For the past three years almost, it seems that almost no team has been able to stop the Boston Celtics. With three conference titles in two years, they have at times seemed invincible against their conference foes. But each year brings new challenges and threats to their Eastern conference supremacy. This year’s biggest threat to the Boston Celtics isn’t Dwight Howard and the Magic. It’s not Lebron and the Heat. It’s the Chicago Bulls along with their defensive wizard Tom Thibodeau (long time Celtics assistant).
Since posting a 38-16 record and a third place conference standing at the All-Star break, the Bulls are having their best start since a certain number 23 used to play at the United Center. The Bulls opponents continue to be at the mercy of their stingy defense which has held the opposition to a 42% FG% and a measly 33% from behind the arc. The Bulls have been able to put up these impressive numbers without their leading rebounder and shot blocker, Joakim Noah who has been sidelined for the last two months due to a torn ligament in his right thumb. They remain only two games out of first place in the Eastern Conference.
Bulls fans are salivating at the prospect that their team will finally be at full strength after the All Star break when Noah returns to action against the Raptors on February 23rd. His timing could not be better as the Bulls will be on the road for seven of their next nine games. Five of those teams are playoff teams, and to truly become an elite team the Bulls must improve their road record. In order to win in the playoffs teams must win on the road, unless you’re the 2008 Boston Celtics who only won three road games on their quest to a seventeenth NBA championship. The Bulls have a mediocre road record at 13-12, and must become road warriors in the second half of the season if they are to capture home court advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Bulls biggest weakness is at shooting guard, and it is possible that they will make a move to acquire a talented shooter and defender before Thursday’s trade deadline. They should preferably seek someone long who can defend players such as Dwayne Wade, Jason Richardson, Ray Allen and Kobe Bryant. In the 2008 playoffs James Posey wasn’t the Celtics most well known guard, but he could make a three when needed and he thoroughly harassed Kobe Bryant in the NBA finals. A James Posey type shooting guard would fit well into the Bulls offense, and would be able to score easily when Rose or Boozer bring the double team.
The Bulls host the Celtics for a final regular season meeting on April 7th, in what could be a sneak preview of this year’s Eastern Conference finals. If the Bulls end up with the second or third seed and the Celtics remain in first, the Bulls could beat the Heat to advance to the ECF. This week’s game vs. the Heat will be a good measuring stick for the Bulls, and they can cement their elite status in the conference by getting back to back wins against the Heat with a victory on Thursday. Many people seem to overlook the Bulls as second round fodder to the Heat, but that is simply not true. Not when the Heat’s major weaknesses play to the Bulls biggest strengths. The Heat do not have a legitimate point guard or center and need significant production from those two positions to have a chance vs. the Bulls. Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah will give the Heat all they can handle. The Heat also lack a decent bench, and vs. the Bulls, the Heat’s subs simply can’t matchup with Watson, Brewer, Korver and Gibson. As good as the big three are they will have to average somewhere around 25pts each in a series against the Bulls to have a chance. This is highly unlikely because in the playoffs the game will slow down, resulting in the Heat having fewer possessions and thus fewer shots for their star players.
Thibodeau’s elaborate defensive schemes will wear down the Heat’s big three and eventually they will simply be too fatigued to win a seven game series against the Bulls. In a series against the Celtics the Bulls would match up well as they are one of the only teams who can rival the Celtics big bodies. Once Doc Rivers greatest ally, Thibodeau will become his greatest enemy.
What kind of success the Bulls have in the playoffs, and for the second half of the season will ultimately be determined by this week’s trade deadline. For now Bulls fans will just have to sit tight and wait and see what moves Paxton can pull off, in what seems like the longest week of the NBA season. Tick tock, tick tock, as everyone waits for Thursday at 3 o clock.
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