Who is in a worse position? Cavs or Bulls?

[Illmatic12]

I've reiterated many times, I think the Bulls are better off and they are East favorites THIS year.

But it's hard not to think the Cavs are better off in the long run. Why? Because they have trade assets. They can easily make a trade for a rim protector in the offseason and come back better next year. Every year Lebron is there, they're gonna probably have a chance to sign some ring-chasers or fleece some dumb lottery team into giving them assets.

[ldnk]

I don't think there is any question that this is worse for the Bulls. Recurrent injuries are a big problem. Even if the Cavs don't gel much over the course of the year, LeBron could probably just turn it on and score 30+ a night in the playoffs and play lock-down defense, especially with how he is coasting right now. And they are probably going to get 2-3 veteran minimum guys who demand buyouts after getting traded so I'm sure their bench depth will improve.

[coldfish]

When the Bulls are all healthy, they are destroying teams. They are something like +20 per 48 minutes with Rose on the court.

That said, the Bulls are in the worse position. All of their guys except for Butler are injury prone and resting them / reducing their minutes isn't fixing the issue.

The playoffs are a grind in and of themselves. Even if Chicago could somehow enter the playoffs perfectly healthy, the odds of them making it through several rounds without several major injuries are slim.

[smartyz456]

Bulls actually have young players with high potential on their team like Mirotic, Butler, Snell and McDermott too

[Bankai]

Bulls why? Rose is their ticket to a championship but he may not play for a long stretch of games. Otherwise they are a treadmill playoff team without him. Cavs are generally healthy, if they can figure it out, they will remain at full strength with room to grow.

And I know you want my opinion on the Raptors, well the Raptors need to win a playoff series first before any talk of them being a top eastern team. But honestly you can say that about the Cavs outside of LeBron, what have they done?

[Jvaughn]

No idea why the Bulls are in a bad position. They have some injuries right now, but none of them are major. Ankles and Hamstring strain. Obviously Rose's durability is in question right now, but I think they're just being overly cautious with him and Pau right now.

If this was a playoff run, there's no doubt in my mind they'd both be playing. In the past ulls have asked their players to play through small injuries, but we can afford to rest players now. I'm hoping we've learned from our past mistakes. All we need to do is get HCA. No need to doing the regular season champ thing anymore. As long as we go into the playoffs with a. Full team finally, I'll live with November losses.

[kdapiton]

Well, let's see.

Rose will probably miss more games once he gets back from this bum hammy. That's just the way things will roll this seasons at least.

Gasol is a beast, but that calf strain came outta nowhere. Who knows what else can go down.

Noah gets lower extremity treatment each game to make sure nothing falls off.

Gibson's foot just fell off.

Kirk Hinrich's rib got bruised.

I'm pretty sure Butler is playing through knick-knacks right now. Hes just that tough.

I've seen enough **** to pessimistically believe that this will be a year long thing. Not necessarily blaming anyone, especially not Thibodeau. But it's just their luck.

But as mentioned, the starting 5 looks awesome when they are actually there. Not to mention when everyone else is playing at the position they're supposed to be in (Hinrich as back up PG, Taj as 6th man).

But it's still too hard for me to bet on Lebron James WITH talent around him.

Call me a fool, and I probably am, but I'm going with the Bulls.

[NBABoom]

Bulls are.

It shocks me how some people are so clueless to consider
them a championship team this season when

1. There best best player Rose can't play more than 2 games
in a row without 'breaking' something on his person.

2. Your starting center is almost similarly made of glass at
this stage.

The Bulls are a hyped team. They are always touted as winning
It all and then by the time playoff time is here their MVP is
in the stands taking a vacation and it becomes evident by
the time the second round is here their be no celebrating in
the Windy City and it was all just hot air by Bulls loyalists.

The Bulls are a joke and Rose basically got him, his children
, and his children's children eating for life.

They should a traded him but instead he's FOREVER going to
eat off one season of all star performance. And you wonder
why no one outside of Chicagoland takes Chicago sports
seriously.

[hands11]

The Bulls who are very good and play well together, but are severely injured or the Cavs who are healthy and talented, but can't seem to gel? It seems both teams had their tickets to the ECF punched before the season even started, but it looks pretty grim for both squads right now. Still early, yes, I know.

I like both teams, honestly, and I'm not sure how I'd vote myself. Just curious. Health vs. fluidity. Discuss.

However you ranked them before the season, I suggest you stick to your big picture predictions.

I see nothing that has changed that except for LOU off the TOR bench.

I had them

CLE, CHI
WIZ, MIA, TOR .. If Wade was healthy. If not, WAS and TOR battling it out for 3rd with WIZ maybe battling it out for 2nd best team.

Not just based on records but on quality of teams going into the playoffs. TOR gets some easy wins because they have two tanking teams in their divisions in NY and PHI

Thats like manta from the Gods. Not one but two tanking teams. Thats 8 easy games right there.

[El Alonzo scowl]

Bulls. You can't control health the same way you can control misfitting personnel. The Cavs can make moves before the trade deadline. The Bulls can't trade Rose.

[cool007]

It's all about the playoffs.

Cavs are hoping that they gel and get that mojo going by the playoffs role around while Bulls are just not taking ANY chances this time around and will sit anyone for more stretches that previous years until they are 110%. They just want to get healthy for the playoffs.

So both teams that have their ups and downs, but ultimately it's all about the playoffs and how they are doing at the time (in Bulls' case, health).

[jamesnamida]

right now id say the cavs are in a better situation.
the 1st season of the heat, they were like playing .500 ball for the first 20 something games.
they have lebron, they will figure something out.

while rose, even when healthy, wont have as much impact as he used to.
the bulls will be successful due to roleplayers and the system though.

but imo neither has a good future.
especially if klove decides to bounce since he is shooting what? 10 shots a game, and if they get bounced in the playoffs lol...
as for the bulls, gasol is declining with every season, rose had peaked and they just dont have a legit star on that team. good role players, but no star. unless rose get back to his old days.

[DASMACKDOWN]

Bulls aren't going to be unhealthy forever. People are just hoping that's the case.

[Dominator83]

Even as a Bulls fan I say Cavs are in much better shape. Its very early and they have plenty of time to teach themselves how to play together while still being effective. As for Bulls? You can't teach health. Rose hasn't been able to last 2 straight games yet without getting hurt. Against the Raps he does a slip n fall and has been on the shelf for 10 days now. Noah always has some sorta lingering injury too when playoffs roll around. We just have some sorta curse with bad injury luck

[Johnny Firpo]

Both are in great position, there is no "worse" here. If those two teams can put it all together until the playoffs and stay healthy, they will almost surely meet in the ECF, provided they avoid each other in the first two rounds. Big admired of the Raptors, but their ceiling is obviously a lot lower than those two teams', at least this season. The same is true about the Wizards.

[Indomitable]

Even as a Bulls fan I say Cavs are in much better shape. Its very early and they have plenty of time to teach themselves how to play together while still being effective. As for Bulls? You can't teach health. Rose hasn't been able to last 2 straight games yet without getting hurt. Against the Raps he does a slip n fall and has been on the shelf for 10 days now. Noah always has some sorta lingering injury too when playoffs roll around. We just have some sorta curse with bad injury luck

Yeah because the Cav can be taught height and length.

[TommyTBolt]

I voted Bulls because it's not surprising the Cavs struggles. Remember Bron's first year in MIA they got off to a slow start. They started 9-7 that year which is better than the Cavs start but still shows the point that it TAKES TIME for a team to gel when you are adding a bunch of new star players.

[TommyTBolt]

Even as a Bulls fan I say Cavs are in much better shape. Its very early and they have plenty of time to teach themselves how to play together while still being effective. As for Bulls? You can't teach health. Rose hasn't been able to last 2 straight games yet without getting hurt. Against the Raps he does a slip n fall and has been on the shelf for 10 days now. Noah always has some sorta lingering injury too when playoffs roll around. We just have some sorta curse with bad injury luck

Yeah because the Cav can be taught height and length.

height and length are not the Cavs problem chemistry and gelling together are.

[Rafael122]

As far as I know, I'd say the Cavs just b/c we have no idea where they're gonna go. Cap wise they are capped out this year and next. They still have to figure out whether to re-sign Tristan Thompson which would just add more salary on their books.

I keep saying this, but it's not a mortal lock that Love stays long term. I would assume he opts in next year and then sees what happens in 2016. If this is how Lebron is now, there's no telling how he's going to be 2 years from now and quite frankly, Love could easily be stuck on a team with Irving, an aging and declining Lebron and scrubs. I feel like people think this is going to be a dynasty have no idea how easily this could blow up. Kevin will get his money, 29 other teams are going to lose out on Kevin Durant. Those teams will line up in front of Love's door.

[Dennis 37]

You kidding me? Got to be the Bulls.
Cavs just won the jackpot of LBJ, and Bulls stilll dealing with old pain.a

Last night Lebron gave up against the Raptors. Where is that dominant superstar who can put a team on his back? A much smaller Derozan was able to guard him. What's up with that?

Bulls healthy can crush anyone. Who is going to trade with the Cavs to help improve their roster?

How long until Cav fans regret Lebron forcing the Wiggins trade?