NBA Playoffs 2011: 10 Reasons the Bulls and Thunder Will Meet in the NBA Finals

Safe prognosticators would project some combination of the Lakers or Spurs representing the Western Conference in this year’s NBA Finals against the Celtics or Heat from the Eastern Conference. 

These pundits would have good reason to construe some combination involving these four teams, after all, these franchises have combined to win 11 of the last 12 NBA championships.

These teams feature a plethora of future Hall of Famers and/or All-Stars including Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. 

Each of these teams has key players with championship pedigree. Combined, they have something like a gazillion rings between them. 

The coaches aren’t bad either, with three of the four men having won championships as a head coach in the past four seasons. 

Of course there’s the Lord of the Rings, Phil Jackson, the most-underrated-because-I-coached-in-the-Phil-era coach of all-time Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers has a title and one other finals appearance, and even Erik Spoelstra has a championship ring as an assistant coach with the Heat.

Yes, these four clubs are the easy teams to hitch your star to because they have it all

—the coaching, the talent, the playoff experience and the championship banners hanging in their gyms. 

Here are 10 reasons you won’t see the Lakers, Spurs, Heat or Celtics in this year’s NBA Finals but you will find the Bulls and Thunder battling for the title. 

No. 10: Age

The Spurs, Lakers and Celtics are old.  There is no other way to describe it; the core guys on these clubs are nearing the end of their Hall of Fame careers. 

Don’t get me wrong, it will not be easy to eliminate these strong-willed, veteran-laden teams, but at some point in every great athlete’s career or great team's run, that one moment comes when the body loses that minute fiber that has separated them from the rest of the pack.

We have seen it before all across the sports spectrum, once dominant players and teams suddenly lose their swag and become much more average right before your eyes. 

The dominant NBA teams of the ‘80s—the "Showtime" Lakers, the Bird-led Celtics and the "bad boy" Pistons all faded quickly in the early ‘90s.

In the NFL, the ‘90s Cowboys got old early after winning three titles in four years, and they struggled mightily in the second-half of the decade.

Muhammad Ali, perhaps the greatest boxer of all-time, kept stepping in the squared circle at an accelerated age only to take literal beatings from younger, stronger and better-conditioned fighters.

When these legendary athletes and teams finally lose their perch as the alpha dog of their respective domain, it doesn’t in any way diminish the accomplishments of these individuals and/or teams.

The fact is, at some point, no matter how much Kobe, Duncan and Garnett try to fight age, father time will catch them and somebody younger will replace them.

No. 9: Bench Play

For the Celtics and Heat, the bench play or lack thereof, could ultimately spell doom for their title hopes. Both these teams feature their own versions of the "Big Three" but neither team has much beyond that. 

The Celtics have Rajon Rondo and Glen "Big Baby" Davis to round out a formidable five, but little to help them off the bench. Their hopes of returning to title glory may have been thwarted by believing that an O’Neal—either Shaq or Jermaine—would be able to help them in May and June. 

The Heat have no bench. 

If the Big Three from South Beach don’t combine to average a near 90-point and 30-rebound effort each night in the playoffs, they have no hope of bringing some bling back to the beach.  

The Spurs and Lakers (beyond Odom) are bench-challenged but it is not nearly as big a weakness as it for the Celtics and Heat.

With the advanced age of the Celtics, Spurs and Lakers and the total reliance upon three players in Miami, the lack of a strong supporting cast could be the difference that keeps these four teams out of the championship round.

No. 8: Playoff Pairings

For the Bulls, the pairings couldn’t have worked out any better, as they can only see either the Heat or the Celtics, not both. This is significant, as it allows the Bulls to sidestep one of the heavy hitters and preseason favorites to win the East.

The Bulls will be able to get their feet wet in the playoffs going against the only sub-.500 team in the playoff field, in Indiana. The Bulls will have little trouble dispatching the Pacers and should be able to clinch that series in less than five games. 

The Bulls second-round opponent will be either the Magic or the Hawks. The Bulls were a combined 5-2 against these teams during regular season play. The lone loss to the Magic came in December, since then the Bulls won the last three contests in a row against the Magic as they closed out the season.

For the Celtics, they have perhaps the toughest first-round series having to face the suddenly star-studded and high-scoring New York Knicks. This series could easily go the distance, depending on New York’s ability to get up and down the court and score.

The Celtics have struggled down the stretch and their defense has not been as staunch as it has been in the past.

Should both the Celtics and Heat make it out of the first round as they are favored to do, it will set up the epic, colossal and marquee matchup between the Heat and Celtics. I can’t wait to see this series should it take place. 

Can LeBron overcome his playoff nemesis in the Celtics? Can the Celtics get their toughness and defensive tenacity back and make one more run? Will Rivers out-coach Spoelstra? Which team has the better stars? So many questions to be answered in this potential series; this clash of the titans will go seven games.

Because these two clubs will be trading blows over the course of seven grueling games, whoever is left standing may be emotionally, mentally and physically drained entering the Eastern Conference finals.

No. 7: Perkins plays for the Thunder not the Celtics

The surprising trade of Kendrick Perkins before the deadline has simultaneously solidified the Thunder's interior defense while greatly reducing the Celtics' defensive presence and team continuity. 

The Thunder now features Perkins and Serge Ibaka to help combat the size and length of the Lakers.

The Celtics have not been the same team since the trade, not only has their defense suffered but also the team chemistry has clearly been affected by the trade.  Additionally, as I have alluded to, the trade of Perkins further depletes an already thin bench. 

With this Thunder team now capable of matching up against the Los Angeles Lakers' size in the paint, look for what was already a highly competitive matchup last year in the playoffs, to be turned in the Thunder’s favor should these teams meet in the Western Conference finals this season.

No. 6: Revenge

Staying on the potential Western Conference Finals matchup between the Thunder and Lakers, there is no doubt that last year’s first-round matchup that resulted in a six-game series win for LA will play big for the Thunder this time around.

It’s pretty simple: In sports, players need motivating factors and as much as they may downplay the revenge factor as a motivator, there is no doubt that Durant would love to best Kobe and assert himself as the premier closer in the NBA.

You don’t think Perkins wants to get revenge against this Laker team after coming so close to winning the title last year, only to get injured and be unavailable in the deciding Game 7?  Of course Perkins wants to beat the Lakers; he wants to beat them with every ounce of his being. 

No matter how much the Lakers try to focus on the here and now, it will be hard to match the intensity of this young Thunder team should they meet. The Lakers have three straight runs to the NBA Finals and won the last two titles. They will never admit it, but there is just a small part of them that is complacent. No matter how hard they try to eliminate that feeling they know they have two title banners hanging back at the Staples Center.

Revenge will aid the Thunder in their dethroning of the Lakers.

No. 5: Point Guard Play

The Bulls and Thunder feature the two best point guards in the league. Sorry Chris Paul, you aren’t the same after the knee problems. Deron Williams and Steve Nash, sorry to say it, but you guys are not on the same level as Rose and Westbrook. 

Certainly no one would argue that Derek Fisher, Tony Parker and the combination of Mike Bibby and Mario Chalmers doesn’t contend with the likes of Rose and Westbrook. Some may argue that Rajon Rondo with averages of 10 points, 11 assists and two-plus steals would put him in the discussion, but seriously, if this was the playground and you had the pick, who are you taking Rose or Rondo?; Westbrook or Rondo?

Derrick Rose finished the year with an average of 25 points and eight assists for the season. Rose is the only player in the NBA to be in the top 10 in both scoring and assists.

Russell Westbrook was nearly as impressive with an average of near 22 points and eight assists.

These two point guards are severe matchup problems for the Lakers, Spurs, Celtics and Heat. Their ability to penetrate, score and dish will be a key factor in helping each of their teams reach the NBA Finals.

No. 4: No Pressure

The Bulls and Thunder are not supposed to win it all this year; they are too young and too inexperienced. Their time will come, but it is going to be a year or two down the road. Don’t buy the old adage that youth and inexperience will deter these two teams from reaching the finals.

As the playoffs unfold and the pressure mounts, it won’t be felt heaviest on the backs of the Bulls and Thunder. The Bulls and Thunder have nothing to lose because they are not expected to win it this year.

Kobe Bryant is the second-best shooting guard of all-time. Kobe is probably one of the top six or eight greatest players to ever play. When you are that great and have accomplished so much throughout your career, the pressure is heaviest on you.  Every fan and spectator in the world expects Kobe to find some way to pull out every close game in the playoffs. No doubt he will have more pressure on his shoulders than Durant and Rose.

For the Celtics and Spurs, they know in their heart of hearts that this may be the last opportunity to win a title, considering their age. So, when the pressure is ratcheted up in the playoffs they will be feeling an extra dose of it this year because they know it is most likely now or never again.

For LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, they heaped a mountain’s worth of pressure on themselves last summer when they celebrated winning seven-plus titles together in front of 20,000 rabid Heat fans before they had even played one regular season game.

It has been well documented that the Heat have struggled mightily late in close games and with the playoff pressure upping the ante, there is little reason to think that James or Wade won’t be feeling the weight of the Heat nation on their backs as they try to pull playoff wins.

The pressure on the other teams and lack thereof on the backs of the Bulls and Thunder will aid them in getting to the finals.

No. 3: Closers

Of course Kobe Bryant is considered the best closer in the NBA, but that is a title that he holds by the thinnest of margins over Kevin Durant. This year’s MVP, Rose, has quietly become a fourth quarter assassin; he has been able to consistently come up with big buckets when the game is in the balance. I have Rose as the third-best closer in the game right now and he is not far behind Durant and Kobe.

None of the other teams feature closers who have so consistently been able to finish games; keep in mind this isn’t just about hitting a last second shot, it is about scoring possession after possession to finish off your opponent in a close game.  Kobe has done this for a decade, Durant and Rose will do it for the next decade.

Paul Pierce has shown this ability at times throughout his career and he is still capable of finding ways to score bucket after bucket down the stretch, but that ability has faded somewhat over the past couple of seasons.

LeBron and Wade haven’t been able to consistently do this—yet. The time will come when one or both of these guys will be able to close a game consistently, but that time is not now, not this season.

Rose and Durant are the budding superstars that will lead this league (along with LeBron) for the next 10 years.

No. 2: The Chicago Bulls Defense

The Chicago Bulls, under the guidance of first-year coach and defensive guru Tom Thibodeau, are the most fundamentally sound and complete defensive team in the NBA. Every night, every possession, the Bulls play and execute an incredibly sound defensive game plan.

It shows in their play against the other top tier teams. Consider the Bulls went 13-6 combined versus the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat and Boston Celtics. 

The Bulls allow a total of 91.3 points per game, which is second-best in the league, and have held opponents to under 85 points a remarkable 28 times this season.  The Bulls are committed, from every starter to each role player, to playing tough, physical defense.

Defense wins championships and the Bulls are the best defensive team in the league. The defense that the Bulls play has allowed them to never have an extended losing streak. In fact, the Bulls longest losing streak this year is two games. Two games. 

Because of the incredible defense they play, the Bulls will not be beaten four times in a seven-game series.

No. 1: Derrick Rose

Simply put, Rose has been the most complete player on the most complete team in the league this year. What is underestimated from Rose is his competitive nature—he hates to lose. Not only does Rose hate losing, he hates losing as much as Jordan did and Kobe does.

It is this passion that allowed him to improve from a very good player a year ago to one of the four or five best players in the league right now. Consider the fact that last season he made 16 three-pointers, and this season Rose has nailed over 125 threes. That is a 781 percent improvement. 

Rose is so determined to win that he spent the entire summer working two-a-day style practices to improve his game and carry this team to new heights. The work has paid off—Rose will be named league MVP and will lead this team to the NBA Finals.

The will, drive and determination that Rose has displayed the entire year will carry the Bulls to the Finals.

For these 10 reasons, the Bulls and Thunder will be battling for the NBA championship this June.