After making the playoffs for the primary time in 5 seasons, the Chicago Bulls open the postseason towards the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks.
Here’s a have a look at how the 2 groups match up forward of Game 1 on Sunday in Milwaukee.
Big males/submit play
Matching up with the Bucks will intensify the undersized Bulls’ lack of muscle within the paint. The Bucks beginning lineup contains 7-foot heart Brook Lopez and 6-foot-11 All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, whereas the Bulls don’t have a 7-footer on the roster.
Center Nikola Vučević will anchor the Bulls, however the workforce has been fielding smaller forwards resembling Javonte Green and Patrick Williams as a secondary bigs all season. Although coach Billy Donovan hasn’t dominated out enjoying Tristan Thompson in a dual-center lineup, Vučević and Williams possible would be the duo countering Lopez and Antetokounmpo.
Although each are extra agile than typical large males, Antetokounmpo is the reigning Finals MVP and one of the vital adaptable gamers within the league. Even with out Lopez, Antetokounmpo can be a difficult matchup for the Bulls.
Edge: Bucks
Defense
Neither workforce is in its finest defensive stride. The Bucks dropped to twentieth within the NBA (115.8 factors per sport) after the All-Star break regardless of going 15-7 to shut the season. The Bulls had been simply behind, dropping to the sixth-worst protection within the league (117.9 factors per sport) throughout a late-season skid.
Although the Bucks gave up the next quantity of factors on the finish of the season, they nonetheless present a menacing perimeter protection from guards Jrue Holiday and Wesley Matthews. Lopez provides one other layer to the inside protection, permitting the Bucks to dominate the rim and remove second-chance alternatives off the glass.
Alex Caruso’s again spasms create uncertainty for the Bulls’ main defender. Although Caruso stated he felt “as close to 100% as I can” after a weeklong relaxation interval, the guard must take a look at that readiness within the collection.
Edge: Bucks
3-point capturing
Although the Bulls don’t take many 3-pointers, long-range capturing could possibly be a robust level towards the Bucks.
The Bulls held opponents to the fourth lowest 3-point capturing share (36.6% ) within the league. The Bucks couldn’t shake that development, averaging 32% from behind the arc towards the Bulls within the common season.
The Bucks are the other, permitting the very best variety of 3-pointers within the league (14.5 baskets on 40.6 makes an attempt per sport). Between shooters resembling Coby White and Zach LaVine, the Bulls might make the most of this benefit.
Edge: Bulls
Experience
The Bucks returned eight members of their championship roster, together with 4 starters — Antetokounmpo, Holiday, Lopez and Khris Middleton. The result’s a cohesive workforce with well-established chemistry and intuitive information of the best way to adapt and carry out within the postseason.
In comparability, solely three gamers from the 2020-21 Bulls roster returned this season. The secondary lineup depends on three gamers who’re 22 or youthful — Ayo Dosunmu, Williams and White. The Bulls begin three All-Stars, however that is LaVine’s first postseason and the second for Nikola Vučević. Thompson and DeMar DeRozan are probably the most skilled Bulls gamers within the playoffs, enjoying in additional than 140 postseason video games mixed.
Edge: Bucks
Coaching
The Bucks are additionally a extra skilled workforce in relation to head teaching. Mike Budenholzer has been with the Bucks since 2018, successful Coach of the Year for the second time in 2019 earlier than clinching an NBA championship final season. Budenholzer additionally received Coach of the Year in 2015 with the Atlanta Hawks.
Donovan lifted the Bulls to a successful document and playoff berth in his second season with the workforce, however he hasn’t had the identical time or success in Chicago as Budenholzer in Milwaukee. Despite making the playoffs throughout all 5 seasons of his tenure with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Donovan has made it out of the primary spherical solely as soon as.
Edge: Bucks
Predictions
Julia Poe
The Bulls made main enhancements with this season’s roster — particularly by the acquisition of DeRozan and the event of Dosunmu — however the expertise and measurement of the Bucks can be too overwhelming for the Bulls to beat. Concerns about accidents to LaVine and Caruso solely furthers the drawback for the Bulls.
Bucks in 5
Paul Sullivan
The Bucks’ depth and playoff expertise can be an excessive amount of for the Bulls to deal with. Vučević must have an enormous collection to enhance DeRozan and LaVine in the event that they’re going to have an opportunity at successful even two video games.
Bucks in 5
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Source: www.bostonherald.com