1st round wrap up: Bulls cool off Heat

I may have been a little off in my prediction for the Chicago Bulls/Miami Heat series.

No Joshin' pick: Heat in 7
Series result: Bulls in 4

Yeah, I was way off. Clearly Dwyane Wade's health was a factor. I thought he could have been saving himself for the postseason down the stretch, but in actuality, he was simply trying to fight through the pain while riding whatever momentum carried over from last season's championship run. Miami at times displayed flashes of greatness that made everyone remember why they hoisted the trophy last June, but those days are quickly becoming a distant memory in South Beach.

The Heat are clearly too old and this season too banged up to hang with the younger, faster "Baby Bulls" of the Second City. Ben Gordon and Luol Deng are special players that can carry Chi-town deep in the playoffs. Their series with the Pistons will be a classic second-round battle that will remind everyone of last year's conference semis between Dallas and San Antonio.