Derrick Rose and Chicago Bulls: 10 Reasons They're Real Threats to Win the East
For the first time since Michael Jordan's final year in Chicago, the Bulls are a real threat to win the Eastern Conference.
Since Jordan left Chicago after the 1997-1998 season (technically retired in January of 1999), the Bulls have made the playoffs five times.
However, only once have they made it past the first round and they have not won over 50 games.
The 2010-2011 Bulls?
Well it all started with drafting Chicago native Derrick Rose in 2008, and the Bulls have since been gradually getting better.
This season, though, the Bulls have exploded into an Eastern Conference force with Rose being an MVP candidate.
So with all this being said, here are 10 reasons "Your Chicago Bulls!" can win the Eastern Conference.
1. Postseason Experience
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Since drafting Derrick Rose, the Bulls have yet to miss the playoffs.
And the way this year has gone, you have to expect the same in the foreseeable future.
In the summer of 2010, Chicago acquired Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver from the Utah Jazz via free agency.
Side note: Sorry Jazz fans, I know that adds more wood to the fire in addition to the NBA Finals in the 1990s.
In Boozer's last four seasons in Utah (2006-2007 through 2009-2010), they made the playoffs (three included Kyle Korver 2007-2008 through 2009-2010), and in 2007 they made a Western Conference Finals appearance.
2. Team Chemistry
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After going 41-41 the past two seasons, the Bulls will easily surpass that win total by season's end.
However, the Bulls did start off slow by posting a record of only 9-8 through a little over the first month of the season.
Since then, though, Chicago has been in sync with a record of 30-9.
Building that synergy through the team takes time, but Chicago looks to have figured it out faster than expected.
3. Competing vs. Title Contenders
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Versus the top four teams in the Western Conference, the Bulls post a record of 5-3.
They split the two-game season series versus the Lakers, Spurs and Thunder, while sweeping the Dallas Mavericks 2-0.
Against the Eastern Conference contenders?
The Bulls have a record of 4-3 (2-0 versus Miami, 1-2 versus Boston and 1-1 versus Orlando) with a combined total of four games remaining against them.
When competing against the best of the best that the association has to offer, a 9-6 record heading into March is definitely something noteworthy.
4. Derrick Rose
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Prior to his rookie year of 2008-2009, the Bulls had not seen a player as electric as Michael Jordan.
Obviously it's unfair to compare them because of MJ's track record, but you can see how Rose ups the play of his teammates like Michael.
Not to mention Rose did win the 2008-2009 Rookie of the Year award, only the third in franchise history and the first since Elton Brand in 1999-2000.
Also, the past two seasons he was selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star team and he was named a starter this season.
5. Tom Thibodeau
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Since Phil Jackson left the Windy City, the Bulls have had seven different head coaches.
And it's only been a little over a decade since their last NBA Finals Championship!
Granted, Bulls fans, that may be longer than you wanted, but after having the luxury of Michael Jordan, a rebuilding process was bound to happen.
However, 12 years worth of virtually rebuilding in a major-market city seems rather excessive (cut to a scene of some angry/jealous Knicks fans).
Now with Tom Thibodeau, Chicago is easily having its best season since MJ.
Under Scott Skiles, the Bulls did have two seasons of almost 50 wins, but they only made it as far as the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Thibodeau, however, has won an NBA championship as the assistant head coach under Doc Rivers in Boston.
He brings intelligence, intensity and a strategy that has been needed in Chicago for a long time.
Plus, after watching a Bulls game, I feel disappointed if his voice is not gone when he's interviewed.
6. Depth
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At the beginning of the season, power forward Carlos Boozer missed the first month after having surgery on his fractured right hand.
However, Chicago still managed to post a 9-6 record despite his absence.
Stepping in was second-year man Taj Gibson, who averaged 56 percent from the field with six rebounds and 12 points per game.
He also put in around an average of 27 minutes.
Then soon after Boozer came back, starting center Joakim Noah had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his hand.
With Noah out for two months, 15-year veteran Kurt Thomas took over the main duties at center and kept the Bulls on track.
Thomas then averaged just over 25 minutes per game while shooting 50 percent from the field.
Other players of note that have stepped in are Kyle Korver (43 percent from the field and 42 percent from downtown) and Ronnie Brewer (47 percent from the field with just over one steal per game).
7. Going Under the Radar
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Even as good as the Bulls have been all season, the majority of the exposure has been dominated by Carmelo Anthony.
Where's he going to go? New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles or stay in Denver?
And now that he's in New York, more exposure will be detracted from Chicago, being that Carmelo is playing in New York City's Madison Square Garden.
Don't be mad about this, Bulls fans.
The more attention Anthony can get for himself and the Knicks, the more Rose and the Bulls will feel like underdogs.
A lot of attention has been paid to Boston also, since the Celtics traded away some of their depth in Nate Robinson and Kendrick Perkins.
Add in the Big Three from South Florida, and you can put the Bulls on the back-burner.
This only makes them that much more dangerous.
8. Home-Court Advantage
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So Chicago has only been .500 on the road all season, going 13-13.
But the thing is, nine of those 13 losses are against teams currently in the playoffs (regardless of conference).
At home in the United Center, however, Chicago is 26-4 and has eight consecutive wins.
Recent victories have come against title contenders such as Miami, San Antonio and Orlando.
Come playoff time if they have to go on the road, Chicago has the ability to get the job done.
However, if they get the luxury of home-court advantage, then bring on the NBA Finals.
9. Starting Their Own Legacy
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For the first time since MJ's dominance, the Bulls have been looked at as a legitimate title contender.
The pieces are in place on the court with Rose, Noah, Boozer, Deng and the depth of Bogans, Brewer, Korver, Asik, Gibson and Thomas.
There's a head coach in Tom Thibodeau, who in his first year as a head coach has helped Chicago explode into a dominant team.
As much as the Windy City loves Michael, at some point nostalgia has to take a backseat.
Getting out from under the shadow that is the legacy of Michael Jordan should be motivation enough.
No one comes in saying that they don't want to succeed and not make a name for themselves.
Otherwise, why play the game?
10. Bulls Fans
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In being a major-market city, you would think that the city of Chicago has more sports championships that it does.
Between the Cubs and White Sox, there are only five World Series titles. And prior to the White Sox winning it all in 2005, the last Chicago baseball championship was in 1917.
In the NFL, the 1985 Bears are debated as being the greatest single-season team of all-time.
Yet that still remains Chicago's lone Super Bowl championship.
Prior to the Blackhawks winning the Stanley cup last season (fourth overall), they hadn't won it all since the 1960-1961 season.
So, Chicagoans were spoiled with Michael Jordan winning six titles in eight years.
The thing is, the longer it takes the Bulls to win one, the more they get lumped into the nostalgia category of the '85 Bears.
And as great as those teams were, you can't live in the past, otherwise what does the future hold?
This one is for you the fan. Go Bulls!
