2012 Bandwagon Report (ACL Memorial Version)

Last week, I gave to you the Bandwagon fan the 2012 Bandwagon Report for the NBA Playoffs.  Normally I wouldn’t come back to that article so soon, but unfortunately for my official title pick Chicago Bulls, this happened:

Ugh.  That was Bulls PG Derrick Rose, the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player, tearing his ACL.  He’ll obviously miss the rest of the postseason, miss the entire Summer Olympics, be questionable to start the 2012-2013 NBA season on time, and probably won’t resemble the same special talent until sometime in 2013.  As an NBA fan, especially one that isn’t particularly partial to any team, that hurts.  But Rose’s ACL wasn’t the only one that was torn, as New York Knicks rookie SG and outstanding perimeter defender Iman Shumpert blew his knee out too:

Brutal.  Simply brutal.  Mind you, both games were blowouts.  The Eastern Conference, though, is blown open a bit.  And so now, we’ll make some surface (RE: this article absolutely won’t threaten 4-digit words) reports on what the events/injuries of the first weekend of the NBA postseason mean:

Bulls: Obviously, I don’t see how the Bulls can win the title anymore with Rose’s injury.  But I’m from the school that says injuries don’t cause teams to lose.  Bad players and bad coaching causes teams to lose.  The Bulls will still take the courts with five players in games that start 0-0.  They’re used to playing without Rose, and head coach Tom Thibodeau’s defensive philosophy isn’t hampered without his star PG.  The Bulls might struggle with the Sixers, but they could still absolutely get to the Conference Finals.  Barring further injury.

Heat: This is where the article gets short.  The Heat are obviously the favorite to represent the East in the NBA Finals.  Barring injury.

Pacers:  They are unaffected, because their two best players still need to be reminded the playoffs have started.  Maybe they’re injured though.

Celtics: We’d like to say the East just opened up big for them, as you like their chances against a Rose-less Bulls in Round 2 and the Heat in the Finals.  But Rajon Rondo’s suspension following a Game 1 loss threatens to keep them from realizing these matchups.  That, and Ray Allen’s injured.

Hawks:  This is looking like 2008 all over again, and if they found a way to finish the Celtics, would be looking at either the #8 seed or a rematch with the team that finished them last year, only without their MVP.  If only the Hawks weren’t already so injured!

Magic: They stole homecourt advantage!?  Well, yeah.  So what Dwight Howard’s injured?  Head coach Stan Van Gundy still has guys who can shoot, defend, and win.  But the injuries mean nothing for Orlando; they’re still longshots to win multiple series.  Barring further injury.

Knicks:  The Shumpert injury was bad.  C Tyson Chandler’s illness was worse.  But the most overhyped franchise in the NBA just saw Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, and the rest of the Knicks held to under 70 points.  They went from chic upset pick to … well, a team that still has zero playoff wins since 2001.  Shumpert’s injury robs them of their best (only?) above-average perimeter defender.  Barring injury to Landry Fields.

76ers:  This is what the Sixers were playing for!  But Rose’s injury doesn’t mean the Sixers will all of a sudden be comfortable scoring.  Barring injury.

WESTERN CONFERENCE: Who wants to win the championship now against the Miami Heat?

Barring injury.

-1SKILLZ