At this time last year, LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers were putting the finishing touches on the NBA’s best regular season record. They finished 61-21 overall, things looked eternally optimistic in Cleveland, and the Cavs strutted into the postseason as the number one seed out East.
In the first round, they ended up beating Derrick Rose and a Bulls team who one year later would finish with a regular season record one game better than LeBron’s Cavs squad posted. Chicago just checked in at 62-20 in the now recently completed regular season, which was also good for their chance to defend the number one-line out East in the coming weeks.
I asked Daniel Gibson to compare last year’s Cavs team to this year’s Bulls just prior to Cleveland’s regular season finale on Wednesday, as well as his thoughts on being outside the playoffs for the first time in his NBA career.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=
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If you look at the comparisons between the two teams I think most people would look at it the same way Gibson did. At first you think, naw, these teams aren’t really alike at all. Then you start thinking about it.
LeBron was the MVP last year, Derrick Rose may very well be this season. Last years’ Cavs were a defensive minded team coached by a defensive minded guy in Mike Brown, this year’s Bulls are a defensive minded team coached by a defensive minded guy in Tom Thibodeau.
Bulls go as Rose goes. Cavs got eliminated as LeBron faded.
Anderson Varejao and Joakim Noah.
Hopefully for D-Rose and Chicago’s sake he can do more with the number one spot than LeBron could.
And I also hope D-Gibson gets back in the playoffs soon, as a member of the Cavaliers.
