Thoughts on playing the bulls round 1?

[RJ87]

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.

They're a REALLY good rebounding team and if we can't at least stay competitive in that column, it's going to be a long series for us. Another concern is that they can play Butler defensively on IT for long minutes.

[Who]

Easy pickings .... Celtics in 4 or 5. I don't think much of the Bulls.

[Evantime34]

The Bulls rebounding worries me so I'd rather play the Pacers than them.

[celticsclay]

I think people may forget they actually offloaded Gibson and McDermott at the break. While those guys are not world beaters, they are solid players and better than what they got back. Gibson in particular was a challenge for us on the board. They also have played a bit better since Wade got hurt. If he is back it kind of mucks up their rotation with Rondo and Butler.

[KGs Knee]

I worry less about who the Celtics play and more about how they play.  The Celtics can lose to anyone when they are not locked in and giving 100% effort on defense.

I doubt we win any series this playoffs in less than 6 games.

[Rosco917]

The Bulls played better without Wade, with Wade and Rondo in the lineup at the same time, they need two basketballs. Both believe they're the players of 5 years ago. Hopefully team chemistry will remain elusive for the Bulls.

I tend to look at each opponent according to their backcourt lineup, and the size and toughness of the front court, when deciding if the team has the potential to give the C's trouble. In other words...match-ups.

Butler is a nightmare match-up for any team, buy especially so for the undersized Celtics, because that leaves IT, at times to deal with Rondo, and Wade. Lucky both mostly on their down side.

In the front court the Bulls are big, and tough, but not really overly skilled, they really don't have a reliable inside scorer.

I don't think this will be an easy series, but the C's should win in 6.     
 

[TheSlipperyWhistle]

Strip me of my Tommy Points if i'm wrong. Celtics won't lose a series to the Bulls, Pacers, or Heat.

[Chris22]

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.

Things change.
The Bulls don't have Lebron.

[PhoSita]

I'd feel good about the Celts beating the Bulls in Round 1, but I think it would be closer and longer than we would like.

[tstorey_97]

I'd feel good about the Celts beating the Bulls in Round 1, but I think it would be closer and longer than we would like.

^
this.

All in all the Bulls kinda suk..."Rondo and Wade"...like one of those old scratched up DVD's you've got sitting around that won't work in the blu ray.

[mef730]

I worry less about who the Celtics play and more about how they play.  The Celtics can lose to anyone when they are not locked in and giving 100% effort on defense.

I doubt we win any series this playoffs in less than 6 games.

True, but we can also beat anyone, as well, if we play like we can.

Mike

[vjcsmoke]

I don't feel like the Bulls have the solidarity and the chemistry to beat us.  Yes they have big names: Wade, Butler, Rondo.  But 2/3 of those big names haven't played great basketball in a long time.

Feel like the Celtics can definitely beat the Bulls in a 7 game series.  Have faith in IT and this Celtics squad, they will weather the storm.  Home court vs the Bulls is also a helpful edge in the series.

[PhoSita]

I don't feel like the Bulls have the solidarity and the chemistry to beat us.  Yes they have big names: Wade, Butler, Rondo.  But 2/3 of those big names haven't played great basketball in a long time.

Feel like the Celtics can definitely beat the Bulls in a 7 game series.  Have faith in IT and this Celtics squad, they will weather the storm.  Home court vs the Bulls is also a helpful edge in the series.

My concern is they'd lean heavily on Wade and Butler in the halfcourt, Rondo always steps up his game in the playoffs, and they have some big guys who can punish us down low (Lopez, Felicio, even Portis and Mirotic). 

They don't have much apart from that ... Jerian Grant, MCW, Paul Zipser, and Denzel Valentine don't scare me.  Though Valentine and MCW have the size to give the Celts some issues.

But if they just grind it out and crash the boards with Lopez / Felicio, I could see them taking the Celts to 6 or 7.

[hwangjini_1]

i am not overly worried about a celtics-bulls series. in the regular season the celtics won the series 2-1, with the only loss being by a single point.

celtics will win and advance on to the second round.

[saltlover]

The only reason I'd worry is that playoff Rondo was once someone who could single-handedly change the course of a series.  If that player still exists, they will be a dangerous opponent.  If not, I'm no more worried about them than any of the three (Chicago, Miami, Indy).  We are unequivocally better than all three teams, and we've played them well head-to-head.