Bulls biggest threat to Cavs in East

[Tetlak]

You guys are telling me that John Wall and Beal are some how a bigger threat than a Butler and Wade with Rhondo playing this well? What am I missing here? What is making the Wizards that much better?

The Wizards have more shooting. The starting 5 fits very well and they have quality players on the bench like Smith, Bog, and even Jennings. They can also play either big or small. Do I believe they are better than the Bulls? No. But the above reasons are why people like them a lot.

[Pennebaker]

I think Bulls probably match up best with the CAVS. They got a good balance of vets and talent both offensively and defensively. Put Butler on Lebron, Rhondo on Kyrie. Then you got the dangerous closer in Wade who can take over a series still. Just seems like the Bulls are coming together and meshing well at the right time. Would like to see this series.

The 41-41 Bulls? Nah. Boston gave us a glimpse of what they were going to be like in the playoffs in the last Cavs-Celtics game. In other words, they weren't ready for the type of scrutiny and pressure the playoffs bring for a #1 seed. Boston would've performed much better as a #2 or #3 seed.

So I'd still say the Raptors. They are an experienced group now - with ECF history - and leaders that are increasingly learning how to play with short memories.

After Toronto I'd probably say the Bucks.

[ShazamDaShiznt]

bulls are not the biggest threat to cavs in the east. It's just boston celtics are trash, if you shut down IT then you got this game in a bag.

I completely expect wizards to beat them bulls, they wont be able to handle john wall if he keeps playing so well

[shanghaifanzi]

wait until wade getting exhausted when they get to conference finals then easy cake walk for cavs once again, everybody knew wade endurance aint' that good anymore

[RalphWiggum]

On a scale of 1-10 for chances of beating of beating the Cavs I'd put Toronto at 3, Washington at 2 and everyone else 0-0.5.

Toronto's depth gives them a chance to wear Cleveland down.

[mtron929]

Again, the top tier teams in the East (minus the team with Lebron James, of course) are terrible.

[RingsDontLie]

I think Bulls probably match up best with the CAVS. They got a good balance of vets and talent both offensively and defensively. Put Butler on Lebron, Rhondo on Kyrie. Then you got the dangerous closer in Wade who can take over a series still. Just seems like the Bulls are coming together and meshing well at the right time. Would like to see this series.

The 41-41 Bulls? Nah. Boston gave us a glimpse of what they were going to be like in the playoffs in the last Cavs-Celtics game. In other words, they weren't ready for the type of scrutiny and pressure the playoffs bring for a #1 seed. Boston would've performed much better as a #2 or #3 seed.

So I'd still say the Raptors. They are an experienced group now - with ECF history - and leaders that are increasingly learning how to play with short memories.

After Toronto I'd probably say the Bucks.

ECF history versus championship history on the bulls? What? Gotta remember this Bulls team had injury issues to wade and butler in february. They had in team fighting as well. I really think it has more to do with the bulls chemistry finally coming together. mirotic and zipser seem to be nice long distance shooters to spread the floor. I just dont see how wiz can beat the bulls. I think lowrys speed will pose as an issue though for the bulls. but lowry also has been known to disappear and struggle.

[NBARocks]

Wizards bigger threat. They would fastbreak Cleveland to death. The Cavs can just try to outscore the Bulls and they would be fine.

[HomoSapien]

Wizards are by far the worst match up in the East for both the Cavs and Bulls

This. My money's on the Wizards. So underrated.

Wizards have a versatile starting lineup, but a few things to remember:

The Wizards won the season series 3-1.

Game 1: Bulls won, Wall and Beal didn't play. The Bulls won by eleven.

Game 2: Wizards win by ten. This is about a month before Butler/Wade call out their teammates.

Game 3: Wizards win by two with Butler and Wade both missing the game, and Rondo coming off the bench.

Game 4: Wizards win by five. Wade's injured again for this matchup.

Unfortunately, I don't think we got a fair look at this matchup during the regular season.

[ShazamDaShiznt]

most of us were making fun of bulls after they signed wade and rondo talking about this team shooting poorly from 3pt line, predicting this team wouldnt make the playoffs

now this team is the biggest threat to cavs in the east?

Is it oochie wallly or is it one mic?

[Lexluthor]

Rondo and Wade have alot more playoff experience than any of the Wizards players. Which is a huge advantage for the bulls

[jamalkandur]

Bulls are 4-0 against Cavs this season, their biggest strengths; defense, rebounds(the best in the league) and wade the finisher, i see a very tough series but i can't say who wins at the end.

[Bertrob]

Butler always plays Lebron very tough, he was very inefficient in that series in 15

[Dupp]

Butler always plays Lebron very tough, he was very inefficient in that series in 15

Lebron was inefficient in every playoff series in 2015. He had a bum back and kyrie/love injured and j r suspended for a couple of games. Had next to nothing to do with butler.

[fouronesix22]

they can definitely expose their defense as the pacers were shooting well against them in the 4th quarter so I would imagine the bulls do the same. Also playoff rondo combined with wade playing vintage and jimmy butler just shutting down players defensively, I wouldnt count them out.

[Bertrob]

Lebron was inefficient in every playoff series in 2015. He had a bum back and kyrie/love injured and j r suspended for a couple of games. Had next to nothing to do with butler.

[Birdie]

NO, TOR and WAS are 1a and 1b (interchangeable for me) and will continue to be for the duration of the East playoffs. Period. No debate. This thread is prisoner of the moment analysis. If CHI makes it through and happens to roll through WAS (if they make it through), then yea, you might convince me CHI is legit but until they ACTUALLY put BOS down (who I don't think are gonna go quietly and a little part of me thinks IT4's sisters' death has had some effect on this team to a degree but not using it as an excuse but it was def. a very untimely/unfortunate situation to have dropped on their lap as you open the playoffs, imo) We'll see how this plays out.

And people bringing up this 4-0 during the regular season against us as it's supposed to mean something?

I believe the 60 win Bulls back in 2010 were 3-0 against the Heatles during the regular season and then got bounced by the Heat in the ECF 4-1. Also, 60 win ATL in 2014 was 3-1 against CLE and they got bounced in ECF 4-0. So are we really using regular season maths as some kind of barometer?

Regular season success means nothing when it comes to the playoffs by that metric.

Until proven otherwise with playoff LBJ and his team, I always give him the benefit of the doubt at this time to be the favorite in the East until knocked off. I believe he's earned that. Now, we can debate the nuance of how "favored" his teams' could be but in a vacuum, 50.1%, at the minimum, should be the default until someone knocks him out.

Yea, CHI has played well in these 1st 2 games against BOS but are we really sitting here and thinking this Hoiberg led crew at 41-41 and barely snuck into the playoffs is without some major flaws. Are we really saying the Paul Zipsers and Bobby Portis' are gonna tilt a series so far in CHI favor's, that they're a juggernaut now? Please. They shot 34% from 3 in the regular season, through 2 games, they're at 35.3% and 44% from 2 during RS and in the playoffs, are 46%, so, they're overperfoming (which is a good thing). How long does it last though cuz outside of Jimmy Buckets, can we expect the rest of his teammates to keep up that level? We shall see...Whereas BOS, they're below their regular season avg's, so, if they revert back to the mean for both teams', BOS "should" squeak out this series in the end.

I just can't believe BOS let Paul Zipser abuse them for 16pts in 29min and Al Horford with yet another playoff disappearing act. Just puzzling. His last 3-4 years of play at times, when at one point, he was just a double-double machine/solid defensive guy. I just cringe everytime I see Big Al jacking up a 3 these days. But I still got faith for my BOS brethren, I still think this series is going 7 but could end in 5 if JimmyB goes bezerk in CHI smellin blood in the water.

[jc23]

None of them are coming close. Sweep to the finals.

not with that defense.

[dlts20]

Wade and Rondo's experience against Boston will totally flop to looking old and washed against the Wiz backcourt. Literally just a couple of games ago Bulls fans hated Wade and now they are acting like he had a Goat season. Wall and Beal are a bad match up

[Prokorov]

I think Bulls probably match up best with the CAVS. They got a good balance of vets and talent both offensively and defensively. Put Butler on Lebron, Rhondo on Kyrie. Then you got the dangerous closer in Wade who can take over a series still. Just seems like the Bulls are coming together and meshing well at the right time. Would like to see this series.

im not convinced the bulls get by boston.... i just dont think wade is going to continue to hit threes, lopez is going to continue looking like rip hamilton on jump shots, or rondo will average a triple double for the duration of the seires.... also think eventually thomas and bradley will shoot better.

if boston wins friday the series is 2-1. lets not have the bulls giving lebron a run for his money just yet.