NBA: Chicago Bulls @ Miami Heat, Game 3 Preview

In this playoffs Dallas dismantled the Lakers. The Celtics, old Trimurti, battled the new and villainous Trimurti, the Heat in a series simmering with ill will. And yet the Heat-Bulls series is by far the most intriguing matchup thus far. Both teams stood at the top of the Eastern Conference in the regular season and now the Conference Championships and a trip to the NBA Finals are on the line.

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Chicago Bulls

Bulls felxin

All season long pundits have proclaimed that the Kryptonite of the Heat is a team led by a strong point guard. They have Bibby and Chalmers at the point, and neither is capable of stopping Derrick Rose. On the wing the Bulls have great defenders in Keith Bogans and Luol Deng to throw at Lebron and Wade. If the Bulls can contain even one of those two, they have a good chance at winning. At center, Joakim Noah is far more athletic and a better player than Ilgauskas and Joel Anthony, even if he doesn’t shoot too great.

Carlos Boozer and Derrick Rose need to carry the scoring load and put the Miami frontline in foul trouble by taking it to the rim. Rose, the MVP, had a sub par performance in Game 2, 21 points on 7 for 23 shooting. He and Luol Deng, 13 points on 5 for 15 shooting, were the only Bulls in double figures in Game 2. Boozer needs to earn his contract now and their role players need to step up.

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Miami Heat

For the Heat, Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem are the X-factors, both capable of sparking runs for the Heat which can bury teams. Haslem had a great Game 2, in spite of battling injuries. People expected him to play a few minutes at a stretch but he came in and took the Bull by the horns and showed no effects of his injury.

The Heat has three players who command double and triple teams, allowing their shooters to have a field day with the drive in and kick out game. People talk of how the Orlando Magic have a great game plan of kicking it in to Howard and out to their shooters, but that’s because its their only plan of action. The Heat’s bigs, Ilgauskas and Haslem are comfortable spot up shooters and on the perimeter they have Mario Chalmers, Mike Bibby, Mike Miller, Eddie House, James Jones and not to mention the Trimurti. House was an absolute assassin for the Celtics earlier. Jones was a 3 point shootout champion. Miami Heat may have the most dangerous drive and kick game in the League, period.

Of course James, Wade and Bosh will have to carry the team down the stretch. LeBron had 9 of Miami’s final 12 points in the last 4:28 of Game 2. But if Miller is connecting from long range and Haslem is doing his thing inside on both ends, the Heat will be tough to beat.

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Money quote, Derrick Rose “Its all about will, who wants it more.”

Check it out on Monday, 23d May at 6 AM on PIX.