Chicago Bulls Are a Legitimate NBA Title Contender, Watch Out for the Horns

The Chicago Bulls are currently battling with the Boston Celtics for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

They have a leading MVP candidate in Derrick Rose.

They have a top five center in Joakim Noah, a top 10 power forward in Carlos Boozer and a top 10 small forward who can score in a variety of ways and is bound for an All-Defensive team in Luol Deng. 

Chicago has arguably the best second unit in the league and one of the deepest benches in the NBA.

The Bulls are coached by Coach of the Year candidate Tom Thibodeau, who has helped them master his scheme, has them playing exceptional defense and playing an overall team style of basketball that is unmatched. 

The Bulls could win 60 games by the end of the season and could get home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs and possibly the NBA Finals.

The Bulls are second in the NBA in opponent points per game and first in both points per game differential and opponent field-goal percentage, proving they are among the best defensive teams in the NBA.

The Bulls have the best home record in the Eastern Conference, and while they have struggled slightly on the road, they are still in the Top Four in the east and above .500. 

With all that said, they clearly pass the "stats test" of what it takes to be an NBA title contender, yet still some question whether or not they are really there.

Do they pass the "eye test"—the test it seems every team needs to pass that proves when you watch them, you are clearly watching a team that is contending for a title and a team you can totally see winning it all? 

Yes—with flying colors.

The Bulls are 8-4 against the likes of the Spurs, Lakers, Mavericks, Celtics and Heat.

Chicago's best player and team leader, Derrick Rose, plays with heart and has the will to win. Rose has matured into a great leader on and off the floor and works as hard as anyone to improve his game in the offseason. He sets the tone for his team and makes everyone around him better.

Now, in his third NBA season, we are starting to see a different side to Rose.

It seems Rose has the Michael Jordan/Kobe Bryant gene built into his DNA. 

Rose clearly wants to win as much as anyone and proves it by never taking games or even plays off. He plays with 100-percent passion for every minute he plays and is starting to take things personally.

In the Bulls' past two games, Rose has used minor subplots surrounding the game as extra motivation. 

Last Monday, the Bulls took on the Kings in Chicago—the same Kings team that last season came back from a 35-point deficit to steal a win against the Bulls, a game Rose seemed to have remembered. 

The Bulls walloped the Kings 132-92, and while Rose only played 28 minutes, he scored 18 points, dished out eight assists and more importantly, took revenge on the Kings for the ugly game last year.

The very next game, the Bulls took on the Hawks in Atlanta, a city they hadn't won in in four years. The Hawks and Bulls played just 20 days prior to the Wednesday night game and the Hawks beat the Bulls after being down 50-33 at halftime. 

This game would be different.

Rose scored 30 points, had 10 assists and shot 6-for-8 from beyond the arc. The Bulls led by 47 at a point during the second half and demolished the Hawks 114-81.

Rose took the previous loss to the Hawks personally, and told himself he wouldn't let it happen again—he didn't. 

Rose is paired with an outstanding team around him, a deep bench, a fantastic second unit, a COY candidate and, most importantly, a team of guys that wants to win as much as any other team in the league.

To say this team isn't a legitimate title contender is an insult to the game of basketball.

I hope I didn't just jinx them.