Can the Bulls Really Beat the Miami Heat in a 7 Game Series?

Two lessons I’ve learned from this game:

1.       Derrick Rose is still really hurt and should have never played as he could barely leave his feet. He needs more rest and time for getting in shape before the playoffs.

2.       Omer Asik is the ideal playoff big off the bench. He takes possessions seriously and seems to have such a natural feel for defense, that he can alter games in the short bursts when he is in games.

Aside from that, the outcome of this game wouldn’t have frayed my opinion on the Bulls much, but it’s important to beat the team many—including me—deem better than you.

The Bulls are just so unconventional in this era of star-laden rosters that are supposed to win titles. They’re blessed with arguably in the best tactician in the game today who seems to do everything right, including sitting the MVP for a once Euro League player to close the game.

He understands there is little chance in hurting Rose’s feelings even as Rose was hurting the team with his inability to move much. If this were a similarly hurt Carmelo Anthony or Russell Westbrook, I don’t get the sense they would have been as open-minded about the deferral.

Thibodeau has also implemented more interior passing, a strength of both Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah who are notorious for disappearing in these games against the Miami Heat. I thought they were significantly better, if not extraverted in their efforts—particularly Boozer.

I don’t know what Boozer will give them when the playoffs roll around, but this is good enough—hitting mid-range jumpers, following up misses, aggressive defensive rebounding and smart passing. His defense will suck, but I’ll take it. If he’s anything like that mechanical, flat-footed, timid player we saw last year, the Bulls are toast.

He’s an important player because he can be a major weakness or strength. He also seems prepared for Rip Hamilton’s passes and Roses misses when he is attacking the rim.

But the bouquets should be heaved at the curly-haired Turk, who probably wears khakis and Birkenstocks when traveling with the team. Omer was fabulous against the Heat as he uses his length to aggravate shooters rather than block them. You have to remember that American players are conditioned to block a shot, send it in the fourth row if the opportunity appears. It’s an ego thing, a bravado, a swagger.

Dwight Howard, mister insecure, is probably the best at this. Javale McGee, the uber talented mindless one, is second.

But imagine how many plays they would change with Omer’s approach of going straight up, absorbing contact and using his airspace to hold defensive position rather than foul. It’s almost surprising to guys like LeBron and Wade because of their explosive ability and ability to draw so many fouls.

“Wait, what? No call?”

You don’t get that with Omer. In fact, Omer probably gets more calls on him than he should. Defensive players should have the ability to go up and defend a shot without a foul called on them. In the past 20 years, much of the strategy of guys like Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant or Wade has been to get the defender off balance and plow into them for an easy and-1.

In the Gospel of Tom Thibodeau, Omer’s selfless play is ideal for a defense that packs the lane.

I’m still waiting for Rip Hamilton to matter.

Kyle Korver, who also disappeared against the Miami Heat last season, has been sensational the past two games—actually for the last month. To be honest, if he plays like this, I think they Bulls will beat the Heat. 

Part of what froze Rose last year, was Korver’s inability to get open and pull the trigger when asked.  When he did shoot, they weren’t going in. He’s another selfless player, but they need to condition him to look for his own shot more often. He’s just too good from any spot on the floor (except near the rim). He opens up the lane and gives the bigs more room to work.

This was the player I envisioned when the Bulls scooped him up in the free agency derby two summers ago. 

He’s often been timid, but he needs to fire quickly when he gets the chance. There are only a handful of better shooters from 3 point land in the league.

The Miami Heat have been slumping, maybe as bad as they were when they kicked off their dynasty (they call that sarcasm—SNAP!) last season, but I have a difficult time overreacting on their demise. I only see one team that can beat them in the East and that’s the Bulls.

The Bulls have to get their best player healthy and they have two weeks. They have to get their 35-year-old free agent acquisition in sync with the team and in shape, and again, they only have two weeks. They still start out games really slow and claw their way back in because of their rebounding and tireless effort—but that’s more a symptom of the regular season. They exploit sloppiness and laziness.

But the biggest question mark hovers around Derrick Rose.

The Heat are vulnerable to be sure, but I wonder how they’ll look after they get a little momentum after winning the first playoff series. I’d like to see them square off with the Indiana Pacers because they are sort of a Bulls-lite and would irritate them much the same way the Bulls do.

But consider this a good time if you’re a Bulls fan. It’s sort of like coming back from vacation and everything feels kind of weird around the house and your job, but you’re glad to have the life you do, you’re thankful that you got to go away, you never thought you could afford it and you did, you know the next few months will be challenging, but you’ve done it before and you are ready.

Contact Mike Mitchell at michaelkennethmitchell@gmail.com.