Chicago Bulls: 3 Players Whose Performances Can Guarantee a Championship

There’s a sports mantra that transcends leagues when it comes to winning the ultimate prize:

Teams win championships.

Right now, the Chicago Bulls are one of the elite teams of the NBA. They have arguably the most exciting player in basketball in Derrick Rose and a bench with players that could start on other teams.

Chicago’s 2010-2011 campaign exceeded the expectations of most when the Bulls finished a league best 62-20 and locked up a No. 1 Easter Conference playoff seed. Injuries and inexperience contributed to their eventual loss in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Miami Heat.

Currently, the Bulls have the most wins of any NBA team. Three of those wins are from games where Rose didn’t even play. Chicago is really showcasing their depth of talent during the All-Star’s absence.

The squad formerly known as the “Baby Bulls” may still be young, but coach Tom Thibodeau definitely has them playing what Stacey King calls “big-boy basketball.”

Chicago has a roster full of players that can contribute and while getting the most from any team member is critical to success, here are some players (other than Derrick Rose) who can help all but guarantee the Bulls bringing home championship No. 7 if they perform well.

1. Luol Deng

He’s been called the glue of the team, “Do-All” Deng.

Out of the five Bulls starters, Luol Deng is arguably the second most valuable contributor behind Rose.

His skill set is extremely versatile and allows him to attack opposing defenses and help his team in a variety of ways.

He can hit the mid-range jumper and the open three-pointer. He can drive to lane and finish or kick a pass to an open player. He moves well without the ball creating options in the offensive flow. He is also their best defensive option for opposing aces like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.

Deng’s value comes from being able to fill whatever void is needed on the floor. The great thing is that he can do this on both ends.

In order for Chicago to win in the postseason, Deng will have to be savvy enough to see what’s happening on the court, spot what is deficient, and adjust his game accordingly.

It is quite possible that when Deng was offered his big contract, John Paxson had visions of Scottie Pippen in his mind. Watching Deng over the last couple of seasons suggests that those visions seem to be coming to fruition.

If Deng can embrace and maximize his utility-man potential, he can help carry this team back its former glory.

2. Omer Asik

One can’t help but wonder what Portland is feeling watching Omer Asik grow and thrive in Chicago.

Sure, they were optimistic about having a franchise center in the perpetually recovering Greg Oden and probably thought Asik to be expendable, but in hindsight, it still leaves you scratching your head when you consider what a premium size is in the NBA.

Asik played decent minutes behind Joakim Noah and Kurt Thomas last season. Though he managed to contribute in some small way, it was obvious that the pace of the NBA would take some getting used to for him.

Asik began to blossom in the 2011 playoffs where his defensive prowess started to show. It looked great for Chicago’s front court until he went down with a fractured tibia in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals.

Now, he is back and seems to be improving every time he steps on the floor.

Asik can best help the Bulls by being the defensive anchor of Chicago’s Bench Mob.

Chicago doesn’t need Asik to block every shot that is attempted in the paint. They do, however, need Asik to use his shot altering length to stymie those who love to drive and get high quality shots like the Miami Heat and their slashing duo of Dwayne Wade and LeBron James.

Keeping teams like the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Indiana Pacers out on the perimeter allows for Thibs' defensive system to shut down the most capable scoring teams.

It is that task that Asik is best suited to do, and if he does it well Chicago will continue to roll.

CJ Watson

There are a lot of bench players in the NBA that can arguably start for another team. CJ Watson is no exception. He can and probably would be starting if he played anywhere else other than Chicago.

Watson sat for nine games this season with a dislocated elbow. Since returning, he has been on a tear helping the Bulls put together back-to-back Rose-less wins against the Phoenix Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In the three games Watson has played since coming back from injury, he has averaged 18.3 points and five assists per game.

The good thing about Watson is that he seems more poised, confident, and capable this season. He has definitely grown comfortable in Coach Thibodeau’s system.

Watson best serves Chicago by doing two things.

The most obvious role of Watson is to provide rest for Derrick Rose. As hard and fast as Rose likes to play, he cannot sustain that effort for 40 minutes a game and still be effective. Watson needs to be ready to go whenever called upon and get Rose the rest he needs.

Just buying time for Rose is not going to be enough, though. Watson will also have to contribute significantly by sustaining the Bulls offensive attack.

If Asik is the defensive anchor, Watson is the Bench Mob general.

It will be his task to make sure that the second unit can take care of and contribute to a Bulls lead. Watson will have to provide the spark that teams sometimes need to get back into games.

Watson will have to show that he can lead just as effectively as Rose and that the Bulls are not losing anything with him on the floor with the exception of some highlight caliber plays.

The Big Picture

When you look at any championship team they had their share of big names, but they also had guys who excelled in their own way.

The Chicago Bulls have been regarded as the team with the deepest roster since last season.

They have a key acquisition in Richard Hamilton whose experience and presence will serve the team well come playoff time.

It looks like every player has gotten at least one chance this season to show Tom Thibodeau and Bulls fans exactly what they are capable of doing if given the chance.

Given what the Bulls have shown so far, there is no reason to believe that another Larry O’Brien trophy is not within reach of this franchise.