NBA outlook: Bulls to repeat as they fend off the Wild West

November 27, 1991
Originally published by The Plank (Jesuit High School)

The Chicago Bulls, my 1990 pick to win it all, stampeded to a 61-21 regular season record and won the NBA title by devastating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.

Once considered a one-man "Jordan" show, they are now the hottest high-powered, talented team in the league. This team has several stars, with Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant as the forwards, guard John Paxson, shooters B.J. Armstrong and Craig Hodges, and Big Man Bill Cartwright. Michael "How High Can He Fly" Jordan is the superstar and team leader. He led the league in scoring with a 31.5 average.

Welcome to the 1991-2 season. It will be undoubtedly the best NBA campaign in years, with Phoenix, Los Angeles, Portland, Golden State, San Antonio, Utah, Houston, Detroit, Indiana, Philadephia and Boston all having a shot to dethrone Chicago.

Every team is strong now, and the fight for the gold trophy will be more intense than ever. Never has the league had so many stars. Just about every NBA team has one or two players who have become household names.

The new-and-improved NBA has also been dealt a serious blow with the loss of Los Angeles Lakers guard Magic Johnson. On November 7, he announced he was retiring from basketball due to testing positive for the HIV virus. This has shocked and stunned the NBA, and the league will never be the same without the "Magic" touch. When he arrived in 1979, the NBA was going broke, and it was getting a reputation for drug using headcase athletes. Magic's charisma, his ear-to-ear smile, and his superstar realm were just what the NBA needed. He is probably the main reason the NBA is where it is today.

Magic is to be commended for standing up and making his announcement publicly to change how we view the AIDS disease. As he wrote in his book Magic's Touch: "We've all been blessed to wake up in the morning. And to me, THAT's Magic."

Eastern Conference Picks:
Atlantic Division
Does "Celtic Pride" work anymore in this league? It always has. While the Celtics have "struggled" in previous seasons since winning it all in '86, "Celtics Pride" was known as Bulls', Pistons' and Lakers' pride. Those teams took advantage of the Celts' weakness, age and capitalized on their tendency to depend on Bird to do it all. But the "Green Monster" has returned with a new cast: Dee Brown, Brian Shaw, Reggie Lewis, and Kevin Gamble to go with their aging but still biting hard veterans Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale. Will the Celts be forced to break up this core to contend in the Nineties? I don't think so. The Celts are back, and they are ready to reclaim their reign anytime they want.

Central Division
The Chicago Bulls will win here. No one has the power to stop them, not even the Pistons or the newly-resurgent Celtics. They have the league's mighty superstar (Jordan), the players in the paint (Grant, Cartwright and Perdue), the gunners (Hodges, Paxson and Armstrong), and a slasher (Pippen), who has become nearly as devastating as Jordan. Scary thought. It's an explosive package that took years to build, but it was well worth it. Who will beat the Bulls? "The Celtics," says Bird. "The Sixers," says Charles Barkley. "The Blazers," says Clyde Drexler. "The Spurs," says David Robinson. "No one," says Michael Jordan--and he's right. The Bulls can't be stopped here.

Western Conference Picks:
Midwest Division
San Antonio is pro basketball's latest "team of destiny." They are the class in this division, and not just because they have Mr. David Robinson. He has a supporting cast from Terry Cummings, Sean Elliott, Rob Strickland and Willie Anderson that may one day bring them a title. But they have too many questions to be playing in the NBA Finals next June. They still need depth and a deep bench to complement Robinson, Cummings and Elliott. No one seems to have the power to touch them in this division, however.

Pacific Division
The Blazers are the best on paper. They still need a killer instinct to get them the title that has eluded them for the past two seasons. Forget that last playoff performance; this is still the team to beat in this division. Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter and Danny Ainge are lethal in any backcourt. Jerome Kersey and Buck Williams, with Kevin Duckworth at center, give Portland an athletic, aggressive frontcourt that is potent offensively and tough on the boards. Rick Adelman is a premier "player's coach" and the Blazers have always had strong backing in the "Rip City." Unless another underachieving playoff looms, this is Portland's year...maybe.
Despite marked improvement, fans in Miami, Charlotte, Minnesota and Orlando shouldn't start making orders for playoff tickets yet. They still have questions to answerm and history proves that expansion teams start having real growing pains at this stage, as they struggle to join the pack. Cleveland is the NBA's biggest disappointment, they were contenders only two seasons ago. New Jersey is the one place where players dread to be traded. And after six seasons in Sacramento, the Kings still have no clue as to when they will become a good, contending team. Leave, and take the Surge with you...we want the Raiders anyway!

BRYANT'S PICKS FOR 1991-1992
East
Atlantic
1. Boston 59-23
2. Philly 57-25
3. New York 47-35
4. Miami 42-40
5. Orlando 39-43
6. Washington 34-48
7. New Jersey 32-50

Central
1. Chicago 63-19
2. Indiana 54-28
3. Milwaukee 49-33
4. Detroit 45-37
5. Atlanta 45-37
6. Cleveland 40-42
7. Charlotte 27-55

West
Midwest
1. San Antonio 57-25
2. Houston 54-28
3. Utah 52-30
4. Dallas 43-39
5. Minnesota 38-44
6. Denver 24-58

Pacific
1. Portland 62-20
2. Golden State 58-24
3. Phoenix 57-25
4. L.A. Lakers 49-33
5. Seattle 48-34
6. L.A. Clippers 45-37
7. Sacramento 26-56

NBA Finals: Chicago over Portland in seven games