Thoughts on playing the bulls round 1?

[jbpats]

On paper we should easily win this matchup but in all honesty it scares me to death. They have a superstar in Butler who has a knack for torching us. They have a rested hall of famer in Wade, who granted has lost a step, but can turn it on at any point, and have a Rondo who would love to beat us and always turns it on for prime time games.
They are also 7-3 in their last 10 so turning it on at the right time. We are also 2-2 against them head to head this season.

Unless i'm wrong I just don't see how we don't play them round 1. Assume they beat the nets, it doesnt matter how the Pacers fair since they are a game ahead in the central and neither team has a division match up to wrap up the season.
It looks like our only hope rests in the Nets hands (yet again) to beat the Bulls and the Heat beat a Wizards team who is likely resting their starters.

Hope somebody can talk me off the cliff with this one, maybe its just the fact we haven't won a playoff series under a Stevens.. The Bulls just feel like trouble to me.

[Granath]

Thoughts?

Boston in 5.

[jbpats]

Thoughts?

Boston in 5.

TP for your optimism and my hope that you're right.

[Donoghus]

Happy.

It means I'd be able to go to a game or two at United Center. 

[Clench123]

Good for us.  Really good for us.

[timpiker]

In the 1st round I'd rather face the Bulls than any of the others. 

[jbpats]

In the 1st round I'd rather face the Bulls than any of the others.

May I ask why? We are 7-0 against the Pacers and Heat this season.

[footey]

Honestly, we are capable of losing to any of the teams in the East if we do not execute correctly, and do not have defensive intensity.  Even though we may end up with the 1st seed, I think that only helps in having Toronto have to face the Cavs before us.  Meaning it increases our odds of getting to the Eastern Conference finals.  That's it.  I don't feel anymore confident about our chances of going further if we finish 1st. 

We're just not that good, yet. 

[Hank Finkel]

The playoffs are going to be tough no matter who the Cs play.  If they get the #1 seed they have set themselves up for (technically) the easiest path to get to the finals.  They will play a .500 team in the first round, Washington or Atlanta in the second and Toronto or Cleveland in the ECF.  That is the best match up you can hope for.  Winning each round is another story.  The last time the Cs won the championship they struggled each round if I remember correctly but they managed to advance each time. Go Celtics.

[hpantazo]

I'm not worried about the Bulls. They would be the ideal first round matchup for us. I'm worried about possibly facing Atlanta in round 2 though, they can very likely beat us.

[slamtheking]

Bulls don't worry me but I would look forward to seeing Rondo in the playoffs.  I have little doubt he'd pull out all the stops against Boston.  Playoff Rondo is a treat to watch (maybe not so much when he's on the other team) but I'm confident the C's have the better overall team to win the series

[TheSlipperyWhistle]

Over a 7 game series I think we beat any of the Pacers, Bulls, or Heat. We shut out the Pacers and the Heat this season, and the 2 Chicago losses were pretty much a joke. One early in the season and I think Bradley was out. And the other was in the infamous Smart foul on Butler. Since that time both Chicago and Indy have been pretty bad. The Heat have been pretty good.
We need this 1 seed. Of the "lower end" teams in the East Milwaukee matches up really well against us. As the bracket stands now, if we beat Chicago in the first round, we would play the winner of Washington and Atlanta. This is considerably better than having to face the Cavs or Toronto.

Order of preference?
1. Indy
2. Chicago
3. Heat

[playdream]

On paper we should easily win this matchup but in all honesty it scares me to death. They have a superstar in Butler who has a knack for torching us. They have a rested hall of famer in Wade, who granted has lost a step, but can turn it on at any point, and have a Rondo who would love to beat us and always turns it on for prime time games.
They are also 7-3 in their last 10 so turning it on at the right time. We are also 2-2 against them head to head this season.

Unless i'm wrong I just don't see how we don't play them round 1. Assume they beat the nets, it doesnt matter how the Pacers fair since they are a game ahead in the central and neither team has a division match up to wrap up the season.
It looks like our only hope rests in the Nets hands (yet again) to beat the Bulls and the Heat beat a Wizards team who is likely resting their starters.

Hope somebody can talk me off the cliff with this one, maybe its just the fact we haven't won a playoff series under a Stevens.. The Bulls just feel like trouble to me.

You think too much and not right..
1.Butler isn't a superstar in any means
2.Rondo is old and after injury history
3.Wade is very old
4.most importantly their team doesn't function well as they aren't on the same page

Heat>Bulls/Pacers

[The One]

Celtics beat the Bulls.

Then trade for Butler...(and sign Hayward).


So we take them to school and make them pay the tuition!!!


 

[incoherent]

So many people here are overly confident.  The Bulls always play us tough, we've never been out of the first round.

None of us should be this confident regardless of who we play in the 1st round.