Where is Derrick Rose? When is Rose coming back? Why isn't Rose on the two deep? These are questions I've heard asked so far. Rose is expected to be out until at least the All-Star break. He is the leading scorer by far for the Chicago Bulls, and without him last year the team looked disjointed.
On the other hand, the Pacers have looked very good the last two seasons. They've built the team around great defense and effective scoring. They aren't explosive, they aren't flashy, but they are winning. This has me convince that the Pacers will have an opportunity to build an insurmountable lead in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. There really hasn't been any other team in the division that has really been able to compete with the Pacers and Bulls the last two season, and nobody has upgraded their roster to the point that they will challenge Indiana for the division in 2013.
The two deep of the Pacers consists of players who all averaged at least five points per game last year, and they improved at both guard positions with the additions of Gerald Green and D.J. Augustin. Rookies Miles Plumlee and Orlando Johnson could help to improve the rotations, assuming both make the final roster. Plumlee is a strong defensive forward, and Johnson is a guard that can score in bunches. The strong mix of offensive and defensive talent should allow the Pacers to roll over the ailing Bulls, who will lack a point guard capable of making the whole offense go.
Now, I could be biased. I am absolutely a big time Pacers fan, but I can't see where the Bulls made a change that will mask the loss of Rose. Yes, they did draft Marquis Teague, but Teague isn't half the offensive weapon that Rose is, and I'm not even convinced that he's the same level of defender. Oh, and there's also the fact that he isn't even the starter. No, that role goes to Kirk Hinrich. Don't know who that is? Don't worry. Nobody outside of Atlanta does either. Given the fact that Hinrich doesn't really do anything particularly well, I expect him to quickly give way to Teague, but that really won't make a huge difference. The division is the Pacers, and that's all there is to it.
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