Thompson: No. 1 Seed More Important To Bulls
By Brad Thompson--
It's a three-horse race in the Eastern Conference for the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage in the playoffs. Chicago is the hottest team in the league right now, winners of eight in a row. Going into Friday, Chicago holds a half game lead over Boston and is three and a half games up on Miami. Claiming the top spot in the East means more to the Bulls than it does to the Celtics or the Heat.
Chicago has the best home record in the Eastern Conference at 30-4, but that's not the primary reason why they need home court. It's the Bulls' lack of playoff experience that's the most concerning and securing home court in the playoffs could put them on a level playing field with the Celtics and Heat.
The Celtics are a veteran club with a nucleus that has already won a ring and battled the Lakers in the Finals last season. For Boston, it's more important for their team to be healthy and fresh come playoff time than it is to be the No. 1 seed. The aging Celtics proved last year when they limped into the playoffs that they have the experience to win playoff games at home and on the road.
No one is quite sure what to expect from the Heat come playoff time, but they also have more playoff experience than the Bulls, if only slightly. Wade won a championship with Miami in 2006, and LeBron took the Cavaliers to the Finals in 2007. Chris Bosh and the Heat as a team lack playoff experience, but they can overcome that with talent, something the Bulls can't do as easily. Miami has the superstar talent to win playoff series even without a home-court advantage.
Miami also has the least passionate fans out of the three teams. Chicago and Boston both have very loyal fan bases that are in their seats before the games start and are more passionate than the fans in South Beach. With help from rabid fans, Chicago's home-court advantage means more to the Bulls than Miami's does.
The combination of youth and playoff inexperience exemplifies why it's crucial for Chicago to wrap up the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. This isn't to say that Bulls can't advance to the Finals as a No. 2 seed or even a No. 3 seed; they play as a team better than any other team in the league. With that said, securing home court in the playoffs is still more critical to the Bulls' success than to Boston or Miami. Having home court could be what makes up for the Bulls' playoff inexperience and, ultimately, propels them to the NBA Finals.
Do you agree with Brad? Post your comments below.
Brad M. Thompson, a former college football player and coach, made his return to the Midwest in 2009 after fighting wildfires out West. He earned his master's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and covers the Big Ten Conference and Chicago sports. Follow him on Twitter at @Brad_M_Thompson. Find more of Brad's blogs here.
