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Wednesday, October 1, 2014

#BullsNation Votes #CHIvsCLE Match-Up #6: @joakimnoah vs. Anderson Varejao!

NOTE: #CHIvsCLE Match-ups are based on team role and not necessarily position.

If things play out in reality as they do on paper, the Eastern Conference will be a two horse race between the Cleveland Cavaliers and YOUR Chicago Bulls.

This was a truly eventful summer that was filled with fantasies of a Chicago starting five that would have been the best since the Michael Jordan Era. However, when the Bulls were forced to go with Plan B, they went with Plan BIG, as in bringing in two-time NBA Champion Pau Gasol and former Spanish League MVP Nikola Mirotic, as well as, NCAA Scoring Champ and the Consensus College Player of the Year Doug McDermott. If it is possible, the Chicago Bulls may find that in June, they were better off missing on Carmelo Anthony than if they had gotten him.

As for right now, there is great hope and optimism that these Chicago Bulls are something special.

NOTE: #CHIvsCLE Match-ups are based on team role and not necessarily position. If things play out in reality as they do on paper, the Eastern Conference will be a two horse race between the Cleveland Cavaliers and YOUR Chicago Bulls. This was a truly eventful summer that was filled with fantasies of a Chicago starting five that would have been the best since the Michael Jordan Era. However, when the Bulls were forced to go with Plan B, they went with Plan BIG, as in bringing in two-time NBA Champion Pau Gasol and former Spanish League MVP Nikola Mirotic, as well as, NCAA Scoring Champ and the Consensus College Player of the Year Doug McDermott. If it is possible, the Chicago Bulls may find that in June, they were better off missing on Carmelo Anthony than if they had gotten him. As for right now, there is great hope and optimism that these Chicago Bulls are something special. #CHIvsCLE Defensive Big With Unlimited Energy Anderson Varejao is one of the best match-ups for Joakim Noah in that they are players of the same mold. Varejao plays with energy and rebounds and defends. Sound like anyone we know? For his defensive intensity, he was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2010. However, at 31 going on 32 by the time the NBA season rolls around, Varejao was once able to use his experience to get the best of Noah in this match-up. But Noah has gotten wiser, and Varejao has gotten, well, older. Last season, due to aging, minutes, and injuries, Varejao's numbers fell off of career bests in 2012-13 of 14.1 PPG and 14.4 RPG to 8.4 PPG and 9.7 RPG last season. Starting today, we will be breaking down the important match-ups between the Chicago Bulls and our chief Central Division rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers! Here we will breakdown the match-up, and then BullsNation will have just 24 hours to vote on the winner of the crucial Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavalier match-up. So, BullsNation, are you ready? Today's match-up is: Joakim Noah vs. Anderson Varejao Anderson Varejao is one of the best match-ups for Joakim Noah in that they are players of the same mold. Varejao plays with energy and rebounds and defends. Sound like anyone we know? For his defensive intensity, he was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2010. However, at 31 going on 32 by the time the NBA season rolls around, Varejao was once able to use his experience to get the best of Noah in this match-up. But Noah has gotten wiser, and Varejao has gotten, well, older. Last season, due to aging, minutes, and injuries, Varejao's numbers fell off of career bests in 2012-13 of 14.1 PPG and 14.4 RPG to 8.4 PPG and 9.7 RPG last season. Meanwhile, in our corner is the man in the middle who is coming off of his best season as a professional. Joakim Noah averaged 12.6 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.5 BPG. Jo had a very strong season, which he capped off by being named Defensive Player of the Year, as well as, being named to the All-NBA and All-Defensive First Teams. And most importantly, Joakim blossomed into the role as the leader of this Chicago Bulls team, as well as, a representative of the Chicago Bulls franchise. Noah was in the center of the recruiting efforts to bring Carmelo Anthony to Chicago, and when it became clear that Anthony would decide to return to New York, Jo was a part of the delegation that met Pau Gasol in Los Angeles in an effort that ended up bringing the former NBA Champion to the Windy City. All summer long, the hype was about Carmelo Anthony plugging into the Chicago Bulls starting line-up to form the most formidable starting five in the East, if not the entire NBA. And while all the buzz around the Chicago Bulls' NBA Championship aspirations have gone away with Carmelo deciding to return to the New York Knicks and Lebron's choice to return to the Central Division and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Pau Gasol, with his performance so far in the FIBA World Cup, is proving that the Chicago Bulls "Plan B" stood for "Best". All summer long, the hype was about Carmelo Anthony plugging into the Chicago Bulls starting line-up to form the most formidable starting five in the East, if not the entire NBA. And while all the buzz around the Chicago Bulls' NBA Championship aspirations have gone away with Carmelo deciding to return to the New York Knicks and Lebron's choice to return to the Central Division and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Pau Gasol, with his performance so far in the FIBA World Cup, is proving that the Chicago Bulls "Plan B" stood for "Best". So far in the FIBA World Cup, Gasol has been dominating and showing off the all around game that the Chicago Bulls coveted when they were trying to acquired him going back to his Memphis Grizzlies days. And at a fraction of the cost of Melo, the Chicago Bulls were able to sign Nikola Mirotic, another former Spanish League MVP, and still be able to add roster depth in pursuit of the NBA Championship. Pau opened FIBA World Cup play with 33 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk vs Iran, but it was Monday's amazing performance of 26 pts, 9 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk vs Brazil (against the three-headed NBA center Nene, Tiago Splitter, and the Cleveland Cavalier's Anderson Varejao) that was truly impressive. The entire Chicago Bulls organization, along with many past teammates, including Kobe Bryant, have noted Pau's intelligence as a player and as a person. However, it was his high basketball-IQ that was on display against Brazil, as he dissected the defense with surgical precision on his way to his 26 points on 11-15 shooting, including 8 of 10 inside and 3 of 5 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, the 3 NBA players on Brazil's frontline were held to 9 of 22 ( %) shooting and 23 points COMBINED. Spain's 82-63 victory over Brazil was a thing of beauty. Watch these highlights of Pau Gasol's performance: Much has been made of Derrick Rose's last appearance for Team USA (in 2010), and how it fueled his play, earning him the NBA MVP that season. Pau Gasol seems completely rejuvenated after spending a difficult season with a struggling and rebuilding Lakers squad. With the high hopes and new opportunity in cosmopolitan Chicago, Pau's play in FIBA could prove to be his springboard to earning his first NBA MVP, and the Chicago Bulls their first NBA Championship in 17 years. All of BullsNation can't wait for the NBA season to begin in order to see how far Pau Gasol and the rest of the Chicago Bulls can go this season and this coming post-season. Have you been watching the FIBA World Cup? What are your thoughts on the play of new Chicago Bull Pau Gasol and how it will translate to the coming NBA season? Tell us what you think in the comments below! So far in the FIBA World Cup, Gasol has been dominating and showing off the all around game that the Chicago Bulls coveted when they were trying to acquired him going back to his Memphis Grizzlies days. And at a fraction of the cost of Melo, the Chicago Bulls were able to sign Nikola Mirotic, another former Spanish League MVP, and still be able to add roster depth in pursuit of the NBA Championship. Pau opened FIBA World Cup play with 33 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk vs Iran, but it was Monday's amazing performance of 26 pts, 9 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk vs Brazil (against the three-headed NBA center Nene, Tiago Splitter, and the Cleveland Cavalier's Anderson Varejao) that was truly impressive. The final roster cuts have been made, reducing the squad travelling to compete in the FIBA World Cup in Spain down to 12 players. Derrick Rose, who missed one tune up game and played sparingly on Friday night, is on the final 12 man roster and figures to start at the point guard position for Team USA. Because several players, most notably, Kevin Durant and Kevin Love are not participating, and with the loss of Paul George to a horrific leg injury sustained during one of Team USA's scrimmages, Derrick Rose is thought to be one of a handful of players who will be called upon to lead Team USA. Rose has played in a FIBA World Championship before, starting at point guard for the 2010 Men's USA Basketball team that won the gold medal. Rose's play that summer transitioned him into his best season as a professional, leading the Chicago Bulls to the best record in the NBA that season, and Rose being crowned the youngest NBA MVP ever. Derrick Rose, the Chicago Bulls, and BullsNation hopes that DRose can duplicate those results, and possibly add an NBA Championship to the outcome this time. The 2014 Team USA 12-man roster: #12 DeMarcus Cousins 6-11 C Sacramento Kings #4 Stephen Curry 6-3 G Golden State Warriors #14 Anthony Davis 6-10 F/C New Orleans Pelicans #9 DeMar Derozan 6-7 G Toronto Raptors #15 Andre Drummond 6-10 C Detroit Pistons #18 Kenneth Faried 6-8 F Denver Nuggets #8 Rudy Gay 6-8 F Sacramento Kings #13 James Harden 6-5 G Houston Rockets #10 Kyrie Irving 6-3 G Cleveland Cavaliers #11 Mason Plumlee 6-11 F Brooklyn Nets #6 Derrick Rose 6-3 G Chicago Bulls #5 Klay Thompson 6-7 G Golden State Warriors Team USA Roster Built With An Eye On Spain With the final 12 man roster for the 2014 FIBA World Cup selected, it is clear that the initial thinking that Team USA officials would focus on playing "small ball" has changed. Team USA's biggest challenge in the World Cup will be Spain, and their experienced team featuring former Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol and new Chicago Bull Pau Gasol. And with an eye to the skill and size of Spain, Team USA chose to keep all their size, including DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond, Kenneth Faried, Mason Plumlee, and Anthony Davis, in order to match the Gasol brothers. Several players thought to be a lock, Kyle Korver and Damian Lillard in particular, were not selected. Analysts suggest that their skill set would have been most useful when Kevin Durant was to be the feature of the offense, but with Durant deciding to leave Team USA, officials felt the need to shore up their frontcourt. The decision leaves Derrick Rose and Steph Curry, two players on the 2010 FIBA World Championship gold medal team, along with James Harden, as the offensive focuses in the backcourt of this incarnation of Team USA. What do you think of the players selected to the roster of Team USA? How do you think the Chicago Bulls (Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol) will do in this year's FIBA World Cup tournament? Who will win? Tell us what you think in the comments below! The entire Chicago Bulls organization, along with many past teammates, including Kobe Bryant, have noted Pau's intelligence as a player and as a person. However, it was his high basketball-IQ that was on display against Brazil, as he dissected the defense with surgical precision on his way to his 26 points on 11-15 shooting, including 8 of 10 inside and 3 of 5 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, the 3 NBA players on Brazil's frontline were held to 9 of 22 ( %) shooting and 23 points COMBINED. Spain's 82-63 victory over Brazil was a thing of beauty. Watch these highlights of Pau Gasol's performance: Much has been made of Derrick Rose's last appearance for Team USA (in 2010), and how it fueled his play, earning him the NBA MVP that season. Pau Gasol seems completely rejuvenated after spending a difficult season with a struggling and rebuilding Lakers squad. With the high hopes and new opportunity in cosmopolitan Chicago, Pau's play in FIBA could prove to be his springboard to earning his first NBA MVP, and the Chicago Bulls their first NBA Championship in 17 years. All of BullsNation can't wait for the NBA season to begin in order to see how far Pau Gasol and the rest of the Chicago Bulls can go this season and this coming post-season. Have you been watching the FIBA World Cup? What are your thoughts on the play of new Chicago Bull Pau Gasol and how it will translate to the coming NBA season? Tell us what you think in the comments below! He has led by example, and refused to sacrifice the culture of winning in Chicago be sacrificed for a higher draft pick. Ultimately, that more than anything else may be Joakim Noah's legacy as a Chicago Bull: maintaining the cohesion and culture of winning... oh, and really wanting to beat Lebron. So, BullsNation, who wins this match-up? Tell us who you are voting for in the comments below! And stay tuned to our Facebook Page for results and our next vote! Meanwhile, in our corner is the man in the middle who is coming off of his best season as a professional. Joakim Noah averaged 12.6 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.5 BPG. Jo had a very strong season, which he capped off by being named Defensive Player of the Year, as well as, being named to the All-NBA and All-Defensive First Teams. And most importantly, Joakim blossomed into the role as the leader of this Chicago Bulls team, as well as, a representative of the Chicago Bulls franchise. Noah was in the center of the recruiting efforts to bring Carmelo Anthony to Chicago, and when it became clear that Anthony would decide to return to New York, Jo was a part of the delegation that met Pau Gasol in Los Angeles in an effort that ended up bringing the former NBA Champion to the Windy City. He has led by example, and refused to sacrifice the culture of winning in Chicago be sacrificed for a higher draft pick. Ultimately, that more than anything else may be Joakim Noah's legacy as a Chicago Bull: maintaining the cohesion and culture of winning... oh, and really wanting to beat Lebron. So, BullsNation, who wins this match-up? Tell us who you are voting for in the comments below! And stay tuned to our Facebook Page for results and our next vote!

#CHIvsCLE Defensive Big With Unlimited Energy

Anderson Varejao is one of the best match-ups for Joakim Noah in that they are players of the same mold.

Varejao plays with energy and rebounds and defends. Sound like anyone we know?

For his defensive intensity, he was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2010.

Win NBA 2K15 HERE!

However, at 31 going on 32 by the time the NBA season rolls around, Varejao was once able to use his experience to get the best of Noah in this match-up.

But Noah has gotten wiser, and Varejao has gotten, well, older. Last season, due to aging, minutes, and injuries, Varejao's numbers fell off of career bests in 2012-13 of 14.1 PPG and 14.4 RPG to 8.4 PPG and 9.7 RPG last season.

Starting today, we will be breaking down the important match-ups between the Chicago Bulls and our chief Central Division rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers! Here we will breakdown the match-up, and then BullsNation will have just 24 hours to vote on the winner of the crucial Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavalier match-up. So, BullsNation, are you ready? Today's match-up is: Joakim Noah vs. Anderson Varejao Anderson Varejao is one of the best match-ups for Joakim Noah in that they are players of the same mold. Varejao plays with energy and rebounds and defends. Sound like anyone we know? For his defensive intensity, he was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2010. However, at 31 going on 32 by the time the NBA season rolls around, Varejao was once able to use his experience to get the best of Noah in this match-up. But Noah has gotten wiser, and Varejao has gotten, well, older. Last season, due to aging, minutes, and injuries, Varejao's numbers fell off of career bests in 2012-13 of 14.1 PPG and 14.4 RPG to 8.4 PPG and 9.7 RPG last season. Meanwhile, in our corner is the man in the middle who is coming off of his best season as a professional. Joakim Noah averaged 12.6 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.5 BPG. Jo had a very strong season, which he capped off by being named Defensive Player of the Year, as well as, being named to the All-NBA and All-Defensive First Teams. And most importantly, Joakim blossomed into the role as the leader of this Chicago Bulls team, as well as, a representative of the Chicago Bulls franchise. Noah was in the center of the recruiting efforts to bring Carmelo Anthony to Chicago, and when it became clear that Anthony would decide to return to New York, Jo was a part of the delegation that met Pau Gasol in Los Angeles in an effort that ended up bringing the former NBA Champion to the Windy City. All summer long, the hype was about Carmelo Anthony plugging into the Chicago Bulls starting line-up to form the most formidable starting five in the East, if not the entire NBA. And while all the buzz around the Chicago Bulls' NBA Championship aspirations have gone away with Carmelo deciding to return to the New York Knicks and Lebron's choice to return to the Central Division and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Pau Gasol, with his performance so far in the FIBA World Cup, is proving that the Chicago Bulls "Plan B" stood for "Best". All summer long, the hype was about Carmelo Anthony plugging into the Chicago Bulls starting line-up to form the most formidable starting five in the East, if not the entire NBA. And while all the buzz around the Chicago Bulls' NBA Championship aspirations have gone away with Carmelo deciding to return to the New York Knicks and Lebron's choice to return to the Central Division and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Pau Gasol, with his performance so far in the FIBA World Cup, is proving that the Chicago Bulls "Plan B" stood for "Best". So far in the FIBA World Cup, Gasol has been dominating and showing off the all around game that the Chicago Bulls coveted when they were trying to acquired him going back to his Memphis Grizzlies days. And at a fraction of the cost of Melo, the Chicago Bulls were able to sign Nikola Mirotic, another former Spanish League MVP, and still be able to add roster depth in pursuit of the NBA Championship. Pau opened FIBA World Cup play with 33 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk vs Iran, but it was Monday's amazing performance of 26 pts, 9 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk vs Brazil (against the three-headed NBA center Nene, Tiago Splitter, and the Cleveland Cavalier's Anderson Varejao) that was truly impressive. The entire Chicago Bulls organization, along with many past teammates, including Kobe Bryant, have noted Pau's intelligence as a player and as a person. However, it was his high basketball-IQ that was on display against Brazil, as he dissected the defense with surgical precision on his way to his 26 points on 11-15 shooting, including 8 of 10 inside and 3 of 5 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, the 3 NBA players on Brazil's frontline were held to 9 of 22 ( %) shooting and 23 points COMBINED. Spain's 82-63 victory over Brazil was a thing of beauty. Watch these highlights of Pau Gasol's performance: Much has been made of Derrick Rose's last appearance for Team USA (in 2010), and how it fueled his play, earning him the NBA MVP that season. Pau Gasol seems completely rejuvenated after spending a difficult season with a struggling and rebuilding Lakers squad. With the high hopes and new opportunity in cosmopolitan Chicago, Pau's play in FIBA could prove to be his springboard to earning his first NBA MVP, and the Chicago Bulls their first NBA Championship in 17 years. All of BullsNation can't wait for the NBA season to begin in order to see how far Pau Gasol and the rest of the Chicago Bulls can go this season and this coming post-season. Have you been watching the FIBA World Cup? What are your thoughts on the play of new Chicago Bull Pau Gasol and how it will translate to the coming NBA season? Tell us what you think in the comments below! So far in the FIBA World Cup, Gasol has been dominating and showing off the all around game that the Chicago Bulls coveted when they were trying to acquired him going back to his Memphis Grizzlies days. And at a fraction of the cost of Melo, the Chicago Bulls were able to sign Nikola Mirotic, another former Spanish League MVP, and still be able to add roster depth in pursuit of the NBA Championship. Pau opened FIBA World Cup play with 33 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk vs Iran, but it was Monday's amazing performance of 26 pts, 9 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk vs Brazil (against the three-headed NBA center Nene, Tiago Splitter, and the Cleveland Cavalier's Anderson Varejao) that was truly impressive. The final roster cuts have been made, reducing the squad travelling to compete in the FIBA World Cup in Spain down to 12 players. Derrick Rose, who missed one tune up game and played sparingly on Friday night, is on the final 12 man roster and figures to start at the point guard position for Team USA. Because several players, most notably, Kevin Durant and Kevin Love are not participating, and with the loss of Paul George to a horrific leg injury sustained during one of Team USA's scrimmages, Derrick Rose is thought to be one of a handful of players who will be called upon to lead Team USA. Rose has played in a FIBA World Championship before, starting at point guard for the 2010 Men's USA Basketball team that won the gold medal. Rose's play that summer transitioned him into his best season as a professional, leading the Chicago Bulls to the best record in the NBA that season, and Rose being crowned the youngest NBA MVP ever. Derrick Rose, the Chicago Bulls, and BullsNation hopes that DRose can duplicate those results, and possibly add an NBA Championship to the outcome this time. The 2014 Team USA 12-man roster: #12 DeMarcus Cousins 6-11 C Sacramento Kings #4 Stephen Curry 6-3 G Golden State Warriors #14 Anthony Davis 6-10 F/C New Orleans Pelicans #9 DeMar Derozan 6-7 G Toronto Raptors #15 Andre Drummond 6-10 C Detroit Pistons #18 Kenneth Faried 6-8 F Denver Nuggets #8 Rudy Gay 6-8 F Sacramento Kings #13 James Harden 6-5 G Houston Rockets #10 Kyrie Irving 6-3 G Cleveland Cavaliers #11 Mason Plumlee 6-11 F Brooklyn Nets #6 Derrick Rose 6-3 G Chicago Bulls #5 Klay Thompson 6-7 G Golden State Warriors Team USA Roster Built With An Eye On Spain With the final 12 man roster for the 2014 FIBA World Cup selected, it is clear that the initial thinking that Team USA officials would focus on playing "small ball" has changed. Team USA's biggest challenge in the World Cup will be Spain, and their experienced team featuring former Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol and new Chicago Bull Pau Gasol. And with an eye to the skill and size of Spain, Team USA chose to keep all their size, including DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond, Kenneth Faried, Mason Plumlee, and Anthony Davis, in order to match the Gasol brothers. Several players thought to be a lock, Kyle Korver and Damian Lillard in particular, were not selected. Analysts suggest that their skill set would have been most useful when Kevin Durant was to be the feature of the offense, but with Durant deciding to leave Team USA, officials felt the need to shore up their frontcourt. The decision leaves Derrick Rose and Steph Curry, two players on the 2010 FIBA World Championship gold medal team, along with James Harden, as the offensive focuses in the backcourt of this incarnation of Team USA. What do you think of the players selected to the roster of Team USA? How do you think the Chicago Bulls (Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol) will do in this year's FIBA World Cup tournament? Who will win? Tell us what you think in the comments below! The entire Chicago Bulls organization, along with many past teammates, including Kobe Bryant, have noted Pau's intelligence as a player and as a person. However, it was his high basketball-IQ that was on display against Brazil, as he dissected the defense with surgical precision on his way to his 26 points on 11-15 shooting, including 8 of 10 inside and 3 of 5 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, the 3 NBA players on Brazil's frontline were held to 9 of 22 ( %) shooting and 23 points COMBINED. Spain's 82-63 victory over Brazil was a thing of beauty. Watch these highlights of Pau Gasol's performance: Much has been made of Derrick Rose's last appearance for Team USA (in 2010), and how it fueled his play, earning him the NBA MVP that season. Pau Gasol seems completely rejuvenated after spending a difficult season with a struggling and rebuilding Lakers squad. With the high hopes and new opportunity in cosmopolitan Chicago, Pau's play in FIBA could prove to be his springboard to earning his first NBA MVP, and the Chicago Bulls their first NBA Championship in 17 years. All of BullsNation can't wait for the NBA season to begin in order to see how far Pau Gasol and the rest of the Chicago Bulls can go this season and this coming post-season. Have you been watching the FIBA World Cup? What are your thoughts on the play of new Chicago Bull Pau Gasol and how it will translate to the coming NBA season? Tell us what you think in the comments below! He has led by example, and refused to sacrifice the culture of winning in Chicago be sacrificed for a higher draft pick. Ultimately, that more than anything else may be Joakim Noah's legacy as a Chicago Bull: maintaining the cohesion and culture of winning... oh, and really wanting to beat Lebron. So, BullsNation, who wins this match-up? Tell us who you are voting for in the comments below! And stay tuned to our Facebook Page for results and our next vote!

Meanwhile, in our corner is the man in the middle who is coming off of his best season as a professional. Joakim Noah averaged 12.6 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.5 BPG. Jo had a very strong season, which he capped off by being named Defensive Player of the Year, as well as, being named to the All-NBA and All-Defensive First Teams.

And most importantly, Joakim blossomed into the role as the leader of this Chicago Bulls team, as well as, a representative of the Chicago Bulls franchise.

NOTE: #CHIvsCLE Match-ups are based on team role and not necessarily position. If things play out in reality as they do on paper, the Eastern Conference will be a two horse race between the Cleveland Cavaliers and YOUR Chicago Bulls. This was a truly eventful summer that was filled with fantasies of a Chicago starting five that would have been the best since the Michael Jordan Era. However, when the Bulls were forced to go with Plan B, they went with Plan BIG, as in bringing in two-time NBA Champion Pau Gasol and former Spanish League MVP Nikola Mirotic, as well as, NCAA Scoring Champ and the Consensus College Player of the Year Doug McDermott. If it is possible, the Chicago Bulls may find that in June, they were better off missing on Carmelo Anthony than if they had gotten him. As for right now, there is great hope and optimism that these Chicago Bulls are something special. #CHIvsCLE Defensive Big With Unlimited Energy Anderson Varejao is one of the best match-ups for Joakim Noah in that they are players of the same mold. Varejao plays with energy and rebounds and defends. Sound like anyone we know? For his defensive intensity, he was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2010. However, at 31 going on 32 by the time the NBA season rolls around, Varejao was once able to use his experience to get the best of Noah in this match-up. But Noah has gotten wiser, and Varejao has gotten, well, older. Last season, due to aging, minutes, and injuries, Varejao's numbers fell off of career bests in 2012-13 of 14.1 PPG and 14.4 RPG to 8.4 PPG and 9.7 RPG last season. Starting today, we will be breaking down the important match-ups between the Chicago Bulls and our chief Central Division rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers! Here we will breakdown the match-up, and then BullsNation will have just 24 hours to vote on the winner of the crucial Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavalier match-up. So, BullsNation, are you ready? Today's match-up is: Joakim Noah vs. Anderson Varejao Anderson Varejao is one of the best match-ups for Joakim Noah in that they are players of the same mold. Varejao plays with energy and rebounds and defends. Sound like anyone we know? For his defensive intensity, he was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2010. However, at 31 going on 32 by the time the NBA season rolls around, Varejao was once able to use his experience to get the best of Noah in this match-up. But Noah has gotten wiser, and Varejao has gotten, well, older. Last season, due to aging, minutes, and injuries, Varejao's numbers fell off of career bests in 2012-13 of 14.1 PPG and 14.4 RPG to 8.4 PPG and 9.7 RPG last season. Meanwhile, in our corner is the man in the middle who is coming off of his best season as a professional. Joakim Noah averaged 12.6 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.5 BPG. Jo had a very strong season, which he capped off by being named Defensive Player of the Year, as well as, being named to the All-NBA and All-Defensive First Teams. And most importantly, Joakim blossomed into the role as the leader of this Chicago Bulls team, as well as, a representative of the Chicago Bulls franchise. Noah was in the center of the recruiting efforts to bring Carmelo Anthony to Chicago, and when it became clear that Anthony would decide to return to New York, Jo was a part of the delegation that met Pau Gasol in Los Angeles in an effort that ended up bringing the former NBA Champion to the Windy City. All summer long, the hype was about Carmelo Anthony plugging into the Chicago Bulls starting line-up to form the most formidable starting five in the East, if not the entire NBA. And while all the buzz around the Chicago Bulls' NBA Championship aspirations have gone away with Carmelo deciding to return to the New York Knicks and Lebron's choice to return to the Central Division and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Pau Gasol, with his performance so far in the FIBA World Cup, is proving that the Chicago Bulls "Plan B" stood for "Best". All summer long, the hype was about Carmelo Anthony plugging into the Chicago Bulls starting line-up to form the most formidable starting five in the East, if not the entire NBA. And while all the buzz around the Chicago Bulls' NBA Championship aspirations have gone away with Carmelo deciding to return to the New York Knicks and Lebron's choice to return to the Central Division and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Pau Gasol, with his performance so far in the FIBA World Cup, is proving that the Chicago Bulls "Plan B" stood for "Best". So far in the FIBA World Cup, Gasol has been dominating and showing off the all around game that the Chicago Bulls coveted when they were trying to acquired him going back to his Memphis Grizzlies days. And at a fraction of the cost of Melo, the Chicago Bulls were able to sign Nikola Mirotic, another former Spanish League MVP, and still be able to add roster depth in pursuit of the NBA Championship. Pau opened FIBA World Cup play with 33 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk vs Iran, but it was Monday's amazing performance of 26 pts, 9 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk vs Brazil (against the three-headed NBA center Nene, Tiago Splitter, and the Cleveland Cavalier's Anderson Varejao) that was truly impressive. The entire Chicago Bulls organization, along with many past teammates, including Kobe Bryant, have noted Pau's intelligence as a player and as a person. However, it was his high basketball-IQ that was on display against Brazil, as he dissected the defense with surgical precision on his way to his 26 points on 11-15 shooting, including 8 of 10 inside and 3 of 5 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, the 3 NBA players on Brazil's frontline were held to 9 of 22 ( %) shooting and 23 points COMBINED. Spain's 82-63 victory over Brazil was a thing of beauty. Watch these highlights of Pau Gasol's performance: Much has been made of Derrick Rose's last appearance for Team USA (in 2010), and how it fueled his play, earning him the NBA MVP that season. Pau Gasol seems completely rejuvenated after spending a difficult season with a struggling and rebuilding Lakers squad. With the high hopes and new opportunity in cosmopolitan Chicago, Pau's play in FIBA could prove to be his springboard to earning his first NBA MVP, and the Chicago Bulls their first NBA Championship in 17 years. All of BullsNation can't wait for the NBA season to begin in order to see how far Pau Gasol and the rest of the Chicago Bulls can go this season and this coming post-season. Have you been watching the FIBA World Cup? What are your thoughts on the play of new Chicago Bull Pau Gasol and how it will translate to the coming NBA season? Tell us what you think in the comments below! So far in the FIBA World Cup, Gasol has been dominating and showing off the all around game that the Chicago Bulls coveted when they were trying to acquired him going back to his Memphis Grizzlies days. And at a fraction of the cost of Melo, the Chicago Bulls were able to sign Nikola Mirotic, another former Spanish League MVP, and still be able to add roster depth in pursuit of the NBA Championship. Pau opened FIBA World Cup play with 33 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk vs Iran, but it was Monday's amazing performance of 26 pts, 9 reb, 2 ast, 3 blk vs Brazil (against the three-headed NBA center Nene, Tiago Splitter, and the Cleveland Cavalier's Anderson Varejao) that was truly impressive. The final roster cuts have been made, reducing the squad travelling to compete in the FIBA World Cup in Spain down to 12 players. Derrick Rose, who missed one tune up game and played sparingly on Friday night, is on the final 12 man roster and figures to start at the point guard position for Team USA. Because several players, most notably, Kevin Durant and Kevin Love are not participating, and with the loss of Paul George to a horrific leg injury sustained during one of Team USA's scrimmages, Derrick Rose is thought to be one of a handful of players who will be called upon to lead Team USA. Rose has played in a FIBA World Championship before, starting at point guard for the 2010 Men's USA Basketball team that won the gold medal. Rose's play that summer transitioned him into his best season as a professional, leading the Chicago Bulls to the best record in the NBA that season, and Rose being crowned the youngest NBA MVP ever. Derrick Rose, the Chicago Bulls, and BullsNation hopes that DRose can duplicate those results, and possibly add an NBA Championship to the outcome this time. The 2014 Team USA 12-man roster: #12 DeMarcus Cousins 6-11 C Sacramento Kings #4 Stephen Curry 6-3 G Golden State Warriors #14 Anthony Davis 6-10 F/C New Orleans Pelicans #9 DeMar Derozan 6-7 G Toronto Raptors #15 Andre Drummond 6-10 C Detroit Pistons #18 Kenneth Faried 6-8 F Denver Nuggets #8 Rudy Gay 6-8 F Sacramento Kings #13 James Harden 6-5 G Houston Rockets #10 Kyrie Irving 6-3 G Cleveland Cavaliers #11 Mason Plumlee 6-11 F Brooklyn Nets #6 Derrick Rose 6-3 G Chicago Bulls #5 Klay Thompson 6-7 G Golden State Warriors Team USA Roster Built With An Eye On Spain With the final 12 man roster for the 2014 FIBA World Cup selected, it is clear that the initial thinking that Team USA officials would focus on playing "small ball" has changed. Team USA's biggest challenge in the World Cup will be Spain, and their experienced team featuring former Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol and new Chicago Bull Pau Gasol. And with an eye to the skill and size of Spain, Team USA chose to keep all their size, including DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond, Kenneth Faried, Mason Plumlee, and Anthony Davis, in order to match the Gasol brothers. Several players thought to be a lock, Kyle Korver and Damian Lillard in particular, were not selected. Analysts suggest that their skill set would have been most useful when Kevin Durant was to be the feature of the offense, but with Durant deciding to leave Team USA, officials felt the need to shore up their frontcourt. The decision leaves Derrick Rose and Steph Curry, two players on the 2010 FIBA World Championship gold medal team, along with James Harden, as the offensive focuses in the backcourt of this incarnation of Team USA. What do you think of the players selected to the roster of Team USA? How do you think the Chicago Bulls (Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol) will do in this year's FIBA World Cup tournament? Who will win? Tell us what you think in the comments below! The entire Chicago Bulls organization, along with many past teammates, including Kobe Bryant, have noted Pau's intelligence as a player and as a person. However, it was his high basketball-IQ that was on display against Brazil, as he dissected the defense with surgical precision on his way to his 26 points on 11-15 shooting, including 8 of 10 inside and 3 of 5 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, the 3 NBA players on Brazil's frontline were held to 9 of 22 ( %) shooting and 23 points COMBINED. Spain's 82-63 victory over Brazil was a thing of beauty. Watch these highlights of Pau Gasol's performance: Much has been made of Derrick Rose's last appearance for Team USA (in 2010), and how it fueled his play, earning him the NBA MVP that season. Pau Gasol seems completely rejuvenated after spending a difficult season with a struggling and rebuilding Lakers squad. With the high hopes and new opportunity in cosmopolitan Chicago, Pau's play in FIBA could prove to be his springboard to earning his first NBA MVP, and the Chicago Bulls their first NBA Championship in 17 years. All of BullsNation can't wait for the NBA season to begin in order to see how far Pau Gasol and the rest of the Chicago Bulls can go this season and this coming post-season. Have you been watching the FIBA World Cup? What are your thoughts on the play of new Chicago Bull Pau Gasol and how it will translate to the coming NBA season? Tell us what you think in the comments below! He has led by example, and refused to sacrifice the culture of winning in Chicago be sacrificed for a higher draft pick. Ultimately, that more than anything else may be Joakim Noah's legacy as a Chicago Bull: maintaining the cohesion and culture of winning... oh, and really wanting to beat Lebron. So, BullsNation, who wins this match-up? Tell us who you are voting for in the comments below! And stay tuned to our Facebook Page for results and our next vote! Meanwhile, in our corner is the man in the middle who is coming off of his best season as a professional. Joakim Noah averaged 12.6 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.5 BPG. Jo had a very strong season, which he capped off by being named Defensive Player of the Year, as well as, being named to the All-NBA and All-Defensive First Teams. And most importantly, Joakim blossomed into the role as the leader of this Chicago Bulls team, as well as, a representative of the Chicago Bulls franchise. Noah was in the center of the recruiting efforts to bring Carmelo Anthony to Chicago, and when it became clear that Anthony would decide to return to New York, Jo was a part of the delegation that met Pau Gasol in Los Angeles in an effort that ended up bringing the former NBA Champion to the Windy City. He has led by example, and refused to sacrifice the culture of winning in Chicago be sacrificed for a higher draft pick. Ultimately, that more than anything else may be Joakim Noah's legacy as a Chicago Bull: maintaining the cohesion and culture of winning... oh, and really wanting to beat Lebron. So, BullsNation, who wins this match-up? Tell us who you are voting for in the comments below! And stay tuned to our Facebook Page for results and our next vote!

Noah was in the center of the recruiting efforts to bring Carmelo Anthony to Chicago, and when it became clear that Anthony would decide to return to New York, Jo was a part of the delegation that met Pau Gasol in Los Angeles in an effort that ended up bringing the former NBA Champion to the Windy City.

He has led by example, and refused to sacrifice the culture of winning in Chicago be sacrificed for a higher draft pick. Ultimately, that more than anything else may be Joakim Noah's legacy as a Chicago Bull: maintaining the cohesion and culture of winning... oh, and really wanting to beat Lebron.

So, BullsNation, who wins this match-up? Tell us who you are voting for in the comments below! And stay tuned to our Facebook Page for results and our next vote!

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