Eastern Conference Finals Matchup- Heat v Bulls

[mboss]

The ECF are set and it's what a lot of people thought was going to happen...#1 vs #2, although the Heat will be favored in the series. It's an interesting match up because the two teams, while both very good, have strengths in different areas. Remarkably, both teams started the season 9-8, before finishing with the two best records in the East at 62-20 and 58-24. So The Bulls and the Heat, after a rough start went 53-12, 49-16 respectively....pretty amazing run. I have to preface this by saying I'm from Chicago and I am a Bulls fan.

Match ups:
Shooting guard: Wade v Bogans
Obviously Wade is one of the top 5 talents in the game and Bogans can't even compare. Bogans is in there for two reasons, defense and hitting a few 3's. Wade's all around game and ability to also play good defense(possibly against Rose) give the Heat a huge advantage.

Point Guard: Rose v Bibby/Chalmers
Same as above this match up is heavily skewed to one side, Rose is the MVP of the league and Bibby is on the downside of his career. Bibby and Chalmers can hit a few 3's which can help spread the floor. I have a feeling that Spoelstra will switch a lot with Wade and even James at times checking Rose on D.

Small forward: Lebron James v Luol Deng
This is a great match up; with James the best talent in the league and Deng a decent scorer who plays really good defense. James obviously has the advantage here, but Deng is one of the more important players in the series. Deng has to defend James and he is very important 2nd scoring option from the perimeter for the Bulls.

Power Forward: Chris Bosh v Carlos Boozer
This series could be decided at this position. Both Bosh and Boozer have been wildly inconsistent, and depending on the player you get in the post at the power forward could decided a couple games in the series. If either team gets a 20+/10+ game from the PF position in any game, I believe that team wins the game.

Center: Anthony/Ilgauskas v Joakim Noah
Joel Anthony will probably play more of a role when Noah is in the game because he moves much better, but depending on how the Bulls control the boards, Dampier or Z may have to come in. The Bulls have an overall advantage inside with Noah, Gibson, Asik, Thomas.

Bench:
This is a big advantage of the Bulls with their depth and defense. Gibson, Watson, Korver, Brewer, Asik can take over games with the second units on the floor at times.

Coaching: Spoelstra v Thibideau
Spoelstra has gotten a bad rap nationally but he pulled it all together after a couple bad stretches for the Heat. As far as X's and O's I think Thibs has an advantage here....but with this many Superstars on the court it is usually decided on talent in the end anyway.

As much I want to say the Bulls will win, I can't. The Heat are peaking at the right time, and as long as Bosh can give them two or three good games, the top heavy talent of the Heat will win in 6.

[Dave Gray]

I am a HEAT fan.  So, I'll try to be fair.

That said, I expect the HEAT to win this series easily.  Made I'm drinking the Kool-Aid, but like you said, the HEAT are peaking and honestly, I think that Chicago hasn't looked all that good.  They can't score and the HEAT D is better than Atlanta. 

Although the Bulls swept the HEAT, and deserve full credit for doing so, the combined win total over 3 games is 5 points.  No game was decisive and came down to one call or one late basket.

I think the only thing that the HEAT have to worry about it Derrick Rose just going off, while getting good support from his role-players.  I think that WILL absolutely happen once or twice in the series.  However, I just don't see them being able to do that over the course of a series.

In the last HEAT series, I felt beforehand that it would come down to 2 things: Chris Bosh and Rondo.  Both of those breaks went Miami's way in the last few games.
In this series, I think it comes down to Derrick Rose not being able to get easy baskets all game compared to those that the HEAT can get on the break and off the dribble from Wade and Lebron.

[mboss]

Although the Bulls swept the HEAT, and deserve full credit for doing so, the combined win total over 3 games is 5 points.  No game was decisive and came down to one call or one late basket.

It was 8 points total, but your point remains the same....the games will be close as they were in the regular season.

I think the only thing that the HEAT have to worry about it Derrick Rose just going off, while getting good support from his role-players.  I think that WILL absolutely happen once or twice in the series.  However, I just don't see them being able to do that over the course of a series.

In this series, I think it comes down to Derrick Rose not being able to get easy baskets all game compared to those that the HEAT can get on the break and off the dribble from Wade and Lebron.

It's not just if derrick Rose goes off, but how he goes off. If he's taking 27-33 shots per game the Bulls don't have a chance. If he plays like he did last night, efficiently getting his teammates involved early, then it's a completely different type of game. And as far as him not being able to get as many easy baskets, I don't know if he have any easier or harder time against the Heat. Both the Pacers and Hawks are a long and athletic teams...and while their team defense isn't as good as the Heat, the Heat still have some deficiencies inside the paint.

That's why Boozer and Bosh I think are really important in the series. When Boozer is going like he was last night the Bulls can use the pick and pop/ pick and roll so effectively...like they haven't been able to all playoffs(because Boozer has sucked). Wade and James are going to get theirs, but when Bosh plays well it makes it tough to beat them. Even though Bosh isn't as physical as you'd like he still is a post presence when right. I think the Bulls will D up Wade and James but concede that they will score theirs, but try to control Bosh and hit him hard early in the series to see how he reacts.

[masterfins]

I'm not a Heat Fan.  The Heat should easily sweep the Bulls, I'd be surprised if it went more than 5 games.

[EDGECRUSHER]

The Celtics were one stupid Paul Pierce 17 second dribble away from tying the series at 2, so I don't think the Heat are as unstoppable as people are making them out to be.

I do believe they should be favored and think they will win in 6 or 7 games, but it wouldn't surprise me if they don't. The Bulls are more of a team as opposed to a ridiculous collection of talent. Doesn't mean they will win because of it, but I think their dynamic is more built for playoff success.

[EDGECRUSHER]

And the Bulls just whomped Miami by 21 to take a 1-0 series lead. Unlikely they beat them so easily in Game 2 as I am sure the Heat will adjust, but already this series has shown that Miami won't just waltz into the Finals.

[mboss]

I'm not a Heat Fan.  The Heat should easily sweep the Bulls, I'd be surprised if it went more than 5 games.

Thanks for playing....

[Dave Gray]

I asked the other day "How do the Bulls beat the HEAT?"  My question was answered: 2nd chance points.  The analysts tried to break the game down, but it all really came down to that one stat.

I still think the HEAT win this series, and I imagine they'll win game 2.  (I still can see them winning in 5.)

[mboss]

Yeah, there's going to be over reaction to this game, but the Heat will turn it around in game two. If there's one game the Bulls had to win it was this one, and they did. I didn't think any game was going to be a blow out though, like it was.

James and Wade will play better and attack the basket more and get to the line. Question is, if Wade and James play better and have the ball more, then does it take Bosh out of the game on the offensive side a bit? Can Bosh then do the dirty work inside with the Bulls bigs?

I'll tell you though...if the Bulls bench play THAT well the whole series, it will be really tough.