Who would win in a playoff battle, Bulls or Cavs Options

[Bullies4Ever]

K guys... random question here.. Lets say Bulls and Cavs both got out of the first round... who would win the best of seven this year? Assuming both teams have the same roster as today and everyone is healthy.

pick a team and tell us why...

[dasox24]

Well, I'm gonna keep this simple, and pick the team that has the advantage in the individual match-ups:

PG: Hinrich > Eric Snow
SG: Gordon <> Hughes
SF: Deng <<< LeBron
PF: Brown/Noc > Varejao
C: Wallace <> Ilgauskas
Bench: Chicago > Cleveland

I think the Bulls' bench is what puts them over the edge. According to the above match-ups:
Chicago has the better PG and PF, while Cleveland has the better SF. However, since that SF is LeBron, then he counts for 2 in the position batte. So, both team are tied at 2-2. Then, SG and C are a wash for now. So, it's still a tie. However, I think the Bulls' bench is better, and therefore, gives the Bulls a 3-2 lead.

[Chisoxfn]

Well, I'm gonna keep this simple, and pick the team that has the advantage in the individual match-ups:

PG: Hinrich > Eric Snow
SG: Gordon <> Hughes
SF: Deng <<< LeBron
PF: Brown/Noc > Varejao
C: Wallace <> Ilgauskas
Bench: Chicago > Cleveland

I think the Bulls' bench is what puts them over the edge. According to the above match-ups:
Chicago has the better PG and PF, while Cleveland has the better SF. However, since that SF is LeBron, then he counts for 2 in the position batte. So, both team are tied at 2-2. Then, SG and C are a wash for now. So, it's still a tie. However, I think the Bulls' bench is better, and therefore, gives the Bulls a 3-2 lead.

I think thats an overall good analysis, however the star power of Lebron and his ability to take over a game (and he started to do that in the post-season) could very well be the difference. However, the Bulls are deep and are very strong defensively and with the addition of Sef could have a guy (along with Deng) with the ability to at least get up in James grill and bug him a bit (not saying we'd stop him, but at least make him earn the points).

However, in general I think its really hard to give any definitive answer out of this without seeing how the new look Bulls play. The only area I'm going to disagree with is that a healthy Larry Hughes is better than Gordon, imo. Gordon could become better and overall I take Gordon since he's younger, cheaper, has a better attitude and isn't so injury riddled.

[ZoomSlowik]

I'd say the Bulls, but you just never know because of Lebron. He's the kind of guy that can win a series single-handedly. Superstars like that are always a bit of a wild card.

[dasox24]

I think thats an overall good analysis, however the star power of Lebron and his ability to take over a game (and he started to do that in the post-season) could very well be the difference.

Yeah, that's why I counted LeBron as being worth 2 in my positional breakdown. And, I called Gordon-Hughes a wash b/c we don't know how much Gordon will improve in his 3rd year (year when most players make big strides), and you can't take away the fact that Gordon really knows how to finish a game in the 4th quarter. He single-handedly won us at least a few games each of his seasons b/c of that ability. I don't think he's that go-to, clutch scorer yet who you can always give the ball to w/ 2 seconds left in the game, but I do know that he can put up 15 in the 4th like nothing when he's on.

[HoofHearted]

Well, I'm gonna keep this simple, and pick the team that has the advantage in the individual match-ups:

PG: Hinrich > Eric Snow
SG: Gordon <> Hughes
SF: Deng <<< LeBron
PF: Brown/Noc > Varejao
C: Wallace <> Ilgauskas
Bench: Chicago > Cleveland

I think the Bulls' bench is what puts them over the edge. According to the above match-ups:
Chicago has the better PG and PF, while Cleveland has the better SF. However, since that SF is LeBron, then he counts for 2 in the position batte. So, both team are tied at 2-2. Then, SG and C are a wash for now. So, it's still a tie. However, I think the Bulls' bench is better, and therefore, gives the Bulls a 3-2 lead.

I agree with everything here, except if Lebron is three times better than Deng, than our bench should be rated accordingly at 5 times better than Clevelands.

[chilord]

I agree with everything here, except if Lebron is three times better than Deng, than our bench should be rated accordingly at 5 times better than Clevelands.

No doubt.

Are there any teams that can match the Bulls' overall depth now? It's a debatable question, at least...

[bschmaranz]

If we could make LeBron look human, like we did to Wade, we've got a shot. They don't have a Shaquille O'Neal to fall back on.

[Bullies4Life]

It would be a good battle out there... Another year for Bron... What kind of stats is he gonna be putting up this time? Many of us think that he's already putting up crazy numbers, and it seems like the guy is somewhat in his Prime... Will he impress us again this year by putting up those ridiculous numbers again?

Well, since the playoffs are now determined by superstars and fouls, i might have to give it to the Cavs

Lebron already has the "respect".... Well, the Bulls did add Wallace, but he's not gonna be the one who will win you many games at the end... They Bulls have to still earn the respect, and that remains to be seen. If we get "respect" througout the season, then i think i like the Bulls chances

-Heres a Question for you guys... Who will have a better season, The Chicago Bulls, or the Cleveland Cavaliers? Whos better right now and will win more games?

[Bullies4Ever]

It would be a good battle out there... Another year for Bron... What kind of stats is he gonna be putting up this time? Many of us think that he's already putting up crazy numbers, and it seems like the guy is somewhat in his Prime... Will he impress us again this year by putting up those ridiculous numbers again?

Well, since the playoffs are now determined by superstars and fouls, i might have to give it to the Cavs

Lebron already has the "respect".... Well, the Bulls did add Wallace, but he's not gonna be the one who will win you many games at the end... They Bulls have to still earn the respect, and that remains to be seen. If we get "respect" througout the season, then i think i like the Bulls chances

-Heres a Question for you guys... Who will have a better season, The Chicago Bulls, or the Cleveland Cavaliers? Whos better right now and will win more games?

Good post here, and Id have to agree, refs play some kind of a role in the playoffs, even though it may not be much at times, but they still play a role.

As far as the better regular season games, I would have to give this one to the Cavs. The Bulls have a couple of new faces (Wallace, Thabo, TT, PJ) that will have significant minutes. On the other hand, The Cavs havent done much this offseason and are ready to take their good season from last year unto this one. They pretty much have the same roster as last year and already have a chemistry going on.

Lets remember guys the East is getting tougher and tougher. Teams like the bobcats, Atlanta, and Raptors, are getting better. New York will probably have a better season than their 23 winning games from last year. Isaih will play to his players strenghts (not like LB where he didnt use Stephon the right way.... and Marbury is a heck of a player if you watched him prior to when he came to the knicks and LB was his coach)

All that aside, Le Bron should have even a better season than last year, if he doesnt get injured or anything... If he becomes that go to guy at the end that no one can stop.. then watch out, we might have a very close race in the east.

again, I just give the slight edge to the Cavs this regular season just becasue they have already good chemistry going on than the Bulls do to start off the season. The bulls stilll have ways to build that good chemistry we are all looking for..... not nessesarily in the offensive end.... but the Defensive side... can the bulls have that great team defense we know the bulls are capable with this roster we have now...Only time will tell... Cavs are better...But come Playoff time, well see.........

Regarding your sig. I would love to see the email/PM where someone asked you to be a global mod.

[Balta1701-B]

The key to answering this question, or any question about the Bulls this year, is going to be how the defense comes together.

Ben Wallace, Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng, Andres Nocioni all are either currently great defenders or are well on their way to that level. In other words, we have 4 guys who can go out on the court and totally shut down another team, if they play together, play well off of each other, and live up to their potential.

If we can get some sort of contribution from Sweetney, Gordon, Brown, or Thabo on defense, that would make it damn hard for any team to get into a rhythm against us.

Beyond that, with Wallace, Deng's new height, and someone at PF, we should be able to really control the boards against almost any team in the NBA.

Yes, LBJ can go out and take over a game. But if they come together, so can the Bulls' defense. If someone can shut down Hughes, that leaves Lebron as basically their only scoring threat (the others being taken out by our defense). And since he's not going to score 80 every game, they're going to need points from somewhere. And on top of that, he's still going to have to do his work into the teeth of that defense, with Deng and Wallace hopefully going for the shotblocks and Noc doing some physical work on him.

If this defense plays up to its potential, we can beat the crap out of the Cavs. But it remains to be seen if they will