Re: 2009-10 Chicago Bulls Thread

[Andy]

That was embarrassing last night but it looks like we still have a shot with Bosh being out indefinitely

 

It might be worse to go to the playoffs and get obliterated by LeBron & Co. than to just not go.

 

This wouldn't be the aging Celitics without their big man. It would be the actual favorite in the East, with the best player in the world playing at the peak of his prowress. A massacre.

Better to play 4 playoff games against a great team than sit at home, especially when we have to switch draft picks with a team that did make the playoffs anyway.

[UMFan83]

Yeah, I don't see how it could be worse to make the playoffs and get destroyed. While I think it will be an easy sweep, I would imagine 1 of the games, probably game 3 would be reasonably close. Enough to give people like Taj some valuable experience, or something intangible like that.

[Soul]

Eh, marginal experience at best.

 

Take 'em to 6 or 7 games -- that seems different. But just taking the court as fodder for a contender? I don't see how a guy like Taj will benefit all that much from that.

[UMFan83]

Eh, marginal experience at best.

 

Take 'em to 6 or 7 games -- that seems different. But just taking the court as fodder for a contender? I don't see how a guy like Taj will benefit all that much from that.

 

Fine but that still doesn't prove that there is any negative effect to them making the playoffs and getting stomped. You can argue the level of benefit though from minute to fairly beneficial. I would just enjoy knowing that the team accomplished something despite losing last year's leading scorer, starting off the season really poorly, trading 2 key role players to teams your competing for playoff spots with, and dealing with injuries to the 3 best players on the team at the same time for a 5-10 game stretch.

[Soul]

Eh, marginal experience at best.

 

Take 'em to 6 or 7 games -- that seems different. But just taking the court as fodder for a contender? I don't see how a guy like Taj will benefit all that much from that.

 

Fine but that still doesn't prove that there is any negative effect to them making the playoffs and getting stomped. You can argue the level of benefit though from minute to fairly beneficial. I would just enjoy knowing that the team accomplished something despite losing last year's leading scorer, starting off the season really poorly, trading 2 key role players to teams your competing for playoff spots with, and dealing with injuries to the 3 best players on the team at the same time for a 5-10 game stretch.

 

I probably wasn't very clear. I wasn't trying to say what would be better or worse for the Bulls, just what I don't personally care to see.

[SpongeWorthy]

I think a healthy Bulls team could give the Cavs a frisky 5 or even 6 game series. They'd be motivated at least unlike the beyond washed up Detroit team that got destroyed by Cleveland last year.

[Flames24Rulz]

The offense is looking real good, especially after that disaster 48 hours ago.

 

Of course not facing LeBron helps as well.

[JonJayCutler]

Please make the playoffs and beat the Cavs. You have a much better shot at it than Toronto does without Bosh.

[Sammy Sofa]

[expletive]. I was ready to have a breakdown with the Bulls missing 4 free throws in the last 26 seconds. Thank God they offset that with some fantastic defense. Epic work by Noah in the last 5 seconds.

[Magnetic Curses]

the bulls are a better team than the cavs without lebron.

[bukie]

[expletive]. I was ready to have a breakdown with the Bulls missing 4 free throws in the last 26 seconds. Thank God they offset that with some fantastic defense. Epic work by Noah in the last 5 seconds.

I think Rose missed the last one on purpose (at least that seems reasonable), but yeah.

Edited April 9, 2010 by bukie

[SpongeWorthy]

My god that was some epic gagging at the line. Kirk, why can't you play like that more often? Knocking down jumpers and locking down an on fire Mo Williams (who was still making some crazy ass 3s).

[chuckywang]

the bulls are a better team than the cavs without lebron.

So I guess Lebron = 23 wins.

[Guest]

So let's temporarily abandon reality and assume for a minute that the Bulls signed LeBron. How would the bulls line up? Put LBJ at the #2 and play Rose, LBJ, Deng, Gibson & Noah?

[bukie]

So let's temporarily abandon reality and assume for a minute that the Bulls signed LeBron. How would the bulls line up? Put LBJ at the #2 and play Rose, LBJ, Deng, Gibson & Noah?

If we're abandoning reality, can we trade Deng and Hinrich for draft picks, and sign Bosh and Joe Johnson too?

[SpongeWorthy]

So let's temporarily abandon reality and assume for a minute that the Bulls signed LeBron. How would the bulls line up? Put LBJ at the #2 and play Rose, LBJ, Deng, Gibson & Noah?

 

Sign/draft/trade for any big 2 guard that can knock down open jumpers and make Deng the 6th man.

[Guest]

So let's temporarily abandon reality and assume for a minute that the Bulls signed LeBron. How would the bulls line up? Put LBJ at the #2 and play Rose, LBJ, Deng, Gibson & Noah?

If we're abandoning reality, can we trade Deng and Hinrich for draft picks, and sign Bosh and Joe Johnson too?

lol - sure.

 

I like our chances next year with a lineup of:

 

Rose

Johnson

LeBron

Bosh

Noah

[chuckywang]

Bulls control their own playoff destiny. The game against the Raptors is the season.

[Sammy Sofa]

PS - Thanks, LeBron.

[UMFan83]

Bulls control their own playoff destiny. The game against the Raptors is the season.

 

Si. It really is. Tomorrow the Bulls play in NJ, which is usually where they go to die no matter how good the Nets are. The Raptors play in Atlanta. On paper, that looks like the Bulls are about to take a 1 game lead heading into that game. Here is why that Toronto game is everything. If the above happens and the Bulls lose in Toronto, Toronto takes a lead due to tiebreakers, and then finishes their season in Detroit and against New York. Even without Bosh, those are 2 pretty winnable games. The Bulls finish with Boston and in Charlotte. So if the Bulls win 1 of those 2 games, then Toronto has to lose to both Detroit and NY. If the Bulls win both of them, Toronto still has to lose to 1 of those 2 bottom feeders.

 

However, if the Bulls win on Sunday, they take a 2 game lead into the final 2 games, meaning that the Bulls magic number for a playoff spot is 1, so either the Bulls have to win 1 of those 2 games, or Toronto has to lose 1 of those 2 games for the Bulls to clinch.

 

That game is EVERYTHING.

[chuckywang]

Don't forget Boston has nothing to play for now. They are guaranteed the 3rd seed.

[bukie]

Don't forget Boston has nothing to play for now. They are guaranteed the 3rd seed.

That's not true. They can get the 4th seed.

[chuckywang]

Don't forget Boston has nothing to play for now. They are guaranteed the 3rd seed.

That's not true. They can get the 4th seed.

I thought division winners get the first three seeds ... is that no longer the case?

[bukie]

Don't forget Boston has nothing to play for now. They are guaranteed the 3rd seed.

That's not true. They can get the 4th seed.

I thought division winners get the first three seeds ... is that no longer the case?

No, not the last few years.

[Andy]

Don't forget Boston has nothing to play for now. They are guaranteed the 3rd seed.

That's not true. They can get the 4th seed.

I thought division winners get the first three seeds ... is that no longer the case?

No, not the last few years.

The top three seeds are seeded regardless of division, and if the 3rd-place division winner is worse than one of the wildcards, they're seeded 4th. If the top three teams in the conference were somehow all in one division, I assume that the 4/5 series would be the other two division winners.