29 Dec 10 The Chicago Bulls Will Beat the Cleveland Cavaliers

.in one or two games...when Hell freezes over.The Chicago Bulls clinched the eighth and final playoff spot in the final game of the season, defeating the Charlotte Bobcats 98-89 on Wednesday night and setting up a date with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs.Although the Cavs most likely would have rather stayed away from Derrick Rose and what seems to be a healthy Joakim Noah for a Chris Bosh-less Toronto Raptors team, the Cavs are most likely not shaking in their shoes at the sight of the Bulls.Then again, the New York Giants jersey
Cavs have been known to shake in their shoes against the Bulls, but it was for dancing purposes, which did not please Joakim Noah. More on that later.The Bulls are seemingly in a nothing-to-lose situation essentially getting Rose and Noah more playoff experience along with rookie Taj Gibson to go along with playing in the public eye, perhaps to lure a free agent for next season.When you put a young team in a nothing-to-lose situation, you may actually run into a fly that won't go away.The Bulls and Cavaliers are surprisingly tied in the season series this year 2-2. Granted, the Bulls wins came by a combined two points including the last meeting, which didn't include LeBron James where Mo Williams was unstoppable scoring 35 points on 12-of-24 shooting along with 10 assists.Winning by one point over a LeBron-less Cavs' team is not a good sign for the Bulls.The Cavs wins came by a 14-point dancing massacre and a a seven-point beating. Keep in mind, however, the Cavs seven-point win came against a Bulls' team missing Rose, Noah, and Luol Deng.The Bulls have never been able to stop James, but the team has kept him human. The key for the Bulls to put a scare into the Cavs is by limiting James and shutting down the supporting cast.Sounds easy enough.In the Bulls one win vs. a healthy Cavs team, including Shaq, the Bulls held Mo Williams to just 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting.In the Bulls' loss by 14 in the next meeting, Williams scored 15, Anderson Varejao scored 10, and Daniel Gibson scored 15 on combined 16-of-31 shooting.That simply can't happen.This is essentially white noise based on the fact he can do anything, but in the three games James has played against the Bulls this season, he has not scored 30 points. The Bulls have "held" James to 23, 25, and 29 points, respectively, on 26-of-55 shooting.Deng can give James fits...well, at least keep him somewhat human.None of this has included Antawn Jamison, however. The Bulls are yet to see a Cavs' starting lineup includingNew York Jets jersey
Shaq, Jamison, and James.This could be the factor that kills the Bulls.Gibson and Noah cannot beat Shaq and Jamison down low at the same time. It's physically impossible for them.Noah needs to be free to double-team James along with Deng, but if Shaq is actually relevant, then James will be free to run wild.Even if Shaq is nowhere to be found, the Bulls will have to now worry about Jamison, who has dropped a 34-point, 18-rebound performance along with a 23-point, six-rebound performance against the Bulls this season with the Wizards and Cavs, respectively.The Bulls will have to limit Shaq and Jamison to have any chance. Not too much to ask.The Cavs simply have too many weapons, but at the same time, Cleveland probably wanted an easier first-round matchup than the Bulls.You never know what Derrick Rose is going to do and the fact Kirk Hinrich is shooting better than 50 percent from the field in his last five games, gives the Bulls an actual outside threat.Some times a team with nothing to lose is the scariest.Media Scum Oakland Raiders jersey
StorylineJoakim Noah and LeBron James have a publicized feud starting from James feeling the need to dance during a shellacking of the Bulls.No way First Take, First and Ten, Rome is Burning, Around the Horn, PTI, and perhaps even The View beat this storyline into the ground...Sidenote: Yes, that is Aaron Gray in the video and yes, he did actually own a jersey for the Bulls. Only to be worn, however, when the Bulls were losing by 19 or more.