Click-a-Bull (Bulls/Celtics with Rose VIDEO; and Rose/MVP)

Celtics Vs. Bulls: Derrick Rose Stamps Out Rajon Rondo, Boston In 97-81 Chicago Win

Derrick Rose didn't need to thoroughly dominate Rajon Rondo and the Boston Celtics in the Chicago Bulls' 97-81 victory on Thursday night to squelch concerns about his team's NBA Playoffs readiness. A win would have been enough. But Rose dominated Rondo and the C's, and in the process might have convinced even the most discerning skeptics that this Bulls team is the presumptive favorite to become champion.

Rose was marvelous, shooting 9-16 from the floor and 10-10 from the line to rack up 30. He added eight assists and just three giveaways, plus five rebounds and two steals. He's now hit the 30-point mark in six of the Bulls' last 11 games, and if you account for the quality of the opponent, this was Rose's best game since he dropped 42 on the Spurs on Feb. 17. Rose's dirty little secret is that he's only shot 42 percent since the All-Star break. But against the best defense other than that of his own team, he was efficient in addition to spectacular. He was the best player on the floor, without question.

Rose’s MVP Case Closed

What else do you need to see from Derrick Rose to believe that if nothing else, his name should be the first one out of your mouth when we start the MVP conversation?

We understand that the analytical crowd has presented a very impressive case as to why Rose should not take home that trophy. But we watched him shred the Celtics last night on TNT, doing the same thing to one of the best defensive teams on the planet that he has done to basically everyone in the league all season.

And we just can’t escape the fact that our eyes keep seeing something that the stat crowd apparently is missing. If you’re the best player on the floor every night out and your team, also a strong candidate for the best in the league right now, continues to beat back the competition (the Bulls are 58-20 and barring a catastrophe will finish atop the Eastern Conference standings) on a nightly basis, shouldn’t Rose’s MVP case be closed by now?

Road to the Finals: Chicago Bulls

No one likes to admit they were wrong. In the long list of people who are willing to admit they're wrong, sports writers are just above politicians and below artists. It's a product of the kind of currency that operates among sports editors and a result of the kind of comments you'll see litter most posts about sports across the internet. So this isn't exactly easy.

I was wrong.

Way wrong.

Monumentally stupid would be another way to put it, but we're going to roll with just wrong. Back in July, before we'd seen a lick of basketball, we ran our offseason grades. In appraising the Bulls, I looked at Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer and Keith Bogans and didn't see it. I initially gave them a C+, then considering their total positioning of their current roster, upgraded them to a B-. Sure, they'd be better than the 8th seed they were in 2010. But were they really going to be that much better? Were they really going to compete for a title? Were they really going to be great?

Yes. Yes they were.

The Bulls are a great team. And they enter the playoffs at their absolute zenith. They are led by the all-but-elected MVP Derrick Rose, who we'll get to. Their coach is the near-lock Coach of the Year. We'll get to him, too. They defend, can run, can play in the half-court, they rebound, and they have that rare ability to find the way to win. Their being at the top of the Eastern Conference should not be a surprise if you've been watching this season. They've been great. The playoffs will give them the chance to prove it.

Bulls’ message to Celtics: We can beat you

Turn the corner into the Chicago Bulls’ coach’s office, and there was something seldom seen: Three kids climbing onto Tom Thibodeau, twisting back his arms, mussing his hair and threatening to topple him backward in his desk chair. These were his nephews from Berlin, Conn., wearing UConn Huskies jackets and sharing with the reclusive, relentless coach the closest you’ll ever see to a rollicking postgame party.

Here was Thibodeau flanked with Diet Coke cans and two bottles of honey for a voice struggling to make it to the playoffs. Ask Thibodeau about that Chicago Sun-Times back page that dropped on his office desk sometime after 6 a.m. on Thursday, and his eyes dart wide, his mouth curls into a smile and he says: “How great was that?”

There was a photo of a glum Derrick Rose(notes), with his words splattered across the page in big, bold, alarming letters: “We’re not moving in the right direction.”

Here’s the genius of these Bulls: Somehow, the leadership can sell everyone – the papers, the locker room – on the idea that the most dominant, most locked-in regular-season team is somehow vulnerable, somehow on the cusp of catastrophe. The Chicago Bulls had won 16 of 18 games, and yet here was Rose delivering a foreboding message with the Boston Celtics looming. Thibodeau could warn his team over and over on slippage, but nothing resonates like a star sounding the alarm.

“And then, he comes out and backs it up,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said later with a sigh. “That kid is something else.”

Rose etched his name on the MVP against Celtics

If there was really any doubt, I'm pretty sure it was eliminated Thursday. And no, I'm not talking about the Celtics chance at the No. 1 seed.

Derrick Rose is your MVP. It's happening. If you love advanced stats, if you love Dwight Howard, I'm just warning you now -- deal with it.

After his electric performance Thursday destroying the Celtics (30 points on 9-16 shooting, seven assists) in front of a national TNT audience while announcers, fans and media fawning over him for 48 minutes, there's just no doubt about it.

Whether Rose should win it, that's for another column. In fact, read Ken Berger's stellar piece on exactly that. But it was clear Thursday against Boston that Rose is very, very deserving.

This was a big game. You could feel it. The Bulls not only had a chance to essentially wrap up the top seed, but send a substantial message to the Celtics, and the rest of the Eastern Conference. If there are "Heisman Moments" in college football, you could lock down this game as Rose's. He showcased every ability he has, led his team masterfully and basically destroyed the defending East champs.

It was a complete takedown.

I'm not necessarily someone on the Rose for MVP wagon, but I can tell you that nights like this make it hard not to give it to him. Reality is, not everyone has embraced advanced plus/minus or win shares. Most still watch games for what they are and Rose gives those the thrill of a lifetime. He looks like an MVP. It's hard to deny that feeling you get while watching him orchestrate the Bulls.

Bulls/Celtics Tonight = Re-Post of My Game 6 Recap: INCREDI-BULL!!

[THIS WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED APRIL 30, 2009 (WITHOUT THE VIDEOS AT THE BOTTOM)]


A triple-overtime thriller. What a roller-coaster of emotions. I hated the refs. Hated Rondo. Loved Kirk. Hated ray Allen. Loved Salmons. Loved Rose. Hated the refs. Hated Ray Allen. Hated the refs. Hated Vinny. Hated the refs. Hated Vinny. LOVED Joa-Noah. Hated Kirk. Loved Rose.

Right now: hating the Celtics and HATING the refs, but LOVING the WIN!!!

I'm too happy/tired/headache/exhausted/excited/sweating to analyze this game, so the best way to do it is witha recap of texts (and some facebook updates) from throughout, [point in the game in brackets] ...

[Early in the game]
Coe (via facebook) - "the NBA should be ashamed of themselves. Not only did they blow the call during Game 5, they blew it upon review cause it was a game deciding play, and now they are calling anything and everything except not ejecting Rondo for a hook and slam. It's not even fun to watch pre-decided bullshit, I'd rather watch WWE."
Me (via facebook) - "the refs continue to ruin this game. all basketball fans are being cheated as we are forced to watch refs instead of basketball."

[After Rajon threw Kirk into the scorer's table and threw an elbow at him]
Me - "Eff you Rajon. Kirk owns your bitch-ass"
Goat (via facebook) - "that's why Kirk is my favorite NBA player"

HALFTIME - Summed things up here.

[End of regulation, after BG missed a shot in isoloation]
DC - "That's the last thing I wanted on that play ... This is the most nerve racking experience of my life"
Me - "And it's round 1 of D-Rose's Rookie year ... I've aged 38 years in 6 games"
Dru - "Why not give that to Rose and let him drive?"

[End of OT 1, Boston miss]
Me - "Wouldn't Vinny have a play ready? Why waste a timeout?"
DC - "I wasn't going to drink tonight and I'm 5 deep"

[Heading into OT 2]
DC - "Jesus effing Christ this series is bananas"
PMac - "I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight"

[After Vinny's inbound "play" at the end of OT 2]
DC - "Worst coach on earth ... How do you not have a play for that?"
Me- "if we lose it's on Vinny"
DC - "And BG, he had the worst game I've ever seen him play"
Me - "But Vinny with his switching on every play"
Dr Bill - "Del negro should be embarrassed about that play call"
Me (via facebook) - "Vinny is the worst coach on earth, probably in the universe. My 4th grade coach could draw up an inbound play ... try the "line" or the "box" vinny you dumb stupid asshole. Vinny is to coaching what NBA refs are to reffing. THE WORST.
HATE. THE. CELTICS."

[Pierce jumped into crowd to save the ball]
Me - "I would stab Paul Pierce if he jumped into me"
DC - "PK yelled 'Stab him!'"

[JoaNoah's steal, fast-break and slam]
PMac - "I take back everything bad I ever said about Noah"
Dru - "Love Noah, absolutely unreal"
Rohde - "P-O-S-T-E-R"
Butts (via facebook) - Uploaded ...


[Kirk missed layup to seal the win]
All Bulls fans - "Are you kidding me?"
PMac - "I feel like I just got kicked in the nuts"


[Post game]
DC - "All that and we have to win another one"
Kmart - "I couldn;t be more drained, that took 10 years off my life"
Dr Bill - "One of the better games ever"
Goat (via facebook) - "words can't do that game justice.... but this is one of the greatest playoff series ever and that was one of the greatest NBA games ever played."
Poose - "You alive?"



_________________________

Flagrant?!

Can we get some clarification David Stern and Stu Jackson?!?


This is a flagrant 2?

Downloads: 0 Views: 344

But this is a "play on the ball"??

Downloads: 0 Views: 5537

Seriously?!

Predictions Review

[A look back at my Playoff Predictions. I’ve listed the actual outcomes in bold and [brackets] after each matchup.]

WEST - ROUND 1:

LAKERS v JAZZ
Lakers in 5. [Actual: Lakers in 5. Perfect thru 1]

NUGGETS v HORNETS
Nuggets in 6. [Actual: Nuggets in 5. Gave the Hornets too much credit, they quit on Byron Scott and looked terrible in that 58-point loss ... on their HOME FLOOR!]

SPURS v MAVS
Mavs in 6. [Actual Mavs in 5. End of an era? That’s OK I’ve always hated the Spurs because of my extreme hatred for Bruce Bowen – why? I have all kinds of reasons.]





BLAZERS v ROCKETS
Rockets in 5. [Actual: Rockets in 6. Not sure why everyone thought this was a good matchup for the Blazers?!]





EAST - ROUND 1:

CAVS v PISTONS
LeBrons in 4. [Actual: LeBrons in 4. Did we really have to play this series? It was unwatchable at best.]


CELTICS v BULLS
Bulls in 6!! Bulls in 6!! (This is actually a legitimate choice now that KG is out for the playoffs!). BULLS IN 6!!! [Actual: Whiny bithes in 7. Classic series, unfortunate final result. At least the Bulls are a bunch of young, likable players that can grow together instead of 1 purchased title, nothing to build on, and a bunch of whiny bitches.

HATE. THE. CELTICS.]

MAGIC v SIXERS
Magic in 4. [Actual: Magic in 6. Whoops! Thought this would be easier for the Magic.]

HAWKS v HEAT
Hawks in 6. [Actual: Hawkss in 7. D-Wade was good for 1 more win than I thought.]





[Not bad, only forst round series I got wrong was an instant classic that the whining, bitching bunch of whiny bitches from Boston and the refs stole from our beloved Bulls.]

Game 7

Game 7 can be summed up in the words of my mom after opening a Christmas present from my little sister: "That's not the one I wanted!"

It was a rough loss, but I am happy to have not only watched that series, but be emotionally invested in it as a Bulls fan. It was a great joy to watch, and great experience for our young players. (With a real coach, I think we close it out in 5).

My (quick and not very-well-thought-out) takeaways from the series:
- HATE. THE. CELTICS. I don't understand how anyone actually likes that unlikeable, whining, bitching bunch of whiny bitches. I have not disliked a team this much since the late-90s Knicks (Oakley, Starks, Mason, etc.)
- Good riddance BG. I've supported and cheered, but the selfish play is too much. I've had enough, and seen him shoot the Bulls out of too many games. There are scorers that have much less baggage and who are much less streaky (read: John Salmons).
- VdN is a terrible coach, and is stunting the growth of our young players. Every time he does something right (playing Salmons at the 4 to create a mismatch was clever for a minute), he does 10 things wrong (not playing TT in the second half, every inbounds play we ran, every play we ran out of a timeout, etc.) He might be liekable, but he clearly doesn't get the Xs and Os, or the flow of the game (hence no timeout at the end of games). He doesn't coach/teach players, he jsut subs people in and out, that's it.
- LOVE. THE. BULLS. (YOUNG. CORE.) Rose, Salmons, Luol, TT and Noah will be a great team to watch next year and for years to come. TT needs to continue working his J, and look out for that pick-and-roll. Same with Rose, can you imagine if defenders have to step out on both of them?!? Noah will bulk up and maybe get a post move or 2 (read: baby hook ... Get it JoaNoah!) It's going to be fun for a while, and I'm excited with where we are headed!




I start finals tomorrow, so I'm too busy for links. But BlogaBull had a nice summary -

When I made the pact to just forget about the Bulls and enjoy this series, it's not fair to then dump on the same things that made the series exciting in the first place.

Playing 4 guards for most of the second half? Lindsey Hunter over Tyrus Thomas? Thomas getting 17 minutes overall? It's not a shock that the Bulls couldn't defend or get a rebound to get within arm's length of the Celtics all 2nd half. But that sort of play is partly what made this series so fun to watch, I guess.

What was uncharacteristic (except in game 3) was the Bulls 2nd quarter. Just an abysmal performance: 11 points, on 21% shooting and 8 turnovers, taking an early lead on the back of Rose and Gordon to a deficit they never recovered from.

And they couldn't recover because they don't run a real offense, and have a bad defense. Playing 4 guards and Brad Miller helps excacerbate that disadvantage. Sometimes it leads to great individual performances and thrilling comebacks. Other times it'll lead to losses. With no clear talent advantage on either side, the Bulls didn't lose this game due to lack of experience or savvy, but because they're an unpredictable poorly-coached team, and sometimes the usual tricks don't work. Even if it made for a fun couple of weeks.

And it was that. This series deserves a day or so to stand on its own. The Bulls and the Celtics put in a classic, and gave us a ton of memories.

Then this coming week we can move on to the challenge of figuring out and enhancing an entirely mediocre team on the brink of the luxury tax.

Game 7 Preview

Well what can you say about this series?! Should we expect another OT thriller? Why not, right?!

Should we expect repercussions against Rondo for his (a) trip of Kirk in Game 5, (b) punch of Brad Miller in Game 5, (c) throw of Kirk into the scorer's table, (d) throw of an elbow at Kirk?

Answer: (e) None of the above! Congrats Boston fans, you've cheated your way into a Game 7.

Oh, one of your players is hurt?! I hadn't heard about that. Good thing the Bulls are completely healthy instead of missing a starter (Deng), having 2 starters playing hurt (BG and Salmons) and our best 2 bench players dealing with stitches because of your dirty, scumbag little PG.





In actuality, it's tough to complain about this series. It's been an absolute pleasure to watch as a basketball fan, and an epic-thrilling-each-game-could-give-me-9-heart-attacks-roller-coaster-ride to watch as a Bulls fan.

My feelings for tonight's game (expressed by Bill Simmons) -

So yeah, that's why Celtics-Bulls meant something to me -- just like Warriors-Mavs meant something two years ago. My team won the title last year. I'm only one year into a five-year grace period. I thought I was playing with house money. I never imagined a Celtics series in 2009 would matter this much to me. I never imagined being that crestfallen after a Round 1 defeat. When Noah stole the ball from Pierce and dunked on him, I threw a tantrum like a little kid. I screamed out a slew of F-bombs. I ran outside my house and screamed some more. How could the 2008 Finals MVP commit such a dumb foul? He had five! Didn't he know he had five???? And what's worse than a Jo-No celebration at the expense of your own team? I screamed and screamed and screamed. That play ripped my heart out.

At the same time, I'm glad I still care. I'm glad it still matters. I will always appreciate this Bulls team because they did the impossible: They made a fan base that just won a title care even MORE about their own team. Last season barely matters right now. All that matters is winning the most incredible playoff series ever played. I don't even care what happens after Game 7; we can't beat the LeBrons anyway. This is our NBA Finals. Right here. The Celtics fans feel that way, and so do the Bulls fans. I can promise you.

He's right, winning tonight is like winning the NBA title. I know the players ultimate goal is to win the real title, but what happens tonight will determine how we remember the series. And after the joy it's brought me as a fan, I want to remember it as an upset win, against a team that was supposed to beat us, on their home floor, in a crazy thrilling game 7. So obviously, I'm taking Bulls in a thriller 103-101.



What got us to game 7?? Here's a recap:

GAME 1
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GAME 2
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GAME 3
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GAME 4
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GAME 5
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GAME 6
Halftime
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And here's some Game 7 links ...

Setting the stage -

Between the jaw-dropping individual displays, crisp team play and dramatic twists, it's only fitting that the thrilling first-round NBA series between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls comes to a seventh game.

And what a way to get there.

The Bulls prevailed 128-127 in triple overtime on Thursday to tie the series at three games and send it back to Boston for the finale tonight. The winner advances to play Orlando.

Now, the Celtics are trying to avoid elimination after watching an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter disappear and wasting a 51-point effort by Ray Allen that ranks among the greatest postseason displays in the storied franchise's history.

John Salmons scored 35 points and Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose came through with two big plays in the third OT to pace Chicago.

Plenty of drama -

The Chicago Bulls were pretty much like everybody else late Thursday night -- giddy and disbelieving, silly smiles on their faces, trying to make sense of it all.

Great things had occurred, and the demands for explanations and more drama followed -- specifically, how the heck can they defeat the Celtics at Boston in tonight's Game 7?

"I don't know," forward John Salmons said, before taking a long pause. "Get the last shot?"

Too much fun -

Sit down. Take a load off. Then think about this.

John Salmo ns is averaging 45 minutes 6 seconds of playing time through six games. Derrick Rose is at 45 minutes. Ben Gordon, sore hamstring and all, is playing 43:01.

Four Celtics, including Rajon Rondo with a series-high 46:33, are averaging more than 40 minutes per game.

And still, high-quality plays are being made late in marathon games. Think Joakim Noah's steal, near-full-court dribble and dunk while being fouled. Or Ray Allen's late three-pointers. Or Rose's stunning block on Rondo to secure the Bulls' Game 6 victory.

"It's mind-boggling some of the stuff happening out there," Gordon said. "Guys hit amazing shots, and then somebody else comes along and makes an even bigger play. It's almost surreal."

Apparently it's not exhausting, though.

"I'm having too much fun to be tired," Salmons said.

Reality of game 7 -

What if someone had told Muhammad Ali after the Thrilla in Manila that he'd have to go another 15 with Joe Frazier … in two days?

What if someone said to Rafael Nadal after last year's epic Wimbledon final that he and Roger Federer would have to go five more sets … in two days?

What if someone whispered in Kellen Winslow's ear as he was on the verge of heat exhaustion in that 1982 AFC divisional playoff game in Miami that he had to play another 15 minutes of overtime … immediately?

This is where we are. Game 7 in the Bulls-Celtics series will be more like Game 8. With the total time played in the seven overtime periods, they've almost completed an extra game. The six games have featured 106 lead changes. Take out Game 3 and you have five games decided by more than three points. All games decided in the final possession.

And that's more than likely what we'll get in Game 7 on Saturday (7 p.m. CT, ESPN Radio 1000): The team that has the ball last will be the team that advances.

If we were honest with ourselves, we'd say we've seen nothing like this before. We always talk about how great Game 7s are in sports, but there has never been a lead-up to any Game 7 quite like this. And with that said, if you're a Bulls fan, don't be sad if it ends here.

It has to end there for someone.

Halftime Quick Hits

Slow start because the refs were calling every little thing. Salmons looking good. BG getting to the paint.

Things got heated pretty quickly when Rondo threw Kirk into the scorers table. Kirk stood up like a MAN (unlike that whiny little punk bitch Rondo). Kirk shoved him, and Rondo cocked back to punch or threw an elbow (it's hard to tell what a little bitch like that is doing because clearly he punches like a girl). Of course it was only a flagrant 1 on Rondo (I guess we're lucky it was any type of flagrant because apparently that whiny little bitch can do whatever he wants).


How do you throw someone into a scorer's table and throw an elbow - and stay in the game?? Especially only 1 game after you clothesline someone in the head and get them 7 stitches in the mouth??

Rose is hitting some jumpers.

The refs are ruining this basketball game. It's not even fun to watch with the way they are calling it. Brad Miller, T'd up for looking at a ref. There is no rhythm because the refs think people paid to see them blow their whistles.

Ray Allen is on fire. Everything is going the Celtics way and they are right back in it.



SUMMARY: The Celtics are bitches. Rondo should have been tossed. Kirk is a man. The refs are calling EVERYTHING for the Celtics. Allen has 29 for the whiny-bitches. Salmons has 18 after a quick start. Rose has 20!!



Note: Apparently Rondo did throw an elbow -

Already embroiled in controversy, Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo threw an elbow at the Chicago Bulls' Kirk Hinrich late in the first quarter Thursday but was not ejected from the first-round playoff game.

An elbow got Howard suspended in the Magic-76ers series. Will the league right it's wrong from game 5 and suspend Rondo for Game 7 (for a clothesline and throwing an elbow?!) (Hint: No, apparently Rondo can do whatever he wants, ask Brad Miller's lip.)

Game 5 Reactions

Dan has already covered the angry/bitter post (and he's right, the refs did a poor job last night - but the Bulls lost that game), so I'll try to take a different spin ...

This isn't meant to read as a "we're down in the playoffs, so let's just quit" post, because I legitimately believe the Bulls can win game 6 at home, then have a coin-flip chance at game 7 in Boston. Looking back to the pre-season, if you'd have told me that we would be at this point without Luol Deng, I'd be pleasantly surprised (read: shocked!).

That being said, we've already "won" in these playoffs. The NBA, more than any other sport, has a playoff system that "requires" learning (read: losing first). Many of the great teams had to lose (multiple times) in the playoffs before getting over the hump (much in the way the 1990s Bulls had to overcome the Bad Boy Pistons).

I say we've already "won" because this series has been a great learning experience for the young guys (possibly excluding TT because VdN loves that 4 Gs and a Center line-up, or playing Brad Miller the entire 2nd half of games). D-Rose has played great (game 1) and not-so-great (game 5). But remember, he's 20 years old!! He would not even be allowed to watch these games with us in a bar if he weren't playing. Noah has made a name for himself, and established that we have a legit center.

That means we have the 2 toughest positions locked up with 2 good, young players (Rose and Noah). We have a decent (albeit overpaid) SF that can shoot (Luol), an athletic 4 who's only getting better (TT), and a scoring/slashing 2 guard (Salmons), with BG as the possible 6th man?? - that's a GREAT team going forward!

Plus, we're "learning the playoffs" as we speak. The NBA playoffs are a different animal than the NBA season, and this is a great experience for our young guys (read: Rose). We blew a 10 point lead with 6 minutes to play last night ... 3 years from now that won't happen because we will have done this all before. This has been an emotional, exciting, possibly-greatest-first-round-series-of-all-time ... no matter how this thing turns out, we fans are all lucky to watch such fun basketball, and the inexperienced Bulls are getting the experience needed for the future.


(Note: I'm still picking the Bulls in 7)




Links ...

I thought Doc Rivers said the Celtics aren't allowed to complain? But he can complain and get fined? -

Celtics coach Doc Rivers was surprised the league fined him $25,000 for comments he made Monday about the officiating in this series.

''Yeah, because the question came from you [media] guys about what the Bulls were doing,'' Rivers said. ''What can you do? I'm the personal stimulus package right now. You guys ought to take up a collection. Actually, I think it is tax-deductible, but I don't need any more deductions.''

Rivers was fined for saying referees are looking to call moving screens on Celtics center Kendrick Perkins.

I can't stress enough how much I hate this whining, bitching bunch of whiny bitches. HATE. THE. CELTICS.





And Dan was right, it was a flagrant (the Bulls are sending in the tapes -

His upper lip was swollen and cut, the blood gushing out of the corner of Brad Miller’s mouth and the Chicago Bulls’ trainer reached inside and furiously sewed those stitches. Discombobulated, dizzy, his eyes rolling back, Miller was fighting to keep his mind on the magnitude of the moment.

“I shut my eyes,” Miller said, “and waited until he told me he was done.”

Two seconds left in overtime, two free throws, after the Boston Celtics met Miller with mayhem and malice at the rim. Rajon Rondo never bothered to swing for the ball with Miller on the move, just a forearm to the face that crumpled him to the floor. Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro screamed for a flagrant foul, and Miller looked like a lost soul, wandering in a fog between the bench and the free-throw line, between consciousness and confusion.

“It was just another one of the many shots to the head that haven’t been called this whole series,” Miller grumbled.

Out of nowhere, these Bulls and Celtics are playing a playoff series for the ages and, now, groggy and glassy-eyed, Miller had a chance to push the defending champions to a second OT on Tuesday night at the Garden. The Celtics wouldn’t let Ben Gordon catch an inbounds pass to beat them with a jumper, so the ball found its way to Miller at the free-throw line extended. He faked once, lost his man and had a clear path to the basket for a dunk.

Rondo hit him at the rim with two seconds left, with Kendrick Perkins closing fast. “No layups,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, and that “won the game for us.”

Miller is a career 80 percent free-throw shooter, but he never had a chance. Rondo has done everything for the Celtics, including the clocking of a 7-foot, 270-pound tractor out of Purdue.

“I don’t even know if they cleaned up all the blood around the basket,” Miller said.

Maybe it was a flagrant foul, Miller mused, but how could he tell. “I missed it,” he said. “I was getting a forearm shiver to the face.”

...

“There were arms coming from everywhere, and I knew they weren’t going for the ball,” Miller said. “I was just trying to get [the shot] up before they called some crap like ‘on the ground.’ ”

The Bulls aren’t done. Not even close. They’ve sent film to the league office on the Celtics’ physicality, Miller said, but those never go anywhere. That’s all right. This is good for the Bulls, good for the game. Another night, another epic. Pity poor Brad Miller. He had two free throws, two rims and two seconds left on Tuesday night when little Rajon Rondo had a free shot and pounded him upside that woozy head.

When it was over, Miller was drinking a bottle of water at his locker. He tipped the bottle to one side of his mouth, where there were no stitches, no blood. His knees were wrapped with ice. His eyes were glassy. There was no second overtime on Tuesday night at the Garden, but there’s still a chance for the Bulls to come back to Boston for Game 7, to take the champ’s best shot.

“We’ve got another game to play on Thursday,” Miller said. “Let’s strap it on and see what happens.”

'Painful' loss -

Brad Miller spoke slowly with stitches that had just been sewn into the inside of his lip. He made it clear, though, that he disagreed with the call that followed a swat across his face.

It was "absolutely" a flagrant foul, the backup center said after the Bulls' 106-104 overtime loss to the Celtics on Tuesday night. That would have given Chicago the ball after he took two free throws. Instead, he missed both and a chance to tie the game with 2 seconds left.

Boston, which overcame an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter, took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series going into Thursday night's sixth game in Chicago.

Observations from Game 5 -

The Bulls had this one.

They had it … then they let it slip right through their fingertips. They had an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter; they had Ray Allen fouled out; Ben Gordon had a 17-footer to win the game. All the pieces were in place for an upset, for a 3-2 lead and then -- poof! -- they vanished faster than Vinny Del Negro's timeouts. The Bulls have played great throughout this series (minus Game 3, of course), but mentally, they aren't ready to take the next step that great teams have to take. The team is too young and hasn't figured out how to close out games yet. Here are a few other postgame observations from Game 5 …

Beaten and bloodied -

From Ben Gordon's strained hamstring to Kirk Hinrich's cut forehead and Brad Miller's lacerated mouth, the blood-pressure-challenging 53 minutes at the TD Banknorth Garden on Tuesday turned out to be the anatomy of heartbreak for the Bulls in a 106-104 overtime loss to the defending-champion Boston Celtics.

The game made the Bulls-Celtics series the first in NBA playoff history to have three overtime games.

Refs (and Bulls) blew it -

I’m here for the fun . . .

Brad Miller got fouled flagrantly. It was an obvious play. It was an obvious choke by the officials.

The Bulls should’ve had Miller go to the free-throw line, his team down two with two seconds left in overtime in Game 5 on Tuesday. Miller should’ve gotten his shots and the Bulls should’ve gotten the ball out of bounds after Rajon Rondo raked Miller’s face and gave him a fat lip.

But no. It was simply a two-shot personal foul. It probably would’ve been called a flagrant foul if this game was in Chicago, or if the Bulls were the defending champions.

It wasn’t, they aren’t, and Miller missed the first shot. Now he had to miss the second. He did. He missed everything, which is an automatic change of possession. Ballgame.

But forget about that.

Remember instead that the Bulls blew an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter.

ESPN Poll (as of 3 pm)

The Blue is the areas of the US/World that are now predicting a Bulls victory in the series.

D-Rose = Little LeBron

I assume that "Lil' LeBron" (aka Derrick Rose) could beat "Lil' Penny" in a game of one-on-one ...

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Seriously though, I love this comparison -

Imagine a point guard-size LeBron James. Kind of intimidating, huh? Well, that's how one NBA scout described what the Celtics are dealing with right now in Chicago rookie Derrick Rose.

"He's a LeBron guard," one Eastern Conference advance scout said. "His power and speed is unmatched. It can be Rajon Rondo. It could be Chauncey Billups. It doesn't matter. He'll outpower you."

Rose outpowered the Celtics Saturday in Game 1. The NBA Rookie of the Year front-runner had a career-high 36 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal in 50 minutes of the Bulls' 105-103 overtime victory. The No. 1 overall pick made 12 of 19 shots (many on drives), nailed all 12 free throws, and earned several assists on alley-oops to wide-open shooters.

While the Celtics had numerous other issues to tackle during practice yesterday, one notable concern was figuring out how to make Rose wilt. Boston will need an answer in Game 2 tonight at TD Banknorth Garden to even the best-of-seven series.

"It's just going to be fun out there," Rose said. "I know there's going to be a little more attention on me."

Stunning. Brilliant. Historic. Epic.

Was that blog title dramatic enough? There are no words to capture the drama of Derrick Rose's playoff debut at Boston yesterday.

At halftime, I was texting and BBMing "Not a bad first half, can't give up this lead and the momentum in the 3rd."

It had all the right ingredients: The Bulls led most of the game, but didn't build a huge lead; PP and Ray Allen seemed ready to go off; the Bulls have a terrible rookie head coach who doesn't know what "halftime adjustment" means; in Boston, where the lead would get the crowd rocking ... and the Bulls could end up getting blown out by 15-20.

But every time Boston hit a shot to tie or take the lead, Derrick Rose had an answer. He was unguardable (UNGUARDABLE!) in his playoff debut. He hit big shot after big shot. He had that killer instinct, and would not the let the Bulls lose.


(From the Tribune)


It made me think of this quote (from ESPN) - "When he was drafted by the Bulls, Memphis coach John Calipari warned his rookie counterpart, Vinny del Negro: "Tell that kid he's not going to win 82 games. Because he doesn't know that. He's never had a losing streak.""

Rose's play cannot be put into words, but here's a summary (from a guy who didn't pick D-Rose as ROY) -

The Chicago Bulls did a lot of things right on Saturday afternoon in Boston en route to a 105-103 overtime win. They controlled the tempo on the Celtics' home floor, and mauled the league's second-best rebounding team on the glass. But it's impossible to consider any single facet of the game without focusing on Derrick Rose. Chicago's rookie point guard tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record for most points in a playoff debut with 36.

Rose's game displays a seamless combination of spontaneity and purpose. He's perfectly capable of free-forming at any moment -- even off a made bucket -- but he's also a master orchestrator who controls the halfcourt game from the point. Rose shredded the Celtics' defense Saturday and he did it in a variety of ways.
...
Off the Dribble
Rose goes off in the third quarter, draining four field goals over a span of five Chicago possessions. The most spectacular of the bunch comes off a high screen and roll on the right side with Tyrus Thomas [3rd Quarter, 7:43]. Boston typically defends pick and roll action as effectively as anyone, and here Glen Davis and Rondo show and recover with ease.

Doesn't matter. Rose disarms Rajon Rondo in a flash with a subtle shoulder fake, then a deathly crossover to his left. Rondo, a capable on-ball defender, is left in the dust. Once Rose reaches the paint, Perkins arrives from the help side. Rose protects himself with his right hip, muscling to the hoop with his left arm, then kissing the ball off the window.

Rose beats the ball defender with pure quickness, then overcomes the back line help with strength. It's a superb composite of his game.
...
The Takeaway
For all of Derrick Rose's tactical exploits on Saturday afternoon, his instincts and unflappability in a hyper-competitive road playoff game were equally impressive. Rose appeared steely and calm. He never flashed a smile and never complained about a call. His confidence was brimming, but his style was workmanlike -- to the extent 36 points and 11 assists can be characterized as such.

Our front line (read: TT and JoaNoah) showed that they can play. TT hit some BIG shots in OT!



(From the Tribune)

And will 11-17 shut up some of the Noah-haters for a bit?


(From the Sun Times)

I don't care if KG is out there or not, those 2 came through in a big way yesterday. (Combined for 27 points, 23 rebounds and 6 blocks!)



I won't get too down on Vinny, because I'm literally still smiling from that win ... but Rose on PP when he has five fouls? Salmons playing when he clearly didn't have it (and Kirk was adequate/annoying on PP)? And here it comes, a Vinny compliment - You have to give him credit for keeping Rose out there (for over 49 minutes!). he recognized that Rose was the only chance we had, and he kept him out there. (Was that a compliment, or pointing out that Vinny did something that this guy could figure out?)

Back to D-Rose: yesterday was a thing of beauty. Hitting jumps shots, driving for layups, getting to the paint whenever he wanted, hitting baseline runners from behind the glass. Of course the ESPN highlights don't have much Rose, which makes sense. Luckily we get a Boston 3PT jumpshot and a wide-open Pierce layup in the highlights ...




Here are more highlights that don't show enough of D-Rose in the 3rd and 4th ...