Rose and co to lead Chicago Bulls to long-awaited NBA Championship
Published:Not since the legendary days of Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippin have the Chicago Bulls won the NBA Championship, but with Derrick Rose leading a new pack of young wolves, this is all set to change.
Chicago’s last NBA Championship success was back in 1998 and after a decade almost entirely spent in the doldrums, a new era is on the verge of commencing.
Rose scooped MVP honours last season and will be at the forefront of everything positive again, but it is the strength in depth that may be Chicago’s biggest asset.
After the delayed start to the NBA season, teams now have to play 66 games in 124 days, which will put extra demands on the calibre of back-up players in each roster.
Injuries were a big hindrance to Chicago last season, with Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah both picking up troublesome hand problems that ruled them out for extended periods.
Having these two back will be a massive boost, while Omer Asik, CJ Watson and Ronnie Brewer are more than adequate bench players who would arguably be starting if at another club in the NBA.
There is certainly a case to argue that Chicago have the deepest roster in the whole of the NBA and can call upon game-changing players that they were forced to do without last season.
Despite their injury troubles, Chicago still made the Eastern Conference Finals before being beaten by the Miami Heat.
The Heat will be their chief rivals again, but with opposition gradually becoming more organised and recognising their weakness against a zone defense that prevents the likes of Dwyane Wade running countless fast breaks, they may come unstuck.
Miami are the favourites at 15/8 in the NBA odds to be crowned champions and make amends for their NBA Finals defeat to the Dallas Mavericks last season, but Chicago look far better value at 5/1 to get the job done.
