Now that the lockout is finally over and the NBA is getting set to get back on track, it’s time to play the games and quit talking about it. Well, almost. The shortened NBA regular season could prove difficult for many teams to handle, with little to no practice making it hard for teams to pull together in time for the start of the regular season. For the Chicago Bulls, it might be tougher than it has been in a couple of years, even with fresh, young players and a squad full of talent. The Chicago Bulls Schedule is absolutely loaded with great matchups, none bigger than an opening season road game against the Lakers in Los Angeles.
But even though NBA fans should be drooling over the chance to see Derrick Rose go head-to-head with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, the season might just come down to whether or not they can beat the Miami Heat. The Chicago Bulls have some powerful weapons, however, that will help them keep up the pace with the likes of the triple threat of Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James. Not only do the Heat have the transcendent superstars at the top of their roster, they also made a smart play by picking up Shane Battier, a seasoned veteran who will make it much more difficult on opposing teams this year.
The Bulls have their own set of all-stars that may not form a triple threat, but does form an all-around stellar lineup that is actually more complete and balanced than Miami’s. Their big star at the moment, of course, is Derrick Rose, a quick, electrifying point guard who always knows how to put pressure on opposing defenses. Rose won the MVP last year and continues to impress not only as a great player on the court but a great leader as well.
Another big-time leader is Joakim Noah, the talented, energetic forward who is nothing short of a defensive sparkplug when he comes into the game. Though some may worry about players not being in game shape, that isn’t likely to be a problem with Noah, a player generally considered one of the hardest workers in the NBA. With Noah’s diverse defensive abilities and talent at securing rebounds, the Bulls have a defensive anchor that will make the team very difficult to score on.
The player that might need to turn it up a notch, however, is Carlos Boozer, who struggled with injury last season and wasn’t able to give the Bulls the boost they needed. While the Heat have the Triple Threat and other teams are amassing a collection of superstars, Boozer needs to play like a true second option to help out Derrick Rose, who was limited in the playoffs once good teams focused on making him a jump shooter.
With Boozer back and healthy and Rose ready to lead the Bulls into battle, their opening season Christmas Day battle with the Lakers should be a great game that will give NBA fans a sneak peek of things to come this NBA season. If the Bulls can secure a huge road win to start the year, it can also be a confidence-builder that could propel them in the early going of the regular season.