Chicago Bulls vs Washington Wizards: Position-By-Position Preview For The Playoffs
By Fuad Ahad
Jan 14, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) dribbles the ball against Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) during the second half at the United Center. The Washington Wizards defeat the Chicago Bulls 105-99. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards have developed somewhat of a rivalry in recent years. You can say it started when John Wall was drafted by the Wizards and the comparisons to Derrick Rose began. Who’s the quicker point guard? Who’s the better scorer? Who would win in a fight?
Of course, at the time, Rose was on his way to becoming the youngest MVP in the history of the NBA, and no one in their right mind would have questioned whether any point guard in the league, especially a rookie (Wall was drafted in 2010), could possibly be better.
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Unfortunately, things have changed more drastically than the Ottawa Senators’ chances of making the playoffs since early February. Rose has dealt with hardships as an athlete that very few ever experience. To go from the MVP of your league and hometown hero to multiple devastating knee injuries and the vilification of your character by the same fans who used to scream your name, no matter how many millions you’re making, is painfully hard to stomach.
All the while, Wall has catapulted himself into elite point guard territory and impressively lifted his game up to jaw-dropping levels.
This rivalry hit its peak in the first round of the 2014 playoffs when the two teams met, nearly fist to face on one occasion:
Then Paul Pierce and Joakim Noah decided to continue the fun in the pre-season this year:
I think I’ve made clear what this rivalry is turning into, so let’s get right to the match-ups.
Next: Derrick Rose vs John Wall