Last year the Chicago Bulls were knocked out of the NBA Playoffs in the first round, but there seven game series with the Boston Celtics might of been the highlight of the entire postseason. This year head coach Vinny Del Negro has a much more difficult task ahead of him playing the #1 seed Cleveland Cavilers. Lebron James is probably the last player you want to face in the NBA in the playoffs. The Bulls were able to defeat the Cavs with Lebron early on in the season in a low scoring game in November 86-85. Lebron told the media he’s been thinking about game 1 of round 1 of this year’s NBA playoffs since losing to the Orlando Magic in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. The return of Joakim Noah to the Bulls lineup helped Del Negro’s team finish the season going 7-3 in the last ten games. Derrick Rose can take over games himself, but he needs Noah to perform at his best if the Bulls want any chance of giving Lebron and the Cavs a fight. Game one tips off from Cleveland on Saturday at 3PM ET on ABC.

Early on in the season the Miami Heat looked like a team that would be fighting for a final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but following a March where the team went 12-3, the Heat are the hottest team in basketball. Defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves last Saturday night 97-84 in Minneapolis, the Heat won their 8th game in a row. Dwayne Wade has been phenomenal during the team’s run as usual, but his game has seemed to rub off on his teammates. Though he typically start off the bench, Udonis Haslem has been a terror on the boards for the Heat, almost averaging a double double in March. Michael Beasley is progressing in his second year in the league and Quentin Richardson gives Miami another attacker in the starting lineup with Wade. Small forward Dorrell Wright started the season playing sparingly, but has developed into a solider contributor on both sides of the court. The Heat are sitting in the fifth spot in the East heading into Wednesday’s game with the Philadelphia 76ers and are just above the surging Milwaukee Bucks. The Eastern Conference playoffs might be more competitive than people will expect with the resurgence of the Heat and Bucks.