I usually throw some stats and stuff into what I write, but today this is pretty much just going to be limited to observations and opinions. A lot of Bulls' fans seemed to be on the brink of euphoria after the Bulls easily handled the Heat in game 1. After the Heat just about completely shut down the Bulls in game 2, many of those same fans can now be seen shivering in the corner with their heads between their knees, muttering incoherently and just trying to catch their breath. Seriously folks, you need to get a grip. My guess is that the problem most Bulls' fans are experiencing is that they can't get past their expectations, most of which were set before this season began. Just about every expert saw the Heat as an instant juggernaut...an irresistible force that would simply cut through the NBA like a hot knife through butter. Never in the history of the league have 3 players of the caliber of James, Wade and Bosh, in the prime years of their careers, joined forces. Despite the fact that the Heat had some problems over the course of the season, many fans have continued to live in a state of dread for that day when the stars would come out and exert their inexorable will, blowing past any unfortunate team in their path. On the other side, not much was expected of the Bulls. In September, most fans felt that a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals would be an absolute wet dream. As the team continued to achieve, we began to believe, but always lagged behind the reality. So here we are, facing the superstar-laden Miami Heat and a lot of fans are flat-out intimidated. We just can't get over those expectations of what the season would be for the Heat and for the Bulls. When the Bulls easily won game 1 people got giddy 'cause, despite what the Bulls did in the regular season, their inferiority complex about the Bulls and the programmed concept of the Heat's invincibility led them to that state and gave them hope they didn't expect to have. Game 2 crashed fans back to earth and back into their pre-programmed inferiority complex. Relax folks, while it certainly would've been better to go to Miami up 2-0, this series is far from over. In game 1, the Heat learned that they can't simply rule the day on reputation. In fact, when they gave only ordinary effort, they got their doors blown off by the Bulls. In game 2, the Heat came out with as much energy as they could muster and even played some nice team basketball. They also dusted off Udonis Haslem who has been on the shelf with a foot injury since November. When healthy, Haslem's legit...kind of a veteran version of Taj Gibson. It was a potent combination for the Heat, but it only resulted in a victory because the Bulls scoring trio of Rose, Boozer and Korver shot under 30%. Some credit should be given to the Heat's defense, but the truth is that the Bulls missed a lot of very makeable shots and were awful at the free throw line. If this continues to happen, then yes, the series is over. The thing is, it's in the Bulls hands to win or lose this series, not the all-powerful Heat's. The Bulls remain the better defensive team and the better rebounding team. This won't change. The Heat have scored 82 and 85 points in the first 2 games of the series. They averaged 102 per game in the regular season. Although the mighty Heat pulled away from the Bulls in the 4th quarter of game 2, they did it while scoring only 14 points in the that quarter...14! In the second halves of the first two games, the Heat have only been able to muster 71 points. Clearly, the Bulls know how to D-up Miami when it matters. This series is going to be tough and is by no means a sure thing. The Heat are a favorite for a reason and they've wrestled away home court advantage...for the moment. However, my advice is that you forget your pre-conceived notions about these teams. There is no "super team" in this fight. Both teams are very good, but both are also somewhat flawed. It's going to be a helluva series and I still feel very good about the Bulls in 7. They can do this. Tom Nossem
I am quite sure the Bulls can do this. Would have been better if they could have pulled that second game out at the end, but hey, as Vinny would say, this is all a process. He was right about that, at least.
Tom that is how I see it too. We shoot 40 plus percent instead of 34% we would have won the game. Our D was fine. We allowed just 85 pts.
I agree with you, Tom, but I think you're missing the bigger picture. It hasn't been that long since the jib wars of the mid 2000s. Thousands of hours were lost on a team that ultimately did nothing. The breaking point was in 2005 when the Bulls lost four straight to the Wizards when they were the higher seed. We've seen this script before is my point. Good defensive team that is the higher seed is flummoxed in the playoffs by a more talented team that doesn't play defense or team ball as well. I can't blame anyone for freaking out. I think the Bulls take a win on Sunday. I think they are ultimately more talented or equally talented as the Heat.
I like where we are at statistically http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/play...?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-110520 From John Hollinger INSIDER:
I don't know that it's the bigger picture...but it is an interesting angle I never considered. Ah, the jib days! When you're a fan, sometimes you hold fast to whatever you can grab. No doubt this Bulls team would have been seen as "jibby." Fortunately, they're also legitimately talented...and very good.
As I said to K4E, this team has it all, jib and skilzzz. But, maybe that missing scoring talent at the 2g will ultimately sink us? No reason to be defeatist, however. The shortcomings we have are more than matched by every other team left, including the Heat. LeBron and Wade don't make all the difference. They still need a team, as does Derrick and Durant and Dirk. Go Bulls!
I won't be truly worried unless the Heat get to 3 wins. This would mean "win or go home" for the Bulls, a position they've not been in during the playoffs so far. The Bulls' objective in Miami is to win one of the two games, and they have another shot at it tomorrow. There are a lot of positives to take from last night's loss. 1) If the home court is worth +10 for Miami, as I wrote earlier, the Bulls basically played them close enough to win. The Bulls were down 3 at the start of Q4. 2) We played them tough through the first 3 quarters in spite of Noah being in foul trouble and missing key stretches of the game. 3) We got huge production from Boozer. 4) Ronnie Brewer played over half the game and ended up +4 5) Miami's rotation is 8 deep - Bibby, Anthony, and Miller gave them 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists (not much) 6) We won the rebounding battle, 41-32. 7) We were in it, though LeBron and Wade did not have their best games. What I believe the Bulls need to do to win game 4: 1) Keep Noah out of foul trouble 2) Make the game tougher for two of their big 3. 3) Consider giving Deng some help on LeBron - he starts their offense. 4) Rose needs to be Rose. He scores his playoffs average and the Bulls would have been ahead much of the game. 5) Deng needs to contribute a few more points. He's #3 in our big 3, not a defensive specialist only. 6) Put the pressure on Chalmers like we did in the first two games. I'd rather see Bibby out there for them than a confident Chalmers. 7) Shorten the rotation to 8. Asik should only play if our bigs are in foul trouble. Korver is useless for us against the Heat. I liked the lineup on the floor at the end of the game. It didn't see much run during the season or the playoffs. I'd like to see what it can do when all the players are rested instead of gassed at the end of the game. That would be Rose, Brewer, Boozer, Gibson, and Deng. Defensively, Boozer can stick Anthony, and I'd leave Bibby to double team LeBron. I'd take my chances with Brewer or Rose defending Wade (6-17) one on one or Bibby taking all the 3pt shots we give him. Taj is supposed to be a good defender, so we may as well try him on Bosh. Taj is our most consistent scoring threat on the bench, and brings athleticism and shot blocking/altering at the defensive end.
Agreed about Taj. He's been playing awesomely, if that's a word. Honestly, I was worried about Derrick watching this game. He's not sure what to do, and he made a number of bad decisions in that fourth quarter. We were close (76-72). We needed to stay disciplined and on task. But Derrick got sloppy with the ball, and made that crazy leap defending Wade. You forget that he's so young. But this is where he really needs to be a leader. He's in control of the ball, and he needs to figure out the ways he can attack this team without losing control. But you can see where Miami's speed on defense really frustrates him. I too feel that we can get one down there. Asik may be out, which will hurt. But I was curious what Kurt Thomas might be able to do for us defensively on Bosh anyway. Looks like we'll get a chance to see. It was a pretty good game. Really intense, but Derrick looked frazzled. He needs to take a step back and really look at the film and work out a strategy with Thibs that he can feel comfortable with.
Nice post, Denny. I wrote that Korver should be less of a defensive liability because the Heat just about always have at least one player on the floor who hangs out at the arc. Turns out I was wrong...I didn't see the PG as the pick man on the P&R coming. Good coaching. The Heat's defense has been very impressive. I knew they were good, but they've been better. Game 4 is a monster. We'll either feel very good about things or utterly despondent at about 10:30 tonight.
Yep, I definitely feel that we have helped Miami get to a different level. Their D is better, the offense is better, they are running offense, etc. Hopefully, we show a new gear tonight, too.
Even though we lost and Derrick was clearly frustrated, I think that the Heat looked beatable. He needs to adjust to the speed of the Heat defense (their biggest strength), and see the openings. They're there. I'm not sure we'll be able to do much better on defense, but if we limit their transitions, keeping the turnovers down, we'll be good for a 2-2 tie coming back to Chi town. Go Bulls!
Rose needs to make the heat, especially Wade work so hard they don't have the energy to match us in Q4. Q4 has killed us the last two games.
I have no doubt 25 year old Derrick Rose can do it. I just don't know if 22 year old Rose can. Like a rookie QB, at least against a D as good as Miami, he seems to get locked into the 1st and 2nd option. I'm hoping though. Go Bulls!
See, that's been our fool's hope this whole season. He's performed beyond his years, broken through every barrier identified. Here's another one. Yeah, who knows. But if anyone can do it, at 22, he can. Go Bulls!
We're not OK. This is the one I thought we would win. Guh. Wilted down the stretch. Hate seeing the preening Lebron. Could not do it himself, passed down the stretch last year, and now he's acting like he's a God. Jeez.
