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Heat Bulls Series Predictions

What a devastating loss by Chicago in its season finale against the Nets to prevent the Bulls from getting a number two seed. That loss alone may have cost Chicago a trip to the conference semifinals as it would have been a Pistons and Heat-free path.

I’m sure some of you are thinking, how on earth can you take the Heat, especially when the Bulls have home court advantage? I’ll build your case even stronger.

The Bulls are perhaps the best defensive team in the Eastern Conference and are sure to test Dwayne Wade’s pain tolerance on his shoulder by planting him every time he drives the lane. Not only that, the Bulls are like Phoenix in that they run pick-and-rolls religiously. With Wade more than likely guarding Kirk Hinrich on the ball, how many picks can he take right into his bad shoulder before he’s just going under the screens and letting Hinrich pop threes. The Bulls also abused Shaq with pick-and-rolls in last year’s playoffs. Shaq just doesn’t have the mobility to hedge screens anymore.

The Bulls’ coach, Scott Skiles, is a throw back warrior and he just might take a page out of the Detroit Pistons’ bad boys book treating Wade the way the Pistons used to treat Michael Jordan.

I should also mention that Chicago played the Heat as tough as any team did in last seasons playoffs. Now the Bulls have home-court and Ben Wallace to contend with Shaq.

Now you have to be convinced that I’m crazy.

The Heat may have a little more adversity to overcome this year, but they turned it on in last year’s playoffs and I have think they’ll do it again in 2007. I think NBA Champions deserve that much respect. With Udonis Haslem, Alonzo Morning, and Shaq, the Heat still have a superior front court which will out number Big Ben over the course of a game. If you saw how Shaq turned it on in Wade’s late season absence, don’t think for a second that he isn’t capable of even more in the postseason. He has a big ego and wants to go down in history as the best center ever. This guy only plays for the postseason and championship rings.

Wade is also well known for playing through injuries and it will take being side-swiped by a freight train for this guy to stay off the floor.

The Heat have added another dimension with Jason Kapono’s three point shooting ability. He gives Miami another guy that the Bulls will have to guard or he will kill them with three-point daggers.

The Heat have plenty of playoff experience which also can’t be overlooked and I’m still not convinced that Chicago can win on the road.

Lastly, I look to the Bulls’ loss to New Jersey in the last game of the regular season. Chicago was awfully devastated. With as wide open as the East appears to be, these guys shouldn’t have cared who they were playing.

As far as I’m concerned, the Heat are still the champs. Miami prevails in seven games and to find out which four of the seven you'll need to pick up our NBA picks, so we can help you cover the spread and win some additional money this post-season.

Updated April 19th, 2007