Breaking down the Hawks-Bulls matchups

[HawkItus]

ESPN.com: Bulls [Print without images]

Friday, April 29, 2011

Breaking down the Hawks-Bulls matchups

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By Nick Friedell

CHICAGO -- Now that the Eastern Conference semifinals matchup between the Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks is set, let's take a closer look who has an advantage heading into the series.

Derrick Rose averaged 25.3 points per a game in three contests between the Bulls and Hawks.

Point guard: Derrick Rose vs. Kirk Hinrich

Advantage: Bulls

Derrick Rose is the probable NBA MVP. He has been dominant the entire season, making play after play when the Bulls needed him most throughout the year and during his team's first round series against the Pacers. As long as his sprained left ankle is healthy, he should be able to continue his stellar play against the Hawks. Having said that, Rose has said repeatedly that Kirk Hinrich guards him tougher than almost any other guard in the league. Hinrich knows Rose's moves, but Rose is a tough cover, even when you know what's coming. Hinrich said last month that guarding Rose was a "nightmare," but there's little doubt he will be fired up to face the team that traded him away last summer. Hinrich strained his hamstring in Thursday night's win over the Orlando Magic, so it will be interesting to see if he is able to play against the Bulls.

Shooting guard: Keith Bogans vs. Joe Johnson

Advantage: Hawks

Johnson has the ability to score 25 points whenever he wants and can be dangerous out on the wings. The Bulls' 2-guards -- Bogans, Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver -- must do a solid job of defending Johnson or else the Hawks will keep feeding him the ball. The ironic twist is that Johnson was one of the guys Rose wanted the Bulls to go after hard during last summer's free agent period, but Johnson decided to sign the biggest contract of the summer and stay in Atlanta.

Small forward: Luol Deng vs. Josh Smith

Advantage: Bulls

Thibodeau has called Deng "the glue" of this Bulls team time after time this season. He is one of the best defenders on the team and is good for almost 20 points every night. Smith is a superb athlete, but his jumper can still be shaky -- evidenced by his 3-for-14 performance on Thursday night. Deng is a more consistent player and that should come out during this series.

Power Forward: Carlos Boozer vs. Al Horford

Advantage: Hawks

Boozer's confidence may be at a season-low after a bad series against the Pacers. Aside from a solid Game 2 performance, he did not play well and dealt with a lot of criticism from fans and media. Horford, on the other hand, finally helped slay the dragon that is Dwight Howard. He should have plenty of confidence against the Bulls -- especially considering he had one of his biggest games of the season against them in early March, going off for 31 points and 16 rebounds, torching both Boozer and Joakim Noah. If Boozer can break out of his funk in this series, it will go a long way toward winning back some of the fans he's already lost in Chicago. If he doesn't, the scrutiny surrounding him will only intensify.

Center: Joakim Noah vs. Jason Collins

Advantage: Bulls

Noah is finally starting to look like his old self , the guy who would have been an All Star this season had he not torn a ligament in his thumb. He had several big games against the Pacers and appears to be playing injury-free for the first time in several months. He should be able to handle both Collins and backup Zaza Pachulia, both of whom aren't threats on the offensive end. If Noah plays with the energy he showed against Indiana, the Bulls should be in good shape.

Benches

Advantage: Even.

The Bulls' bench was one of the best in the league over the regular season, but Thibodeau showed during the Pacers series that he has cut down the rotations and the "Bench Mob" disappeared for a while. While the Bulls are still probably a deeper team, the advantage that might have been there in the regular season is probably gone now. Unless Noah gets into foul trouble, Kurt Thomas and Omer Asik aren't going to play much. Neither is C.J. Watson, unless Rose gets into foul trouble. So that leaves Korver, Taj Gibson and Ronnie Brewer as the only three who could see a lot of meaningful minutes.

Compare that to Jamal Crawford, Marvin Williams and Pachulia and that seems like a pretty even matchup. Crawford can go off for 20 points whenever he wants. He is one of the most dangerous reserves in the league, but the Bulls feel confident that Korver is in rhythm and will continue to give them a big boost. Gibson has a chance to be a major difference maker for the Bulls if Boozer's struggles continue.

Coaching: Tom Thibodeau vs. Larry Drew

Advantage: Bulls

Both coaches have done a great job in their first year as head coaches, but Thibodeau's playoff experience should be vital. He won a ring as essentially the defensive coordinator of the Boston Celtics, and he should be able to find a way to slow down the Hawks. After all, aside from a bad half in a game on March 2, the Bulls have absolutely crushed Atlanta this season. Drew found a way to get past Howard and the Magic, but the challenge of slowing down Rose may prove to be too great.

The pick: Bulls in 5.

The Hawks have a cadre of solid players. Horford is very good, so are Johnson, Smith and Crawford. Hinrich, if healthy, is going to give Rose some problems. The difference is that the Bulls have a team full of solid players as well ... and they have Rose. As was the case in Pacers series, Rose should prove to be the biggest difference in this one. The Bulls play disciplined basketball that should wear the Hawks out of the course of a seven game series.

[txsting]

I think they have it wrong by placing Collins in the lineup. Orlando was a unique dynamic, but typically we only start Collins against offensive scoring threats.

I think Al/Josh can more than hold their own against the Bulls frontcourt. I agree the backcourt matchups are split. Again, Marvin needs to come up big and try to stay with Deng. That's asking a lot.

What about the benches?

[Wretch]

They're also looking at Josh Smith from a completely offensive perspective. He can give us absolutely nothing on the offensive end and still be every bit as valuable as either Boozer or Deng at SF. There was a time when it was seriously up for debate - as to who exactly was more important to this team. Josh has fallen off because he isn't doing what made him so valuable to us and because he isn't being used right. We need him, especially in this series, rebounding the ball and coming over to help in the paint.

...how sad is it that Josh (or LD if it's by design) thinks that launching bombs is more important to the success of this team than working the glass and playing defense. Just sad and frustrating.

We'll see though.

[TheTruth]

Smith WILL be playing PF and Horford WILL be at C in this series. Collins will barely see the floor.

That helps us in our matchups since those two play Boozer and Noah well. The nightmare matchup is at PG...with or without Hinrich.

Will be great basketball!

[Nicholasp27]

FAIL by ESPN when if they look at ALL YEAR LONG we went with hinrich/jj/marvin/smoove/horford lineup; only against teams like Orlando did we go with Collins

We didn't go with Collins against the bulls before and no reason to do so now

[Guest]

You can tell they don't watch or care much about the Hawks....we are the only team in the NBA who have two different starting line-ups depending on who we play.

[buckeye242424]

Just another national media writer that doesn't know much about the Hawks. If he did, he would know that Collins will not be starting. Silly....

Twin may get the nod early in the series, strictly on his effort and defense on Dwight...However his minutes will be cut in half, to be favorable.

[Seano]

It seemed like Al punked Noah defensively pretty well at C in the games we played this season, even in the two games where we got our butts beat by da Bulls. Al held him to 13, 0, and 8 points in the three games, and of course Twin's not going to be starting at C in this series, so I would say that Horf vs. Noah is a matchup that's positive in our favor, at least based on regular season results.

If Hinrich is out for more than a game though, DRose could very well go fricken medieval on our asses. That is not a good thought, so I am hoping and praying the Captain heals quickly and is right back up to speed.