Good Game

Just wanted to say good game to all the Bulls fans out there.  This one could've gone either way, and this game makes me more nervous for the playoffs.  See you guys in the conference finals.

A Heat fan that isn't a d**k (wait that's right this isn't ESPN, mature fans actually exist on cbssports).

I agree good game.  I also agree, that this "loss" actually slightly increases my confidence that the Bulls "could" (nothing is guarenteed for both teams) defeat the heat in a 7 game series in contrast to it decreasing.  It shouldn't have been that close with no Deng and Watson (forcing Rose to play 46+ minutes).  Honestly, it should never be close.  Rose+great role players (with a couple being border line allstar) and the Heat NBA2k super team.  The Heat should dominate their opponent and break the 72-10 record in my opinion.

It almost saddens me seeing the Heat waste all the potential. The Bulls' best defender out, Rose is hobbled as much as Wade is, and the Bulls backup PG is gone, and its still close! Not a bad game by the Bulls by any means.

As far as Rose and Lebron both shanking FTs at the end. When you play that many minutes, you get tired, and free throws become difficult. Its just the truth. 

I agree, but teams bring it up another notch come the playoffs and these two teams will look different in their sets and rotations come May and June as I hang little off this game.  My philosophy regarding this potential rivalry is that for the time being I can see the Heat coming out the East.  Once Rose is in his mid-20's (26 or 27) and keeps the same core, then I think it will be his turn.  This is just how the NBA works and once Rose refines his game more (becomes a better shooter) and gets another All-star over to Chicago (sorry Boozer doesn't do it for me) then I think Chicago can take the East.  Good luck this season and once again see ya in the conference finals.

It was a great game. The Bulls could of loss this by double figures but made a comeback at the end. Just Derrick Rose pick the wrong time to miss two free throws. . Heat take round one and these two will meet again in the East finals. 

I see little for Bulls fans to be happy about. 

The score was close, but that does not really tell the story of the game.  The Bulls problems last year in the playoffs were no one besides Derrick Rose could score.

Richard Hamilton went 4 for 16 with 5 TOs. 

Carlos Boozer 5 for 10 10 points and 6 fouls. 

I still don't see who is going to help Rose close the games out. 

I see little for Bulls</a> fans to be happy about.  <br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Because it is still the regular season is my reason. We got a look this afternoon at this version of the Heat and came up short. Couple of plays in the 4th sank us like Joakim Noah letting the ball hit his knee for a easy two and once again Derrick Rose missing two free throws, but the Heat made more plays to pretty much keep the lead the whole game and deserve the win.<br /><br />We can't play the Luol Deng card that he was out, and what if. You play with who is suited up and like I said these two will meet in the East final. </span><br />

Sorry CZ let me clean it up,

You: I see little for Bulls fans to be happy about.  


Me: Because it is still the regular season is my reason. We got a look this afternoon at this version of the Heatand came up short. Couple of plays in the 4th sank us like Joakim Noah letting the ball hit his knee for a easy two and once again Derrick Rose missing two free throws, but the Heat made more plays to pretty much keep the lead the whole game and deserve the win.<br /> <br /> We can't play the Luol Deng card that he was out, and what if. You play with who is suited up and like I said these two will meet in the East final. </span> <br />

 

Agree with the Heat fan Mostly.  The Bulls just dont have it right now. I still have hope we can beat the Heat in the playoffs, but the Heat are just too much. The Bulls' place in history for the immediate history, seems to be the team that validates the Heats greantess, by getting beat by them. Lets hope we are wrong on this one bulls fans!

The Bulls just dont have it right now

I think the Bulls best chance is in two more seasons.  The Bulls will all be in their prime and the Heat will be coming out of it. 

They still have a chance this year, but Richard Hamilton has shown me nothing.  He has been pretty awful in playoff type games against the Heat and the Pacers.

I think the Bulls have a legitimate chance.  To the person that posted "it just looked like last year".  Well yea it did.  No Deng.  Rip just took his place thus "looking like last year".  The point of picking up Rip was for Rip AND Deng to play together at the same time, that's the only way it makes any difference and the Bulls don't "look like last year".  The point was having another scorer on the floor at the same time that demands attention from the defense. 

I still personally need to see Rip and Deng play together in the starting lineup first (against the Heat).  If they lose to the Heat then (especially if at home) then I will be ready to say the Bulls can't beat the heat in a 7 game series (not saying they can't win every now and again, but a 7 game series).

So we lose a close game and Bulls fans want to give up. I thinking you guys are thinking about last year fail championship run, but we did win the regular season matchup vs them last year. We can play with the Heat, we just came up short this afternoon, and they won the battle today but not the war.

I think the Bulls have a legitimate chance. 

I can't speak for anyone else, but i do too.  I just don't see how this game proves the Bulls are better.  Like you say it looked like last year.  Rip did nothing to help this team today or against the Pacers.  Boozer is still Boozer. 

Maybe Luol Deng balances the Bulls enough.  Who knows.  What I do know is the Bulls don't look like they have added the player that will help them against the Heat. 

The Rose or bust t game is not going to win it all.  I don't care who steps up, but someone has to if the Bulls are going to win the championship. 

Nothin that happened in this game led me to beleive that anyone on the team can step up.  I still don't think Luol Deng can do enough down the stretch, but maybe he can. 

So we lose a close game and Bulls fans want to give up.

I am not sure that is what everyone is saying.  The Bulls flaws are still seem very simliar and Rip does not seem like the scoring option the Bulls need to get them over the hump. 

If Rip had gone 8 for 16 with 20 points and the Bulls would have lost I would have had a lot more hope.  The fact is he has gone 10 for 36 agasint the Pacers and Heat; the two playoff type games the Bulls have played so far this season. 

The Bulls are a tough team and are going to be in the ECF for many years. Rose needs help tho, Boozer just isnt cutting it. I was one last year before the big 3 coming together, wanted Boozer in Miami. Im glad that didnt happen.  Im surprised that Chicago isnt doing everything to hop in the running for Dwight Howard tho, Rose and Howard would make the sickest tandem in the NBA. 

"Nothin that happened in this game led me to beleive that anyone on the team can step up.  I still don't think Luol Deng can do enough down the stretch, but maybe he can."

That's interesting because it was the complete opposite for me.  I saw alot actually.  I saw that the Bulls were missing Loul Deng lol.  Does Lebron score 34 points if Deng guards him, I can confidently say no.  Having Deng guard him rather than Brewer is good for a couple basket difference and when its a close game like it was that makes a world of a difference.  Example: when Lebron posted Brewer up, it was much too easy.  If Deng guards maybe he misses a couple or maybe even attacks differently because its Deng and he knows Dengs taller than Brewer.  Just an example.  A couple baskets would have a made difference in this game.

Also, the point is to have Deng and Hamilton on the floor at the same time (that is the key word same time).  Puts a lot more pressure on the defense in many ways.  Have to worry about 2 more scorer's other than Rose instead of 1.  Can't be as aggressive because you have stay with both Deng and Rip instead of just one.

Even with out all of this the Bulls came so close to winning (not to mention an exhausted Rose since CJ couldn't back him up).

So I actually saw a lot.  Once again i have to see the full starting lineup lose to the Heat before I can make a better judgement.

Also, the point is to have Deng and Hamilton on the floor at the same time (that is the key word same time).  Puts a lot more pressure on the defense in many ways.  Have to worry about 2 more scorer's other than Rose instead of 1.  Can't be as aggressive because you have stay with both Deng and Rip instead of just one.

Great point. However IMO we did not match the Heat intensity until the end and with Deng or not. The Heat everytime we got close in the other 3/4 of the game kept building a lead and had it pretty much over when they were up  by 10, but look like they ran out of gas in the last couple of minutes allowing the final score to be close.

The problem this year is the Bulls don't really have no number two option to go with Rose and Thibs needs to get into Boozer and Noah heads because both of them can play better and maybe have one bad game out of five instead of one good game in every five.

"It was very close and could have gone either way, so there is hope"

That is the innitial knee jerk reaction I had, and the reaction it seems a few fans have now. But Think about it, That game looked exactly the same as the Previous 4 games the Bulls had played against the Heat. All 5 ended in loses. At some point you gotta stop saying, "it could have gone either way".

Yes, there are a lot of positives to take away from the game, but, not enough. As I said earlier I havent given up on the Bulls' chances of beating the Heat, but I dont have any confidence either. Everything looks the same. Yes Deng will help, but the games will always be close in the 4th quarter and the Heat will always be the better team in the 4th quarter. 

I think the Bulls could win maybe 2 out of 6, But I cant see them beating the heat 4 out of 7. 

I disagree with the contention that Rose will be a better player in 4-5 years than he is now.  He is the reigning MVP.   The only place I see room for improvement is his defense, and maybe shooting, though he is already a better 3-point shooter than Jordan ever was.  These kids mature and are smarter players, but they lose some of their quickness.  Rose might be the quickest player in the league at getting to the rim and has "quick elevation."  He will lose some of that when he gets older, just like MJ did.

Wow Go Bears. Same pessimism like on the Bears.

So according to your logic if these two meet we minus well forfeit the whole series.

Side note, lucky your FBB team isn't ravished with injuries like mine. Had three players hurt and only had 175 points to your 300+ in your win.