Good news, Chicago Bulls fans – Derrick Rose and crew are headed back to the Eastern Conference finals.

Oh, there’ll be plenty of drama and excitement en route, but there’s little doubt that the Bulls and Miami Heat will repeat as the East’s top dogs. It’s as sure a thing as there can be: The two teams will once again meet in the conference finals, mano-a-mano, with the winner going on to win the NBA title.

And so, with nothing further ado, here are your eight Eastern Conference playoff teams – two genuine contenders and the rest of the crowd.

#1 – Chicago Bulls (62-20): The Bulls upgraded their offense by adding veteran Rip Hamilton, and with youth, athleticism and depth, appear well-equipped for the season’s compressed schedule. While Hamilton was added primarily to take pressure off Derrick Rose, he’ll make everyone’s offense better. Team chemistry will also benefit the Bulls – it’s basically the same group of guys coming back more focused and determined than ever; some teams are still making trades and juggling rosters. If the Bulls play D, rebound and stay healthy, they’ll repeat as the East’s top regular season team.

#2 – Miami Heat (58-24): The Heat added Shane Battier and Eddy Curry but otherwise return their core, which includes, obviously, the best 1-2-3 punch in the league. If LeBron James and Dwayne Wade figure out a way to compliment one another rather than taking turns running the offense, look out NBA. Like last year, the Heat still lack depth and are weak in the middle and at the point, but those deficiencies didn’t much matter come playoff time; just ask the Celtics or Bulls.

#3 – New York Knicks (42-40): In an effort to build their own big three, the Knicks signed defensive stalwart Tyson Chandler to play alongside Carmello Anthony and Amare Stoudemire; if ‘Mello or Amare knew how to play D, it’d be a frightening lineup. As it is, it’ll free Amare up from having to play center. One problem for Mike D’Antoni is who to play at quarterback – he has three point guards to choose from, and none are great choices. Look for Landry Fields to follow up on a solid rookie year with improved numbers.

#4 – Boston Celtics (56-26): Can the Celtics make one final run? Simple answer: No. They just aren’t built for such a grueling schedule – Doc Rivers will need to rest his aging starters, but doesn’t have the depth to safely do so. Two starters – Rajon Rondo (sprained ankle) and Paul Pierce (heel) – have already suffered potentially nagging injuries, and backup Jeff Green (13 ppg on 23 mpg last season) is out for the season. I actually wanted to put the Celts lower, but kept them in the No. 4 slot out of respect for my elders.

#5 – Indiana Pacers (37-45): Yup, that’s right – the Pacers will jump from an 8-seed to a 5-seed. Then-interim coach Frank Vogel turned the team around last season, and the addition of All-Star forward David West gives the Pacers a formidable front line that includes Roy Hibbert, Danny Granger and Tyler “Crazy Eyes” Hansbrough. If point guard Darren Collison can hit 40 percent of his threes, like he did as a rookie, and improve his turnover-to-assist ratio, the Pacers will be tough. With loads of young talent and $15 million in cap space, the Pacers have a very bright future.

#6 – Orlando Magic (52-30): The Magic are such a mess with so many unknowns that it’s difficult to predict how well they’ll do. The big question, of course, is whether Dwight Howard stays or goes; the saga will generate more headlines than anything the team does on the court, and will inevitably become a major distraction. Off-season moves include trading Brandon Bass for Glen Davis (a wash), adding an aging Jason Richardson (yawn) and dumping Gilbert Arenas (a no-brainer). I’d be surprised to see the Magic finish much north of the .500 mark.

#7 – Philadelphia 76ers (41-41): The Sixers return all nine members from last year’s rotation, which played surprisingly well at times despite a down year by Andre Iguodala (14.1 ppg average, the lowest since his rookie year). Keep an eye on Jrue Holiday; he had blossomed last season as a full time starter and appears poised to take the next step. One thing the Sixers can do to improve is win close games; they were 7-18 in contests decided by five points or less.

#8 – Atlanta Hawks (44-38): The Hawks didn’t do anything to improve their lineup during the offseason, and it’s difficult to imagine them holding serve with last season’s record. Point guard Jeff Teague is a rising star, but can Tracy McGrady replace Jamal Crawford’s instant offense off the bench? Crawford’s departure will put more pressure on Joe Johnson, who is about 47 years old and making $16 million this season; if the Hawks don’t find a reliable second scoring option, they might miss the playoffs.

Sources: Yahoo! Sports team and player profiles; BasketballReference.com team and player profiles; Eastern Conference Team Previews, NBA.com; Bulls, Heat no surprise as East’s best, ESPN Insider; East Forecast: Ranking worst to first, ESPN Insider.

Other articles by this contributor:

Top 10 Moments of Chicago Bulls’ 2010-11 Season (December 22)

Despite 62-Win Season, Chicago Bulls Drop in Preseason Power Polls (December 22)

YCN featured sports contributor Steve Merritt is – for better or worse – a lifelong Chicago Bulls, Bears and Cubs fan. Follow the Bulls’ 2011-12 season from a die-hard fan’s perspective on his blog, A Fan’s Take: The 2011-12 Chicago Bulls.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Dallas Mavericks forward Shawn Marion looked down at a stat sheet through his stylish postgame glasses after Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday and shook his head. He raised his eyes to a room filled with reporters, cameras and questions.

“I’ll tell you this,” Marion said. “We didn’t win too many games getting 67 shots.”

Only one time this postseason has Dallas won a game when held to the number of attempted shots it managed Tuesday. It happened in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals when, led by Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas made nine more three-pointers than the Lakers.

The three-point shot could not save the Mavericks on Tuesday. The Heat’s swarming defense in the game’s second half made sure of that, limiting Dallas to 3-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc in the final 24 minutes. More specifically, LeBron James would not allow it.

The Heat made a surprising tactical adjustment near the end of Game 1 when coach Erik Spoelstra matched James against Mavericks sharpshooter Jason Terry. Dallas wasn’t prepared. Terry was limited to three shots and missed them all. Along with the Heat’s 16-6 advantage in offensive rebounds, it was the difference in the game.

How many times had James guarded Terry before Tuesday? Never.

“It was a big adjustment, something we weren’t prepared for,” Terry said.

Gaining defensive confidence like a whirling tempest throughout this postseason, the Heat has now won five games in a row and all nine at AmericanAirlines Arena. Game 2 of the NBA Finals, possibly the Heat’s last home game of the postseason, is at 9 p.m. on Thursday.

Tuesday’s 92-84 series-opening victory was the Heat’s sixth this postseason when trailing at halftime. Clutch shooting by James and Dwyane Wade has carried the Heat throughout the postseason, but they point to defense as the catalyst in close fourth quarters. During its five-game winning streak, the Heat has outscored Chicago and Dallas by an average of 6.2 points in fourth quarters and overtime, holding the Bulls and Mavericks to 17.6 points during the final 12 minutes of regulation in those games.

“All year I think we’ve done a better job of closing games on the defensive end than we did on the offensive end,” Wade said. “When we went through our five-game losing streak, we weren’t closing games on the defensive end. All the talk was about what we [weren’t] doing offensively — too much one-on-one.

“We weren’t closing games on the defensive end.”

If there is such a thing, James has served as the Heat’s defensive closer during the 2011 playoffs. His versatility as a defender has allowed Spoelstra flexibility late in games that is unique in the game of basketball. If the parquet were a chessboard, then the self-proclaimed King would be the mighty queen, the all-powerful chess piece with the ability to slide in all directions and finish off an opponent with lethal and clever creativity.

In the Eastern Conference finals, James lined up against Bulls guard Derrick Rose late in games and shut down the league’s MVP. Rose could barely manage a shot in crunch time when guarded by James. Terry found Tuesday night’s Game 1 just as difficult.

“You know, with him, [James] has a size advantage and he uses his strength very well,” Terry said. “But he’s still quick. He’s still quick enough to kind of stay in front of you.”

James’ combination of size and speed signaled a checkmate in a game that forced Dallas out of its game plan from beginning. Dallas entered the NBA Finals averaging 75.2 shots per game. In the Western Conference finals, matched against an opponent that suited Dallas’ fast-paced tempo, the Mavericks averaged 78.8 shots per game. On Tuesday, as Marion noted with a sense of frustration, Dallas had 67.

“We’re just going to have to be a lot more active, looking for opportunities in transition,” Terry said. “And then, other than that, stand in the corner and let [James] guard me. I don’t want to give away all my secrets. We’ll see if it works.”

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – Nearly ten months after the infamous “decision,” Miami Heat forward LeBron James and his teammates are set to start their NBA Finals pursuit of the 2010-2011 NBA Championship Tuesday night.

For the Heat, it’s been a season under the microscope like almost no other team in history has ever faced. From having ESPN dedicate an entire section to the team, to some of the most eye-opening comments ever written about an athlete’s decision to pursue a title, the Heat have dealt with it all.

Looking back at some of the comments about LeBron joining the Heat it doesn’t take long to see why King James is pushing so hard to win the NBA Championship this season. Here’s a few quotes from last year, courtesy of larrybrownsports.com.

“James goes to the Miami Heat, Cleveland goes into a basketball Hades, and LeBron’s legacy becomes that of a callous carpetbagger,” wrote Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

“The Big Two conceived this poorly constructed team. The Big Two gave in to their egos and assumed any group of stiffs would be enough support for the Big Three to compete against the NBA’s best teams,” wrote Jason Whitlock last year.

“Oh, and he (LeBron) can’t be Magic now. Or Bird. Or Michael. Or Isiah Thomas, Tim Duncan or Bill Russell or any NBA supernova who stuck around long enough to win championships for a town and its people,” wrote Washington Post columnist Mike Wise.

But perhaps no one has inspired LeBron like TNT analyst, and former NBA star Charles Barkley. From saying he was disappointed to calling the Heat a bunch of whiners; the Round Mound of Rebound has said it all about this year’s Heat team. He’s also endeared himself to Miami fans, as evidenced here.

With all of the negativity that’s been directed at the Heat from the media, and most especially from Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, the team has still made it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2006.

For LeBron, he knew his decision would rub some people the wrong way; but he also understood that to get to the next level; he had to have better players around him.

“I know what this league is all about, about having multiple guys on the court that can dominate a game,” James said Monday. “With teaming up with these guys, I feel like we can compete for a lot of years to come. We’ve proven a lot of people wrong so far. We have a lot of work to do still.”

Now, the Dallas Mavericks stand in the way of the Heat and their goal of winning the NBA Championship. If you’re having déjà vu, there’s good reason since it’s a matchup of the 2005-2006 NBA Finals.

But, only two players on each squad remain from that series; Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem on the Heat, and Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd of the Mavericks.

Nowitzki will be the main focal point of the Heat’s defense and will be the highlight of the Mavericks offense. Nowitzki is arguably having the best playoff series of any player in the NBA. He’s averaging 28.4 points per game, 7.5 rebounds, and 3 assists per game in the playoffs.

Nowitzki was especially lethal in the Conference Finals against Oklahoma City. He shot 56 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point land, and 97 percent from the free throw line in the Confernce Finals. He even went for 40 in Game 4 of the Conference Finals against the Thunder.

That’s the challenge that awaits the Heat’s defense, which to this point in the playoffs has been up to the challenge of shutting down some of the best players in the NBA. The Heat shut down a game 76ers team, eliminated the Big Three of the Boston Celtics, and disposed of the Bulls in just 5 games while completely shutting down league MVP Derrick Rose.

But Nowitzki is a different monster than the players the Heat have faced. He’s 7-feet tall and has one of the best jump shots in the NBA. He’s going to get his points, but the Heat has to slow him down some to hang with the Mavericks.

The Heat is likely to counter Nowitzki with a combination of Udonis Haslem and Joel Anthony. Both players are long and can get physical with Nowitzki, while also having the foot speed to stay in front of him.

“You know, we’ve got a lot of flack this year, mostly because of myself. And we’ve tried to use that as motivation every day we get on the basketball court,” James said. “But just play the game of basketball. That’s all we can do is play the game of basketball at a high level. Play Miami Heat basketball.”

As good as Nowitzki has been, he’s not faced a team with a defense as good as the Heat. The Heat also has a few big weapons in LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh the Mavericks have to deal with.

James and Wade will be asked to get to the free throw line by driving to the rim. So far in the playoffs, both James and Wade have done a great job pulling this off in the playoffs. Both players have been living at the free throw line and if the Mavericks choose to foul, they’ll have to do it carefully because Wade and James can win games at the line.

The key for Miami may be the play of Chris Bosh. He’s been deadly as a jump-shooter from between 15 and 20 feet in the playoffs. He scored 34 points twice against the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals and is a matchup nightmare for the Mavericks.

“We are facing a very tough team, a very good team with a bunch of closers and leaders. And so we’ve got to just go from there and bring our best game,” Nowitzki said. “But we as players, we’re not really worried about who are the good guys or the bad guys, what the fans want. That’s not going to matter to us, anyhow.”

And while the Heat’s Big Three want that ring; they understand that the Mavs still feel like they have unfinished business against the Heat from the 2006 NBA Finals.

The Heat have faced it all this season. They’re 0-2 against the Mavericks in the regular season, but both of those losses came far before the Heat ever got on the same page and began playing like a team destined to win a championship.

Wade summed it up like this, “only thing I care about is winning. That’s all I care about. Whatever you guys (the media) want to decide to put me or talk about me, that’s where I’ll be. The biggest thing is to be a champion.”

Miami’s pursuit of that championship begins Tuesday night at 9 p.m. in the American Airlines Arena.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

MIAMI—

This time it was for real.

“Full contact. Full pads. Mouthpiece,” Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Monday was about show by the time the Heat arrived to the main bowl for the public portion of their practice at AmericanAirlines Arena.

But before that, on the practice court one level above, away from the NBA Finals media-day crowd, it was about blow-for-blow.

For the first time since eliminating the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night in five games in the Eastern Conference finals, the Heat hit. And hit hard.

The session turned so rugged that Spoelstra said he deviated from his practice script.

“I actually had to cut it short again,” Spoelstra said, “actually, after about however long. Guys were hitting a little too hard, and a little too amped up.”

Guard Dwyane Wade said it was refreshing to finally be allowed to get back to speed in anticipation of Tuesday’s 9 p.m. Game 1 of the Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.

“It was great energy-wise,” he said of the session. “It was the Finals. You can tell. Everyone is giddy, excited.

“Needless to say, this was one of the most anticipated practices for all of us since training camp, probably.”

Motivation, Wade said, clearly is not at issue at this point.

“This is the opportunity, this is a time, where probably not a lot of people on our team have been,” he said.

Even before he took his first question, Wade tried to put one particular lingering concern aside.

“I’m not hurt,” he said. “Get that out of the way. Move on.”

Wade had an uneven Eastern Conference finals, after diving into the crowd on the final play of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics. He then took treatment on his left shoulder during the Bulls series.

Spoelstra said all of his players are healthy and took part in Monday’s practice.

So awe-inspiring was LeBron James’ dominance Thursday in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals that former Chicago forward Scottie Pippen uttered Bulls blasphemy Friday.

“Michael Jordan is probably the greatest scorer to ever play in the game, but I may go as far to say LeBron James is probably the greatest player to ever play the game,” Pippen said on ESPN radio.

Pippen had a courtside seat Thursday for James’ remember-where-you-were performance, the highlight of an unthinkable 18-3 run by the Heat to finish off the Bulls and win the Eastern Conference championship.

The game’s final two minutes were arguably the finest in James’ career and propelled the Heat to the NBA Finals, which begin Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena against the Dallas Mavericks.

For the record, James’ offensive and defensive mastery to win the Eastern Conference finals went like this:

• Three-pointer to cut the Heat’s deficit to five points. (2:07 left)

• Assist to Wade, who converted a four-point play to cut a three-possession game to one. (1:30)

Said Wade of his four-point play: “I’m a person who really believes that other people give you confidence. When LeBron threw me back the ball, after me struggling so much, and he threw me back the ball, I was like, ‘Well, I’ve got to make something happen.’ ”

At that point, James was only getting started:

• There was a defensive rebound following Derrick Rose’s miss from eight feet. (1:07)

• Another three-pointer, tying the game at 79. (1:01)

• A steal on a poor pass by Rose. (52.9 seconds left)

• A step-back 20-footer over Ronnie Brewer to give the Heat an 81-79 lead. (29.5)

• Foul against Rose, denying him a layup and sending him to the free-throw line. Rose missed his second foul shot. (26.7)

• Finally, a block of Rose’s three-point attempt at the buzzer to clinch the series. (0.01)

“He has really brought the complete package,” Pippen said.

“I’ve never seen a player that can dominate a game the way LeBron James can. He doesn’t always have to score. He makes plays for other guys.

“But when the game is on the line and you need a shot to be made, he’s going to make that play. He’s shown that throughout this series that he can make big shots.”

It wasn’t always that way.

Yes, James made clutch shots in the postseason before arriving in Miami.

But before this current run, his playoff failures outweighed his late-game heroics.

Now, James is creating history in real time.

Consider the crunch-time performances James reeled off in the past two rounds:

• Game 4, Eastern Conference semifinals: James scored 11 of the Heat’s final 13 points in regulation. The Heat won 98-90 in overtime.

• Game 5, Eastern Conference semifinals: James scored the Heat’s final 10 points to put away the Celtics.

• Game 2, Eastern Conference finals: James scored nine of the Heat’s final 12 points to even the series at 1-1.

• Game 5, Eastern Conference finals: James was 3 of 3 from the field in the game’s final minutes, including a pair from three-point range.

“I think there has always been a knock on [James] that he doesn’t make the big shots down the stretch,” Pippen said. “Well, I think they can put that behind him now. He’s a shot-maker. And right now he’s a man on a mission.”

James’ late-game poise against Boston and Chicago is not a carryover from the regular season.

It’s something new, an added element to his already prodigious gifts.

In March, James all but lost his late-game honors after several failed attempts in crunch time.

“It’s just being put in those positions,” James said. “I know what I’m capable of. My teammates never lost confidence in me either. That’s the huge thing. When your teammates continue to look at you down the stretch and say, ‘We need you to bring this game home for us,’ and say, ‘We need you to make plays offensively and defensively,’ you never lose confidence in yourself, too.

“I just got to keep being put in those situations, like I said, and not be afraid to fail.”