Why the Chicago Bulls Are the Best Team in the NBA

The Chicago Bulls have the NBA's best mix of star power, rotation depth and defense.  That makes them the favorites in a shortened season with tight schedules and the potential for injury and fatigue.

The NBA season is now winding toward the playoffs.  Four teams—the Bulls, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs—have separated themselves from the pack.  

Other pretenders like the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers could make noise in the playoffs.  They might even join the pack of true contenders if they make a move at the deadline. The Pacers and Lakers could make particularly noteworthy additions because both have cap space, trade exceptions and desirable players.  However, unless they do, it's really about the Bulls, Heat, Thunder and Spurs.

The Bulls have the best mix of contending characteristics.  They are not the most talented team (that is the Heat), the deepest (that is the Spurs), or the youngest (the Thunder), but they have the best mix of talent, youth, depth and defense to win the NBA title.

Derrick Rose is basketball's best point guard.  He is a pure athlete and instinctive distributor who can take over playoff games.  The Bulls also have two complementary stars, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah, who excel on both sides of the court, and a power forward, Carlos Boozer, who thrives on the pick and roll with Rose.  Plus, with Ronnie Brewer, Richard Hamilton, Kyle Korver, Taj Gibson and Omer Asik, Chicago has the best rotation depth in the league.

Miami's three stars (LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh) are a more talented, starry group than Chicago's best players.  However, the Heat's next best players are Mike Miller, Shane Battier and Udonis Haslem.  That group is far inferior to the Bulls' supporting cast and all are injury prone. Combined with Wade's fragile heath, that makes the Heat a great bet when everyone is healthy, but assuming that is a risky proposition.

The Thunder have a great mix of star power, depth, defense and youth.  Oklahoma City is very similar to Chicago but not as deep or fluid, and it has an alpha dog rivalry between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant that hurts game play in crunch time.  The Thunder may not have the cohesion and shooting to win a title.

The Spurs have a mix of star names and great depth but feel a bit like smoke and mirrors.  Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are big names, but both are old and injury prone.  What will they have left in the playoffs?  Can Tony Parker and a group of role players led by DeJuan Blair, Kawhi Leonard and Tiago Splitter win a title?  I have my doubts.

So, there are other contenders, but the Bulls have the best mix of talent to win it all.