Can the Bulls win this series against the Celtics? If no, how many wins do they get?
Whitlow: Hahahahahahahahaha … oh wait, you’re serious? Look, the Bulls could do something completely stupid and take Boston to a Game 7. That wouldn’t shock me or anyone else that’s watched this team play this season. They play well against good teams and then lose to the Brooklyn Nets because Bulls. They’re not going to win this series, but getting to a Game 6 (which means two victories for the Bulls) feels about right because Boston still feels weird and shaky as a No. 1 seed.
Fourte: I can’t see the Bulls winning this series in any facet. Even if Rondo is capable of being the scorer and facilitator he is gradually growing into, Isaiah Thomas always has something up his sleeve. Even if the Bulls were to put Butler on Thomas for the series, I still believe Thomas is too quick and crafty for even Butler to guard. Avery Bradley will seem to be a big problem for the Bulls matchup-wise as well. If the Bulls truly have no doubt in their mind that they can win this series, they’ll have to trust in Jimmy Butler. I can see the Bulls taking one, maaaybe two games. One or both will be very close victories, though. No blowouts this time around.
Sheetz: Weirdly enough I think the Bulls can. It’s not likely, though there is a realistic scenario where Fred staggers the lineups to a tee and Wade plays like he did in last years playoffs and Lopez literally murders every Celtic big on the boards. Maybe not super realistic, but it’ll take place in some other reality that isn’t this one. If I had to guess I’d say Celtics in six.
Berry: No, the Bulls will not win the series against the Celtics. I think Chicago can take two wins off Boston, and here’s how. The Bulls are bound to have one game where their starters simply cannot miss from the floor and Nikola Mirotic cannot miss from 3. In those games there isn’t much the other team can do but laugh it off and try to score on offense. I expect the other Chicago win to be a Butler tour de force: full of free throws, pull up mid-range jumpers and strong finishes around the rim against a Celtics team without a great rim protector.
Coughlin: They can win this series, because sure. But no, they can’t win this series. I put it at a six game series, so two wins for Chicago. But if there was ever an example of a team that plays up to the competition and could steal a series from an unconvincing one-seed, it would have to be THIS Bulls team.