Daniel Fleming/Shepherd Express
If you had told me before the 2014-'15 NBA season that Jabari Parker would go down for the season in December and Larry Sanders would exit the Bucks stage left with his best Cat Stevens impression, I would have thought they'd be lottery-bound again for certain. But somehow, here the Bucks are in the playoffs as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks' success this year is a testament to Jason Kidd and his coaching staff, who have spun straw into gold. Although this is just beginning for this young Bucks team, it's nice to see how quickly the team's young talent has developed under Kidd and his masterful staff of assistants.
Personally, I was disappointed to see that the Toronto Raptors couldn't win more games than the Chicago Bulls during the final week of the season and secure the number three seed. The Bucks matched up much better against Toronto. Now the boys in green will have to face off with Head Coach Tom Thibodeau's feisty, tenacious, defensive-minded Chicago Bulls team, with the Bradley Center flooded with Bulls fans for every Bucks home game. Hearing opposing fans boo Bucks players in what's supposed to be their home court on nationally televised games is the absolute worst.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Bucks fans. This team is about three years from becoming the powerhouse that we're all eagerly awaiting. Still, with the Bucks finally gelling after the Brandon Knight trade threw off team chemistry, they'll likely make this a compelling series with the heavy favorite Bulls.
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Coach Comparison
MKE's Jason Kidd and CHI's Tom Thibodeau
Bucks Head Coach Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd deserves to win Coach of the Year honors this year, no question about it. What he and his coaching staff have accomplished is nothing short of miraculous. The guy has taken a Bucks team that finished 15-67 in 2014 under Larry Drew, subtracted talent from the roster, and somehow still transformed these Bucks into a .500 team.
Kidd coached the Brooklyn Nets in the playoffs last year, but still has much less experience coaching big games than his counterpart on the Bulls. However, he has been figuring out ways to win all season and I believe that he'll have the strategical guile to make this series much more competitive than the national media would have you think, especially considering that the Bucks' defensive efficiency rose to number two in the league this season under Kidd (at 99.3) while a Bulls team that prides itself on defense fell to 11th in that category.
Bulls Head Coach Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau is beleaguered at best. Last week, ESPN's Marc Stein reported that these playoffs will most likely mark Thibodeau's last games at the helm of the Bulls. The Bulls are expected to be perennial title contenders in the Derrick Rose era, but they've failed to even make it to an NBA Finals under Thibs as of yet.
There have also been reports that there is a disconnect between Thibodeau and his players, and a general feeling of unrest in the Bulls locker-room. This is probably a result of high expectations coupled with season-long injuries and underperformance, but with a payroll like the Bulls have, GM Gar Forman and owner Jerry Reinsdorf are likely going to use Thibodeau as a scapegoat after another disappointing showing in the playoffs.
That being said, Thibodeau is a coach with a fantastic pedigree and is seen as the premiere defensive coach in the NBA. He served as an assistant coach for seven NBA teams before taking his head coach role in Chicago in 2010 and he's led the Bulls to the playoffs every year since taking on the role.
Advantage: Even
The playoffs have the feeling of a chess-match much more so than the regular season and it will be interesting to see these two excellent coaches square off in a battle of wits. The Bulls have a superior talent-level, but they also have to carry the burden of expectations, while Kidd and the Bucks have nothing to lose in trying to upset the heavy favorite.
Point Guard Comparison
MKE's Michael Carter-Williams and CHI's Derrick Rose
Bucks PG Michael Carter-Williams
The foremost reason to believe in the Bucks' chances is the resurgence of starting point guard Michael Carter-Williams. After struggling through March, averaging 13.4 points/3.6 rebounds/5.5 assists, he's figured out his role with his new team and averaged 17 points/5.3 rebounds/6 assists in eight games this April. His new-found chemistry with teammates Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetekounmpo has become a thing of beauty. His recent 30 point, 8 assist game against a full strength Cleveland Cavaliers team really tipped the scales for me (especially considering that his mid-range jumper has gone from hideous to average in a very short amount of time).
MCW's resurgence began when he led the Bucks to a 95-91 victory against the Bulls on April 1. In that game, Derrick Rose was out with an injured knee and Jason Kidd exploited the matchup of the 6-foot 6-inch Carter-Williams and the Bulls' 6-foot Aaron Brooks, giving MCW the ball in isolation in the low post and allowing him to essentially score at will.
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Bulls PG Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose is one of the unluckiest people on the planet, but he's a warrior. He's recovered from more potentially career-ending injuries than anyone else in the game. He suffered a torn meniscus this season, but has returned just in time for the playoffs.
Unfortunately for Bulls fans, Rose is not the MVP caliber player he used to be. He's struggled since returning from injury and the Bulls were only .9 points/48 minutes this season with him on the court. Even in a big-game situation, it's unrealistic to expect that he miraculously returns to form, and Brooks can't handle MCW in the post.
Advantage: Bucks
Call me crazy, but I'll be shocked if Rose is able to outscore or outdefend Carter-Williams in this series.
Shooting Guard Comparison
MKE's Khris Middleton and CHI's Jimmy Butler
Bucks SG Khris Middleton
Kidd has referred to Khris Middleton as the best player on the Bucks. Middleton is the Bucks' best offensive player and, with his above average size and wingspan, he excels on the defensive end as well. The closest comparison I can think of for Middleton is Rip Hamilton (who was an excellent player in his prime).
The Bucks were nearly 16 points better this year with Middleton on the court. He shot over 40% from three-point range on the year and has demonstrated the ability to score and dish out of the post. He also demonstrated that he's clutch, with one of the best moments of the Bucks season below.
Will there be more heroics from Deuces in this series? Middleton's got his work cut out for him against his matchup, the Bulls' perennial all-star Jimmy Butler.
Bulls SG Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler's life is an inspirational story. He's one of the hardest working players in sports and he's almost a lock to win the most improved player award this year after upping his averages from 13.1 ppg on .397% shooting in 2013-2014 to 20.0 ppg on .462% shooting this year. Compare his stats this year with his first three in the league and it's safe to say that Butler suddenly blossoming into a perennial all-star was unexpected.
Butler's calling card is his defensive ability, as he puts in more effort on the defensive end than just about anyone. He even took responsibility for the Bulls' defensive woes this season. While Joakim Noah is probably the defacto leader of the Bulls, Butler is the heart and soul of their team.
Advantage: Bulls
Though Middleton has the size advantage, the athleticism and ability to finish at the rim, the defensive ability of Butler will decide this matchup.
Small Forward Comparison
MKE's Giannis Antetokounmpo and CHI's Mike Dunleavy
Bucks SF Giannis Antetokounmpo
Kidd benched Giannis Antetokounmpo on April 8 against the Cavaliers. Kidd's benching tactic served as a wake-up call for the young phenom, who responded the following game with an impassioned, emotional, even angry performance, as highlighted below in one of the greatest plays of the Greek Freak's career.
Antetokounmpo is a once in a lifetime talent with an unprecedented skillset and no obvious NBA comparison of past or present. He's freakishly long at 6-foot 11-inches with a 7-foot 5-inch wingspan and he's demonstrated the ability to play any position on either offense or defense. At only 20 years old, his prime years are still four or five years down the road and gaining the experience of playing in a playoff series this year will bode very well for his continued development.
He seems capable of shifting to the next level and rising to the occasion and he'll have to dominate his matchup with the Bulls' Mike Dunleavy if the Bucks expect to compete in the series.
Bulls SF Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Milwaukee basketball fans remember Mike Dunleavy from his years with the Bucks. He's a consummate veteran, with one of the highest basketball IQ's in the NBA due to his dad being an NBA coach and spending three years at Duke under world-class coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Dunleavy spreads the floor, knows how to position himself on offense and defense, and has that veteran experience that makes a big difference in the playoffs.
Advantage: Bucks
Even with Dunleavy playing nearly flawless basketball, if Antetokounmpo plays with the fire that he has recently, he should dominate this matchup.
Power Forward Comparison
MKE's Ersan Iyasova and CHI's Pau Gasol
Bucks PF Ersan Ilyasova
Ersan Ilyasova is a wily, pesky player. He knows how to get in position on defense and take a charge or box out on the defensive glass. He rebounded in 2014-'15 from an abysmal 2013-'14 campaign as his three-point shooting percentage climbed from .282% last season to .389% this year.
If Ilyasova can hit his threes, it will make this series much more interesting, as it will force Pau Gasol to the perimeter and open up the lane for the likes of Carter-Williams and Antetokounmpo. Still, Ilyasova will have his work cut out for him trying to defend the much larger Gasol and Noah in the low post.
Bulls PF Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol easily has the most playoff experience of any player in the series and he has also won two championships as Kobe Bryant's sidekick for the Los Angeles Lakers. He's one of the most talented big men in all of basketball, has a great shooting touch, a good face-up or back to the basket game and scored a career-high 46 points against the Bucks on January 10.
The Bucks seemed to figure Gasol out in their 95-91 victory over the Bulls on April 1, as they held him to just 14 points. Still, that game seems like a bit of an outlier and Gasol has had the Bucks number for years.
Advantage: Bulls
This is the single most lopsided matchup of the series, look for Gasol to put up impressive numbers against the overmatched Ilyasova and Zaza Pachulia.
Starting Center Comparison
MKE's Zaza Pachulia and CHI's Joakim Noah
Bucks C Zaza Pachulia
Zaza Pachulia has been very impressive this season. He's showed that he's a skilled passer, an apt jump shooter and a key glue-guy for a Bucks team that looks to him for veteran leadership.
The 11 year veteran's biggest deficiency is his inside defense and shotblocking, as he has only managed .4 blocks per game over the course of his career. If the Bulls dominate the Bucks inside, look for Kidd to play John Henson more at center, as he has been on a shot-blocking rampage as of lately.
Bulls C Joakim Noah
Joakim Noah is one of the elite centers in the NBA, cut from the same emotional yet cerebral cloth as Kevin Garnett. He's always active on the boards and has a way of disrupting offenses with his quick hands and tireless work ethic.
Noah is also the best passing center in the NBA, at one point last season serving as the quarterback of the Bulls offense and averaging over seven assists per game between March and April. On the defensive side, he's a legitimate defensive anchor and will make it difficult for the young Bucks to score inside.
The only question mark with Noah is whether he can remain healthy, as he is listed day-to-day with a hamstring injury.
Advantage: Bulls
Pachulia is no slouch, but Noah is a stud. The combination of all-stars Gasol and Noah in the frontcourt is the single biggest advantage that the Bulls have over the Bucks.
Bench Comparison
Bucks Bench
The Bucks benefit from having one of the best benches in all of basketball. Much was made of the Brandon Knight trade being responsible for the Bucks' 11 wins and 18 losses after the All-Star break, but poor bench play was the actual culprit.
OJ Mayo is one of the best sixth men in the NBA, and the Bucks only won 3 of 13 games this season in which he wasn't on the court, all of which occurring in the second half of the season. Small forward Jared Dudley shot only 32% in March as the Bucks lost four of fifteen games, compared to Dudley shooting 52% in January and February. Backup point guard Jerryd Bayless' shooting percentage dropped from 48% in February to 38% in March, and he hit just 30% of the time in April.
The lone bright stop off the bench for the Bucks in the second half of the season was reserve big man John Henson. Henson is the Bucks only legitimate rim protector and has seen a steady improvement over the course of the season.
If the Bucks are going to win, they're going to need Mayo, Dudley and Bayless to return to mid-season form and excel offensively against the Bulls weaker second unit.
Bulls Bench
The Bulls bench is highlighted by unexpected Rookie of the Year candidate Nikola Mirotic, who really stepped up for the Bulls when the team was riddled with injuries. The 24 year old Yugoslavian upped his scoring average from 5.8 ppg in March to 20.8 in April, as he became the Bulls top scoring option with the absence of Butler and Rose. Although he's a rookie, he's got a very well developed game and Thibodeau has referred to him as "fearless" on the offensive end. Watch him put on a clinic against the Thunder below.
The rest of the Bulls bench is suspect. Backup shooting guard Kirk Hinrich will miss game 1 of the series with a hyperextended left knee. Reserve point guard Aaron Brooks provides a scoring spark for the Bulls off the bench and is capable of putting up points in high volumes if left open. Small forward Tony Snell has the ability to hit the mid range jumper and the three, but isn't consistent. Power forward Taj Gibson plays with heart and is a force on the defensive end and the boards.
Advantage: Bucks
Even with the presence of Mirotic, the Bucks bench should outperform Chicago's in the series. It probably won't be enough to offset Chicago's brilliant starting lineup.
Final Verdict: Bulls in 6
The Bucks should put up a strong fight under Kidd, but it's unlikely they'll pull off a series victory. Chicago just has too many weapons and is the more experienced team.
The Bulls will likely dominate the glass and limit the Bucks ability to score inside, and the young Bucks will likely make too many mistakes as Middleton, Antetokounmpo, and Carter-Williams experience the post-season for the first time.
On an optimistic note, two or three years down the road, the tables will be turned.
