seed (08-09 if we win tom.) and 7th seed (05-06). Pretty sweet.

 

Do you think this is the worst of the playoff teams the Bulls have had since the Jordan years?

[SpongeWorthy]

It's so crazy that this is pretty much the best case scenario that the Bulls could have hoped for. Many people were hoping that the Bulls would just get the 8 seed. All the sudden we have the 6 seed if we win tomorrow.

 

Since the Jordan years, we've been the 4th seed (04-05), 5th seed (06-07), 6th seed (08-09 if we win tom.) and 7th seed (05-06). Pretty sweet.

 

Do you think this is the worst of the playoff teams the Bulls have had since the Jordan years?

 

Hard to say. The East was much weaker in the years the Bulls have made the playoffs and I think this team is peaking (relative to its talent level/experience) at the end of the regular season. I'd probably put the 04-05 team as the weakest even though it had the best seed.

[RedFlash]

Rose > Alston

Gordon > Lee

Salmons = Turkoglu

Thomas < Lewis

Noah < Howard

 

Basketball is the hardest spot to break down simply by player by player comparisons though because while Thomas is not as good as Lewis, they both do different things and play different styles. Also Howard's advantage over Noah is much much greater than Rose's over Alston

 

Bulls bench>Magic bench.

[Vanilla Ice]

3.5>2.5. Bulls are better.

[Wilson A2000]

It's so crazy that this is pretty much the best case scenario that the Bulls could have hoped for. Many people were hoping that the Bulls would just get the 8 seed. All the sudden we have the 6 seed if we win tomorrow.

 

Since the Jordan years, we've been the 4th seed (04-05), 5th seed (06-07), 6th seed (08-09 if we win tom.) and 7th seed (05-06). Pretty sweet.

 

Do you think this is the worst of the playoff teams the Bulls have had since the Jordan years?

 

Hard to say. The East was much weaker in the years the Bulls have made the playoffs and I think this team is peaking (relative to its talent level/experience) at the end of the regular season. I'd probably put the 04-05 team as the weakest even though it had the best seed.

 

But that team had defense, and you can't discount that. All of the recent Bulls playoff teams have peaked at the end. Skiles got them at their peak toward the end of the season year after year. I wish the Bulls had him.

[UMFan83]

It's so crazy that this is pretty much the best case scenario that the Bulls could have hoped for. Many people were hoping that the Bulls would just get the 8 seed. All the sudden we have the 6 seed if we win tomorrow.

 

Since the Jordan years, we've been the 4th seed (04-05), 5th seed (06-07), 6th seed (08-09 if we win tom.) and 7th seed (05-06). Pretty sweet.

 

Do you think this is the worst of the playoff teams the Bulls have had since the Jordan years?

 

I honestly have no idea. I would probably say yes because the Bulls defense was much much better than in the other 3 seasons. Then again, they probably have the most offensive talent than any of the 4 teams. Alas, defense seems to be more important in the playoffs, so I probably say its somewhere in the middle. But I really have no idea...I cannot believe the Bulls are in this position. They were pretty much left for dead in February and the trade for Miller and Salmons really changed the structure of the team. I felt the worst about this team than any other playoff year. Even in 05-06 when we were hovering around 10 games below .500 before making a run, we still competed every night, played our butts off and played a team game. This team was all me-first, and still is in a way. But it got better once the Bulls started winning a couple of games and built a bit of confidence.

[Flames24Rulz]

It's so crazy that this is pretty much the best case scenario that the Bulls could have hoped for. Many people were hoping that the Bulls would just get the 8 seed. All the sudden we have the 6 seed if we win tomorrow.

 

Since the Jordan years, we've been the 4th seed (04-05), 5th seed (06-07), 6th seed (08-09 if we win tom.) and 7th seed (05-06). Pretty sweet.

 

Do you think this is the worst of the playoff teams the Bulls have had since the Jordan years?

 

I honestly have no idea. I would probably say yes because the Bulls defense was much much better than in the other 3 seasons. Then again, they probably have the most offensive talent than any of the 4 teams. Alas, defense seems to be more important in the playoffs, so I probably say its somewhere in the middle. But I really have no idea...I cannot believe the Bulls are in this position. They were pretty much left for dead in February and the trade for Miller and Salmons really changed the structure of the team. I felt the worst about this team than any other playoff year. Even in 05-06 when we were hovering around 10 games below .500 before making a run, we still competed every night, played our butts off and played a team game. This team was all me-first, and still is in a way. But it got better once the Bulls started winning a couple of games and built a bit of confidence.

 

The 05-06 team really underachieved the whole season before going on a hot streak to enter the playoffs as a 7 seed. I remember how frustrating that team was to watch because they blew so many double-digit leads over the course of the season.

 

The 04-05 team was the most fun to watch because it was real clear that all the players were giving it their all and the defense that year was phenomenal. If we had a healthy Curry and Deng in the playoffs, we easily beat Washington that year.

 

The Eastern Conference is very top-heavy now, but overall I think it's better than what it was then. I think this team is about even with the 05-06 team just because they took similar paths to get to the playoffs. Also don't forget that team gave the Heat their toughest challenge in the postseason before succumbing to them. We'll find out for sure where this team stacks against the other three Bulls playoff teams from this decade in the next couple of weeks.

[David]

The 04-05 team was the best of all of these teams up until the point Curry left the game with heart palpitations. This was during the short period where Curry was less of a worthless bum. I loved that team. After the 0-9 start, they were awesome.

 

 

Going into the playoffs, obviously, the 06-07 team was the best one. But I'd put this team ahead of the others because we have at least some semblance of a superstar. The problem is the east is quite a bit stronger now and we played with our heads up our asses for too long to get ourselves a decent playoff matchup. Orlando is the best we could've hoped for at this point, but we obviously would've been in much better shape had we played better early and had the chance to play Atlanta or Miami.

 

Either way I'm excited to see Rose turn it up a notch for the playoffs, ala the tournament last year.

[David]

 

But that team had defense, and you can't discount that. All of the recent Bulls playoff teams have peaked at the end. Skiles got them at their peak toward the end of the season year after year. I wish the Bulls had him.

 

 

If the Bulls still had Skiles, you wouldn't have seen the development from Tyrus and Noah and Derrick Rose probably wouldn't have been given nearly as much playing time, especially if a Hinrich injury wouldn't have taken the decision out of his hands. Skiles is a big part of the reason Tyrus's development was stunted in his first two years. I feel strongly about this.

 

I liked him while he was here but he definitely has his warts.

[SpongeWorthy]

So the Bulls are down 14 after the first quarter and LeBron is sitting it out tonight against Philly despite Cleveland having a chance to tie the all time regular season home record.

 

Looks like that #6 seed is in jeopardy after all.

[Cynosure]

So the Bulls are down 14 after the first quarter and LeBron is sitting it out tonight against Philly despite Cleveland having a chance to tie the all time regular season home record.

 

Looks like that #6 seed is in jeopardy after all.

 

With the way they've played at home in the recent past 14 doesn't sound like that much.

[Cynosure]

LOL and HERE COMES THE BULLS!

[Cynosure]

LOL Bulls within 3 just like that.

[bcl412]

Apparently nobody who watched basketball 10 years ago voted in this poll (who was a better rookie Rose or Jordan. Rose won.