Skirmish for the Central

Three teams compete for the top spot in the Central Division

By Doug Knopf

Two months into the NBA season, the NBA Central is the tightest division in the league with three teams within one game of the each other for first place. The Milwaukee Bucks, The Indiana Pacers, and The Chicago Bulls are in a complete battle. The teams do not have the greatest records, but they have the desire to win and the talent to compete.

It’s time to break down the each team and why they should or should not win the division.

AP Photo/ Matt Slocum

Chicago Bulls: 13-9. The Bulls, even without Derrick Rose, are in first place in their division, but they are not up by much. Luol Deng has been “putting the team on his back” averaging the most points on their team at 17.8 points per game. Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer have been contributing what they can, but they do not make up for Rose’s production. The Bulls bench has not been as strong as it was in past years when they possessed the best record in the league. Their defense has been carrying them but their overall performance has been lacking. Without a true prime time scorer and someone who they really trust, the Bulls will not win the division but will certainly make the playoffs.

Milwaukee Bulks: 12-10. Monte Ellis and Brandon Jennings, two great players who make the Bulks competitive, but sadly, that is all they have. No one on the team averages over 6 rebounds and no one else besides Ellis and Jennings averages over 11 points per game. The team is good, but they do not have all of the pieces required to win a division but possibly will acquire a low seed in the big dance.

Indiana Pacers: 13-11. The Pacers are the best defensive team in NBA. Defense wins championships. The Pacers, though, also have very low scoring power, being the second lowest scoring team in the league. A person needs to step up and provide the Pacers with some points if they want to compete in the division and go far in the playoffs. Someone will step up, and when Danny Granger gets back from injury, this team will be a force not to be reckoned with. They will win the division.

Numbers and opinions aside, the NBA Central is a division not many people are watching but should be watching. This small market division has some big competition and usually provides tough gritty teams who give the flashy teams with star players a run for their money. All three of these teams will end up making the playoffs, but the division is up in the air and it may be way too close and too early to call.