Fan take: Ten reasons why Rose and the Bulls will win the East
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I didn't think about it too much when Derrick Rose asked, "Why can't be I be MVP?" Everyone knew Rose possessed exceptional skills, that at 22 years of age, he was already among the best at his position and would only get better. But MVP?
That was in September, and here we are, rolling into April and the stretch drive for the NBA Playoffs. And guess what? Derrick Rose is the front-runner for MVP, and he's carried theChicago Bulls to the best record in the East.
It has been a phenomenal season for Rose, the Bulls and their fans, and the level of success achieved both on the court and off has Bulls' management well ahead of schedule in regard to building a winning team. But the task now at hand is playoff success, which I believe the Bulls can have.
Here's my Top 10 list on why I think the Bulls will win the East.
1. Derrick Rose: What more can be said about the third-year point guard? He's improved his three-point shooting and defense as well as his leadership skills, and his will to win and drive for perfection are off the charts.
2. Defense: Bottom line, the Bulls have a stingy defense - the league's second best statistically - that wins games. 'Nuff said.
3. Brains: Good coaches make great players even better, and that's exactly what coach and defensive whiz Tom Thibodeau has done with Rose (as well as Luol Deng and others). A key skill is his ability to identify problems and make halftime adjustments.
4. No. 1 seed: The No. 1 seed, assuming the Bulls win it, will be huge. The Bulls are 32-5 at the United Center, which features the best home attendance in the league. In addition to home court advantage throughout, winners of the No. 1 seed won't have to face the No. 2 or 3 seeds until the conference semifinals.
5. Bench: The Bulls' bench has been big this season, and will be an even bigger factor in the post-season. With a long-range shooter (Kyle Korver), a defensive/energy ace (Ronnie Brewer) and a trio of solid bigs on the bench, the Bulls have depth and versatility few NBA teams can match.
6. Bigs: Some pundits say otherwise, but I believe the Bulls' collection of big men is one of the best in the league. Joakim Noah brings rebounding and energy, while 20/10 manCarlos Boozer is a threat to score and on the boards. With Taj Gibson, enforcer Kurt Thomas and my man Omer Asik ready to provide relief off the bench, the Bulls will enjoy a big bigs advantage over most teams.
7. Rebounding: At No.2 in the league behind Kevin Love and the Minnesota Timberwolves, rebounding is a Bulls' staple. The Bulls get a lot of second chance points, and rebounding also sets up the transition game.
8. Chemistry: This intangible should pay huge dividends for the Bulls. Some teams, like the Boston Celtics, have it, others, like the Miami Heat, do not. The Bulls' players actually like each other, hanging out together on road trips, etcetera. You can't put a price on the value of good team chemistry.
9. Ball movement/assists: When the Bulls are clicking on offense, ball movement is crisp, resulting in pick-and rolls, drives for Rose, and kick-backs to open three-point shooters. The Bulls rank 14th in the league in assists, but that's a bit deceiving because of the Bulls' low-scoring offense.
10. The competition: Boston is old and falling apart at exactly the wrong time of year, and Miami can't beat elite teams (4-9 against the four top teams in the East, 4-5 against the top four in the West). Orlando, however, scares the daylights out of me.
A native Illinoisan now residing in Montana, Steve Merritt is - for better or worse - a lifelong Chicago Bulls, Bears and Cubs fan relegated to watching the Bulls on NBA's League Pass.
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