Category Archives: chicago bulls

2018-19 NBA Season Wins Over/Under – Eastern Conference

The NFL has pushed all other sports news off to the side, so some may not realize the NBA regular season starts on Tuesday.

It’s not too late to throw some jellybeans on a few NBA prop bets. Prop bets have become individualized so much that you can bet on a specific person’s assists per game for a season. I just like to stick to a vanilla approach to NBA props. My favorite NBA prop bets are regular season over/unders.

The Cleveland Cavs are without LeBron, again. Do they have enough talent left to eclipse 31 wins?

Here are our 2018-19 NBA over/under season wins total picks for the Eastern Conference.

Continue reading →

2017-18 NBA Season Wins Over/Under – Eastern Conference

The NFL has pushed all other sports news off to the side, so some may not realize the NBA regular season starts on Tuesday.

The Boston Celtics boned up their roster this offseason. Can they win more than 54.5 games and hit the over?

Here are our 2017-18 NBA over/under season wins total picks for the Eastern Conference.

Continue reading →

NBA: Season Wins Over/Under – Eastern Conference

The NBA preseason just kicked off and the regular season is not too far away.

If I had to describe the NBA offseason with one word, the word would be MONEY.

It goes without saying that a lot of bad contracts were signed. A ton of money exchanged hands after the salary cap shot up to $94.143 million, an increase of roughly $24 million. I have a feeling NBA owners will want another ‘amnesty clause’ in the next CBA to bail themselves out from some of these deals.

The Cleveland Cavaliers won the Eastern Conference last season and are early favorites to repeat this season. Any sleepers out there worth a bet?

Continue reading →

2014-15 NBA Team Preview: Chicago Bulls

A power shift is happening in Eastern Conference. The departure of LeBron James from Miami and Paul George’s injury will mean new faces will be atop the East Cleveland and Chicago will most likely be the two teams fighting for home-court advantage.

Chicago has some new faces and one important one returning from two injuries, Derrick Rose. Pau Gasol, Aaron Brooks and European star Nijola Mirotic will be making their Chicago debuts this season. The Brooks signing was sneaky good, since Rose will definitely need to rest his knees at times.

The Bulls exceeded expectations after Rose went down with another knee injury last season. Joakim Noah put the team on his back and put up insane numbers. Can he repeat last year’s MVP-worthy performance?

We will be posting a team preview for every team up until the start of the regular season.

Here is the 2014-15 NBA season preview for the Chicago Bulls.

Continue reading →

Fantasy Basketball: Week 9 – Top 10 Waiver Wire Pickups

I hope you’re doing well in fantasy basketball this season. I’ve been taking chances on guys with big upside and stashing them away. That strategy has worked so far, but I’m still tweaking with my roster, in-between poker hands at 888poker.com. I just keep finding quality guys on the waiver wire.

I advise you to look at every box score, especially bad teams’ box scores. You can find a few gems on bad teams. Players aren’t as highly coveted and they can slip through the cracks. You will find bargains, trust me.

For example, the Milwaukee Bucks have a few players worth a pick up, you’ll find two in this post.

Most of these players are owned in less than 50% of leagues (and some are owned in less than 10%). You should pick these guys up or at least keep a close eye on them.

Continue reading →

Fantasy Basketball: Week 5 – Top 10 Waiver Wire Pickups

Fantasy basketball just finished its first month of play. The toll of the season is starting to show its ugly face. A few major injuries occurred last week with Marc Gasol and Derrick Rose both suffering significant injuries.

Sports is all about opportunity and ‘the next guy up’, so Memphis and Chicago will look to the bench. Which players will benefit the most and receive more playing time?

On the other side, there are a few guys returning from injuries (Trevor Ariza & Tobias Harris). Which players on Washington and Orlando will they replace in the lineup?

Most of these players are owned in less than 50% of leagues (and some are owned in less than 10%). You should pick these guys up or at least keep a close eye on them.

Continue reading →

Chicago Bulls: 2012 Summer League Roster

The NBA Summer League will soon begin in Las Vegas. The yearly ritual of basketball bloggers tweeting about how much he loves an undrafted college player because he wants to be the first to be “all-in” on a guy.

The Chicago Bulls squad in Vegas has a wide range of talent. You a guy who will play a major role this season (Marquis Teague) to a player who owns an NBA championship ring (Leon Powe).

Chicago will be looking for cheap options to fill out their roster in 2012-13. Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver aren’t expected back, but they could use their amnesty clause on Carlos Boozer.

The Summer League roster for the Chicago Bulls is after the jump…

*Jimmy Butler – 6’7 220 lbs. – SG/SF – Marquette (NCAA)
Olek Czyz – 6’7 240 lbs. – SF/PF – Nevada (NCAA)
Justin Johnson – 6’2 175 lbs. – SG/PG – Concordia-Irvine (NCAA)
Demetri McCamey – 6’3 204 lbs. – PG – Illinois (NCAA)
Ramone Moore – 6’5 188 lbs. – SG – Temple (NCAA)
Leon Powe – 6’8 240 lbs. – PF – California-Berkely (NCAA)
Chase Simon – 6’5 216 lbs. – SG – Detroit (NCAA)
Henry Sims – 7’0 241 lbs. – PF/C – Georgetown (NCAA)
Jamie Skeen – 6’8 242 lbs. – PF – Virginia Commonwealth (NCAA)
Jermaine Taylor – 6’4 205 lbs. – SG – Central Florida (NCAA)
Marquis Teague – 6’2 189 lbs. – PG – Kentucky (NCAA)
Malcolm Thomas – 6’9 223 lbs. – SF/PF – San Diego State (NCAA)
Edwin Ubiles – 6’6 204 lbs. – SG/SF – Siena (NCAA)

*previously on Chicago Bulls 2011-12 roster

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Will Phil Jackson Coach the Orlando Magic Next Season?

The Orlando Sentinel reported last week that Phil Jackson was a serious candidate for either the Orlando Magic‘s coaching vacancy or to fill a spot in their front office. The talks were rumored to fall apart last week, but former Magic player Sam Vincent sparked them back up.

Vincent played with the Chicago Bulls while Jackson was an assistant and he spent the final portion of his playing career with Orlando. He is trying to broker a deal that would land Jackson and other well-known basketball figures in Orlando.

Jackson has a large compound in Montana and his girlfriend is in the Los Angeles Lakers front office. Would Jackson be able to commit enough time in Orlando? Would Dwight Howard stay if the Magic hired Jackson?

Vincent’s proposal to the Magic would land Jackson and himself in the Magic’s front office. The head coaching vacancy would be filled by current Indiana Pacers assistant Brian Shaw, who was Jackson’s lead assistant during his tenure as coach of the Lakers. Shaw has ties to the Orlando area. He played on the Magic during their successful run with Shaquille O’Neal and Anfernee Hardaway leading that squad.

The crazy part of Vincent’s proposal would be the inclusion of Scottie Pippen. He would be Shaw’s lead assistant. Pippen hasn’t had any coaching experience and his only post-playing career NBA job has been as the Bulls team ambassador. He played most of his career under Jackson, so he could be there to help teach how to play the ‘triangle offense.’

Jackson will come with a hefty price tag. He made $12 million in his last season as the coach of the Lakers. He wouldn’t be in the same position with the Magic, but having him associated with the franchise won’t come cheap.

Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins is rumored to be looking for a front office staff that would spend a lot of their time locally. In Vincent’s proposal, Jackson would dedicate one week every month in Orlando along with various community appearances sprinkled throughout the year.

Dwight Howard and Jackson have communicated throughout the young center’s career. Jackson has told Howard that he would love to coach the him at some point. If the Magic hired Jackson as an employee, even as a figurehead, Howard could change his mind about leaving Orlando.

If Vincent’s proposal is turned down, a person could argue that Brian Shaw would accept a coaching job in Orlando. The GM position will be filled before the coaching vacancy is addressed. Shaw would be on any newly-hired GM’s list. Shaw was in line to get the head coaching job with the Lakers, but he was leapfrogged by Mike Brown. He went to the Pacers as an assistant and along with coach Frank Vogel, improved the team.

Martins is rumored to be looking at a laundry list of front office candidates. Former New Orleans Hornets general manager Jeff Bower, San Antonio Spurs vice president/assistant general manager Dennis Lindsey, Oklahoma City Thunder vice president/assistant general manager Troy Weaver, Thunder assistant GM Rob Hennigan and Indiana Pacers director of player personnel Kevin Pritchard are on his short-list.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

10 Reasons: Why Indiana Pacers Can Win NBA Title

The Indiana Pacers didn’t have a nationally televised game this season. At one point this season, they had the NBA’s lowest attendance numbers in the league. Yes, even the Charlotte Bobcats were beating them in attendance for most of the season. Indiana surprised everyone this year and took a leap from last year’s #8 seed to this year’s #3 seed in the playoffs.

NBA analysts have been divided on whether the Pacers benefited from this year’s schedule or if they are legit. Indiana is full of young players who are still peaking, so they are a bit unpredictable. They started off the season on fire, but suffered a mid-season slump. After acquiring Leandro Barbosa, they went 18-9 and finished the season 42-24. Can the Pacers be consistent enough to win a series against the Miami Heat? How does Indiana match-up against the best teams in the West?

1. Roy Hibbert is a defensive nightmare for the Miami Heat. Hibbert is one of the most improved players in the NBA. He hasn’t put up get offensive numbers in the playoffs, but he can block any guards that drive in the lane. There aren’t many legit big men in the playoffs and the ones that are left (Joakim Noah, Andrew Bynum, Marc Gasol), he has had big games against in the past. Joel Anthony isn’t an offensive threat, but Hibbert is more physical and will be able to score.

2. Paul George is turning into an elite defender. George came into the league with a big question mark. He had all of the tools to be a great player in the league, but no one knew if he would develop into one. He was good at a lot of things, but not great. He didn’t have a position out of college, much like Evan Turner. He has improved his game at every level and could be the Pacers’ franchise player very soon. In the past, Indiana has relied on Dahntay Jones to defend the team’s best scorer. He has done well, but he is an offensive liability. He takes too many bad shots and he has a quick trigger. George was top-10 in steals, steal %, and steals per game. He would guard Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Dwayne Wade with Danny Granger sharing the duty.

3. Danny Granger is a consistent scorer. I couldn’t say this at the beginning of the season, but he finished the season on a hot streak. He raised his points per game to 18.7 and finished the season shooting 38% from behind the arc. He doesn’t have the pressure to be the team’s leading scorer, since George, Hibbert, and David West could all easily have 20-point games. I have confidence in him taking the final shot and cemented his place as the team leader.

4. David West is fully-healed from his knee surgery. Before the All-Star break, West wasn’t playing maximum minutes and Tyler Hansbrough would often finish the games at power-forward. West is turning into a 20-10 guy and help the Pacers go 18-9 down the stretch. He is the enforcer in the paint, much like Kendrick Perkins was during the Boston Celtics title run. Teams are scared to go in the paint with West and Hibbert occupying it.

5. George Hill is a better starting point-guard than Darren Collison. When Collison went down with an injury a month ago, Hill stepped in and the team went on a seven-game winning streak. The team is much better on the fast break than in the half-court and Hill is a better scoring threat on the break. Hill only averages 1.0 turnovers per game, Collison improved his turnovers per game to 1.9, but Hill is better with the ball. Pacers’ fans are now happy that they traded their first-round draft pick (that turned into Kawhi Leonard) to the Spurs for Hill.

6. Indiana’s bench is one of the deepest teams in the league. At the trading deadline, the Pacers traded a second-round draft pick to Toronto for Leandro Barbosa. They needed a bench scorer and he has delivered. Hansbrough, Barbosa, Collison, Louis Amundson, Jones, and Lance Stephenson are an exciting second unit. Hansbrough and Amundson are motor guys that always fight for the ball and Jones can deliver perimeter defense. They will have an advantage when the opposing team rests their starters.

7. Indiana has the confidence that they can beat any team. As in #8 seed in last year’s playoffs, they made the Chicago Bulls fight for every win. They weren’t supposed to make that series close, but Derrick Rose had to give 100% to win that series. They have beat most of the teams in the playoffs and have only had a few games this season that were out of reach early. The team is peaking at the right time in the season.

8. The Pacers are an excellent road team. They had a winning road record (19-14) and even averaged more points per game away from home (95.5). If they slip up at home, like they did against the Magic in Game 1, they can make it up on the road. I know that it is tougher to win on the road in the playoffs, but like I said before, their confidence is at a season-high.

9. Derrick Rose’s unfortunate injury opens up the Eastern Conference race. Indiana has to play their way through Miami to face where Chicago would be, but they match-up well again the top part of the Eastern Conference playoff bracket. Miami will be their toughest challenge in the East, so if they make it to the Conference finals, they will be favored. They will have a difficult match-up against the Western Conference winner, but it won’t be as lopsided as experts would predict.

10. A playoff match-up against Indiana will be a “trap series” for the Heat. Miami has only one goal, to win the NBA Championship. Their season would be a disappointment if they fall short of their goal. No matter who the Heat face in the second-round, Magic or Pacers, their focus will be past their opponent. A team will be able to sneak a couple wins against them throughout the playoffs, so that extra win could sway the series. I’m excited to see Indiana play Miami, since the entire country will be rooting for them to knockout Lebron and his “South Beach talents.”

No matter how far the Pacers make it in the playoffs, this season will be considered a success. They are a young team and are expected to make the playoffs many times in the near future.

I just hope that this is the year that Indiana hangs their first banner as a member of the NBA.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

McGrady Would Be Nice Fit For Bulls

The Chicago Bulls are rumored to be interested in signing Tracy McGrady. The 31-year old has been on the shelf with injuries over the last few seasons, but has shown the ability to score points in a hurry in the past. Would he accept a bench role for a chance to make it out of the first-round of the playoffs? Would he accept a a one-year, incentive based, low salary deal? Those questions are yet to be answered, but I believe he would be a nice fit on the young Bulls team.

The Bulls have been very active this off-season and they are making a push to be contenders this season. They have had the moniker of “team on the rise” over the last three seasons, but with the addition of Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, and Ronnie Brewer, they are becoming a very deep team. Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah had career years last season and they are yet to hit their prime. The Bulls know that the window for this team is a few seasons, but that could change with key injuries.

McGrady, who is still younger than his body seems to be, could mentor some of the players on the team and help them mature. He has been a leader on some very good teams, but has always fell short of making it out of the first-round. The only season in which his team made is past the first-round, was when he was injured and couldn’t play. The risk of signing McGrady would be his knee. He had microfracture surgery and it usually takes two years for a player to regain his prior form or it never comes back at all. Amar’e Stoudamire had the surgery two seasons ago and he came out in 2009-10 and had a very productive year. He is a success story, but with that story come many others that aren’t as positive. Chris Webber had the surgery and even though he was solid when coming back, he was never the same. Age could be to blame in Webber’s case, but having the microfracture surgery couldn’t have helped.

Signing a player who has a history of injuries is very risky. It usually doesn’t work out and with the guaranteed contracts in the NBA, it’s a chance that many GMs don’t want to take. The one example of an injury-plagued player bouncing back later in his career is Grant Hill. He basically had his ankle completely reconstructed and had various other injuries when he was with the Orlando Magic. He signed a very cheap deal to resurrect his career with the Phoenix Suns and he has had a second-life with the team. I hope McGrady has the same luck, because he was such a phenomenal scorer during his prime, it would be a shame that an injury could shorten his career.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2009-10 NBA Preview: Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls had one of the best playoff series ever against the Boston Celtics last year. Unfortunately for fans, it was in the first round, but the level of play in that series was only equaled by the NBA Finals. Derrick Rose had a great rookie season and a late-season trade with the Kings was the best trade deadline transaction last year. Will the Bulls miss Ben Gordon? Can Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah finally develop? Here is our 2009-10 NBA Preview for the Chicago Bulls.

Additions/Subtractions – I’m not going to say that the Chicago Bulls will not miss Ben Gordon, but he wasn’t a starter on Chicago. He may have played starter minutes as the sixth-man, but he was very inconsistent. When they made the trade with the Kings last year to acquire John Salmons, he was their insurance policy if Gordon left in the off-season. This team shouldn’t look that different from the team that lost against the Celtics in the first-round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Jannero Pargo is with the team again after being with the Hornets the last two seasons, they signed the often banged-up Jerome James, and they have two very good draft picks. James Johnson will be a work in progress with a very high upside and Taj Gibson could be more NBA-ready. They expect big things from these guys and they should be starters in a couple years.

2009-10 Expectations – NBA teams aren’t supposed to have playoff seasons with a new coach and rookie point guard, but Chicago did that. They set the bar high for this season with the great playoff series against the Celtics last year and the emergence of Derrick Rose as a NBA superstar. The expectations for this team is very high and anything less than a playoff appearance would be disappointing. They have to get to the 2nd round for this team to feel good about the season. Derrick Rose had an injury and will start the season a little banged up, but the Bulls will be a very fun team to watch. They have players that can fun the fast break and with Brad Miller, a true low-post center. Chicago wants Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas to take it to the next level and live up to their high draft pick status. Thomas was rough when the Bulls drafted him and has had moments of looking like a future star, but he isn’t consistent. Noah has developed into a good rebounder, but his offensive game hasn’t improved very much.

2009-10 Prediction – This team is full of winnners at the collegiate level. Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, and Tyrus Thomas all were on winners in college and sometimes that’s all a team needs, players who know how to win. I believe Chicago has the ability to win close games. Derrick Rose and John Salmons will be All-Stars this season. Chicago could use some more depth at small forward, if can get a deal for a nice back-up SF near the trade deadline, they should jump at that. The Bulls will start off slow, but as they usually go, turn it up in the 2nd-half of the season and get into the playoffs. I don’t see a huge jump in their win total, but they should end up as the #5 or #6 seed and hopefully avoid the Boston Celtics in the first-round of the playoffs.

2009-10 Win Total – 46-36

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Are The Chicago Bulls Better in 2009-10?

The Bulls lost Ben Gordon this off-season via free agency to the Pistons, but the nucleus is there for the team to do well going forward. They traded for John Salmons and Brad Miller at the trading deadline last year, which turned out to be a great move. What Derrick Rose did with this team as a rookie was great and point guards tend to make jump in year two, which could be scary for the other teams in the Eastern Conference. Can the Bulls be better in 2009-10, even though they lost Ben Gordon?

With a rookie head coach, Vinny Del Negro, and a rookie point guard, Rose, the Bulls made the playoffs last year. They had a much better 2nd-half of the season, thanks to the Salmons/Miller trade. Del Negro did some good things, but still has a lot to do to make the next leap and get this team a higher seed and make it to later rounds of the playoffs. The Bulls/Celtics playoff series last year was one of the best in the history of the NBA, unfortunately it was a first-round match-up. Both of the teams deserved to move on in that series, it was amazing. Ben Gordon was a big part of that series, they will miss him, but with Salmons having an off-season to get familiar with the team, he could turn into something more special.

The back-court on the Bulls is the biggest asset to the team. Rose and Salmons will be great and Kirk Hinrich will be backing up Rose and play some two-guard as a 6th man. They could benefit from adding some depth at SG/SF, since the only Jannero Pargo is listed as the back-up an either of those positions. Depth will be an issue and if an injury occurs at either SG/SF, they could be in trouble.

The front-court needed a veteran and by adding Brad Miller, it happened. He can mentor Aaron Gray, Joakim Noah, and Tyrus Thomas and help them develop into great players. Noah and Thomas will be battling for playing time, but Thomas was trade bait this off-season, but nothing happened. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is moved for back-court depth at some point this season. James Johnson and Taj Gibson were drafted and just waiting for an opportunity at PF, which Gibson could see time in the D-League to save a roster spot.

Do I think that the Bulls will be a better team without Ben Gordon? Yes I do, let me explain why. Gordon has never really developed into a consistent starter in the NBA. He could come off the bench and put in 20 points in the 4th quarter, but in many of those games, they were already behind and he didn’t help. Don’t get me wrong, Gordon is a good player, but John Salmons is the starting SG that this team needed. I think Derrick Rose will get the best out of the players on this team and with a few signings next off-season, they could be one of top teams in the league. The team could be a year or two away, but with the decline of the Celtics on the horizon during that time span and the possibility of Lebron James leaving Cleveland, there will be a spot in the Eastern Conference there for them.

My prediction for the Bulls is for them to end up as a 4th seed in the Eastern Conference. Their overall record will be around 53 win team and do well in the playoffs next season. I see great things for them this year and their future is even brighter. If they can build from the solid performance last season, 53 wins is very attainable. Derrick Rose could be an MVP candidate if they surpass 53 wins and he could turn into what Chris Paul has been the last two seasons. Chicago will be better than last year and the games against Detroit will be very fun to watch.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.