Andrew Kasmarek, Mitch Pratt and Charlie Tritschler are getting you ready for the NBA season. The previews feature all sorts of information to get you ready for the start of the season. Yes, we will be a little late, but they will all be done by November 2nd
Before I even start with the preview, I firstly want to apologize that I didn’t get both the Heat and Bulls
preview done before game one of the season. It bummed me out. That said it’s been a busy school week so I hope you all can relate. Anyway, here is my slightly late Bulls preview…What I know…
- Derrick Rose is back. Officially, and if you watched the Knicks vs. Bulls game on TNT on Thursday you saw the first of many big time Derrick Rose moments. Dwight Howard played on three different teams in the span it took Rose to rehab his knee, it’s nice to have him back.
- Zach Lowe of Grantland just recently described coach Tom Thibodeau voice as “a baritone musical instrument emitting various sounds along the sideline” An underrated part of watching Bulls game is listening/watching the intensity that Thibs brings to the bench. As long as he is there, Chicago will be a top defensive team.
- Derrick Rose and the boys will be the most reckless regular season team. They will be the East’s #1 seed and they will unleash their fury on any and all challengers over the course of this season. Until about a week ago I was going to take Miami to fill the #1 slot, but after watching the way the Bulls went about work in the preseason, my feeling have changed.
Additions/Subtractions…
The Bulls really left their roster be in the offseason. They let Tiny Nate walk, and even though him and Marco Bellineli played major playoff minutes a season ago, I think everyone is on the same page that the return of the league’s most recent MVP not named LeBron will more than make up for Tiny Nate’s departure. They did bring in Mike Dunthreevy to not only aid the bench, but also finally give the Bulls a legitimate pick and pop guy to stretch the floor and make penetration even easier for Rose.
In the draft they brought in Tony Snell. Snell, who reportedly added 25 pounds in the offseason, is in intriguing rookie. He used to wear long sleeves New Mexico, and definitely knows a thing or two about scoring the rock. He will be buried by Jimmy Butler and Loul Deng so he probably will not play much, but is someone to keep in eye on for the future.
What I have been pondering…
Can Derrick Rose reclaim his MVP? People are saying this is finally going to be Kevin Durant’s year to win the award. Others (myself included) have stayed with the reigning winner LeBron, but Rose is even more of a media darling than Durant. When LeBron bolted for South Beach and carried with him millions of haters, it was Rose that took control of the “People’s Champ” status and won over the hearts of nearly every writer[1]. We have all been waiting and waiting to see what Rose will play like now that he is back, and rust aside it looks as if Rose will be meaning business all year.
I’m also very intrigued to see what the combo of Deng and Jimmy Butler has to offer. They are both minutes eater that seem to never tire. Both are defensive stoppers, and both can get to the basket and score. They both however need to improve their shooting from distance. Deng shot only 32% from downtown while Butler was better, but still short of 40% checking in at 38%.
Given that both of these guys have watched how hard Derrick Rose has worked to get back and be better than where he was, makes me believe that both of these guys felt obligated to at least match that effort and improve their games as well. If Deng and Butler are able to up their percentages, with the addition of Dunleavy, the Bulls will be able to stretch the floor and improve the driving lanes for Rose. To me, the shooting abilities of these two will be what the season hinges on.
Prediction…
I stated it in the “What I Know”, but the Bulls will be the regular season champs. It will be no fun playing Chicago between the months of November and April. They have every regular season piece. But what happens in May and June?
It is my analysis that Rose will be Rose in those months, and we already know what Carlos Boozer[2]and Joakim Noah will give us. So lets see what kind of scoring—more importantly clutch scoring—Butler and Deng can give Chicago in round 2 and beyond.
Chicago is a basketball hotbed. And Derrick Rose will run that city. I can’t wait to hear how loud the United Center will be for the Conference Finals Game 6 with the season on the line.
The NBA is most definitely back.
[1]LeBron’s first year in Miami was so obscure that even I was saying that if the Bulls were to go on to the NBA Finals instead of the Heat it would be okay because Derrick Rose is that spectacular.
[2] I didn’t talk about Boozer much but he will be another huge X-Factor. If he doesn’t find a way to more effectively score on Chris Bosh, it could effectively toil away Chicago’s chances at the Finals.
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