Reporting from the peaks and valleys of the blistering cold Swiss Alps, Titles brings you the Eastern Conference Finals preview via a stone age printing press, and ink made from the tears of his round one defeat. Viva la seven seeds!

How did we get here?

Washington shocked the league with a gentlemen’s sweep in round one and continued their miraculous run in round 2 with a thrilling game seven victory in Toronto.

The Wizards already own a spot in the NSL history books, becoming the first lower seed to pull an upset in the playoffs. (Sorry, Spurs, we don’t have a timestamp…)

The Wizards’ penmen are getting their ink ready to etch what could be another milestone in NSL history: A Finals appearance.  

Led by their superstar guard Devin Booker, the Wizards are more than just a Cinderella team riding hot shooting; they’re a complete team that has their chemistry figured out. Booker averaging just over 30 PPG in the playoffs makes him the most potent scorer in the series according to the numbers.

Clint Capela joins that conversation as he has tallied just over 14 rebounds a game in these playoffs, just outpacing Anthony Davis’ 14.1. The paper continues to give Washington confidence too, as they lead all remaining conference finals team regarding made three pointers per game with 12.

Booker and Capela will not be able to combat the Bulls’ backcourt and Anthony Davis on their own, and they know it. Their bench, while not filled with big names, does lend some support to the cause. Kevin Knox (Yes, that Kevin Knox) has already made his mark on the playoffs known, and he has somehow been the Wizards best player off the bench.

Knox is posting a very solid 14 and 5 off the pine for Washington who will be in desperate need of bench support during this ECF.

Look out for: Doug McDermott.

The former Creighton Bluejay has the capability of being a knock down shooter on any hardwood in the world, but it hasn’t come to fruition this postseason, so far.

Regular season McDermott knocked three pointers down at a clip of 46%. Can McBuckets return to form and come out of the atrocious hole he’s in this postseason in which he’s shooting 18%? If so, it will be a determining factor in helping the Wizards win the battle of the perimeter.

 

Is Chicago looking past the seven seeded Wizards? I don’t think so.

“This is my home. My city. My Arena. This is my conference, the Wizards won’t take that from me.” – Anthony Davis on overlooking the Wizards in route to a Finals appearance.

Very much unlike Washington, the Bulls were expected to be here. In fact, it would have been more of a shock for them *not* to make the conference finals than it has been for Washington to make it. The Bulls backed up the confidence spewing from league experts with two commanding series wins in round one and two against Philadelphia and Miami respectively. Forget asking if the Bulls will win the series… will they lose a game? Chicago is currently sitting pretty at 8-0, halfway to a championship. The high expectations are being handled well by the Bulls, as they destroy everything in their path.

The entire league knows about their squad by this point, but for those who don’t, it’s more than just the Anthony Davis show.

Leading the supporting cast in Chicago are a group of players who just know their role and play it really well. Lou Williams and DeAngelo Russell provide efficient scoring numbers from their respective backcourt spots, and their assist numbers benefit from one another’s play, as well as the presence of AD of Javale McGee at the five.

Speaking of knowing their roles: McGee has mastered this. Only attempting 6 field goals a game, leaving the ball to likes of David and Russell, and gobbling up 10 boards for an efficient +/- of 12.5 is pretty much all you can ask from McGee who fits in well on this squad.

Things don’t get easier for the Wizards when McGee and company take a seat. The Bulls bench mob is a huge reason why they are having such success. Led by starting caliber players in Eric Gordon and Julius Randle, the Bulls bench could squeak out a few games against even the NSL’s best.

Randle and Gordon can both play and guard multiple positions. Need a scoring punch because Lou Williams is having an off night? Eric Gordon to the rescue. Need a ball handler because Russell is fatigued and in foul trouble? Did someone say Eric Gordon? You get the idea.

While the talent on the Bulls bench is important, the versatility is even more impressive.

 

X FACTOR MATCHUP:

Eric Gordon X Monte Morris

These two may not be matched up exclusively the entire series, but I think at the end of things if we look back the wins will correlate with who owns this matchup production and efficiency wise.

Both will need to supplement scoring for their respective squads, especially in late game situations while the starters rest for the final stretch. I worry about Monte Morris and untimely turnovers due to Gordon’s lateral quickness and hard hedges in P&R situations, but that’s what makes this such an X factor, because Morris can score from nearly anywhere on the floor if he’s on.

Edge goes to Eric Gordon here, but it is not by much…

The pick: The Chicago Bulls        

While the Wizards have Devin Booker would could legitimately win four games by himself, you heard Anthony Davis: “This is my conference.”

I do think the Wizards bigs will have some success, but I don’t think it will be enough to outpace the efficiency of the Bulls backcourt.

Devin Booker and company will be able to steal one game on the road, and they will hit the gym looking to come into the 2021 playoffs as a top seed.

The Bulls win and advance to the finals in 5.