Crazy Season, Crazy Offseason?

The Bulls had a somewhat expected season sans Derrick Rose.  They finished 45-37 and earned the fifth seed in the East.  Then, they lost Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich during their first-round series with the Brooklyn Nets.  After blowing a 3-1 lead and two more key players, they still managed to win their first-ever Game 7 on the road.  The reward for that was not seeing Deng or Hinrich for the series against the Miami Heat and dropping it in five games.

You all know that part.  What about the parts you may not know so well, especially if you're only a casual fan?  Let's begin with the starting lineup.  Kirk Hinrich did as well as he could as the point guard.  He's no D-Rose, but he routinely led the team in assists night after night and proved to be a warrior in close games, personifying what the city is supposed to be about.  Jimmy Butler took over the two-guard spot from Rip Hamilton late in the season and showed just how high his ceiling can be.  He won't be an All-Star next year, but his endurance, hard play and ability to do everything when it was called for show he's going to be a productive NBA player for a long time to come.  Off all the players on the roster not named Derrick Rose, I'm most excited about what he'll do next year.

Luol Deng provided more of the same heroics we've grown accustomed to from him.  As the leading scorer on the team, he did his best to pick up the slack in that department and earned his second straight All-Star appearance for it.  Carlos Boozer once again had a productive season, routinely turning in double-doubles.  He still has his detractors for not showing up in enough playoff games and playing less than the contract he received and they have every right to call him out on those things.  Still, the Bulls wouldn't have gotten where they did without him.  Most other teams in the league would love to have somebody put up a double-double for them on most nights, regardless of how many of each category he totaled.

My player of the year is Joakim Noah.  After years of standing on the cusp of greatness, this was the year we finally saw it.  While he's still a defense-first player, he provided enough offense that he could be seen as somewhat of a twofold player.  That defense however was perhaps the driving force behind being selected to both his first All-Star Game and the All-Defensive First Team.  More than that, he showed everyone just how special he is.  Battling an injured foot that may require surgery, he lifted the shorthanded Bulls to an unlikely playoff series win.  Rose may be the best player on the Bulls, but Noah is the heart and soul.  Without him, they would have been demoralized so quickly they would have looked like a 16th seed during March Madness.  In this era of frequent turnover, I hope Noah stays with the Bulls throughout his career, or at least until he's past his prime.  No one else is worthy of being the man in the middle in Chicago right now.

The bench had some solid contributions as well.  Taj Gibson started out slowly, but made his way back into normal career numbers as the season went on.  Marco Belinelli was not a true starter, but his 3-point shooting and ability to get hot at times proved beneficial.  Nate Robinson was the big story for this group.  Not only did he make clutch plays in the postseason to create lasting images for Bulls fans, but he did this all season.  Although he was very hit-or-miss, it was hard to argue with his results and contagious energy.  Rip Hamilton regressed in both health and productivity towards the end and deservedly lost his starting spot.  He soon fell out of favor with fans and most definitely Tom Thibodeau.  While he performed admirably in Game 5 against Miami, it wasn't enough to stave off elimination and likely won't save his job here.  Nazr Mohammed was practically invisible during the first part of the year, so I gave him an incomplete grade at the All-Star break.  As he services became more needed though, he showed he could still contribute at his age, pushing my grade for him up to about a C.  Daequan Cook and Vladimir Radmanovic filled the role of seldom-used veterans while Malcolm Thomas fell victim to Thibodeau's mantra of not playing the youngest guys big minutes.  Marquis Teague will probably get more minutes next year as the third-string point guard.  We were saying similar things about Jimmy Butler last year and he turned out pretty good.  I can't wait to see what we've been missing from the young guard out of Kentucky.

Most of the free agents signed last offseason were to one-year deals and not all contracts were guaranteed.  That means another large turnover appears likely.  The only free agent I can see the Bulls bringing back is Belinelli.  Even then, it would only be because they can't find anyone else on the market who can shoot the long ball.  I would also give a long-shot chance to Mohammed just for veteran purposes.  I didn't think Brian Scalbrine would return for a second season, so don't be so quick to dismiss Mohammed just yet.  Robinson, Hamilton, Radmanovic and Thomas are all likely gone.  Their value has either gone beyond the Bulls' limits or just aren't worthy enough to keep.

Among the unrestricted free agents available this year are Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Al Jefferson, Manu Ginobili, Josh Smith, Kevin Martin, Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette and Jose Calderon.  Sorry to burst your bubble, but I really doubt any of them are coming to Chicago.  The Bulls have too many large contracts right now and are flirting with the luxury-tax line.  Gar Forman and John Paxson will never allow that line to be crossed as long as they're running the show.  In their need for another shooting guard, small forward and center, I could see them pursuing the respective likes of Leandro Barbosa, Matt Barnes and Joel Pryzbilla respectively.  They could also forget Belinelli and bring back Kyle Korver instead.  Don't take that as gospel.  I'm just throwing out a few names the Bulls could and possibly would reasonably pursue given their limitations.  Regardless this will be an interesting offseason for the front office.

I'm not sure how much will be worth talking about between now and the draft, but I'll continue to keep you updated on the latest happenings surrounding the team.  It beats the alternative of having to watch the Heat pursue another championship, am I right?

Came Back, Fell Short, Season Over

What's painful about being a fan of a team like the Bulls is that you know the odds are stacked heavily against you when it comes to winning a championship.  When the team's season comes to an end, especially against the best one in the league, the blow is somewhat softened by your lower expectations.  Nothing can prevent disappointment though and that's what most Bulls fans felt after Game 5, which saw the Heat eliminate their foes by a 94-91 final.

It appeared the Bulls would roll over and die as easily as in Game 4 thanks to Miami's 22-4 start.  Carlos Boozer was determined not to let that happen though.  He got on a roll and scored 19 first-half points to have the Bulls lead by six at the half.  Nate Robinson reemerged from his stinker in the last contest and provided his trademark energy.  He had 14 points before halftime and Jimmy Butler poured in 12 before the break.  Just like so many times this season, the Bulls made it count when they were counted out.  As they held an eight-point lead after three quarters, a Game 6 on Friday looked very possible.

The fourth quarter showed why Miami is deserving of moving on.  Their offense was crisper, their defense was timely and their mistakes were limited.  It also helped that the Bulls were still playing without Rose, Deng and Hinrich.  Talent and depth win in this league every time and when you don't have enough, the superior club will take you right out of the playoffs.  It wasn't just the Big 3 that made key plays down the stretch, but the Coles, Battiers and Andersens also stepped up.  Although the Bulls made a final push and had a chance to tie the game at the end, the offense looked out of sync and didn't appear to have a clear plan as to who should take the key shot.  Robinson and Butler both made attempts, but they didn't fall in.  The clock ran out before Rip Hamilton (yeah, him) could try another one and the season came to a close.

LeBron James had the best night on paper for the victors with a line of 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.  The bigger hero was Dwayne Wade, who will keep the Heat in championship contention for as long as he's at his peak.  He took over like it was 2006, making most of the big plays down the stretch and finishing with 18.  Chris Bosh totaled 12 and Udonis Haslem shot 5-of-6 from the field for 10.

Boozer led all scorers with 26 and rounded out his final double-double of the season with 14 boards, nine of which came offensively.  Robinson, likely playing his final Bulls game, made up for his previous shoddy performance by scoring 21.  Butler went the distance again and put in 19 while Hamilton, trying to leave some sort of positive parting impression for Bulls fans, had 15.  It was nice to get some unexpected help in this fashion, but Hamilton was nothing more than an inadequate supporting figure for a team that needed a win to keep its year going.  Nothing is going to prevent him from being expendable for the franchise.

It's sad that this roller coaster season had to come to a close, but at the same time, it's a relief.  This year was full of frustrations, injuries, shortcomings and the perpetual talk of Derrick Rose's return that never came (my dad was right all along on that).  The playoffs provided a team that exceeded expectations when they went out with something to prove.  They could have easily folded after blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Nets and losing two key starters.  It didn't happen.  They could have just lay down against the Heat and taken the sweep they deserved, but instead stole Game 1 in front of white-clad fans.  Even in half their losses in this series, they wouldn't just accept defeat.

Tom Thibodeau should be proud of his boys because the fan base is already proud of them.  Naturally, he and the players will see this year as a failure because they didn't achieve the ultimate goal.  That shouldn't matter.  They played as well as they could with what they had.  It's a standard by which all NBA teams should be measured.  If we could only see the kind of play we just witnessed by everyone night in and night out, the league would be that much more fun to watch.  Even the terrible teams should take note.  You can win with what you have.  You just need the desire.  I know the NBA is big already, but just imagine how much the entertainment value would increase.  Take five, boys.  You deserve a break, even if you didn't want one just yet.

I'll have a season wrap-up post sometime in the next few days.  I'll take a look back on how the team performed and what we can expect for the offseason.  Until then, keep your heads held high, Bulls fans.  Our team deserved to be in the playoffs and made nearly every minute count.  That's a basketball team.

How Low Things Go

We as Bulls fans have tendencies to make our team seem better than it actually as.  Although we know the roster as constructed is not championship-caliber, we still have that hope that maybe, just maybe, they can shock the world.  However, when you're matched up with the defending champions who are well on their way to repeating and have the potential to win a couple more, you're going to get some sense knocked into you at some point.  What the Bulls received against Miami in Game 4 was a dose of reality several layers deep.  If the Heat really wanted to, they would have made it more of a blowout than 88-65.  But when your opponent sets franchise playoff lows for points in a game, field-goal percentage (25.7) and points in a quarter (nine in the third), I guess some shred of mercy is involved.

The only Bulls lead came at 2-0 on a putback layup from Carlos Boozer.  At that point, the United Center was only half full.  Whether it was due to the early start time (trust me, the 6:00 tip created some unusual Monday rush-hour traffic on the Eisenhower) or dwindled interest, you could consider that a bad omen.  By the time most fans were in their seats, the Heat had already taken control and weren't looking back.  The 11-point deficit at halftime was still manageable, even for the depleted Bulls.  When the bottom fell out in the third quarter though, it was all over.  The sad part is Miami only scored 17 of their own in that frame.  That should have kept the Bulls in it, but they only dug themselves into a deeper hole.  With 12 minutes to play, the white flag was already up.  Tom Thibodeau still had to do his pre-quarter interview with Craig Sager, which could be argued as cruel and unusual.

LeBron James was the leading scorer with 27 points and Chris Bosh had 14.  Dwyane Wade scored only six, but his services clearly weren't needed on this night.  For the Bulls, Boozer had a double-double quieter than usual at 14 and 12.  Jimmy Butler played all but 2:10 and scored 12.  Rip Hamilton, whose mere presence was a definite indicator of where this series is headed, contributed 11 and Taj Gibson added 10. 

However, all of those stat lines will be less remembered than Nate Robinson's 0-for-12 shooting, including 0-for-5 from 3-point land.  He was trying to get hot like he normally does in what could only be described as an epic failure.  He pretty much killed any slim chance the Bulls had of re-signing him and showed everyone why he's the third-string point guard.  He's made some great memories during these playoffs, but if anyone wonders why you won't see him in a Bulls uniform next year, look no further than this game.

Beating the champs is usually a tough task.  In a seven-game series against them, there's going to be a sign to yourself and to all that you're just not ready for the next level.  There are times when the competition lets you know and times when you let yourself know.  In this case, it was both.  The Heat wanted to snuff out any remaining fire the Bulls had in them and did so before the game ever got physical.  That, along with the sheer will to win, has been the Bulls' best weapon against Miami this season and this game showed neither on display.  Those get extinguished easily when you're practically committing suicide by poor play.  Plus, when you're missing three key players long enough, that's going to bite you eventually.  Game 4 bit the Bulls so hard, the scars may not go away until next postseason.  Health means everything in the playoffs and the Bulls are learning that just like the Thunder without Russell Westbrook.  They're one loss away from elimination too.

If you're a masochist or aren't easily swayed by the Blackhawks bandwagon, you can watch Game 5 Wednesday in Miami.  Although the final Heat win in this series is a mere formality, the Bulls can salvage some pride by putting on a much better showing than what we just witnessed.  If they get lucky, maybe they can delay Miami's celebration for another couple of days.  Also, maybe they shouldn't take the first playoff game against the Heat in future series.  Opponents don't seem to do well after that.  Just a thought.

Starting Strong, Not Finishing That Way

I'm on a time crunch as I write this, so I'll keep it short.  The Bulls stayed with Miami for much of Game 3, but were outscored by 10 points in the final quarter to lose 104-94.  LeBron James (25) and Carlos Boozer (21) were the leading scorers for their respective teams.

This all took a backseat however to the physicality the Bulls displayed early in the game.  First, Joakim Noah distributed a hit to Chris Andersen after a play beneath the basket.  More notably, Nazr Mohammed shoved James and was ejected almost immediately.  Tom Thibodeau responded by playing only seven of his guys the rest of the way, resulting in the latest of heavy minutes for most of his available regulars.

Yes, the Bulls really need to calm down with these unnecessary shots as it's making them and Thibodeau's discipline look bad.  Yes, this game probably destroyed any remaining goodwill James had toward the organization.  And yes, I have no clue how many people at the United Center realized Mohammed's ejection meant the rotation was going to get even thinner at a very inopportune time.  I'd rather talk about the Heat outmuscling the Bulls towards the end though.

They say no matter how gritty and determined you are to win in the playoffs, talent always wins out.  Miami has plenty of that and I wonder just how much I underestimated their bench players not named Ray Allen or Shane Battier.  Norris Cole has not missed from beyond three-point territory in this series.  Andersen is making big plays as well.  One thing that doomed the Bulls in the conference finals two years ago was the Heat receiving unexpected help from their bench.  It really makes you wonder if they've had that edge all along.  Probably, because they wouldn't have been to the Finals two years in a row otherwise.

When Miami has the talent and depth they do, that's typically going to mean more stamina, which turns into the ability to close out games.  We don't always see it, but if the stakes are high, it's almost sure to happen.  The Bulls have gone about as deep as they can go.  They can only lose so many players for an extended period before the bench is shown for just what it is:  the bench.  There's a reason these guys usually don't get these many minutes.

Home-court advantage is gone now, but the Bulls can still tie the series Monday in Game 4.  Keep the environment hostile in Game 4, fans.  We want this to become a best-of-3.

Cool It, Boys

Nobody thought the Bulls would have an easy time with the Heat after stealing Game 1.  There was lots of talk that the serious Heat would show up and not look back.  We got that and then some as the 115-78 final was the worst playoff loss in Bulls history and conversely, the biggest playoff victory for Miami in their history.

The Bulls hung tough with the Heat during the first quarter, exhibiting much of their tactics from Game 1 and trailing by only five at the end.  They got to as close as four in the second quarter before the wheels came off.  Miami cranked their game up to 11 and never looked back.  The blowout was only half the story however.  The rest consisted of how physical things got and everyone mouthing off to the officials and each other.  Nine technicals were assessed, six of which were against the Bulls.

Although LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers were offenders for Miami, they all stayed in the game.  The same couldn't be said for Joakim Noah, who picked up his second technical early in the fourth quarter and went to the locker room early, but not before photographers captured the widow of a former CNBC commentator flashing him a certain finger.  Ditto for Taj Gibson, who didn't take Noah's ejection well and was quickly T'd up twice to get sent packing himself.  He's likely to face a fine and possible suspension for his actions.  Also joining the parade were Nate Robinson and Marquis Teague.  It was a very unusual night for a team that typically keeps its composure.

Ray Allen led all scorers with 21 points, sinking all 10 of his free throws.  James scored all 19 of his points in the first half since he wasn't really needed for the second.  Three of the remaining four Heat starters also reached double figures.  One thing that doomed the Bulls in the conference finals two years ago was the unexpected bench help Miami got and Norris Cole did his part in this game.  He scored 18 and hit all four 3-point attempts.  The Bulls were beaten in every relevant category and their leading scorer on this hapless night was Marco Belinelli with 13.  Looking at their score sheet makes me think I'm back in my days calling Division III basketball.

If you're going to lose to the defending champions, that's fine.  If you're going to have them blow you out, that's still passable.  You have to keep your head while doing it though.  How the Bulls took the events of Game 2 is exactly what Miami wants:  to get into their heads and steal all mental advantages.  An often forgotten lesson is when somebody gets a reaction of you due to frustration, they've already won.  Maybe you think you can win this series with what you have, but don't expect it to come easy.  You can afford to take a beating or two when there are seven games to play with.  As long as you win when the circumstances absolutely call for it, like the next game, everything will be fine.

At the same time, we realize just how tough a test the Bulls have.  They say to be the best, you have to beat the best.  That's much easier said than done when most of Miami's top players are at the highest points of their careers.  They'll lay dormant for a game before they show their true colors.  We saw this plenty of times during the Bulls dynasty.  There were times when they just looked flat and would rather be anywhere but on a basketball court.  Most of the time however, they were serious about winning and usually delivered when they needed to.  We were on cloud nine then just like Heat fans are now.  They know their team can win, so the Bulls have to make it a series.

With the series knotted at a game, the drama continues in Game 3 Friday as the scene shifts to the United Center, where you know the fans are going to be ready.  The Bulls still have home-court advantage from their last victory, so to move on, Miami needs to send the fans home quiet.  It's happened before, but if the fans make it a living Hell for them, they'll have no choice except to battle through it.  Make it happen, Chicago.  And don't forget to wear red if you're there.

Still Shocking the World

No matter how much I try to analyze recent events, I don't know if I'll ever be able to fully explain them, but I attempt to do my best.  The Bulls decided they weren't done turning heads, so they did it tonight in Game 1, stunning the Heat 93-86 on their home court.  To be fair, Miami hasn't played since finishing off a sweep of the Bucks last Sunday.  We'll probably see a more resilient team as we get deeper into the series, but for now, let's enjoy how the Bulls pulled this off.

Neither team got off to an impressive start, trading a few leads in the first quarter before the Bulls led 21-15 at the end.  Defense and slow offense happened again in the second as halftime came with a tie score of 37.  While Miami held a slight edge after three, they could never pull away and the Bulls were only happy to take full advantage, scoring 35 fourth-quarter points.  Whenever Miami had a chance to do some serious damage, they were always answered.  Unable to get into their normal offensive groove and falling victim to the Bulls' hustle and will, they now find themselves without home-court advantage only one game in.  They were outrebounded by the visitors 46-32.

I don't know what Nate Robinson's been taking before games, but somebody ship more of it to him pronto.  He nearly had a double-double, leading everyone in scoring and assists with 29 and nine respectively.  It's amazing how he started the season with a non-guaranteed contract and now, his stock couldn't be higher.  Jimmy Butler, who played all 48 minutes once again and did his best to guard LeBron James and his 24 points, achieved that double-double (21 points, 14 rebounds) and was 9-of-10 from the free throw line.  Joining the double-double club was Joakim Noah with 13 points and 11 rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end.  Taj Gibson came off the bench to score 12 and Marco Belinelli had 10.

Though it shouldn't even be considered, maybe the Bulls should just play with this rotation for the rest of the playoffs.  It doesn't really seem to matter who Tom Thibodeau puts out there.  All they do is prove more that they belong where they are.  They take what they have and just leave it all on the court.  Nothing can detract them.  Whatever the Big 3 were planning before this game, I don't think they thought the energy from the Bulls' win over the Nets would remain.  However they restrategize for the next meeting, they better know the Bulls will be ready for them.  In fact, they're the only team to have a winning record against them since the 2010-11 season (9-8).  Never question how much they want to win.  If they don't necessarily do it for their own sake, they do it just to show everyone how tough their opponent really is.  What's not to respect about that?

Game 2 will be Wednesday in Miami and we'll definitely see a more prepared Heat team.  Yes, they're down in the series, but they won't be pushed around in their house for more than one game in a row.  The Bulls should look for a lot more physical opponent who will be done playing soft.  Whether TWTW cancels that out remains to be seen.  We'll just have to watch and find out.

The Heat is On

This is what the Bulls and their fans wanted.  With or without Derrick Rose, everyone is looking forward to facing the Miami Heat in the playoffs for the second time in three years.  Last time, the current Heat core was in its first season together and trying to prove that there was nothing wrong with their method of coming together to win a title.  Now, two years later, the Heat are the defending champs and a little more likeable in the public's eye.  Much of the 2011 Bulls remain, so there's no love lost between the clubs.  That was made even clearer during the regular season in which they split four games.  Before we get into the excitement of watching at least four more, let's break down the match-ups starting in the backcourt.

At the point, Kirk Hinrich and Mario Chalmers have Kansas national title games in common, but that's besides the point.  Hinrich has had to work hard his entire career and lately, he's shown that even though he's a little older, he can play like a warrior and find good looks for his teammates, routinely becoming the assists leader in games.  If Hinrich can't go however, Nate Robinson is more than willing to step in.  His performance in the Nets series only proved further that he'll try to get into a zone at all costs and once he does, there's no stopping him as his energy and lust for the big play will be too much to overcome.  Chalmers has done a nice job acting as a facilitator for Miami's Big Three and is a key part of their equation.  He's been around winners for almost his whole career, so he knows what it takes to perform in high-pressure situations.  I still have to give the edge to the Bulls since there seems to be more talent at that position.

Jimmy Butler will be starting every game this series barring injury, but let's assume he's the starting shooting guard.  As we've seen time and again this season, he'll go the full 48 if he has to.  He's a competitor and his ceiling is high.  Even now, we'll see him go all out and a bunch of little plays on his part will keep the Bulls in a lot of games this series.  He'll face a tough matchup in Dwyane Wade who, even though his body is a little worn, remains one of the top players in the league.  He can easily cut and drive to the basket to show off his pure scoring ability.  With his energy and potential to explode at any time, it's hard to pick him against anyone else at his position.  The edge here goes to Miami.

Small forward will be intriguing.  Whenever Luol Deng returns from his illness, which he should, he'll provide a great relief to this Bulls lineup.  As he quietly finds ways to score and remains tough on defense, the Bulls would normally be able stop relying so much on energy and grinding it out as he provides the star power that was badly missed at that spot in Games 6 and 7, even though they were able to close out Brooklyn.  The grind and energy will have to stay up however as LeBron James will wreck havoc whenever he feels like it.  Having just won his fourth MVP in five years, James can expect to see whoever's guarding him to give everything they've got.  That won't be enough however.  He's in the prime of his career and with his pure offense, hard-nosed defense and natural athleticism, he won't lay down for anybody in his quest to a second straight title.  Maybe the Bulls can make him uncomfortable, but the Heat are advantageous in this spot no matter who they play.

The power forwards are good in their own ways.  Carlos Boozer is good for a double-double almost every night he plays.  Though his defense is suspect, he'll always be on the block and can score from most places on the floor.  You can always count on him to give you good minutes and use the best of his abilities, even if they aren't the best skill set around.  Udonis Haslem has been around the Heat as long as Wade has.  These days, he'll give the Heat good minutes before turning it over to Shane Battier and Chris Andersen off the bench.  His scoring and rebounding, while serviceable, don't match those of Boozer, so the Bulls win this battle.

Everyone will be watching the center battles of Joakim Noah and Chris Bosh.  Noah feeds his energy to the rest of his team thanks to his warrior-type play.  He'll clean up on the boards and while he's not the best offensive option, he'll have games in which he'll give everything he's got to get good close looks at the basket.  His emergence as team leader is all the more remarkable when you consider he's performed his latest heroics while battling plantar fasciitis.  His will to win is unmatched by most players in today's NBA.  That said, Bosh remains comfortable as the third head of Miami's three-headed monster.  No, he's not as skilled as the other two, but he's the perfect supporting player in making that machine work.  While his numbers are slightly down from the past couple of years, he would still make any lesser teams better on a nightly basis even if their record doesn't show it.  Many are actually picking Noah as the winner in this match-up, but I think this is a wash.

Talk about two unique coaches going head-to-head.  Each are very effective for their teams, though they seem to represent two different schools of thought.  Tom Thibodeau is old school, thriving on riding his guys hard every night and getting the most out of his team.  Without his motivation, the Bulls would likely be sitting at home already.  Erik Spoelstra is new school, but probably because he can afford to be.  Yes, he draws up the strategies and can get his players to respect him.  Besides that, he allows his star players to create on their own and be their own leaders.  That freedom allows them to pass it on to the rest of their teammates.  Put it all together and you have the best team in the NBA.  Consider this another wash.

Adding it up, I have two Bulls advantages, two Heat advantages and two washes.  Does that mean it will be an even series destined to go down to a seventh game?  Probably not.  Miami has a chip on its shoulder.  Win the title and the dynasty talks can officially commence.  Come up short and they'll have to prove even more next year while the doubters continue to make their voices heard.  The Bulls are perhaps the toughest team they've played all year and they'll be damned if it's all derailed because a team with less talent just won't go down when they're stepped on.  In other words, anything less than another championship is unacceptable.  It's too early to even think about them going down.  It will still be a fun series to watch.  The Bulls always take their game to another level whenever they face the Heat, so they'll have no reservations about making them earn their way to the conference finals.  They can steal a couple of games and the fan base will love it when they do.  Winning a seven-game series like this is tough though.  Miami has a lot of talent, explosive offense and a crackdown defense that they'll use when they need to.  More importantly, they know they have an obligation to win and can easily come back, even when faced with a tough deficit.  They also have no reservations about putting an opponent away early.  I pick the Heat in six.

Game 1 is tonight in Miami.  Luol Deng is out and possibly Kirk Hinrich.  Don't be shocked at all if this first contest doesn't come easy.  The Bulls will make their move at some time in this series.  It just might not be tonight.  The big test is here, Bulls fans.  Time to pull for the biggest upset in franchise history.

Where There's a Will, There's a Way

They say you shouldn't make promises you can't keep.  Even when Joakim Noah guaranteed the Bulls would win Game 7, not many took him that seriously.  With Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich still nursing their various ailments and the deciding game of the series taking place in Brooklyn, the Bulls must have had a 1-in-50 chance at pulling off the upset.  However, Noah was hellbent on not letting his words become an empty promise.  Everyone knew he was an All-Star going in, but this game should have converted any remaining doubters.  He played the game of his life and lifted the Bulls to a shocking 99-93 win to advance to the conference semifinals.  It was the first winner-take-all game the team has ever won on the road.  The Nets' season is over and P.J. Carlesimo is out of a job.

Noah is not your typical NBA player.  Most with plantar fasciitis would rather abide by their minutes limit so they don't do any further damage to their bodies.  Instead, Noah showed the world he would have that foot amputated to let his team play at least another week.  His impressive line in Game 7 was 24 points, 14 rebounds (seven offensive) and six blocks.  What a warrior.  Anybody who thinks otherwise either doesn't appreciate what basketball is supposed to be about or has a very illogical reason for hating him.  The rest of the league now knows what we Bulls fans have seen for the past few years.  It also knows another level of his play that even we may not have fully realized at the beginning of the season.  I don't think Noah is the most talented center in team history.  Tom Boerwinkle and Artis Gilmore are definitely the top two.  He's likely the hardest working ever at that position.  Though I loved when the Bulls selected him, looking back, I really should have felt foolish at the time.  There was no reason to believe he'd be remembered for more than his goofy draft-night outfit.  Now, he's come full circle and as long as he can do what he does, I wouldn't want anyone else as the starting man in the middle.

Oh, yes.  There were other contributors for the Bulls.  Marco Belinelli, who had been forgotten in this series until both Hinrich and Deng were sidelined, tied the game high with 24 points, made all five of his free throws and shot 3-of-6 from 3-point land.  His most clutch shot came before the classic image you see above.  The TNT broadcast didn't show it again, but it quickly made the rounds on Twitter and we have ourselves a moment we'll never forget.  Carlos Boozer scored 17 and Nate Robinson added 12.  As has become custom many times since the second half of the season, Jimmy Butler played all 48 minutes, using his time on the floor to contribute nine points.  The starters obviously knew Tom Thibodeau was going to ride them and they came prepared for it.  A grade-A effort for all.  I said I was going to buy Game 4 on iTunes, but I may just buy this one too even though I was at work and didn't get to watch as intimately as others did.

When Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah were injured in last year's Philadelphia series, the Bulls weren't prepared for the sudden losses.  They suddenly looked very vulnerable and were ousted by the 76ers in six.  This year's club has played all season with a chip on its shoulder thanks to Rose's continued absence.  They had a mission this season:  one to show everyone that they could still compete even without the 2011 MVP.  Thibodeau rides his guys hard for the reasons we just saw.  They find ways to win even when the odds are against them.  They should be cleaning out their lockers as I write this.  Instead, they're heading south to play more basketball and I get to keep chronicling the playoffs for a little while longer.  We are currently at one of the most satisfying times to be a Bulls fan ever and I couldn't picture myself following any other team, at least like this.

The train marches on tomorrow as the Bulls begin the next round against the Miami Heat.  I'll have a series preview before the game and a recap after.  We're not ready to leave the playoff party just yet.  Time to give LeBron and company their toughest test of the season.  Nothing will come easy in this coming series, so prepare to enjoy the whole thing.

The Sick Suffer a Setback

The first round of the NBA Playoffs have come to be defined by two things:  key players missing time and teams coming back into series when faced with elimination.  Game 6 did not lack in either department.  Wishing the flu and injury bug didn't have to strike full force as we entered the lusty month of May, the Bulls had another chance to close out the Nets.  They would have to do it without Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng, who were too hurt and too ill respectively to play.  In fact, Deng was seen leaving the United Center before tipoff.  Taj Gibson and Nate Robinson were also battling the flu, but managed to play.  It still wasn't enough to avoid a 95-92 loss and force a Game 7 in Brooklyn Saturday.

While the defeat was not unexpected given the circumstances, it still pained Bulls fans to know that the home court gave their team the right conditions in which to end the series and they didn't have enough manpower.  It was like knowing you can jump a certain height, but a circumstance was greatly preventing you from reaching it.  Even so, the Bulls did not go quietly.  Staying within striking distance all night and going on a series of mini-runs to buy themselves time, it appeared we might get a repeat of the late March win over Miami, which also saw the Bulls severely undermanned.  Sadly, the reality reared that you can only lose so many players before you're simply too weakened to close out key games.  When your best player this season (Deng) is sick and your two power forwards (Carlos Boozer and Taj Gibson) foul out, even Tom Thibodeau's best strategy can't save you at the end of tight contests.

Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson all scored 17 points apiece for the Nets and Gerald Wallace added 15.  Reggie Evans only made two field goals, but he grabbed 15 rebounds.  All five Bulls starters reached double figures, led by Marco Belinelli's 22, so both teams were evenly matched on the score sheet.  It was simply a matter of who had more manpower and the Nets were it.  There's no more glaring reason for this result.

Although things don't look  so peachy for the Bulls anymore, this game was yet another reminder of their never-say-die attitude.  Other teams would have simply accepted defeat before the pregame introductions and taken the 20-point blowout.  This one however did everything it could to avoid a deciding game.  You can never ever question their desire to win.  As I mentioned after Game 4, there has to be an organizational philosophy that you must try hard enough to win.  On that note, I wouldn't be surprised if another one says if you're going to lose, do it while putting forth the maximum effort.  That's why the Bulls are so admired.  Even in the face of adversity, they have way too much pride to roll over when the stakes are high.  There's a long tradition of it and outside of the Tim Floyd years, few teams in my lifetime have been so mentally weak that it was impossible for them to compete.  No matter what happens in Game 7, this series, and this season, are bound to be remembered as one in which the Bulls refused to quit even when faced with long odds.

That brings us to that Game 7 tomorrow night.  With all momentum gone, the Bulls are faced with a tough task of winning in Brooklyn with Deng and Hinrich's statuses still in doubt.  Going back to the early days of the franchise, they have never won a seventh game on the road.  What's more, only eight teams in NBA history has lost a playoff series after being down 3-1, so the Bulls are looking at a short list they'd like to avoid.  Keep the faith, fans.  Anything can happen when a series boils down to a single game.  And just maybe, Derrick Rose will make his much-awaited return.  Hey, you never know when a ridiculous pipe dream may come true.