Derrick Rose practices, looks "ready to go"

[ChiCitySPORTS#1]

Good God just shut up. The Pacers finished the season on fire that year after Frank Vogel took over. They were and are a good team. The Heat-Bulls series was very close in every game except for game 1 in which the Bulls won.

Game 1 was a blow out Bulls win
Game 2 it was a 3 point game with 2 miuntes to go
Game 3 the Heat had a 7 point lead with 3 minutes to go
Game 4 went into Overtime.
Game 5 LeBron and Wade closed a 10 point lead to win the game by 3

Every game was close except for game 1, which was a Bulls win. Stop crying.

[NYK_89]

Flash back 2 years when they were at their best (IMO)...They played weirdly close to a ass-tastic Pacers team ... people see eastern conference finals and say wow nice team but why the hell are we giving out kudos for beating a bad bad 8th seed

If you're a Bulls hater that's fine, but that "ass-tastic" Pacers team is 3rd in the EC and the league's #1 defense. They played a strong series, they're not a garbage team, Paul George was showing flashes of being a great 2-way player even back then.

Don't resort to minimizing the Bulls play by irrationally slamming Bull's opponents who are actually good teams.

37-45 as a playoff team, welcome to reality guys. On what planet is that not a "ass-tastic" playoff team. How you think that their development 2 years later affects that is odd. You mention their #1 defense but ignore that they gave up over 100 ppg that year.

Look im not some **** bulls hater, just stating that they looked very bad in those playoffs despite making it to the ECF. The pacers series featured way too many close games and the Hawks series was too close as well, they went from a well oiled machine in the RS to a team that looked lost and basically won the first two rounds because they were vastly superior teams. This is relevant because they do not have a better team this year and there is no point to bring rose back not 100%+ because there is virtually no chance at a championship.


As to the guy who says it is a joke to say that Heat without Lebron could beat the Bulls i dunno what to tell you. They still have a very solid team and Wade would be the best player on the floor.

[NYK_89]

Good God just shut up. The Pacers finished the season on fire that year after Frank Vogel took over. They were and are a good team. The Heat-Bulls series was very close in every game except for game 1 in which the Bulls won.

Game 1 was a blow out Bulls win
Game 2 it was a 3 point game with 2 miuntes to go
Game 3 the Heat had a 7 point lead with 3 minutes to go
Game 4 went into Overtime.
Game 5 LeBron and Wade closed a 10 point lead to win the game by 3

Every game was close except for game 1, which was a Bulls win. Stop crying.

4-1 is not close, dunno what to tell you. Where you got in in your head that i said the games wern't close i don't even know but ****.. Don't get so **** butt hurt. Yeah the games were close but 4-1 is just not for a ECF

Also on fire????????? 20-18 yeah he sure tore the league up, Knicks were like 20-7 under Woodson look what the Heat did to them series was never even close last year.

So defensive over me saying you aren't legit championship threat and that the run to the ECF was not all that impressive. Go back and look at the quotes in the Recaps its all Rose saying **** like man we have to play better then this a win is a win though etc.

[jaze89]

Good God just shut up. The Pacers finished the season on fire that year after Frank Vogel took over. They were and are a good team. The Heat-Bulls series was very close in every game except for game 1 in which the Bulls won.

Game 1 was a blow out Bulls win
Game 2 it was a 3 point game with 2 miuntes to go
Game 3 the Heat had a 7 point lead with 3 minutes to go
Game 4 went into Overtime.
Game 5 LeBron and Wade closed a 10 point lead to win the game by 3

Every game was close except for game 1, which was a Bulls win. Stop crying.

4-1 is not close, dunno what to tell you where you got in in your head that i said the games wern't close i don't even know but ****.. Don't get so **** butt hurt. Yeah the games were close but 4-1 is just not for a ECF

Also on fire????????? 20-18 yeah he sure tore the league up, Knicks were like 20-7 underwoodson look what the Heat did to them series was never even close last year.

If that's the case why the hell are you arguing? Losing a series 4-1 against the Heat = not close, Winning a series 4-1 against the Pacers = close series, wtf?

Also what was weak about the Hawks? Horford, Smith, JoeJohn, Jamal Crawford, with Jeff Teague breaking out and becoming a solid starter. Weren't they a 2nd round playoff team the previous 2-3 years? This was the first time Chicago had gotten to the ECF.

[mj234eva]

What topic is this? Could have sworn this was about Rose and how he looks in practice.

Not about some series 2 seasons ago.

[NYK_89]

Good God just shut up. The Pacers finished the season on fire that year after Frank Vogel took over. They were and are a good team. The Heat-Bulls series was very close in every game except for game 1 in which the Bulls won.

Game 1 was a blow out Bulls win
Game 2 it was a 3 point game with 2 miuntes to go
Game 3 the Heat had a 7 point lead with 3 minutes to go
Game 4 went into Overtime.
Game 5 LeBron and Wade closed a 10 point lead to win the game by 3

Every game was close except for game 1, which was a Bulls win. Stop crying.

4-1 is not close, dunno what to tell you where you got in in your head that i said the games wern't close i don't even know but ****.. Don't get so **** butt hurt. Yeah the games were close but 4-1 is just not for a ECF

Also on fire????????? 20-18 yeah he sure tore the league up, Knicks were like 20-7 underwoodson look what the Heat did to them series was never even close last year.

If that's the case why the hell are you arguing? Losing a series 4-1 against the Heat = not close, Winning a series 4-1 against the Pacers = close series.

....? Damn what are you guys even responding with, there is a difference between two 58+ win teams squaring off in the ECF and the 8th seed who is 37-45 playing a 62 win team. Was the series close to going the pacers way obviously not but where the hell did i ever say that, i just said the series was weirdly close and anyone who watched those games would agree. You expected a 4 game sweep all by 20 points not absolute battles where the bulls come back and win in crunch time.

There is nothing impressive about that series whatsoever, ALL I AM SAYING. Anyone looking at the overall context rather then trying to take some out of context piece of information and using it to attack me could see that.

Since you have edited in the hawks i will tell you this.
1. They were a second round team due to the lack of depth in the east, those 2 wins where their first 2 wins in the 2nd round of the era. Which one does not fit here. Chicago Boston(defending EC champ) Miami Atlanta Memphis OKC Dallas, and the defending champion Lakers... They were by far the weakest 2nd round team, as the 1 seed they earned that and the series once again was without doubt Chicago the whole time. Just saying that going to 6 against the hawks is not something you look back on and and are proud of.

In the original context i just argued that they were not as impressive that year as i expected. And i 100% stand by that, if I was a betting man i would have taken the sweep in each series and a 10+ point differential average over the course, Its the playoffs and these things happen because teams are going all out etc (see Boston) but again at the same time I cannot say i looked at those 2 series and thought anything other then wow they better get it together or else they aren't going to have a chance.

[NYK_89]

What topic is this? Could have sworn this was about Rose and how he looks in practice.

Not about some series 2 seasons ago.

You are right, going to try and leave this, the original comment was about how they should feel no need to rush him because they are not winning a championship this season either way. No team from the east is, even if any of them beat the heat they will get splattered by the Thunder/Spurs.

Got into some conversation about that and brought up that even when they were at their peak 2 years ago they did not look like a championship quality team as they struggled going through the playoffs. This started the anti me circle jerk about various things that can be taken out of context.

[bearadonisdna]

Flash back 2 years when they were at their best (IMO)...They played weirdly close to a ass-tastic Pacers team then went to 6 again against a incredibly weak Atlanta team (for the second round team) and then got crushed by the Heat, people see eastern conference finals and say wow nice team but why the hell are we giving out kudos for beating a bad bad 8th seed and then the Hawks who were by far the worst 2nd round team that year.

This is simply revisionist history. You say they played "weirdly close" to an "ass-tastic" Pacers team, yet you also say they got crushed by the Heat. Both series were 4-1. The Bulls blew the Heat out in the first game, and the rest of the games were very close.


LeBron was just too much in the closing moments. Hardly surprising, seeing as how he's LeBron. Had he performed in that series the way he performed against the Mavs, the Bulls would have been in the Finals instead.

Hmm.. Not sure what you are getting at, perhaps you do not remember the series? The pacers were a
terrible playoff team that year, by far the worst of the 16 team pool. You put on a 4th quarter comeback to win by 5 in game 1 (featuring a 21 FT Rose game) Korver hit a 3 with 50 sec left to break a tie, again in game 2 you went into the 4th tied and won a sloppy game, game 3 you won on a Rose layup with 17 seconds to go with the free throw game pulling it to 4 points, granger missed what would have been a buzzer beater for the win. You then proceeded to lose game 4 then win game 5 convincingly. Dunno what you are looking at but that is the definition of weirdly close considering that Indiana was an 8th seed that was 8 games under 500 while you won 62 games, they were a clutch shot away a game from being up 3-1 maybe 4-0. Bulls were winning that series either way because as i said before they won 37 games that season but still there is absolutly nothing you can look at in that series as a bulls fan and be like yeah we did that well or yeah that was encouraging.

Whats different with that and the Heat? Well for one the heat won games 2-5 by margins of 10, 9, 8 and 3, second this isn't the first round of the playoffs where a sweep for the 1 seed is expected especially by a team that won 25 more games that season thus a 4-1 series constitutes a beatdown. The Pacers series should have resembled the Utah Spurs series of last year not an absolute battle.

All I am saying here is the Bulls team as they are minus some key assets and with a MVP rose not a gimped rose looked pretty damn unimpressive in those playoffs. I think Boston beats them that year honestly, they struggled about as much as is possible vs the Pacers, Let the 44 win Hawks take them to 6 and then got smashed by Miami.

You are only trying to write off the bulls chances by revisiting some outdated ideology. The Pacers RS record isnt the only metric that is important when gauging that team. If regular season record was so important then the bulls would have been given a championship for their record.

[NYK_89]

You are only trying to write off the bulls chances by revisiting some outdated ideology. The Pacers RS record isnt the only metric that is important when gauging that team. If regular season record was so important then the bulls would have been given a championship for their record.

This has nothing to do with the Bulls in particular, no team in the east has anything more then a slight chance of making the Finals and if they do i am supremely confident that the west team will win in 5 games.

Although i agree record is not important you are forgetting that the Pacers won 37 games, I don't need to know anything more then that to know they were a bad team. Although as one pointed out Vogel turned the team around it was not some overnight turnaround they were 20-18 under him that season. For an easy way to quantify this the Pacers 37 games is only 2 more wins then the 8th seed had last year in a shortened season. Also from watching the series it was just as much the Bulls playing bad as it was the Pacers playing well (Both happened to quite a great degree.)

Anyways i don't see why this little thing is being argued so much, just saying the supporting cast was better that year, Rose was better that year, and i saw nothing that would lead me to an all in for a championship approach this year.

[jaze89]

What topic is this? Could have sworn this was about Rose and how he looks in practice.

Not about some series 2 seasons ago.

You are right, going to try and leave this, the original comment was about how they should feel no need to rush him because they are not winning a championship this season either way. No team from the east is, even if any of them beat the heat they will get splattered by the Thunder/Spurs.

Got into some conversation about that and brought up that even when they were at their peak 2 years ago they did not look like a championship quality team as they struggled going through the playoffs. This started the anti me circle jerk about various things that can be taken out of context.

Well the problem was you saying the Heat smashed the Bulls but the Pacers played "weirdly close" to the Bulls when both series were 4-1. You also seem to be forgetting our starting shooting guard was Keith Bogans. The team Chicago has now is better IF Rose comes back, imo. Not saying they are contenders this year, just odd that you'd say we got crushed by Miami and played close with the Pacers when both series were 4-1. Talk about context considering the Miami games were pretty close too up until the very very end. You just can't have it both ways.

Game 2 - Miami up 3 with 2:30 to go

Game 3 - Only game we perhaps weren't in but still were only down 7 with about 1:30 to play

Game 4 - Went to overtime and Chicago was only down 4 with 50 seconds to play

Game 5 - Miami makes up a 12 point deficit with 3:14 remaining

[bearadonisdna]

You are only trying to write off the bulls chances by revisiting some outdated ideology. The Pacers RS record isnt the only metric that is important when gauging that team. If regular season record was so important then the bulls would have been given a championship for their record.

This has nothing to do with the Bulls in particular, no team in the east has anything more then a slight chance of making the Finals and if they do i am supremely confident that the west team will win in 5 games.

Although i agree record is not important you are forgetting that the Pacers won 37 games, I don't need to know anything more then that to know they were a bad team. Although as one pointed out Vogel turned the team around it was not some overnight t8urnaround they were 20-18 under him that season. For an easy way to quantify this the Pacers 37 games is only 2 more wins then the 8th seed had last year in a shortened season. Also from watching the series it was just as much the Bulls playing bad as it was the Pacers playing well (Both happened to quite a great degree.)

Anyways i don't see why this little thing is being argued so much, just saying the supporting cast was better that year, Rose was better that year, and i saw nothing that would lead me to an all in for a championship approach this year.

If vogel was 20-18 then the Pacers we're 17-27 without him. That is a huge difference. Using the arbitary 37 win number is misleading if not downright irrelevant.

[doozyj]

Hope he comes back soon, there needs to be more elite competition in the East, plus his presence is good for the NBA.

[NYK_89]

DUDE OH MY GOD.
What are you not getting.

In both series the outcome was never in doubt (From an outside observer, also obviously after game 2 because game 1 changed some minds)

Both series were what you would consider a beat down. 4-1 the other team would have to have gone 3-0 to win it etc.

In the Heat series we look at the winner and go wow they really played well, they are probably going on to a championship, and if that series was played well again its probably going down in a similar fashion. Yes the bulls played close every game but the heat got it done and won 4-1

In the Pacers series we go wow they better get it together and not play like that in the next few series or this championship run is doomed. We ask why we needed buzzer beater esque shots in multiple games to win in 5, how a team locked in for a championship run let a 37 win team get a win on them. The talk is 100% about improving and getting better for the next series etc.

IT WAS WEIRDLY CLOSE BECAUSE PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT SERIES WAS GOING TO BE OVER IN 4 STRAIGHT BLOWOUTS, WHILE NOT ACTUALLY CLOSE IN THE SENSE THAT THE PACERS HAD A CHANCE TO WIN THE SERIES THE PACERS PLAYED IT MUCH MUCH MUCH CLOSER THEN ANYONE THOUGHT POSSIBLE.

THE MIAMI SERIES WAS A BLOWOUT JUST LIKE THE PACERS SERIES. HOWEVER THIS SERIES LOOKED TO GO AT LEAST 6 GAMES.

WHEN I REFER TO THE PACERS SERIES AS WEIRDLY CLOSE AND THE HEAT SERIES AS A BLOWOUT WHEN THEY WERE EQUALLY CLOSE IT IS BECAUSE THE PACERS PLAYED IT CLOSE WHEN NOT EXPECTED. HAD I ACTUALLY MEANT THE PACERS COULD HAVE WON THE SERIES I WOULD HAVE JUST SAID A CLOSE SERIES.

If vogel was 20-18 then the Pacers we're 17-27 without him. That is a huge difference. Using the arbitary 37 win number is misleading if not downright irrelevant.

What are you not getting man even a falsely extrapolated version of that record is pathetic next to Chicago and equivelnt to the Knicks who got swept in the first round.

Here are the playoff odds for that first round.
Chicago -3400, Indiana +2200
Miami -1800, Philadelphia +1000
Boston -380, New York +300
Orlando -550, Atlanta +425

Los Angeles -2000, New Orleans +1400
San Antonio -370, Memphis +280
Oklahoma City -215, Denver +180
Dallas -205, Portland +175

That should give you a pretty damn good idea of what the attitude towards this series was at the time even a series like Miami Phili was twice as good odds. They are without a doubt the worst playoff team of the last 2 years.

Also as i noted before I assume you viewed the Knicks by the league #2 defense and their 20-8(?) record which was 2nd in the league over the stretch last year right. By your logic they must have been the clear #2 team in the east because obviously the sub 500 record they had with Dantoni was irrelevant. How did that work out for them.


Anyways i hope Rose can get back and playing well soon here, im hoping they wait until march 8th(?), By then i imagine they will have a better view of what their aspirations are this season and the risk of re injury by then will be very low

[Honey Bear]

The Bulls (with a healthy Rose) and Pacers will give the Heat more trouble than the Knicks will in the playoffs.

[NYK_89]

The Bulls (with a healthy Rose) and Pacers will give the Heat more trouble than the Knicks will in the playoffs.

I see what you are saying, but the Knicks are basically a perfect matchup against the heat, if they were clicking on all cylinders and got Hot from 3 i think that is the best chance of any team beating them. However it would still be a dubious prospect at best and when all the teams are playing normal id agree with you the other teams on average would put up a better fight.

Anyways barring a serious injury bug to the heat. It ain't happening.

[bearadonisdna]

DUDE OH MY GOD.
What are you not getting.

In both series the outcome was never in doubt (From an outside observer, also obviously after game 2 because game 1 changed some minds)

Both series were what you would consider a beat down. 4-1 the other team would have to have gone 3-0 to win it etc.

In the Heat series we look at the winner and go wow they really played well, they are probably going on to a championship, and if that series was played well again its probably going down in a similar fashion. Yes the bulls played close every game but the heat got it done and won 4-1

In the Pacers series we go wow they better get it together and not play like that in the next few series or this championship run is doomed. We ask why we needed buzzer beater esque shots in multiple games to win in 5, how a team locked in for a championship run let a 37 win team get a win on them. The talk is 100% about improving and getting better for the next series etc.

IT WAS WEIRDLY CLOSE BECAUSE PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT SERIES WAS GOING TO BE OVER IN 4 STRAIGHT BLOWOUTS, WHILE NOT ACTUALLY CLOSE IN THE SENSE THAT THE PACERS HAD A CHANCE TO WIN THE SERIES THE PACERS PLAYED IT MUCH MUCH MUCH CLOSER THEN ANYONE THOUGHT POSSIBLE.

THE MIAMI SERIES WAS A BLOWOUT JUST LIKE THE PACERS SERIES. HOWEVER THIS SERIES LOOKED TO GO AT LEAST 6 GAMES.

WHEN I REFER TO THE PACERS SERIES AS WEIRDLY CLOSE AND THE HEAT SERIES AS A BLOWOUT WHEN THEY WERE EQUALLY CLOSE IT IS BECAUSE THE PACERS PLAYED IT CLOSE WHEN NOT EXPECTED. HAD I ACTUALLY MEANT THE PACERS COULD HAVE WON THE SERIES I WOULD HAVE JUST SAID A CLOSE SERIES.

If vogel was 20-18 then the Pacers we're 17-27 without him. That is a huge difference. Using the arbitary 37 win number is misleading if not downright irrelevant.

What are you not getting man even a falsely extrapolated version of that record is pathetic next to Chicago and equivelnt to the Knicks who got swept in the first round.

Here are the playoff odds for that first round.
Chicago -3400, Indiana +2200
Miami -1800, Philadelphia +1000
Boston -380, New York +300
Orlando -550, Atlanta +425

Los Angeles -2000, New Orleans +1400
San Antonio -370, Memphis +280
Oklahoma City -215, Denver +180
Dallas -205, Portland +175

That should give you a pretty damn good idea of what the attitude towards this series was at the time even a series like Miami Phili was twice as good odds. They are without a doubt the worst playoff team of the last 2 years.

Also as i noted before I assume you viewed the Knicks by the league #2 defense and their 20-8(?) record which was 2nd in the league over the stretch last year right. By your logic they must have been the clear #2 team in the east because obviously the sub 500 record they had with Dantoni was irrelevant. How did that work out for them.


Anyways i hope Rose can get back and playing well soon here, im hoping they wait until march 8th(?), By then i imagine they will have a better view of what their aspirations are this season and the risk of re injury by then will be very low

Obviously the knicks overall record last year isnt indicative of the type of team they wre going into the playoffs. Does that mean I think they were a top 2 team, no, but you won't see me using their overall record as a quality of opponent indicator. It would flat out be inaccurate.

[bearadonisdna]

Honestly if you are still questioning a two year old series , it has no relevance today. At all basically.

[Cowbulls]

Referring to the actual thread, I prey he plays a little bit this season to get his timing back. Referring to the rest of the thread...you guys are letting a Knicks fan troll you....a Knicks fan.

[bearadonisdna]

Referring to the actual thread, I prey he plays a little bit this season to get his timing back. Referring to the rest of the thread...you guys are letting a Knicks fan troll you....a Knicks fan.

You are saying....we are being trolled ?

[Keller61]

DUDE OH MY GOD.
What are you not getting.

In both series the outcome was never in doubt (From an outside observer, also obviously after game 2 because game 1 changed some minds)

Both series were what you would consider a beat down. 4-1 the other team would have to have gone 3-0 to win it etc.

In the Heat series we look at the winner and go wow they really played well, they are probably going on to a championship, and if that series was played well again its probably going down in a similar fashion. Yes the bulls played close every game but the heat got it done and won 4-1

In the Pacers series we go wow they better get it together and not play like that in the next few series or this championship run is doomed. We ask why we needed buzzer beater esque shots in multiple games to win in 5, how a team locked in for a championship run let a 37 win team get a win on them. The talk is 100% about improving and getting better for the next series etc.

IT WAS WEIRDLY CLOSE BECAUSE PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT SERIES WAS GOING TO BE OVER IN 4 STRAIGHT BLOWOUTS, WHILE NOT ACTUALLY CLOSE IN THE SENSE THAT THE PACERS HAD A CHANCE TO WIN THE SERIES THE PACERS PLAYED IT MUCH MUCH MUCH CLOSER THEN ANYONE THOUGHT POSSIBLE.

THE MIAMI SERIES WAS A BLOWOUT JUST LIKE THE PACERS SERIES. HOWEVER THIS SERIES LOOKED TO GO AT LEAST 6 GAMES.

WHEN I REFER TO THE PACERS SERIES AS WEIRDLY CLOSE AND THE HEAT SERIES AS A BLOWOUT WHEN THEY WERE EQUALLY CLOSE IT IS BECAUSE THE PACERS PLAYED IT CLOSE WHEN NOT EXPECTED. HAD I ACTUALLY MEANT THE PACERS COULD HAVE WON THE SERIES I WOULD HAVE JUST SAID A CLOSE SERIES.

If vogel was 20-18 then the Pacers we're 17-27 without him. That is a huge difference. Using the arbitary 37 win number is misleading if not downright irrelevant.

What are you not getting man even a falsely extrapolated version of that record is pathetic next to Chicago and equivelnt to the Knicks who got swept in the first round.

Here are the playoff odds for that first round.
Chicago -3400, Indiana +2200
Miami -1800, Philadelphia +1000
Boston -380, New York +300
Orlando -550, Atlanta +425

Los Angeles -2000, New Orleans +1400
San Antonio -370, Memphis +280
Oklahoma City -215, Denver +180
Dallas -205, Portland +175

That should give you a pretty damn good idea of what the attitude towards this series was at the time even a series like Miami Phili was twice as good odds. They are without a doubt the worst playoff team of the last 2 years.

Also as i noted before I assume you viewed the Knicks by the league #2 defense and their 20-8(?) record which was 2nd in the league over the stretch last year right. By your logic they must have been the clear #2 team in the east because obviously the sub 500 record they had with Dantoni was irrelevant. How did that work out for them.


Anyways i hope Rose can get back and playing well soon here, im hoping they wait until march 8th(?), By then i imagine they will have a better view of what their aspirations are this season and the risk of re injury by then will be very low

Despite your long, emphatic post, you are still making very little sense, especially when you say that the Heat/Bulls series would have gone down in similar fashion if they played again. The fact that the games were so close suggests that the Heat were lucky to win it in 5 games, and if they played again it would likely be a closer series. Game 4 was tied at the end of regulation and the Bulls had the last shot. They had a 12 point lead with 3 minutes left in Game 5. That series could very easily have been 3-2 Bulls after 5 games. If they played a series again, the Heat would be very lucky to win in 5 again. Many people looked at how close those games were and thought the Bulls had a great shot at beating the Heat last year with more experience and more developed players. Whether or not they can this year is a different story because of the health of Rose, but what happened two years ago is not relevant to that question.