NBA Playoffs 2011: Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls Position by Position Breakdown
In just four short hours, an Eastern Conference Finals for the ages will begin. Derrick Rose and the top-seeded Chicago Bulls will take on the "Big Three" and the No. 3 seed Miami Heat. For those who are new to the sport this season, the "Big Three" consists of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.
All season long, people have been going on and on about how Miami is the team to beat, given their three stars. That being said, this should be a great series. To top it all off, I'm not completely sold on Miami being the team to beat!
Looking back at the schedule, the Bulls and Heat faced off three times, with Chicago winning all three meetings. Plus, let's not forget that the Bulls have home-court advantage and went 36-5 at home during the regular season. Still, this is the playoffs, and anything can happen.
Let's break down the matchups by position and see who has the edge at each.
Center: Joel Anthony vs. Joakim Noah
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This is probably one of the more one-sided matchups in the series. The Bulls have a surefire go-to guy at center in Joakim Noah, while the Heat have been using a rotation of different players at the position. I'm using Joel Anthony as the starter in this case, as he's seen more playing time than teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
Not to sound like an angry Knicks fan who hates the Heat with a passion, but it's obvious who gets the edge at center. Anthony has not done much in the playoffs, averaging only 4.2 points and 5.7 rebounds (he averaged 2.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in regular season) and while doing a decent job at blocking shots, he's looked slow running up and down the court.
Joakim Noah, on the other hand, has been great for the Bulls. He's only averaged 9.9 points in the playoffs, but has also pulled down 10.4 rebounds per game as well blocked 2.2 shots per contest. Given how he plays on a team that values defense rather than overwhelming the opposition with star power, he wins the center battle.
Edge: Bulls
Power Forward: Chris Bosh vs. Carlos Boozer
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On numbers alone, Bosh wins this matchup, but I'm not just looking at the numbers here, despite how many stats I may pull out. In the playoffs, Bosh has averaged 16.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game compared to Boozer's 11.8 points and 9.5 rebounds.
However, Boozer is one thing that Bosh is not: a leader. Without him, there is no way the Bulls would have been as successful as they were this season. On top of that, he turned down an opportunity to remain in Utah with an established star in Deron Williams, instead going to the younger Bulls to help lead the team alongside Derrick Rose.
Bosh, on the other hand, left his leadership post with the Toronto Raptors and decided to ride on Dwyane Wade's back in Miami. The rest, as they say, is history. Still, it can't be denied that Bosh is still a top power forward, so this race is too close to call.
Edge: Even
Small Forward: Luol Deng vs. LeBron James
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LeBron James had it all in Cleveland. He had a fan base that loved him, teammates who idolized him, and a plethora of accomplishments to his name, most notably two MVP awards and seven All-Star berths. Then, he threw it all away, giving up his status as a leader for the chance to buy a ring in South Beach.
Still, love him or hate him, James has been instrumental in the Heat's postseason success. In the playoffs, he has averaged 26.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists to go with a field goal percentage of 47%.
On the Bulls, small forward Luol Deng has been a factor in the playoffs as well. He has averaged 16.7 points and 6.5 rebounds, overall staying a loyal soldier in coach Tom Thibodeau's squad.
Still, this battle goes to Miami. When push comes to shove, LeBron is still the best player in the NBA.
Edge: Heat
Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade vs. Keith Bogans
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Again, another open and shut matchup. Dwyane Wade has put the Heat on his back for the entire playoffs and against the Bulls, that won't change at all. He has averaged 26.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5 assists.
Compare that with the playoff performance of Keith Bogans. He is only averaging 5.4 points. He has an incredible three-point field goal percentage of 48%, but that's about it.
Edge: Heat
Point Guard: Mike Bibby vs. Derrick Rose
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Again, another open and shut case.
Mike Bibby, a washed up point guard way past his prime, vs. NBA MVP Derrick Rose.
In the playoffs, Bibby has virtually been a non-factor for the Heat. A face in the crowd. He's averaging just 3.4 points and a mere assist per game. That's pathetic for a point guard.
Rose, conversely, has put the Bulls on his back and led them past the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks, averaging 28.8 points, 8.2 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. Truly, he is an MVP and the leader of the Chicago Bulls along with Carlos Boozer. That being said, it's obvious who has the edge here.
Edge: Bulls
Final Thoughts
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Despite these teams being very evenly matched, does one team have an advantage? Well, the answer is yes.
The Miami Heat and their fans can go on and on about how they have the three best players in the NBA on their team, but that will also prove to be their bug-a-boo. Basketball is still a team game, and with three big egos on that squad, only so much can be accomplished.
The Bulls, however, respect one another and aren't jealous of each other. The Heat have already had jealousy issues, with Chris Bosh complaining about his role earlier this season. With a deep bench, top point guard and good old-fashioned heart, I give this series to the Windy City
Final Prediction: Bulls in 6
