Chicago Bulls 2010 Preview & Predictions

Chicago Bulls 2010 Season Preview, Predictions Picks & Odds

With the NBA Basketball season just around the corner, we are providing season previews for all 30 teams to give you the betting edge. Follow the best NBA Basketball Handicappers as they analyze their teams in this 2010 season preview. Use our comprehensive and insider info to bet successfully on the NBA in our recommend sportsbooks. View the rest of our 2010 NBA Season Previews here.

Chicago Bulls 2009-2010 NBA Record: 41-41, 3rd in Central Division

Chicago Bulls Betting Trends & Betting Angles:
• 15-3 SU past 18 at home to Bucks
• 7-2 ATS past 9 at home to Indiana
• 11-0-1 ATS past 12 games vs Pistons
• Covered 7 in a row at Detroit
• 2-16 SU past 18 games as dog of 8+ pts
• UNDER 9-2 past II games as a favorite
• 5-1 ATS past 6 games on no rest

Chicago Bulls 2010 Preview & Prediction

Tom Thibodeau can be forgiven if his first move as Bulls coach on the first day of training camp will be to pass out those “Hello, My Name Is … ” stickers to each player. No back-to-back playoff team underwent such a dramatic transformation as the Chicago Bulls. Armed with wheelbarrows of salary-cap cash, the Bulls missed out on the “Big Three” but recovered nicely, parceling out checks to solid pieces such as Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Watson, Keith Bogans and Kurt Thomas. The Bulls looked westward in an attempt to climb north in the standings. Then again, with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng and Taj Gibson staying put, a solid core from those back-to-back 41-win teams remained. Thibodeau vows to get defensive stops – which obviously earned him his reputation and filled his job interview docket – as well as rebounds and transition baskets. His mentor Jeff Van Gundy, claims Thibodeau has one of the most creative offensive minds he has seen. So expect the Bulls’ half-court sets to move beyond Vinny Del Negro’s simplistic screen-and-roll routine. Still, even Thibodeau admits he won’t know what the transition from being a career assistant to the head man will be like until he experiences it. Change is everywhere in this organization.

Chicago Bulls Coach: Tom Thibodeau (1st season)

Chicago Bulls Projected Starters: PG Derrick Rose, SG Ronnie Brewer, SF Luol Deng, PF Carlos Boozer, C Joakim Noah.

Chicago Bulls Key Additions: F Carlos Boozer, G Ronnie Brewer, F Kyle Korver, G Keith Bogans, F Kurt Thomas.

Chicago Bulls Key Losses: G Acie Law, G Kirk Hinrich, F Hakim Warrick, C Brad Miller.

2010 Chicago Bulls Point Guards:

For a while, it appeared Derrick Rose would fall victim to the sophomore slump. After winning rookie of the year in 2008-09, Rose suffered an ankle injury in preseason and sat out for three weeks. He was ready for the regular-season opener, but clearly was not 100 percent. At the end of November, he was averaging just 15.6 points and 5.2 assists. It turned out to be a temporary setback. Once Rose was his usual explosive self, he earned an all-star invitation – the Bulls’ first since Michael Jordan in 1998 – and finished the season averaging 20.8 points. During the summer, Rose promised to improve his long-range shooting, which could make him almost impossible to defend. For relief at the point, the Bulls traded a second-round pick for C.J. Watson from Golden State. Undrafted when he left Tennessee in 2006, Watson toiled in Italy, Greece and the D-League before finding success with the Warriors this past season. He’s more of a shooter than distributor. Watson averaged 10.3 points last year while shooting 46.8 percent from the field.

2010 Chicago Bulls Off Guards:

The Bulls had their sights set on Ronnie Brewer in the 2006 draft. But once all the workouts were complete, they decided to trade up and select Thabo Sefolosha, thinking the Swiss native was a better ballhandler and could fill in at point guard. In 2008-09, while playing for Utah, Brewer averaged 13.7 points and shot better than 50 percent from the field. A year later, he was traded to Memphis so the Jazz could get below the luxury tax threshold. Brewer suffered a partially torn hamstring and played just five games for the Grizzlies. During his introductory news conference in Chicago, Kyle Korver admitted he disliked Michael Jordan as a player. That was because Korver grew up in Los Angeles rooting for the Lakers before his family moved to western Iowa. Korver should help fill one of the Bulls’ greatest needs, quality three-point shooting. Last season, he was on pace to break Steve Kerr’s record for three-point percentage, shooting .536 from behind the arc, but played in just 52 games.

2010 Chicago Bulls Small Forwards:

Luol Deng might have an unpopular contract, which runs through 2014, but he was reliable last season, averaging 17.6 points and a career-high 7.3 rebounds. Playing with Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer this year, Deng should get plenty of opportunities to launch his mid-range jumper. Deng returned to the Great Britain national team during the summer, still hoping to lock down the host spot in the 2012 London Olympics. When he played overseas in 2007 and ’08, he wasn’t able to finish the ensuing NBA season. The Bulls are hoping that history does not recur, and a rookie, James Johnson had some occasional moments. It seemed obvious the former kickboxer needs to drop weight to have a chance of surviving at small forward.

2010 Chicago Bulls Power Forwards:

Newcomer Carlos Boozer not only brings a post scoring presence, he’s also been a clutch playoff performer. In fact, he erupted for 35 points and 14 rebounds when Utah won Game 7 on the road during a firstround series against Houston in 2007. The Rockets’ defensive game plan that night was developed by none other than new Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau. Boozer’s lack of size has been exposed in some Western Conference playoff match-ups. Taj Gibson was one of the more pleasant draft surprises the Bulls have had in a long time. Chosen with the No. 26 pick out of USC, Gibson made the All-Rookie first-team by averaging 9.0 points and 7.5 rebounds, showing remarkable maturity and consistency for a first-year player.

2010 Chicago Bulls Centers:

In the past decade alone, how many promising young players joined the Bulls and never showed much improvement? Too many to count. That’s why it was refreshing to see Joakim Noah break out in his third season to average 10.7 points and 11.0 rebounds. He would have been a solid contender for the most improved player award if he didn’t miss 18 games with plantar fasciitis. He returned to form, though, producing the first 20-20 game in franchise playoff history. Orner Asik, a second-round draft pick in 2008, will join the Bulls this season. He barely played in his native Turkey the past two seasons because of knee and shoulder injuries. He’s billed as a strong defender. Veteran Kurt Thomas came on board after Brad Miller chose to take his talents to Houston.

Chicago Bulls 2010 Season Predictions

We predict that the Chicago Bulls will finish 1st in the NBA Central Division .

Chicago Bulls Betting

Chicago Bulls NBA Championship Odds: +2000
Chicago Bulls Eastern Conference Odds: +800

Chicago Bulls 2009-2010 Betting Stats

Chicago Bulls Straight Up: 41-41
Chicago Bulls ATS: 42-28-2
Chicago Bulls Home ATS: 20-19-2
Chicago Bulls Away ATS: 22-19
Chicago Bulls Record As Favorite: 25-13
Chicago Bulls Record As Dog: 16-28
Chicago Bulls Over/Under: 34-46-2

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