Analyzing Potential Bulls/Cavs Matchup

[TyrusRose2425]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN0WqSeCKW8[/youtube]

Playoff seeding is shaping up and it's looking like we'll deal with Cleveland in round 2 and even if we drop to 4/5, we'll need to go through Cleveland eventually anyways. How do you think we'll fair against them and why? Which mismatches should we look to exploit and what flaws should we work to cover up as much as possible?

[DuckIII]

I'm going to change the title. But otherwise I think its a reasonable thread even if based on multiple presumptions.

[TyrusRose2425]

I'm going to change the title. But otherwise I think its a reasonable thread even if based on multiple presumptions.

If we can't make it out of round 1, assuming no crazy injuries happen till then, we're going to have much bigger issues anyways

[Fl_Flash]

Go hard at Mozgov. Get him in foul trouble so he has to sit. He's a large part of what they need (pun intended - the guy is HUGE)
Rough up Lebron and Irving. Neither of them like physical play. Lebron gets pissy when he feels he's being played too physically.
Other typical stuff - control the boards and limit stupid turnovers.
Finally - Pray REALLY hard cause the Cavs are firing on all pistons right now.

[TyrusRose2425]

I think Gasol is key. One advantage we have is our big men and our best scoring big is Gasol. As nice as Mozgov has been for them, Gasol should score on him and disrupt what the Cavs have going defensively.

[musiqsoulchild]

If we don't win the rebounding battle, we are toast. And I mean specifically, defensive rebounding.

We give away too many second chance opportunities to opposing teams when their bigs O-Rebound.

[[e]]

Go inside all day long with Pau. Rose and JB slashing to the basket. Have to win the paint battle. Plus get as many FTs as possible, easy points and gets guys into rhythm.

Win rebound battle.

Run Irving off 3 point line. Keep Bron out of the paint. Limit transition opportunities.

[coldfish]

Random comments:
- Rose HAS to win his match up against Kyrie
- Thibs will throw Snell and Butler at Lebron in rotation. They can't let him kill the Bulls as he has done in the past.
- The Bulls have to win, if only by a slight amount, the rebounding battle. They can't let Thompson and Love play volleyball on the offensive glass.
- Guys are going to have to make shots. The bit players. Brooks, Dunleavey.
- On the other side, the team needs to aggressively give multiple efforts on defense. Close out on every shooter. Can't let JR Smith or someone go bonkers from 3.
- Gasol and Butler have to play well.

Overall, Cavs are the heavy favorite IMHO. Bulls haven't demonstrated the ability to consistently play defense and they aren't winning a scoring race against Lebron, Love, Kyrie, JR Smith, etc.

[jc23]

well is it safe to assume that...

Thompson
lebron
smith
shumpert
kyrie
...is the cavs closing 5? i mean without a doubt lebron will be playing the 4 to close games.

So how do we best matchup with that lineup, the guy that worries me the most is thompson, you better have a big who can box him out otherwise he will kill you on the offensive glass.

Rose g kyrie
Niko g shump
not sure who i want as my 3 here. either Snell or Dun to guard Smith
Jimmy g lebron
Noah g thompson.......or you go Pau if he has a hot hand

even more interested to see how the cavs matchup with us. unless they put lebron on Niko we have a clear advantage in the post. And if you have Pau in the game Thompson wont be able to help.

[red222]

Random comments:
- Rose HAS to win his match up against Kyrie
- Thibs will throw Snell and Butler at Lebron in rotation. They can't let him kill the Bulls as he has done in the past.
- The Bulls have to win, if only by a slight amount, the rebounding battle. They can't let Thompson and Love play volleyball on the offensive glass.
- Guys are going to have to make shots. The bit players. Brooks, Dunleavey.
- On the other side, the team needs to aggressively give multiple efforts on defense. Close out on every shooter. Can't let JR Smith or someone go bonkers from 3.
- Gasol and Butler have to play well.

Overall, Cavs are the heavy favorite IMHO. Bulls haven't demonstrated the ability to consistently play defense and they aren't winning a scoring race against Lebron, Love, Kyrie, JR Smith, etc.

all of this will happen no worries no Mirotic comment that's surprising.

[WIN]

I think Taj will play a huge role for us in this matchup, he's really the only guy I feel is able to assert his post presence both offensively and defensively against the Cavs.

Rebounding will be huge, so having a combo of Pau, Noah/Taj and Mirotic at the same time for extended minutes will be necessary.

Team defense is the next thing, we need to play them physical and make them earn their points.

Offensively, we have enough firepower, it's just making sure we don't go cold like we tend to do in random points of games. Rose coming back should help, assuming he plays aggressive and attacks the rim, doesn't shoot many threes and limits his turnovers. Having Mirotic and Butler get to the line like they can will also slow down the game for us and frustrate the Cavs.

We have a team on paper than can beat this team, I believe that, it's all about playing team ball at the end of the day. If we're all on the same page offensively and defensively, we won't be stopped.

[mattyj912]

I think mirotic needs to play a lot to get them in foul trouble. Between butler and him driving, mozgov and love should be in foul trouble early.

[Unbeata-BULL7]

Random comments:
- Rose HAS to win his match up against Kyrie
- Thibs will throw Snell and Butler at Lebron in rotation. They can't let him kill the Bulls as he has done in the past.
- The Bulls have to win, if only by a slight amount, the rebounding battle. They can't let Thompson and Love play volleyball on the offensive glass.
- Guys are going to have to make shots. The bit players. Brooks, Dunleavey.
- On the other side, the team needs to aggressively give multiple efforts on defense. Close out on every shooter. Can't let JR Smith or someone go bonkers from 3.
- Gasol and Butler have to play well.

Overall, Cavs are the heavy favorite IMHO. Bulls haven't demonstrated the ability to consistently play defense and they aren't winning a scoring race against Lebron, Love, Kyrie, JR Smith, etc.

One thing I think we're underestimating is the Bulls will to win. This team has faced a TON of adversity over the past 4 years, and I think their resolve is going to show big time in the Playoffs. Kyrie and KLove don't know what it's like to have deep Playoff runs taken away from them and most of their roster outside of Lebron hasn't played in big Playoff games. Not to mention, their Coach has never been to the Postseason either. In addition to the execution of the Xs and Os that everyone has pointed out, the Bulls MUST win this mental/emotional battle because it's been their calling card since Thibs got here and has allowed them to beat more talented teams.

[Unbeata-BULL7]

As far as keys to win go, how can we make Lebron have to play both ends? I don't want Lebron to find ways to rest on D depending upon who he's guarding so I think it's on Thibs to force Blatt's hand and dictate matchups. That means a lot of Niko and flooding the floor with scoring/shooting threats.

I also agree that defensive rebounding is PARAMOUNT. Keep their bigs off the O glass (Thompson won them the first head-to-head this season with his dominance on the offensive glass) and let their guards chuck long 2s and contested 3s.

[DanTown8587]

Game 1 - OT Loss
15 3ptA = Very good
33 FTA = bad
-10 turnovers = unacceptable
20 offensive rebounds on 61 misses = Kill it with fire awful

Game 2 - 20pt loss
18 3ptA = Good
25 FTA = Acceptable
+4 TOV = Very good
20 offensive rebounds on 51 misses = OH MY GOD ITS STILL ALIVE! MORE FIRE!

Game 3 - 15pt win (no Love)
31 threes = Very bad
22 FTA = Good
+ 8 TO = Very very good
10 offensive rebounds on 38 misses = very good

These four measurements (3PA against, FTA against, TOV battle, offensive rebound rate) to me is how you beat Cleveland. You can't let them live at either line (3 or FTA) and you can't lose the possession battle by either having more TOV or by giving up too many offensive rebounds.

The offense has to move the ball; Cleveland is like Miami in a lot of ways that they can stop one or two passes because they're so athletic but they're very susceptible to teams making multiple passes on them and then giving up wide open looks. Bulls can't rely on the isolation stuff they run, it's got to be a lot of movement.

[frosty23]

To me, Snell and Rose are they x-factors. They have to be solid offensively, and stifling defensively on the Cavs backcourt.

My other concern is the strength and rebounding ability of the Cavs frontcourt. Love/Mozgov/Thompson/LeBron all have a whole lot of girth. I see them potentially pushing Gasol/Mirotic/Taj around a lot in the paint. It will be the classic matchup of finesse vs. strength. The Bulls bigs need to make up for it with scrappiness and intensity.

[mademan]

Need either Butler/Rose to out play Lebron/Kyrie or have Gasol/Niko/Noah/Taj outplay Love/Moz/TT. I'll also be interested to see how much Thibs plays Mirotic...he's easily the best offensive option and adds a dynamic that neither Taj/Noah can, but he Cavs offense is pretty ridiculous and he's gonna be put in PnR situations and help positions a lot, i'm not sure if Thibs will trust him enough to put him out there for 25/30ish minutes

[mj234eva]

Go inside all day long with Pau.

I don't think I like that strategy.

[Jvaughn]

If we don't win the rebounding battle, we are toast. And ai mean specifically, defensive rebounding.

We give away too many second chance opportunities to opposing teams when their bigs O-Rebound.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. In addition. If Mozgov and Thompson are going to crash the offensive boards all game, we need to punish them by pushing the break. Make Blatt make adjustments. If both their rim protectors are going to be behind the play, we should be able to get some pretty easy buckets in transition.

[mj234eva]

I don't even know who Cleveland's starting 5 (or usual closing 5) is. I think the Bulls match up very well with whatever Cleveland tries to throw at them.