I actaully won a sawbuck on the Bucks game yesterday...but I'm a degenerate too.

I agree with the above, but can they suppress Van Exel's ego? Or other inflating egos from last year's championship team? I dunno, I kinda smell trouble. But there's an awfully good chance it's only last night's brisket.

I'm pretty sure Pop would get rid of any ego issues in a way that was mutually beneficial to all parties. Dude's got a plan and is reluctant to budge from it - I'd be surprised if he let a Van Exel get in the way of that.

Worked out for Payton and Malone.

It would have if they hadn't signed with the wrong team.

i meant it more in the fact that they're always in the playoffs and no one really hates them.

Uhhh, the Spurs have been champions more than once this century

people are fucking aggravating me today.

I hate the Spurs.

I'm with you, dude.

Mark, what do you make of some predictions that have the Bulls finishing LAST in the Central despite the talent?

That's a fucking monster division. Thank god for that reshuffle, I hated playing there. Not that it really matters for the Hawks: If we win 25 games, it'll be a miracle.

They won't finish last, the Bucks and Cavs are overrated. The Pistons might even have a down year, we'll see. I see the Bulls being 3rd or 4th. People forget that it's just Larry Hughes on the Cavs now and their coach is in his first year head coaching. Luke Jackson will STILL be a bust, Illgauskus will still have Cavs fans wishing they would trade him while he's still worth something. Drew Gooden sucks. I see this team doing about as good as the Wizards did last year during the regular season.

The Jamaal Magloire trade doesn't scare me, because it just means the Bucks have no confidence in Bogut yet. What a stupid trade, trading for someone considered to be a top 10 Center in the league by many accounts when you just drafted a center with the first pick in the draft. For a team that deserved the number 1 pick last year they sure are trying to blow their load quickly. Look for them to have a Cavs of last year-esque season.

The Bulls could feasibly finish last in the division anyways, and still have a record right above .500, however they are by far the deepest team in the Eastern Conference. Hell, their bench as a starting lineup might be able to compete for a playoff spot if they were another team. What a lot of people don't understand about the Bulls is that typically, they wouldn't win their games with the starting lineup last year, but rather pound the shit out of every SINGLE team in the league's reserves. A lot of their success is contingent on the development of Deng, Gordon, etc. and whether Hinrich can shoot again. I think Chandler, while still not entirely competent offensively, is not nearly the Ben Wallace people make him out to be, there have been flashes that he does in fact have an offensive game. Even if he doesnt though, there's no reason he shouldn't compete for Defensive Player of the Year. Deng will be the best player this year from last year's draft. Darius Songalia is a very good player(and is starting at power forward tonight I believe). I've heard that Harrington and Nocioni might even start over Deng and Chandler.

I don't think any team in the league would want to see their bench players play against the following players:

Tyson Chandler
Michael Sweetney
Luol Deng
Tim Thomas
Ben Gordon

Oh, and Ben Gordon has become a better ball-handler, but still needs a LOT of work. In the game during the preseason when Duhon went down, Gordon played the point guard and had 0 points and 10 assists with only 1 turnover.

The entire eastern conference is a huge ? this year though, but I think the Bulls will be fine.

I agree. I actually like the Bulls quite a bit (I wish that we had taken Deng over Childress for starters but don't get me started). Actually, the Hawks could maybe be the Bulls of last year Next year if they trade Al Harrington for a decent big man (do those still exist?)

But....The Bulls best chance is to finish third in the division. I have no reason to doubt Indiana or Detroit (despite the coaching change and your prediction for a let down). Detroit might actually be Better, but they will at least be Good Enough.

Larry Hughes' success and the fate of Cleveland in general depends on LeBron's ability to step up as a leader and not just a great player. You might remember that the Bulls didnt win shit until Jordan became a leader, not just a highlight film.

I hate the Bucks so I hope their team plane crashes. Blech.

61-40 bobcats. Whatever, first game.

i was with you up until this ridiculousness.

Tyson Chandler
Michael Sweetney
Luol Deng
Tim Thomas
Ben Gordon

what's ridiculous about that?

well the BULLS BENCH JUST TIED IT WITH 5 SECONDS

OT

they're not the deepest team in their own division, nevermind the whole eastern conference. i like deng and gordon but chandler is overrated and thomas is next to useless. i don't know anything about sweetney.

EXPLAIN? Leave the "OMG NO UR WRONGS" to me.

Chandler isn't overrated, his offensive game sucks and everyone admits that. He also deserved the sixth man award last year, his Rebounds/blocks per 48 minutes are ridiculously high, and his defense straight up is decent. He might struggle as a center right now just because he's not thick.

pacers
pistons
heat
nets

they're maybe 5th.

Do you understand what depth means? I'll admit that those teams all have 3 or 4 players better than any the bulls have, but then the bulls have 10 players better than the rest of their players. That's depth.

edit: maybe i meant benches more.

Unless you call this depth:

15 Vince Carter
35 Jason Collins
41 Ben Handlogten
44 Marc Jackson
24 Richard Jefferson
43 Linton Johnson III
5 Jason Kidd
12 Nenad Krstic
0 Jeff McInnis
31 Lamond Murray
34 Scott Padgett
10 Zoran Planinic
30 Clifford Robinson

ok we'll see who's right at the end of the season when the bulls are out of the playoffs.

What relevance does that even have to do with anything? Way to make a complete ass of yourself again. Then, you can't really expect a Red Sox fan to understand the meaning of depth. OMG WE GOT MANNY AND BIG PAPI U CANT FUCK WIT US LOL

honestly man if you split the bulls up into two teams they would both suck ass. that team only works because they can utilize that depth to play ridiculous, fresh defense for 48 minutes. Tim Thomas is still worthless though.