Bulls 10-11

[philvb85]

Wait, the Heat have to play another series?  I just caught the end of the game but I could have sworn they were celebrating a championship win when it ended.   

[Mike Clark]

The Heat/LeBron make me sick. Boston can not close out games 4 and 5 and they celebrate like the won the NBA Championship.

[pdga#7648]

here's a stat for ya then Mike.

The heat are 0-5 against the 2 teams left that they will probably have to play.

Mavericks 0-2
Bulls 0-3

[pdga#7648]

Speaking of the Mavs.... their bench scored 86 points the other night. The Lakers entire team scored 86. If they continue to play the way they have played in these playoffs, they will be very tough for either team in the East in my opinion. I am just 39(in July) but Dirk Nowitzki is probably the 2nd best white guy I have ever seen play behind Larry The Legend Bird. Dude is 7'0" tall but can do everything. No one will be able to guard him and keep him under his avg.



The Bulls look alot better these last 2 games. Playing unselfesh team ball. I like the extra passes I saw tonight. Can't wait to play the Heat. Actually excited about a  NBA playoff series in a real long time!

[pdga#7648]

it's really hard to like many players in the NBA. ME this ME that, but DRose is so Humble for his age. His post game news conference, he was smooth on everything asked about him and his team. How can you not like this guy if your a fan of basketball, Bulls fan or not?  Atlantas coach shook his hand after the game and had an 8 sec chat. In that time Rose said Yes Sir, and Thank you Sir!  The kid is 22 

[Dan Michler]

Time to shut the whiny bitches in Miami up and their annoying fair-weather fans.

[Tom McManus]

Time to shut the whiny bitches in Miami up and their annoying fair-weather fans.

Atlanta versus Miami would have been a battle of the worst fans in sports.

[Dan Michler]

Time to shut the whiny bitches in Miami up and their annoying fair-weather fans.

Atlanta versus Miami would have been a battle of the worst fans in sports.

I think ABC was hoping for the ratings bonanza that an Atlanta Memphis series could have produced.

[stpitner]

now that was a statement game   Loved that Taj Gibson dunk at the end!

[Dan Michler]

The Bulls are completely in their comfort zone in this matchup.  Miami has no front line players who can knock the Bulls around and make it a physical battle.  Also, I think the team feels more at home without the label of 'heavy favorite'.  Deng, Noah, Taj, Bogans, and Brewer all clearly relish the chance to defend LeBron and Wade.  They are not used to being defended so aggressively in one-on-one situations.

The most telling stats from Game 1:

The Heat actually outshot the Bulls 47% to 44%.  Rare, considering the 21 pt margin of victory.  The Bulls won the turnover battle 16-9 and outrebounded Miami on the offensive glass 19-6.  Huge margins.

This formula has proved to be reproducible in the matchup.  The Bulls have dominated the Heat on the offensive glass in all 4 matchups this season.  The pressure is on the Heat to find a way to stop the trend, although I'm not sure how they can possibly do it with the personnel they have.

Things that probably won't continue:  James/Wade both held to less than 20 pts.  These guys account for a majority of the Heat offense.  They will find a way to start scoring (although Bosh is unlikely to replicate his 30 pt output).  Also, the Heat only had 15 FT's.  I'd love to think we can continue to defend like that without fouling, but that'll be a tough act to follow.

[Mike Clark]

Last night was a load of crap. Is it a coincidence that the Bulls started getting BS fouls called on them as soon they started to pull away from the Heat in the 2nd period. Completely changed the pace of the game.

NBA reffing is a joke. Can't let the Heat go down 0-2.

Despite 34% shooting and getting out rebounded the Bulls still could have won that game. If it wasn't for Haslem big game Miami might have lost last night.

So if the games are called fairly from now on the Bulls still have a great chance to win the series. But who knows now.

[CEValkyrie]

I agree Mike. The NBA is a joke and why I do not watch it. How about Cleveland landing the #1 pick. How about the Timberwolves owner calling it rigged.

"This league has a habit, and I am just going to say habit, of producing some pretty incredible story lines. Last year it was Abe Pollin's widow and this year it was a 14-year-old boy  ... . We were done. I told [Utah Jazz General Manager Kevin O'Connor], 'We're toast.' This is not happening for us,' and I was right about that."

[Dan Michler]

The thought that games are rigged is always going to be a battle that the NBA has to fight, especially after the Tim Donaghy situation.  Every level of basketball deals with accusations that the refs prefer 1 team or the other.  Its just the nature of the game of basketball which has so many subjective calls.  Its the most difficult game to officiate.  I will say this, if the NBA is fixing the games, why did they allow the Lakers to get swept?  And why did only 1 series in the 1st 2 rounds produce a Game 7?  There is always going to be plenty of bad calls, but to constantly rush to judgment that the game is fixed is a little silly.

As for the Bulls, they got their butts kicked in Game 2 and again in Game 3.  To say it was the refs is just ignorant.  The last 2 games have been depressing as hell.  Miami has figured out how to stop Derrick.  Rose is going to have to play a much more controlled game if we're going to get back in this series.  Bulldozing into the lane just isn't working, as Miami is stacking their entire team up to stop him.  He has to find another way to be relevant in the game.  Boozer, Noah, Asik, and Taj have to do a much better job of finishing around the rim, especially after all the offesive rebounds they accumulate.  We can still win this series, but total domination on the front line is the only way its going to happen.

As much as it hurts to say it, the fact is we are losing because LeBron is the best player in the NBA.  He controlled the game on the offensive end with unbelievable passing.  His athleticism, size, and speed on the defensive end are breathtaking.  He can gamble on a steal or a block and still recover before we take advantage.  The non-stop effort is hard to deal with when you don't have a guy like that on your side.  Deng is doing a commendable job, but the task is a little too tall the last 2 games.

[Dan Michler]

I agree Mike. The NBA is a joke and why I do not watch it. How about Cleveland landing the #1 pick. How about the Timberwolves owner calling it rigged.

"This league has a habit, and I am just going to say habit, of producing some pretty incredible story lines. Last year it was Abe Pollin's widow and this year it was a 14-year-old boy  ... . We were done. I told [Utah Jazz General Manager Kevin O'Connor], 'We're toast.' This is not happening for us,' and I was right about that."

As for the TWolves GM, he is an idiot, but I'm pretty sure he was just joking.  The TWolves odds at the #1 pick the past 3 years...25%, 20%, 8%.  I don't think you have to be a math major to know that the odds were against them getting the #1 pick.  Nobody needed to fix it.  The Cavs had a 20% chance, the 2nd best chance of any team.  If the conspiracy theories were right, the Knicks would have gotten the #1 pick in either '09 or '10.

[Mike Clark]

I am not blaming the loses completely on the reffing. They still need scoring in the 4th period. But is it affecting the Bulls defense and that is what this teams depends on to win games. In games 2 and 3 every time the Bulls start to make a run with the defensive pressure the refs make some BS call and gives the momentum back to the Heat. They have also put the Bulls in early foul trouble in both games 2 and 3. Games 2 and 3 are being called completely different than Game 1.Boozers defense is just horrible.

I do think Rose is frustrated and at a loss with what to do. Maybe this is what people mean by not having playoff experience. I do not understand why the Bulls players are so hesitant to take shots. Especially in the 4th period. Sometimes they pass too much. Bottom line is no matter what the refs or the Heat do it is up to the Bulls to adjust. And they have not adjusted up to this point. But that does not make it any less frustrating to watch as a fan.

[Dan Michler]

Well, that was a hard one to take last night.  Resulted in at least 1 broken remote control.

We played the game we needed to play to beat this team.  If Rose doesn't miss that free throw with a minute left in regulation, its 2-2 right now with 2 of the final 3 in Chicago.  Not to mention the final 2 possessions.

I feel a little like Thibodeau may have gotten out-coached in this one.  Miami's bench players played 81 minutes and contributed 23 points.  Chicago's bench played 56 minutes and scored 18 points.  Our depth has to be our trump card againt the Heat.  Instead of the Miami trio running ragged in OT, it was Rose, Noah, Deng, and Boozer who were totally gassed.  Just can't let that happen if your Thibodeau.

The +/- tells a huge story.  LeBron -1 and D.Wade -10.  Mike Miller +36!  Haslem +25!  Unreal.

I'll stick it out until the end, but this season feels like it may be over.  If it is, you can't say it wasn't a successful year.  I was hoping for maybe a 3 seed and a possible trip to the ECF.  We won 62 games, had the MVP, and made it to the ECF.  A good year for Bulls fans.  D.Rose will still be just 23 next year.  I hope he learns from this experience.  Jacking up 9 three pointers was not a great idea.  The defense of LeBron has gotten in the head of a lot of our players, including Rose.  They are hesitating and missing layups, looking for him even when he's not there.  The Bulls will be back.  This is just Round 1, and it appears to be going to the Heat.

[Mike Clark]

Just to change things up. I can't take talking about the conference finals anymore. It has been disappointing on so many levels. Even if the Bulls lose tonight it has been a good season. More than I had expected when it started.

Looking into the future. The Bulls have no cap room to sign anyone significant in the off season. After the lockout the cap will shrink.

Would you trade Noah, Gibson, and the pick from Charlotte for Dwight Howard?

[pdga#7648]

no!


Howard may be going to the Lakers??

[Chainmeister]

Just to change things up. I can't take talking about the conference finals anymore. It has been disappointing on so many levels. Even if the Bulls lose tonight it has been a good season. More than I had expected when it started.

Looking into the future. The Bulls have no cap room to sign anyone significant in the off season. After the lockout the cap will shrink.

Would you trade Noah, Gibson, and the pick from Charlotte for Dwight Howard?

Would that solve the problem of lacking a wing player who can creat his own shots?  Although Howard would be an improvment, he is a great player. However, this team does not really have a big deficiency at #5.

[Mike Clark]

no!


Howard may be going to the Lakers??

According to Jim Buss, Jerry Buss's son, Bynum is untouchable. The Lakers will not get Howard if this is the case. I do not think that Orlando would trade Howard for Pau Gasol. That is the only reason I brought it up. I figured he was going to the Lakers as well. Jim Buss is also the guy who hired Mike Brown. I think The Lakers franchise is in trouble if this guy keeps making decision for them.



Barish,

If the Bulls could get Dwight Howard I would be willing to find a 2 guard who can score in the draft or someone like Jason Richardson, who is a free agent next season, for a mid-level exception. It is not so much that there is a deficiency at center, you would be getting the most dominant big man in the game today. Minus the foul shooting of course.