Very good start to the season, someone on RealGM said that we've had the toughest schedule to start the year in the NBA. Not that surprising taking into account that we've played the Cavs twice, Boston, and Orlando. 11/18 - LA Lakers This one will probably be a loss. We just don't have the big men to match up with the Lakers. Gasol/Bynum will eat up our poor interior defense. Lakers have good defense, and a great coach, who will probably be able to make the adjustments to Rose/Ben if they start scoring on them. 11/19 - Portland Trail Blazers This should be a very winnable game. Brandon Roy and Rudy Fernandez's playing styles are the type of styles where Gordon can be effective defensively against. The Blazers defense has been piss poor this season, so I expect Rose and Gordon to eat them up. Although they have Oden back, so he might be able to firm up their defense. I'd attack Oden with Gordon/Rose early and get him in foul trouble. Blazers probably only win if Aldridge is making his midrange jumpshot. 11/21 - Golden State Warriors This team just plain lacks talent. No excuses for losing this with Ellis and Harrington out, and no more B-Diddy. 11/23 - Denver Nuggets Again, this team just doesn't have a whole lot of talent. They have Chauncey Billups who I think Rose might actually be able to get a good defensive game out of, and Carmelo Anthony primarily, who will get his. The x-factor is J.R. Smith, who has gone off on us in the past. But their big men stink. Again, a very winnable game. 11/24 - Utah Jazz Derrick Rose seems like he can get his against Deron Williams. The Jazz are a good team, but they are the type of team that can be lulled into an ugly game. Jazz probably win this since it's on their home court. 11/26 - San Antonio Spurs No Manu, no Parker, = win. We've played the Spurs good. They don't have the athleticism to match up with Rose. Bowen hasn't exactly been too effective in guarding Gordon in the past as well. If we attack the Spurs we should win. 11/30 - Philadelphia 76ers They are a decent team who is still trying to find each other. A lot of talent, but not the type of team that overwhelms you with their talent. If we continue to play like we have been, which is tough, smart, never give up basketball, we might just come out of this month with a winning record. From there on, we have a cake schedule to start December, which we realistically should have as shot of going on an 8 game winning streak during.
The Bulls have been a good surprise this year. I expected them to struggle this year and be mediocre at best. While their 5-5 record could be considered mediocre, they're playing a lot better than I expected them too, and Derrick Rose looks like he should be the ROY.
And Portland has had THE toughest in the history of the NBA Portland is the only team to ever open a season with 5 games versus 54 win teams. Portland has played the Lakers, Spurs, Suns, Rockets, Magic, Utah, NO. The only gimmes were the Heat and the T-Wolves. While Chicago could beat Portland, I don't see how it should be a "very winnable game" Portland is also undefeated at home. Good luck to the Bulls this season. I wish your team nothing but success.
I disagree with you with the Blazers and Denver. No way any of your guards could stop Rudy Fernandez. Don't underestimate their Rudy/Roy combo. the Denver team on the other hand has nothing BUT talent. With Billups in charge, their IQ just got a whole lot higher. Someone there actually knows how to distribute the ball around this time around. Don't forget that the Jizz strives under the get-down-and-dirty type of game. They like to play slow, gut it out, half court games. You're very high on your rookie Rose. He does look like he'll have a really bright career in this league, but let's not forget.. he's still a Rookie. Still has lots to learn.
I'm skeptical because I've seen the Bulls burned on this trip so many times. For me, 2-5 is the over-under. The problem is the order of the games. The Bulls will have a lot of energy for the first game against LA, and still lose, and the second game against Portland, and still lose. And then it's funk time. By the time the Bulls hit Philly their legs will most likely be gone. Yeah, 2-5 with the real possibility of fairing worse.
3-4 would be great. Come out of this thing with the season still intact and poised to make some hay at home. None of these games are layups for this team by any stretch. 3-4 would be a great road trip.
I'm working on some statistical analysis of the circus trip to predict our record on it for my website, so I should have that up later today.
