2011 NBA Playoffs Schedule Opens With Central Division Showdown
There are no byes in the NBA playoffs. But, on paper, the Chicago Bulls seem to have one this week.
With MVP-favorite Derrick Rose, the Bulls have the best record in the NBA and the East’s top seed. Their opponent for Round One is the eighth seeded Indiana Pacers, who finished eight games under .500.
It seems like a natural mismatch, especially since the Bulls crushed Indiana by double digits in the first three showdowns between the two Central Division foes.
But the Pacers did pull off a pretty big upset back in mid-March, defeating the Bulls at Conseco Fieldhouse, 115-108 in overtime.
That day, Indiana’s Tyler Hansborough scored a season-high 29 points to carry the Pacers to victory. But because the Bulls Carlos Boozer was sidelined with an ankle injury t hat night–and Boozer will be ready for this series–Chicago seems to have a ready-made answer for Hansborough. Just ask the Pacers interim head coach, Frank Vogel:
‘‘[Boozer] is very significant in their attack. He’s an All-Star, he’s their second-best player, and he’s a load in the post. He really puts pressure on our ability to defensive-rebound, and he’s an incredible offensive weapon. [If] you try to double-team Rose, you’re going to be more effective when [Boozer’s] not on the court than you’re going to be when he is.’’
So if Boozer returns to silence the Pacers up front, do they stand a chance?
Point Guard Darren Collison will provide the answer to that question. Besides defending Rose–who averaged more than 25 points per game this year–Collison will have to make a dent on the offensive end. He puts up more than 13 points per night, but in the three losses to the Bulls, he’s averaged just 10 points.
For the Pacers to contend in any of these Round One games, he is going to have to do much better against a Bulls defense that allowed the second fewest points per game in the NBA.