Yesterday's game between the Nets and the Bulls was the most important game of the Eastern Conference playoffs.  Indeed, the ramifications are so deep, let's just go through some of them:

• The Association had a post that predicted that the Nets would get some help from the refs in the game, since the NBA would not want a LeBron-Wade first round matchup.  Did they get that help?

The Bulls shot 27 FTA; the Nets shot 38 FTA.  Those numbers don't appear too off (especially since the Nets were at home), and the majority of those FT's were Richard Jefferson (14 FTA), and Josh Boone (9).  Considering Josh Boone could barely hit a free throw (54% for his career, and he made 5-9 yesterday), and that he was on fire in the paint (5-5 on FGA), I doubt that the Nets were benefitting from any calls on his part. 

• What about foul trouble effecting the game?  Surely the refs could have called a few early fouls on Ben Wallace, taking him out of the game?

Ben Wallace was only called for two fouls the whole game.  You could make an argument for Luol Deng, who fouled out of the game, being a victim of tough calls.  But he was guarding the aforementioned Richard Jefferson, who just ripped him apart despite not being able to hit a jumper yesterday.  PJ Brown and Andres Nocioni also had foul problems (5 fouls each), but that was more the result of getting pounded inside by Josh Boone and Mikki Moore (6 FTA).

If the refs were going to go that route, they would have neutralized Ben Wallace, Ben Gordon or Kirk Hinrich, all of whom had no foul troubles.

Indeed the difference in the game was not fouls, but Bostjan Nachbar hitting some big threes in the fourth (three threes, in fact), and Chicago just not being able to hit shots from the field (42%).  

• Chicago just got eliminated from the playoffs.

Indeed.  By dropping to the 5th seed, the Bulls must now play the Heat in the first round.  Had they won, they would have played either the Nets or the Wizards.  

The Heat are still the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.  Worse yet, the superstar-less Bulls will be facing a team with two superstars (Shaq and Wade) in a playoff series, where calls will always favor the star players.  Ask Dallas.

This is the main problem we've had with the Bulls personnel turnover in the last two years - Wallace is no guarantee to be a factor, much like Chandler; even worse, he might be a target for a pissed-off Shaq to take aim at.  The other problem we have - they need a guy like Curry who can get calls in the playoffs.  They lack that star presence - sorry, a jump shooter like Ben Gordon is not that guy - and this will kill them in the close games against the Heat.  The points will come for the Heat, whereas the Bulls will have to rely on the hot and cold shooting of Deng, Gordon and Hinrich.  Very small chance they make it past the Heat.  Can you imagine the NBA allowing the loss of Shaq and Wade in the first round, to a no-stars team like the Bulls?

• How does this game effect the Raptors? 
  

They got f*cked.  With the Nets win, they moved up into the sixth seed, and will play the Raptors in the first round.  The Raptors were a great team, and played well, but the Nets are a tough opponent.  They won 10 of their last 13 game.  Are they legit?  No.

Those 10 victories - aside from the Bulls, you have: 2 against the injuried Knicks; 2 against the injuried Wizards; a win against the hapless Pacers;  a win against the hapless Hawks; and a close win against the not so hapless, but hardly .500, 76ers.  The Nets got smoked by Chicago on April 6th, spanked by the Cavs on the 12th, and edged by the Pistons on March 30.  Those are your top three Eastern Conference teams right there.

But against the Raptors?   They split the series 2-2 against Toronto.  They match up well with Toronto, in that the Nets strengths (Carter, Jefferson) will not have to play much defense.  Jason Kidd is going to have to find a way to slow down superfast TJ Ford, but otherwise... well, let's save that for the preview.

• The Cavs are the big winner.

No sh*t.  Not only did they get the #2 seed with the Bulls choke, but they get the Wizards!  What a perfect day to be a Cavs fan.  LeBron gets to take his crew up against Antawn Jamison and that's it.  We almost feel like shipping Jermaine O'Neal and Mo Williams to DC just to make it a fair fight. 

Any way, we can now eliminate three of the teams from the Eastern Conference:  We already bid bye to Orlando a long time ago, and the Wizards when Arenas went down.  Today's Orbituary is for da Bulls.  Bye-bye, Benny....

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