The Michael Jordan Region
In the first matchup, we have (1) Derrick Rose vs (4) Robin Lopez. While Robin Lopez has been a steady force the past two years, he’s no match versus the former MVP. (If this were a t-shirt contest, then Lopez may have a chance). Derrick Rose moves on easily.
In the second matchup of the region, it’s (2) Kirk Hinrich vs (3) Mike Dunleavy. Captain Kirk played 11 seasons with the Bulls and was a fan favorite due to his grit, and he was also willing to do whatever it took to win.
Mike Dunleavy on the other hand, only spent 3 seasons with the Bulls but was a key component during his tenure in Chicago. If you remember, the Bulls struggled without him when he was injured, as they missed his spacing on the court.
This one is close, but Kirk’s longevity (and goggles) edge out the win here.
The regional finals pit (1) Derrick Rose vs (2) Kirk Hinrich. These two were teammates for a couple of years and Kirk was a huge influence early on in Derrick’s career. It may be a stretch to say that Derrick wouldn’t turn into the player that he became without Kirk, but there’s no doubt that Hinrich was an incredible mentor to Derrick.
That being said, Derrick Rose is the youngest MVP in NBA history and averaged a stat line of 25 points and 7.7 assists per game in his MVP season. Derrick wins this region easily and advances to the final four.