vs EASTERN CONFERENCE - FIRST ROUND Game 2, Home Game 2 Monday, April 18, 2010 – 8:30 PM CT United Center Game 1 - Sat April 16 BULLS WON 104-99 Game 2 - Mon April 19 Pacers @ Bulls 8:30 p.m. Game 3 - Thu April 22 Bulls @ Pacers TBD Game 4 - Sun April 25 Bulls @ Pacers TBD Game 5 * Tue April 27 Pacers @ Bulls TBD Game 6 * Thu April 29 Bulls @ Pacers TBD Game 7 * Sat May 1 Pacers @ Bulls TBD Bulls' playoff history vs Cleveland 2011 - Eastern Conference 1st Round - BULLS lead 1-0 1998 - Eastern Conference Finals BULLS WON 4-3 VS. PACERS ALL-TIME IN PLAYOFFS ALL-TIME ............... BULLS lead 5-3 BULLS CURRENT STREAK .. 2 Wins BULLS HOME STREAK .........5 Wins BULLS ROAD STREAK .............. 3 Losses ----------------------------------------------------------------------- BULLS VS. PACERS ALL-TIME ALL-TIME ..................... Bulls lead 84-73 BULLS CURRENT STREAK ..... 1 Loss BULLS HOME STREAK ............ 7 Wins BULLS ROAD STREAK ............... 1 Loss BULLS VS. PACERS THIS SEASON Dec. 13 @ Chicago – BULLS WON 92-73 Jan. 14 @ Indiana – BULLS WON 99-86 Jan. 29 @ Chicago – BULLS WON 110-89 Mar. 18 @ Indiana - PACERS WON 115-108 (OT) Game Notes Chicago Bulls (62-20) Playoffs Home 1-0 Road 0-0 Regular Seaon Home 36-5 Road 26-15 Div 15-1 EConf 39-13 WConf 23-7 Probable Bulls starters Derrick Rose - PG - 39 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast Keith Bogans- SG - 3 reb Luol Deng - SF - 18 pts, 10 reb, 2 ast Carlos Boozer - PF - 12 pts, 6 reb, 1 blk Joakim Noah - C - 10 pts, 11 reb, 3 blk Bulls Stats Leaders Points: Rose 39, Deng 18 Rebounds: Noah 11, Deng 10 Assists: Rose 6, Korver 3 Steals: Brewer 2 Blocks: Noah & Rose 3 FG%: Thomas .750, Korver .571 FT%: Rose .905, Boozer .800 3FG%: Korver 1.00, Deng .667 For a full report and the latest on Bulls' injuries, check out the AthletiCo Injury Report. Indiana Pacers (37-45) Playoffs Home 1-0 Road 0-0 Regular Seaon Home 24-17 Road 13-28 EConf 28-24 WConf 9-21 Probable Pacers starters Paul George- PG Darren Collison - SG Danny Granger - SF Tyler Hansbrough - PF Roy Hibbert - C Injury report None to report
One would have to think we took their best punch in Game 1. That had to be a demoralizing loss for the Pacers. I was at the game and its still unclear how we pulled that out, other than some amazing D down the stretch and Rose. The Pacers were playing some solid D against the Bulls and were hitting their shots. Quite impressed by their squad. Things I need to see.... 1.) Boozer needs to crash the boards. He's not going to be a great defender, but at least collect the rebounds. 2.) Noah needs to play like the near all-star we think he is. 3.) Boozer need to play like the all-star / near all-star he has been in the past. 4.) There needs to be a commitment to strong defense and crisp offense from the get-go. The Pacers were collapsing their defense... bulls need to rotate the ball via passing and hit open shots. Make them work. I'm predicting a blow-out. Can't see how the Pacers recover from that loss on Saturday, they probably are not going to shoot that well and the Bulls will adjust / not come out so flat. Rose also likely won't shoot as poorly. The Bulls are not getting to the promised land playing like they did Saturday, that's for sure.
The thing is with this Bulls team is that they seem to have an acute response to a shit game. The Pacers are a challenging match up for this Bulls team. But correspondingly , we are to them too. Honestly , I would play Noah on Hansborough and McRoberts to nullify their energy/athleticism and work in Taj more minutes to support here. I would have Boozer body up on Hibbert and then have Noah/Taj rotate to help out and then have Derrick , Lu, and Ronnie really pressure the passing lanes hard and force them to try and take advantage of the open man. I think they'll shit themselves and turn it over a ton if we were to really turn that up which would put them on the heels with some easy offense Offensively, in the half court set I would play Boozer in the high post in pick and pop with Derrick where he has an advantage over Hansborough/McRoberts - and play Noah as the crasher. Or the Pacers may adjust and play Hibbert on Boozer if he starts getting hot from pick and pop high post out which then plays to Derrick's strengths of taking it inside and attacking I called it yesterday - the Pacers won't shoot more than 30% from 3 for the rest of the series. And ...yeah...this is going to be a ritualistic killing
Other things I'd like to see tonight. Contain Collison. He got to wherever he wanted Saturday. Rose has to stay in front of him. Get Boozer going in the block. This guy needs to be a low post presence. Stop settling for jumpers. He's not going to be a great defender, but we need to get his post game going and have him crash the boards. Korver needs to pull the trigger. He was shockingly tentative in the 1st half. This can't happen. Shoot it Kyle. Stop giving up those offensive rebounds.
I think a close game again, BUT, sending them down 0-2 is a good start to a killing of a season ending kind.
Rose to bogans on the break for a 3 attempt, missed, boozer rebounds, gets fouled FTA made both, up 2
