So who would you want to face in the 1st round.

[BullsFan88]

With the way the Cavs are playing it seems like they're going to get the 2nd seed and the Bulls are more than likely going to drop to the 4th-6th seed. Despite the Wizards playing awful I don't want to face them in the first round if either of us get the 4th or 5th seed. If we drop to the 6th seed we might just be able to play Toronto which seems like the favorable matchup but I don't think the Bulls will lose that much to bump down to 6th seed.

[Muizha]

I don't see why the Bulls couldn't beat out Toronto for the 3rd seed

[kodo]

We're almost certainly going to play MIL or WAS.

I'm fine with either team. Washington has been a tough matchup for us but they're in a major free fall right now and not playing well. We generally fare well against Milwaukee, and their biggest problem (shooting) got much worse trading Knight for MCW.

One interesting twist is that HCA is pretty meaningless to us this season. Our Away record is very close to both ATL and Golden State, but our home record is the same as Milwaukee & Phoenix

[kdapiton]

Milwaukee ideally. But whatever.

Rose getting hurt again put all of this into pespective. My hope for now is to have a complete team going in. **** the seedings.

[khufure]

In order of teams currently in the playoffs -- Bro, Mil, Mia (sans Bosh), Tor, Was, Atl, Cle. If Mia was completely healthy I might put them tied to Atlanta now in "rather face later, maybe someone else will beat them" category.

[MC3]

I don't see why the Bulls couldn't beat out Toronto for the 3rd seed

Hinrich wont let us. Any team will go 10-0 streak against us the moment he get's in the game.

[Madhouse]

Bucks.

[burlydee]

Milwaukee all the way. i think there inexperience coupled with their inability to score makes them the easiest matchup

[RememberLu]

milwaukee

Wizards could be on a 20 game losing streak beforehand but we'll find some way to make them look like the globetrotters

[red222]

washington

[FriedRise]

If Washington can get it together, we'll face Milwaukee in the first round. If Wiz continue their free-fall, there's a good chance we'll face them. I think we'll finish 3rd after Atlanta and Cleveland followed by Toronto.

[jc23]

Milwaukee cause i can afford playoff tickets there. But also Mil would be a less physical series. With the wiz their bigs are going to bang, but even with the question mark with Derrick we have improved much more then they in comparison to the two teams that met in the first round last year. And even though we lost 4-1 we still kept that series close, which looking back is amazing to me.

[maynardo]

I'd like to play the Bucks but my guess is we'll get washington. I kinda expect the bulls to drop to 5th seed after March, the schedule coming is really really hard and without Rose we'll be lucky to be close to .500 the rest of the way.

Once washington gets Beal back they'll start winning games (I think he's less than a week away from returning) so I expect them to have a better record than us and Milwaukee.

[G I N T]

Any of the 6-8 seeds are basically a bye, but if it results in a second round matchup vs. Cleveland, you want to avoid that path.

Washington is a hard matchup but they're not all that good and are in a free fall, and in all likelihood the winner of 4/5 matchup plays Atlanta in the second round instead of Cleveland, so that's the matchup we want.

It's weird, but it's better that we get the harder first round matchup to give ourselves a better shot at reaching the ECF. Nobody wants to play the freaking Cavs. They are a juggernaut.

[umfan83]

I want nothing to do with Washington, I don't care how badly they've been playing. Unfortunately I think we probably have like a 75% chance of playing them in the first round.

In terms of realistic opponents, we are limited to the following teams: Toronto, Cleveland, Washington or Milwaukee.

In order I'd like to play them:

Milwaukee
Toronto
Washington
Cleveland

Obviously the easier the better considering Rose will be likely shaking off rust.

[Mech Engineer]

You do not want Washington early more for the fear of getting banged up rather than losing to them. I don't think with the new additions the Bulls have this year and Washington slumping plus their loss of Ariza, Washington is not as bad as a match-up this year. But, I fear that the bigs might get hurt with their physicality and end up being slowed for the rest of the playoffs.

You want to face Cleveland as late as possible because the more LeBron has to carry them, he will be more tired. He has a lot of miles on him and it is probable that he will have more bad games as they go deep in the playoffs.

[DRoseCantStop]

Washington.

[DRoseCantStop]

washington

Kodo, you too!

[CB4L]

rather face CLE in ECF. Very happy that Washington traded away Andre Miller.

[HoopsterJones]

Ideally the Bucks, but it might end up being the Wizards.