No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, youngest player ever to win MVP, NBA Coach of the Year (rookie head coach at that), Co-Executive of the Year and you ask what the Chicago Bulls franchise is hindered by: Youth and Experience.
As good as MVP Derrick Rose is, he is not dominating enough to put this team solely on his back and lead the franchise to their 1st championship in the post-MJ era. In order for the Bulls to have any chance to win the championship this year, the team must be able to function without Rose on the court and the team hasn’t consistently learned how to do this yet. Though the young bull may remind some fans of Jordan as he quickly dissects defenses in the matter of seconds, Rose, surprisingly still has a lot of wrinkles to iron out; remember he’s only 22 and the league has yet to see the young star reach his full potential. Though he’s gained much more confidence in his jumper, it is evident that he still doesn’t have enough arc in his shot hence why many of his misses are short. Don’t get me wrong, Rose is an amazing all-star athlete and arguably the best point guard in the league, but I think even he himself would agree that he can polish his game up more. 2011 won’t be the only year that we see Rose hold up the MVP trophy.
The Bulls may have history on their side with 83 percent of Game 5 winners advancing to the next round, but the Eastern Conference Championship may be a nightmare for them if they move forward. People fail to forget that the Indiana Pacers gave Chicago a run for their money in the first round with each of the first four games was determined in the final minutes. Though the Bulls won the series 4-1 which is what ultimately matters, the inexperience of the No. 1 seed was highly exposed. That is exactly what the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat will do if the Bulls advance.
In order for the Bulls to have long-term success in this postseason they need the team, not just Rose to contribute. The first player that Rose could benefit the most from is summer acquisition Carlos Boozer. Due to a fractured right hand earlier in the year and a recent turf toe injury, Boozer has had difficulties getting into a groove. If Boozer shows the slightest of signs of how he played in Utah, the Bulls could actually have a chance in the next round. Boozer has come to life these past two games in the conference semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, but will need to do this nightly rather than once in a blue moon. With Boozer dominating in the paint, it would let a big load off of D-Rose’s back and even open shooters up like Kyle Korver and Keith Bogans.
Next up in the starting lineup is Luol Deng. Though he may not be the most aggressive player, there really isn’t anything Deng can’t do. He can defend, shoot, rebound and pass; he knows how to play the game of basketball. This is exactly what Rose needs. Deng won’t always be able to play the sidekick role as he scored 23 points in the Game 5 win over the Hawks, but he can produce a solid 15 a game while contributing on the defensive end.
The list can go on about what roles each Bulls’ player needs to fulfill, but it is apparent that the team is equipped with stars and talent to succeed. There is a reason the team is the No. 1 seed in the East regardless of what people want to think about the competition in the Eastern Conference. Though the team is fairly young and lacks in experience, they make it up with their tenacious defense and hustle. This playoff run for the team will be a learning experience and if this team is able to stay together, their scouting report will be scary in years to come. Rose isn’t the only young player on this team that has yet to maximize his talent.
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