Chicago vs Miami, South Beach vs The Windy City, the team we were all designed to hate vs the team with the kid were all supposed to love. The best player in the NBA vs the 2011 MVP. That alone should get you in your seat to watch potentially 7 great games between two teams fighting for a spot in the NBA finals. If not, let me assist you. Allow me to extend you this olive branch of hyperbole:
If you thought any series before this one meant anything: You got it all wrong. Take away your thought of Celtics/Pistons of 1986, throw away your ideas of Blazers/Lakers in 1988, hide your respect for Bulls/Pistons in 1991 or Lakers/Blazers in 2000, this 2011 Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls series might change basketball. Yes, basketball, or at least the ideology of basketball. Let’s look at both teams:
The Chicago Bulls, led by 3 year point guard Derrick Rose, the Bulls were built through the draft and free agency. The Bulls snatched guys like Loul Deng, Taj Gibson, Omar Asik and Joakim Noah in the draft. All 4 play pivotal roles for the Bulls today. In the star studded free agency class of 2010, Chicago didn’t land the big fish to throw around Rose and Noah, but found there rock in Carlos Boozer. To built around Rose, Noah and Boozer? Role players, capable of maximizing their playing time with their specific skill. Ronnie Brewer’s defense, Kyle Korver’s shooting, Kurt Thomas’ leadership, Bogans’ stability and Watson’s control, all helped Chicago reach the point where they are today. Winning 60 games, earning a #1 seed wasn’t a realistic goal coming into the season, but development and consistency keep Chicago utop the Eastern Conference.
However, Chicago hasn’t played like a 60 win team in the playoffs. Yes, they defeated Indiana in 5 games and Atlanta in 6 games, but there were peaks and valleys in both series for the “young” Chicago Bulls team. Regardless of Rose’s ankles, Boozer’s inconsistent play and the quiet shooting slumps, Chicago used consistent technique, ball screens and defense to get to the Conference finals and you must respect this “young” team for getting this far. While Derrick Rose has earned alot of praise for his MVP like season, a lot of credit should be given to rookie head coach Tom Thibodeau. Coach Thibedou brought his defensive ideas and priority to Chicago from Boston, and every player believed in what he preached. Even Derrick Rose, who rid himself of the tag of a underachieving defender since the arrival of Thibodeau.
While Chicago built and placed the pieces in the puzzle carefully removing some players that didn’t fit ( Kirk Hinrich, Tyrus Thomas, John Salmons) , Miami rushed and never really worried about completing the puzzle. Tossing away players like Micheal Beasley, Dorell Wright and Jermaine O’ Neal in which they sliced the roster into pieces. Then, on July 7th, they added two pieces in Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade, two of the top free agents on the board. On July 8th? They threw down the biggest piece in LeBron James. A huge wrestling like fan night didn’t help the new Big 3 in terms of popularity. What also didn’t help? Miami’s small cap space, but that didn’t stop Miami from snatching Mike Miller from Los Angeles and resigning Udonis Haslem, when bigger offers from Denver and Dallas were on the table. If your counting, the Heat had 5 ideal pieces to a puzzle, which didn’t exactly spell out championship aspirations. Miami kept Mario Chalmers, and then played roster roulette between Jerry Stackhouse, Carlos Arroyo, Kenny Hasbrouck, Shavlik Randolph, DeSean Butler, Jarvis Varnado and Patrick Beverly to fight it out for roster spots. Eventually, they grabbed two castaways in Erick Dampier and Mike Bibby later in the season, after buyout with their respective teams. The Heat ended up keeping James Jones, Juwan Howard, Joel Anthony, Zydrunas Ilgauskas , Jamaal Magloire and Eddie House. Things didn’t start out the way Miami envisioned, starting off 5-4 in their first 9. The upswing came quickly, winning 20 of their next 21 games, but even that was halted by a 4 game losing streak shortly after. Throw in midseason woes, late game issues, and another losing streak, Miami had more questions surrounding them they did supporters.
While questions loomed, no one believed Philadelphia was going to beat them in round one. The real test was round 2 against the rival Celtics. The same Celtics team that knocked out Wade and James last season. The support for Boston was more experienced based, but Miami decided to do what they did all season: attack the basket and get to the free throw line. Miami got out, ran the “Wade, you go and attack. LeBron, be ready to slice through next” offense and got to the free throw line, and did it again. Dwayne Wade assaulted Ray Allen with his attacks to the basket. LeBron James did all he can to get past Boston. No bigger piece of evidence then LeBron’s game 4 and 5 where many considered both games to be better then his 48 point explosion vs Detroit in 2007. While he did have vanishing acts, Chris Bosh played the three man role, chipping in with 20 points and 11 rebounds in game 4, as well as throwing up 14 points and 11 rebounds in the closing game 5. Even with all 3 playing well, the crutch still remained with Rajon Rondo fracturing his elbow in game 2, changing the entire complexion of the series. Regardless, Miami vaulted into the Eastern Conference finals, facing a opponent that caused them much grief during the regular season.
In a roundabout way, Chicago represents everything correct about basketball’s past. Drafting key players that fit your offense, getting lucky and grabbing the treat over the trick when getting lucky and making smart free agency grabs, instead of going all for broke on stars, who might be questionable fits in your scheme. Throughout history, the Celtics of the 50’s and 60’s, Lakers and Knicks of the 70’s, Celtics, Lakers and Pistons of the 80’s and Bulls of the 90’s did a couple things, they grabbed a coach that fit the players (and more importantly, the city) and got lucky and drafted a star, snatch a couple free agency steals (in some cases, replacements) and got to multiple championships. If Chicago moves on past Miami, the NBA world can take a collective breath, and go back to believing a championship is grown, rather then purchased.
However, The Miami Heat represents alot of reasons why we need a lockout. The Miami Heat gutted out the entire roster and decided to use the NBA’s advantages to help them down the road. As I said before, the Miami Heat used the NBA’s mid level exception to add another piece in Mike Miller. They used the Bird Rights to resign Joel Anthony, James Jones and Udonis Haslem. They also allowed the NBA buy out exception to play the waiting game to snatch up two players, Mike Bibby and Erick Dampier. The Miami Heat did grow this roster, they didn’t grab smart free agents, they grab the BEST free agents, they bragged about it, and at points, they proved it to us. When they struggled? We heckled them, but for all our boos, for all our “LeBron couldn’t finish” comments, the “D-Wade needs to handle his divorce and Gabrielle Union” comments and all the “Bostrich” comments, the Miami Heat pushed past the team we all thought would take them down, and now, they might change the idea of basketball.
If Miami wins the championship, this “3 star idea” might just be embraced even more. The Celtics done it earlier in the decade, Miami’s currently running it, the Knicks are starting it. Who says New Jersey doesn’t look at Deron Williams, Dwight Howard and Kevin Love and look towards a title? Who says the Los Angeles Clippers doesn’t look at Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon and grab another superstar and ride to the title? What stops the Los Angeles Lakers from believing that attaching Chris Paul and Dwight Howard to Kobe Bryant can equal another dynasty? Sooner then later, this also means potential 3rd stars and potential 6th men will be getting overpaid in the next decade. We can go back 15, 20, 25 years and see the money thrown around and ending up biting teams in the end.
Discussing the series, Chicago and Miami are looking more even then they did at season’s end. Chicago swept the season series, but alot has changed. For one, the postseason pace seems to fit Miami and Carlos Boozer has taken a dip, eventually picking it up in a series-closing game against a depressing Atlanta Hawks squad. Before game 3 vs Atlanta, Boozer revealed he tore ligaments in his toes. With Boozer hurt, expect Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah to play more of the frontcourt. Loul Deng and Keith Bogans will have to help Rose in the scoring department, with Boozer’s injury. Another small factor is Kyle Korver, if he can hit some threes, as well as jumping to double digits in the scoring department, the Bulls can advance to the NBA finals. For Miami, It’s Chris Bosh and whatever role player steps up that night. While we admired Wade and James’ scoring, we must commend Joel Anthony for contending with Garnett, Davis and O’Neal on the defensive end. Both LeBron James (27.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists vs Chicago this season) and Dwyane Wade (29.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists vs Chicago) has handled their business against Chicago, they weren’t at fault in the previous match ups, Bosh has to increase his numbers (15.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks), especially with Boozer dealing with a injury (To be fair, Bosh’s numbers are a tad watered down due to a 1 for 18 performance against Chicago). As I previously stated, what can the role players do? If I had to predict who would step up for Miami, I think James Jones, Mike Miller, Mario Chalmers and Juwan Howard are the four. Jones will have to be the shooter off that bench, Miller the same as Jones, Chalmers will have the toughest defensive assignment at times in Derrick Rose and Howard will have to provide 10-15 solid minutes to keep Ilgauskas, Bosh and Anthony fresh.
Prediction: I’m going with Miami in 6 games. When I look at Miami, I think they’re playing at a high level and the James/Wade combo is beginning to smell blood. If you watch Game 5, Miami was down 7 points in the fourth quarter and came back to win. Take the Miami Heat from January or February, I don’t think they win that game. Miami has a set rotation and it seems to be clicking at the appropriate time. Can we also consider the scores of these past matchups?
- Game 1: Bulls 99, Heat 96 ( No LeBron James)
- Game 2: Bulls 93, Heat 89
- Game 3: Bulls 87, Heat 86
Yes, the Bulls swept the season series, but was Chicago better? In viewing two of the three games, I didn’t think the difference was that much, in fact, I thought if both teams matched up down the road in the playoffs, Miami would have a chance to win games. Another factor is I don’t know if Chicago has the home court advantage, they struggled in game 1 against Atlanta when they came out on all cylinders, Miami will be looking to jump right on Chicago from the opening tip to go back to Miami with at least a split. My biggest concern for Chicago is how healthy, or unhealthy, is Carlos Boozer? If Boozer can increase his numbers slightly, I think Chicago could win this series, but I don’t know what Boozer’s health status is, and it’s better to be safe then sorry.