Who do you prefer to play, Miami or Boston?

[kyrv]

WHOA the board is heavily under estimating the Celtics.

Did you notice the board doesn't like the Heat?

But this is a good example of why these types of questions are misleading, who the Bulls would really like to face if they reach the ECF are the 76ers, but that's not going to happen. Preferring one very good team over another very good team isn't really under estimating either team.

I guarantee we will meet the Celtics in the ECF

Okay what does that even mean?

[League Circles]

I haven't answered this yet because I can't. I personally don't think beating Miami would be any sweeter. I never predicted Miami to be the team to beat, and I was right from the summer. I picked Boston to win the NBA title this year (prior to the season), so beating them would make me more proud, but beating Miami would be more fun because I hate them.

In terms of the easier opponent, I think it's clearly Miami, though not by much. Deng, Bogans and Brewer can D up LBJ and Wade as a unit probably as good as any wing crew in the league. That's crucial. More importantly, Boozer will probably have a far easier time against Bosh than agaisnt Garnett, as Garnett is still simpy awesome on D.

Rose and Noah should also have a little more success against the Heat than against Boston. Boston is more talented than the Heat IMO. Also, as insane as it soudns to say this, Pierce and Allen are equally good at hitting tough shots as LBJ and Wade. LBJ and Wade are just much better at getting easier shots (among other things), and if we play equally tough D against all of them, I expect Pierce and Allen to perform closer to LBJ and Wade than normally, because with tough D we'd be reducing any of the 4 to tougher shots, which they are more equal at. I hope that makes sense.

[SilverQuick]

This year they are still same team.

Notably, they aren't.



They beat a pretty crappy Knicks team in 4, yes. But without Billups or a healthy Stoudemire for 3 of those 4 games. And 3 of those four games damn near went the other way.

I'm not knocking the Celtics. But they've done nothing this postseason to separate themselves from Miami in the "who do you want to play" department.

Allright,
They are same team minus perkins. Perkins was a though sob but he was their 5th important player.

'm not sold on the new looking celtics still but their big four are still there. though they didnt perform well so far but their bench is actually better than the last year.
btw game 4 was not that close, they were leading by 23 at some point of the game ,when they relaxed ny made a run . when knicks had a run the celtics flipped the switch on

ofcourse a one man team cant beat the celtics and NYK series was not an indicator for them but when you watch them you can understand what they are capable of and heat not

veteran leadership,shooting ability,defense, ,better coaching , deeper roster and most important thing is they can execute very well especially at the end of the game. That's really an important point when you think a lot of games of the series might be close. Heat doesnt have any of them, at. They are very different team than the celtics and their holes and weaknesses are more obvious.
oh I forgot this, the celtics also will have shaq ,well maybe for 15 mpg.

btw with good coaching I meant this, Derrick Rose probably would torch them in game 1 because they have noone who can defend him, but they can and will adjust their defense unlike miami heat.
It would be hard to beat the celtics 4 times in 7 games. I cant say same thing for a possible heat series

So Heat is better option , that is my 2 cents

[Wont PerDont]

In terms of the easier opponent, I think it's clearly Miami, though not by much.

Huh?

[JordansBulls]

I think a better topic is Atlanta or Orlando since they are next.

[Murk]

Boston. Not necessarily because of payback, but I think we have a better chance of beating them than the Heat.

This.

I still feel like the Heat (Bronny Bron and Snaggle) will miraculously ascend to god-like levels when they play us. There's every chance that out of nowhere Lebron and Wade just go OFF in such a way that no defense can stop them. Couple that with two guys getting superstar whistles and that might be too much to overcome.

[Chrome]

I'm confident the Bulls could beat either team, but I'd prefer the Bulls to play Boston. We owe them from two years ago.

[musiqsoulchild]

Allright,
They are same team minus perkins. Perkins was a though sob but he was their 5th important player.

SilverQuick, as someone who follows the Celtics closely there is definitely a lessening of the toughness of the Celtics this year compared to last years version.

Notably the following players abence will be sorely felt, ESPECIALLY in the playoffs:
Perkins, Tony Allen, Nate Robinson, Marquis Daniels and finally Rasheed Wallace. All of them were bit players, with the exception of Perk, but they played a tough brand of playoff intensity basketball.

They have been replaced by Jeff Green, Nenad, Shaq, Jermaine, Delonte and Von Wafer. Sure, some of those are big names and some of them are plain **** crazy ( Delonte and Wafer)...but they dont bring "it".

Ainge got in comparable talent.....but as far as toughness was concerned, the Celts lost a lot.

[jl342323]

i think kurt wants boston with shaq

[JordansBulls]

It's a wash. We actually match up better against Miami I believe because of Rose and our ability to rebound inside.

Either team though, our best defenders match up with their best scorers (SG, SF, Center - we can have Noah on Bosh or KG).

Boston though I feel is a weaker team than past years, and I think we have a better idea of what it takes to beat them. They are on a stable, readable level. Therefore, if they beat Miami it will only mean Miami is the flawed team that they have often resembled this year, but it won't necessarily say anything huge about Boston.

However if Miami beats Boston by comparison, it will mean Miami has started to get their flaws worked out and is probably coming in pretty strong and confident. They are obviously the team with higher upside vs their season. But again, we have some matchup advantages which would work in our favor to even that out.

With Boston, Rondo is fully capable of having games as impactful as Rose, even if not every game perhaps. And I don't like that.

HCA favors us more against Boston I believe, as Miami is more likely to get very generous foul calls even on the road due to their superstars.

So either team is going to be a huge challenge, but I don't really have a major preference. Though if one is willing to contemplate the Bulls losing to either team, it throws in another aspect. Which of these teams would you rather have a shot to win a title, if its not Chicago? On that note, I'd obviously go Boston. Miami is less likeable and the consequence for the league might be bad for us, if a premeditated superteam like that wins.

As Bill Simmons said, a Bulls vs Miami series would be pretty much good vs evil. Everything we believe about basketball to be on the line. One team, all heart, great chemistry, traditionally built with one superstar and role players all doing their job, vs the bastardized all star team that formed so they could win titles and have it "be easy", filling out their roster with guys that could hardly make rotations on most teams, except they needed bodies.

And for that reason I'd rather play Boston. Also with Boston they have not one player who would really get more credit than the next player. Same goes for San Antonio. So if another team won it all other than the Bulls I'd pick one of them. (I guess you could say Atlanta, Denver fit that bill as well or even Portland, but none of them are going to win it)

[BeKuK]

I want Boston.....give me Boston and I'll be the luckiest man in the world!

(also I think, that Boston would be the better match up for us!)

[KeithBoothfan]

Understood...
I think my post came off harsher than I meant.
"We"....is a pet peave of mine (depending on context).
We as in "fanbase" is fine.
We....as in...bravado...is something that just drives my crazy. (Not saying were doing this....just explaining).

"We? WTF we?"

"I! The Royal We!"

[blumeany]

Understood...
I think my post came off harsher than I meant.
"We"....is a pet peave of mine (depending on context).
We as in "fanbase" is fine.
We....as in...bravado...is something that just drives my crazy. (Not saying were doing this....just explaining).

"We? WTF we?"

"I! The Royal We!"

[blumeany]

I picked Boston. Miami is more of an unknown, and fresher legs. I think the Bulls (mostly Deng, Noah, Rose) would be more motivated to beat Boston due to the series a few years back.

[bulls6pack]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9lVQC1WmYM[/youtube]

REMEMBER THIS FEELING?!

That's awesome!!! Every game was a classic except for the one I went to! But at least I got to see Rose get his ROY trophy!

[Rerisen]

Been thinking about this Heat/Boston matchup and Wade having to chase Ray around all day (he doesn't like to, and its going to sap him) and wondering if Keith Bogans is the genius of Thibs to see far down the road.

That we were going to have to face one or both of these teams and that he needed a guy to just go all out and play D on them. Past those guys you have Kobe, same thing.

Korver would have worked starting vs Indiana, maybe even in Round 2, but not past that. We know Thibs told Keith his job was just going to be to play defense... hit a few threes when possible.

I certainly am not satisfied with Bogans at SG or how the offense has puttered out with him on the floor at times. But matchup wise with either of these two teams (and later L.A) you absolutely need a player that is going give everything he has to stick with Ray Allen or frustrate Wade or Kobe.

I hope Bogans con do all those things defensively, bring that toughness that Thibs goes on about, against any of those great players, and do a real solid job on them. Because otherwise there is no point to him.

[Hangtime84]

I want BOSTON and don't want to see Miami in make it out of the 2nd round because I want other NBA players to consider joining "other" teams like the BULLS

[JordansBulls]

I think playing Atlanta in round 2 will prepare us better for Boston in the ECF while playing Orlando in round 2 would prepare us better for Miami because it gives us an idea on how to play against superstar players.

[GMgoran]

Miami, of course ... But, they would never get to the Conference finals this season, anyway ...

[DanTown8587]

I would say Boston. Bulls have shown that they can handle Boston. They have not shown they can handle Miami. Bulls have three wins against Miami that, in a miss or make league, could have gone the other way all three times.

I also feel Boston cannot guard Rose. Rondo can't guard him and after that, they have no option to slow him down. LeBron or Wade, for single possessions and end of game, would make Rose take really tough shots.

I also feel Miami is playing better of the two.