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The Eastern Conference isn’t exactly going to be loaded with top-tier teams this upcoming season. There are only a few teams with a realistic chance of knocking off the defending champion, Miami Heat. One of those teams is no doubt the Chicago Bulls. With Derrick Rose returning to an already good team, the Bulls figure to be right there deep in the playoffs when it’s all said and done.
One guy who thinks Chicago is going to knock off Miami this year, is none other than former Bulls player and current TNT analyst, Steve Kerr:
“I just feel like it’s all sort of teed up for Chicago with Rose coming back, guys like Noah and Gibson entering their prime. I think Chicago will have something special this year.”
Kerr also cited the massive amount of pressure that will be on the Heat as part of his reasoning.
He’s right, it’s certainly not easy for teams to pull off three-peats. The Heat had enough trouble pulling off a repeat last season. If Ray Allen doesn’t hit that late three in game six, it would have been curtains for their back-to-back chances. But they pulled it off and now have set themselves up with a chance that few teams get.
I do like Chicago’s chances to knock off the Heat better than any other team in the East, but at the same time, no one really knows what Rose is going to look like after an entire year off. But if he can return to his prior form, the Bulls should be right there along side the Heat. However, I’m still taking Miami at this time. They’ve continued to improve their roster this offseason and they just so happen to have the best player in the world on their side.
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