With Derrick Rose back and healthy, Chicago Bulls will be formidable contenders for the NBA Championship
Derrick Rose seems on his way back to full fitness just as we enter the postseason. Rose played in the Bulls last game against Dallas Mavericks which Chicago won easily. He was cautious with his plays and did not make a huge impact,
scoring 11 points and dishing 8 assists, but he has a few days off and then two more games in the regular season before Chicago start their first round playoff series.
With Rose back in the team, Chicago doesn’t look like a bad team after all. In fact, contrary to the criticism they have been receiving all through the month of April, the Bulls are a solid contender for the NBA World Championship.
The Bulls need 1 victory in their final two games to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Coach Tom Thibodeau has out done himself this season by leading his team to a league best season record for the second straight year. He deserves all the credit, even more so this year, as his starters have been fighting injuries
all along. Richard Hamilton has missed 38 games while Derrick Rose has sat out of 26 this season and with injury troubles like these, the Bulls have done an exceptional job to still be able to hold the best record in the league.
Chicago is a dominant force when it comes to defence. They are the best defensive team in the league at the moment, with the highest number of rebounds per game and allowing 88.4 points per game this season, the best in the NBA.
They have had some troubles with their offense, particularly in the month of April. The Bulls have won 28 straight games in which they have scored more than 100 points, but have only crossed 100 twice this month. They are averaging
91 points per game in April. However, consider the fact that Rose has played in only four of those 11 games and you realize where the problem lies.
With Rose back on court, his game average of 22.2 points and 7.9 assists will definitely give the Bulls the offensive edge they need. Chicago’s starting five have played together only 14 times this season and are 12-2 in those
games. With a healthy Bulls team with Rose and Richard Hamilton playing together on the floor, their offense seems set.
It is true that Rose was rusty against Dallas and was not his explosive self. But if he manages to come back healthy and play the final two games of the season, he will take no time in getting his rhythm back and even Derrick at
80% is good enough to cause trouble for opponents.
The Bulls are at the same place where they were last year. They are at the top of the conference and it is safe to say that the road to the NBA Finals passes through them again. I think the Bulls will be the team to beat in the
playoffs. How much have they learnt from last year’s playoff mistakes, remains to be seen, and could be decisive.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent Bettor.com’s editorial policy.
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