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The Roar

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As the east opens up, Bulls have a chance

Former-MVP Derrick Rose hasn't been able to recapture his previous form.
Roar Guru
11th August, 2014
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The Chicago Bulls have not been a real force in recent years. They are coming off injury-plagued seasons and poor playoff performances, headlined by an injury to star point guard Derrick Rose.

However, as Miami’s dominance wanes, Rose comes back healthy and Joakim Noah comes off his best season yet, the future is looking bright for the Windy City’s basketball team.

That is of course until Derrick Rose’s knees break down again.

As much as the Bulls have the talent and the drive to move forward, the concern over Derrick Rose will always be on their mind.

Their mix of bright young players and trusted veterans, their high-powered offense combined with their smash-mouth defence, the coach who’s established himself as one of the best in the league – all of this could be derailed if their star player goes down.

It’s certainly been the narrative that’s played out over the past few years in Chicago.

Despite his wealth of time spent off of the hardwood over the past few years, Derrick Rose looked good at USA Basketball training over the past few weeks, where he’s considered to be a ‘lock’ for selection in the squad being named for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup.

D-Rose was throwing down dunks and dishing off passes in Las Vegas looking like a different man from the one who’s only played 50 games over the past three seasons. As the Bulls get their point guard back, they now look to make a strong playoff run courtesy of some smart off-season moves made by the Bulls front office.

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Acquiring Pau Gasol was vital after Carmelo decided to re-sign with the Knicks, and is arguably one of the most dominant players at his position. A four-time All Star and two time champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s suffered some injuries over the past few years.

However, he’s still one of the best forward-centres in the league alongside such players as Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan, and can definitely help out at the spot formerly occupied by Carlos Boozer.

Gasol will be partnering up with Joakin Noah, the only true centre currently under contract. Noah is coming off his best season yet – a first team All NBA selection, along with being named in the All Star team and making first team defence, both of which he accomplished a year earlier too.

Oh, and he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. The last Chicago Bull to win Defensive Player of the Year? Michael Jordan.

A 2014 USA Select Team selection, Doug McDermott was one of the most decorated players in the 2014 Draft, and the Bulls did a good job to acquire him from Denver. Coming out of four years of Creighton as a three-time consensus first team All-American, consensus National Player of the Year and NCAA scoring champion, his addition will serve the Bulls well.

Add in to that mix the role players the Bulls posses, and you have a formula for winning.

Kirk Hinrich signed a new two year deal, and can be a good backup point guard, somethings he’s had to prove in the past few seasons. Taj Gibson has proven himself to be a good player, and upped his scoring to 13 points a game last season, as well as remaining strong on the defensive side too.

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Tony Snell was a steal from last year’s draft – in this year’s Summer League he averaged 20 points and four rebounds a game, earning him an All-NBA Summer League First Team nod. Jimmy Butler is developing well too – starting all 67 games he played last year, he averaged 13 points and five rebounds, with his two steals per game earning him a second team all defence nod and a place on the 2014 USA Select Team.

But maybe the Bulls playoff run in 2013 spoke to how good this team can be, without Derrick Rose – they made it to the Conference Semifinals, and the only thing that stopped them getting further was a little team called the Miami Heat.

Now LeBron’s back in Cleveland, having to adjust to a ‘new’ team, and the east is all shaken up, could this finally be the Chicago Bulls’ time to shine? Only time will tell.

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