The Chicago Bulls always have high expectations.

The Windy City has witnessed their franchise win six NBA Championships, thanks to the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan. The Bulls have been knocking on the door of NBA Title Ring No. 7 lately, but just haven't been able to get over the hump. Injuries and other factors have played a big role.

So just how good is this team?

The Bulls didn't get former scoring champion Carmelo Anthony this past offseason, but they did add Spanish power forward Pau Gasol. While Gasol isn't in his prime anymore at 34 years old, he still stands at seven feet tall, and he's an improvement on offense over Carlos Boozer, who is now with the Los Angeles Lakers. Even last season, Gasol averaged 17.4 points per game on a terrible Lakers team that finished 27-55. Head coach Tom Thibodeau has also proven to be one of the best coaches in the entire league.

Of course, all eyes will be on point guard Derrick Rose. The former Most Valuable Player is one of the most dynamic point guards in the game today. Rose has scoring and passing abilities that can confuse defenses to the fullest. The heart and soul of this Bulls team is in their defense. Last season, Joakim Noah did win the Defensive Player of the Year Award while grabbing more than 11 rebounds per game.

Playing in a weak Eastern Conference helps, especially now that the Miami Heat no longer have LeBron James. The Indiana Pacers will also be without Paul George because of a terrible leg injury that he suffered in the FIBA Tournament.

The Bulls have qualified for the postseason every single year since the 2008-09 season. But is this team good enough to win the NBA Championship, or are they just good enough to make the playoffs?

Although the Bulls have made the playoffs each of the last six seasons, they have to win an Eastern Conference title. Just last season, the Bulls lost to the Washington Wizards in five games in the first round. A LeBron James-led team has eliminated the Bulls from the postseason three separate times in the last five postseasons. In all three of those series, the Bulls lost, four games to one.

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen aren't coming out of retirement anytime soon.

Rose has shown he can direct an offense, but his health is still a major concern. Unfortunately, Rose has played just 49 regular season games over the last three seasons because of injuries. The Pacers and Heat -- the top two seeds from last season -- may have taken a step back, but the Cavaliers are loaded and ready to go. With James and Kevin Love now on the team, the Cavaliers are clear favorites to win the Eastern Conference.

Even when Rose was fully healthy, he was only able to guide the Bulls out of the first round just once, in the 2010-11 season. That season ended with the Heat beating the Bulls 4-1 in the conference finals.

Winning the East is still just half the battle. Even if this team is able to get past Cleveland, they still have to face whoever wins the Western Conference. Strong teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder will all be there competing. The biggest issue with this Bulls squad is their offense. Last season, the Bulls ranked dead last in offense, scoring just 93.7 points per game. Without Rose on the floor, this offense is terrible.

With the Cavaliers and Bulls looking to be the early frontrunners in the East, much is expected from this Bulls team. They will have a tough task getting past the Cavaliers, but with their strong defense, great coaching and a healthy Rose, anything is possible.

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