Chicago Bulls: Why They Will Not Win a Title in 2014-2015
By Ryan Heckman
The stage is set for a championship run, but the Chicago Bulls may still come up short in their quest for an NBA title.
Allow me to be the first to say this: I am a die-hard Chicago Bulls fan and have been all my life. I am more excited about this upcoming season than I have been about any season in the last decade. I believe they have addressed the major needs of the team and look like a championship-caliber roster at the moment. But, the question remains, will they win it all this year?
Let’s look at the Eastern Conference for a second. This Bulls team has enough to beat every single playoff team from a year ago, that is for certain. But, one team that will certainly be there that missed out last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers, will be a completely different monster.
Chicago has never had what it takes to dethrone LeBron James, regardless of what team he may play for in a given year. They had some fantastic battles throughout James’ four years with the Miami Heat, but continued to come up short. This season, Cleveland added not only James, but another top-five scorer in Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Love is not just a great scorer, but a top-tier rebounding machine as well. To say the Bulls will have their hands full is an understatement.
But, let us look at reasons why Chicago’s biggest worry is not the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Cleveland may have Love, but the Bulls boast the reigning defensive player of the year – a much more physical presence down low, Joakim Noah. Love’s offensive game in the post could be stymied by the tenacious style of not only Noah, but Taj Gibson off the bench. While those two are caught up with Love, a new face will have no one special to worry about: Pau Gasol. The addition of Gasol will allow the Bulls to dominate the post offensively. Love is not a premier defender, therefore a combination of Noah and Gasol in the post will be impossible to deal with.
We’ve established that the Bulls can dance with Cleveland in the post, but what about the other key matchups? I am a firm believer that a healthy Derrick Rose is better, in every way, than Kyrie Irving. I will not even touch that debate, because it isn’t worth it. Now, when it comes to James, Jimmy Butler has had incredible success defending him in the past. I believe he can continue to do so. While James is most likely to get his 20-plus points each night, Butler will not allow him to take over like other defenders might.
Looking at the Bulls’ bench, this is where they will be tough to beat for Cleveland. Not only Gibson, but Nikola Mirotic, Doug McDermott, Kirk Hinrich, and Aaron Brooks will be key contributors as well. Cleveland’s bench can’t compare to the talent awaiting on Chicago’s sideline.
Overall, Cleveland looks impressive, but I do not think they have what it takes to beat the Bulls if each boasts a healthy roster.
So, if I’m convinced the Bulls can and will make it to the NBA Finals, that must mean I’m worried about something else.
Aside from another Rose injury – God forbid – the Bulls will have a near-impossible task awaiting them in the Finals: The San Antonio Spurs. The West is exciting. It is loaded, yes, I understand that. But, looking at everything San Antonio has, there is absolutely nobody that will take them out in the Western Conference. The Los Angeles Clippers or Oklahoma City Thunder may put up a good fight, but Gregg Popovich and company are too good, too deep and too smart to be defeated by either team.
What happens in the Finals when Chicago has to defend not one, but a couple of threats from the outside in Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green? How about defending the ageless, savvy Tim Duncan? Noah will do a good job for the most part, but again, locking down Duncan opens up the floor for others.
The Rose/Parker matchup will be incredibly fun to watch. They will likely go back and forth each night, both shining at their respective moments. Manu Ginobili is an old man, but still somehow comes up with big plays on the occasion his team needs them the most. If Butler is busy with Green or Leonard, who can contain the flop-heavy, slashing Ginobili? The same goes for if Butler is honing in on Ginobili.
San Antonio plays such precise basketball on both sides of the court. Offensively, they are patient. That remains to be seen for this Bulls team. The Spurs have chemistry on top of chemistry on top of chemistry. The Bulls are a team with a few brand new faces that may need time to get to know their roles. Thibodeau is great, but Popovich is the best. I just don’t see a way the Bulls can out-play the Spurs on their way to a title this season. When San Antonio loses Duncan, that’s when the door opens for a handful of teams, mainly in the Western Conference.
But, as for the Bulls, I am not so sure that they will be able to contend with the Spurs this year. However, I hope I am wrong.
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