Mar 15, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) comes up court after scoring against Chicago Bulls during the first period at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
Last season, the absence of Derrick Rose obviously hurt the Chicago Bulls. Although the Bulls still finished with a 45-37 record, it was well off the mark of their previous two seasons.
The Bulls definitely have talent. Tom Thibodeau is one of the best coaches in the league, which became apparent as his team succeeded without Rose. Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, and Jimmy Butler are all great players, but none of them can match the skill of Derrick Rose.
No matter how hot the Bulls start next season, questions about Rose will be asked. He should finally be 100% healthy, but any mistakes he makes will be scrutinized.
The Warriors will also be receiving more scrutiny this year. Last season, the Warriors hugely exceeded expectations and made a good run in the playoffs. This year, especially after signing Andre Iguodala, the Warriors will be expected to compete for a championship. If things don’t go as well, players like Stephen Curry or Iguodala will be criticized.
The return of Rose for the Bulls and the continuing climb toward success for the Warriors will both make this season fun to watch. If both teams live up to expectations, they could end up meeting in the finals. Let’s see how they matchup against each other.