Series Preview: Chicago Bulls v.s. Miami Heat

Miami is playing very strong led by the Deisel looks like they can make a run here and get even more momentum heading into the fourth.

 

Wow, our defense is really bad.

 

Why don't we do that kind of stuff with Chandler? The Bulls should do what Miami does with Shaq, go penetrate in the lane throw it up to Chandler and let him throw it down. He's big and has long arms to go and get it over any of the Heat even Shaq.

Also when Hinrich was driving earlier why didn't he just go down and dunk it on Shaq, I mean it shouldn't be hard for him, he dunked earlier in the game and every one knows he can dunk. Why not dunk on Shaq? And the least they would get is atleast a foul on Shaq. I know it may seem really hard, but it doesn't really look like he's close to them.

 

No answer for Posey either he is destroying Chicago.

 

Dunk on Shaq? Not many people in the NBA can do that, especially not Hinrich. The Bulls were playing well in the first half with their outside shooting. In the 2nd half they began to become cold which is a killer since they have no inside game. These are my two favorite teams playing, I want the heat to advance, but I want the bulls to get at least one win in the series so it isn't a sweep. The Bulls need to start giving the ball to Gordon more if they expect to make any run in the 4th quarter.

 

Yea but Miami is doing a great job on Gordon shutting him down. Now they need to stop Hinrich.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MiamiBalla12:</div><div class="quote_post">Dunk on Shaq? Not many people in the NBA can do that, especially not Hinrich. The Bulls were playing well in the first half with their outside shooting. In the 2nd half they began to become cold which is a killer since they have no inside game. These are my two favorite teams playing, I want the heat to advance, but I want the bulls to get at least one win in the series so it isn't a sweep. The Bulls need to start giving the ball to Gordon more if they expect to make any run in the 4th quarter.</div>
It's not really dunking on Shaq, lol. Making it look like it. Hinrich can easily dunk. Didn't you see him easily drive down the lane in the first quarter and then just pass it out when Shaq was to the other side, all he has to do is dunk that and he gets a easy basket.

WTF, BG missed a FT to get it down to 6 and then the Heat scored.

 

DAMM... I was going like NOC NOOOOO!! And then he knocks it down. LETS GO BULLS!

 

Gordon has struggled from the line tonight pretty odd. Bulls are right back in it. Put Posey on Hinirich he shut down BG and he'll do the same to Hinrich.

 

Hmm. Pretty bad game until the end for the Bulls. Down 0-2. Hopefully they'll come back even stronger next game and can win 2 back to back at home.

 

When Andres Nocioni is your leading scorer and Ben Gordon is under 20 points it's hard to beat Miami.

 

Great game for Nocioni though. 13-15 shooting with 30 points and Hinrich had 27.

 

We just won't go away and we can easily even it up at 2 each in Chicago.

Hopefully we will have the same trend as last season, up 2, lose 4-2.

Wishful thinking.

 

well i didnt get to watch the game
but looked close, we can definately win both games at home

 

I agree totally. Kirk can drive the lane except in the first he was pushing it too hard and it was bouncing out. he has great handles and I'm sure it would be pretty easy for him to draw a foul but he seems to afraid he'll draw the offensive. I can't blame him though we weren't getting any calls but that really has nothing to do with it, he never tries to draw a foul by driving the lane.

We need more players to get to the line, I don't know if this has to do with Skiles not teaching these youngins how to do it or they're just not good enough yet to use this strategy effectivly. I'm surprised Noc hasn't been forcing the foul, recently he's been playing like a man who's won a gold medal.

 

<font size=""6""><div align="center">Game Two Recap</div></font>

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">[IMGR]http://www.nba.com/media/heat/JWill-Recap300.jpg[/IMGR]The Miami Heat are turning their Eastern Conference first-round series against the Chicago Bulls into repeat viewing.

With Jason Williams again supporting the superstar tandem of Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade, the Heat held on for a 115-108 victory over the Bulls and opened a 2-0 lead in the series.

NBA TV highlights from
Bulls-Heat: Play
Press Conference: Play
The second-seeded Heat gave the seventh-seeded Bulls a bad case of deja vu. O'Neal scored 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting and blocked three shots as he again was a considerable factor on both ends of the floor. Wade had 21 points and seven assists as he again handled the playmaking.

"We feel good," O'Neal said. "We know what they're going to do. (Bulls coach) Scott Skiles is telling the world what they are going to do. ... If they are going to continue to double me, I'm going to keep picking them apart. I was actually looking forward to going to the line 30 or 40 times tonight."

Williams has emerged as a consistent third option in the offense. After scoring 17 points in Game 1, the point guard totaled 17 of his 22 in the first half, when Miami made Chicago's determined defense appear porous.

"I have to be ready to take them (jumpers) when I'm open and when those guys double Shaq, he kicks it out and I take the shot," Williams said. "They (Wade and O'Neal) make my job a lot easier because all I have to do is be ready to shoot if it comes my way. My game is to play with a lot of energy and take advantage of the open shots and that's what I did."

As in the opener, the Bulls came up with a late surge to throw a small scare into the Heat, who have turned it up a notch in the postseason, just as O'Neal said they would.

"We pretty much got dominated from beginning to end," Skiles said. "Defensively, we're not getting it done."

The relative ease of the win was surprising considering that Miami was without backup center Alonzo Mourning (calf) and starting power forward Udonis Haslem, who was suspended for one game for throwing his mouthpiece at referee Joey Crawford in Game 1.

"This team is being judged very harshly and that's the way it is," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "We have more than enough, even with Udonis and Alonzo out. There's enough offensive firepower to overcome the losses of players if we can sustain the defensive effort to make that work."

Antoine Walker filled in nicely, playing the first 40 minutes without rest and collecting 17 points and 10 rebounds.

"He's (Haslem) a guy who gives us tremendous rebounding ability," Walker said. "He's our hustle guy. I extend the defense and make plays off the dribble and that's where our game differs, but we do complement each other, so when he's out I can come in and give them a different look."

The teams traded runs at the outset of each quarter. Miami began the game with an 8-0 burst en route to a 33-26 lead after one period as Williams scored 12 points.

Chicago responded with nine straight points to briefly grab the lead. The Bulls still were within 58-53 before unraveling. The half ended with Williams dribbling through the entire defense for a layup with 1.2 seconds left and Wade stealing the ensuing inbounds pass and dunking at the buzzer for a 68-57 advantage.

It was the most first-half points allowed this season by the Bulls, who dug themselves a huge hole despite shooting 61 percent from the field.

"Our defense is not nearly where it needs to be in order for us to win," Bulls guard Chris Duhon said. "We're not going to win any games if they're scoring 68 points in the first half. We need to tighten up our defense and get them shooting in the low 40s. ... We need to find a way to slow (them) down."

James Posey had a 3-pointer and a driving three-point play in a 15-4 run that built Miami's lead to 89-69 with 2:44 left in the third quarter.

"They were brought in for the playoffs," O'Neal said of Miami's offseason acquisitions of Williams, Walker and Posey. "Last year, we had some injured and did not have the additional firepower. But now we have (it)."

The Bulls made their obligatory late push behind Kirk Hinrich, who scored 11 of his 29 points in a 13-2 run that closed the margin to 104-97 with three minutes left. He scored 17 points in the final period. But it wasn't nearly enough.

''I think it was a little laziness on our part,'' Williams said of the Bulls late rush.

A 3-pointer by Andres Nocioni, who scored a career-high 30 points, made it 108-104 with 1:15 remaining, but Wade answered with a leaner in the lane and Gary Payton added two free throws to seal it.

Luol Deng scored 14 points and Ben Gordon added 13 for the Bulls, who wasted their 53 percent (41-of-77) shooting with poor defense and sloppy play.

Chicago, which led the NBA in field-goal percentage defense for the second straight season, allowed Miami to shoot 52 percent (44-of-84) and committed 18 turnovers.

"I don't know what they shot, but we're a defensive team and should have had it on that end tonight," Hinrich said. "I really don't know how to explain it, except to say we weren't ready on that end."

The series shifts to Chicago for Games 3 and 4 on Thursday and Sunday.

"We need to stop O'Neal, but we need to stop the other guys, too," Nocioni said. "We paid every time because we tried to help take Shaquille O'Neal away." </div>
<div align="center">
Recap l Box Score</div>

 

The key for Miami was shutting down Ben Gordon and holding him to 13 points.

 

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<font color="Orange">Miami Heat (52-30)</font> at <font color="DarkRed">Chicago Bulls (41-41)</font>
Game Three: Thursday, Apr. 27, 7:00pm vs Heat
TV: TNT

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The Chicago Bulls seek to record a victory over the Miami Heat when the Eastern Conference playoff series shifts to Chicago tonight (7:00 p.m. CT | TNT, CSN/ESPN Radio 1000). One of the keys for the Heat in the first two contests has been the ability to take an early lead. The Heat have been in front for 88 of 96 minutes, while the Bulls have led for under 2 1/2 minutes.

Shaquille O'Neal and Jason Williams scored 22 points apiece and Dwyane Wade added 21 to lead six players in double figures for Miami in Monday's 115-108 victory over Chicago. Andres Nocioni made 13-of-15 shots for the fourth-best playoff percentage (86.7) in league history by a player making at least 13 baskets. He finished with 30 points.

Kirk Hinrich scored 17 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter as the Bulls attempted to rally from a 20-point deficit late in the third period. With Udonis Haslem serving a one-game league suspension for throwing his mouthpiece toward an official in the series opener, Miami's Antoine Walker scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 44 minutes in Game Two.

O'Neal, who scored 27 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in Game One, is shooting 63 percent (19-of-30) from the floor in the series and has made 11-of-15 free throws. Game Four will be Sunday in Chicago. Tune in to watch tonight's game on TNT or Comcast SportsNet Chicago (pregame at 6:30 p.m. and post-game afterwards) and listen to it on ESPN Radio 1000 (pregame at 6:30 p.m.).</font>

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<font color="Orange">Miami Heat</font>



<font size=""1""><font color=""Orange"">PG</font>- Jason Williams
<font color=""Orange"">SG</font>- Dwyane Wade
<font color=""Orange"">SF</font>- Antoine Walker
<font color=""Orange"">PF</font>- Udonis Haslem
<font color=""Orange"">C</font>- Shaquille O‘Neal</font>

<font size=""1"">Coach: Pat Riley</font>

<font size="3">Season Stats</font>
Leading Scorer: Dwyane Wade - 27.3 PPG
Leading Rebounder: Shaquille O‘Neal- 9.2 RPG
Assist Man: Dwyane Wade - 6.7 APG
The 'X' Factor: Shaquille O’Neal (20.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.9 APG)



[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/jason_williams.jpg[/imgl]<font color="Orange">Jason Williams </font>
PPG: 12.3, RPG: 2.4, APG: 4.9
Jason Williams has been playing out of his mind in this series thus far he is averaging more than five points higher in the scoring column. He has given the Miami Heat a third scorer to go along side Shaq and Flash. Williams jump shot has also given the Heat a threat from the three point line who has to be respected, thus limiting the Bulls ability to double team Shaq.

[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/dwyane_wade.jpg[/imgl]<font color="Orange">Dwyane Wade </font>
PPG: 27.3, RPG: 4.3, APG: 6.7
Dwyane Wade, and his new bald look will be back in his home town for the first time since the end of the regular season. Wade has struggled in Chicago immensely this season. With the playoff pressure, home town crowd, and ticket requests will he struggle again?



[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/antoine_walker.jpg[/imgl]<font color="Orange">Antoine Walker </font>
PPG: 12.2, RPG: 5.1, APG: 2.0
It’s a 50/50 shot that Walker will play well tonight. He played a really poor game in the first game, but played a great game in game two. Now back to his original spot, small forward not power forward, will Walker be able to sustain his high level of play? Your looking at someone who doesn’t thing he will.

[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/udonis_haslem.jpg[/imgl]<font color="Orange">Udonis Haslem</font>
PPG: 9.3, RPG: 7.8, APG: 1.2
Mr. mouth guard is back! With some money in his pocket after signing a mouth guard deal. Anyway, Haslem has a lot to prove to a lot of people tonight he has to play well. Bill Walton being one of them.


[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/shaquille_oneal.jpg[/imgl]<font color="orange">Shaquille O’Neal </font>
PPG:20.0, RPG: 9.2, APG: 1.9
What is there to say about Shaq that I have not already said. The man has dominated this series, and with Tyson Chandler guarding him tonight don’t expect anything to change. Shaq will get his the Bulls just got to make sure no one else does.

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<font color="Darkred"> Chicago Bulls</font>



<font size=""1""><font color=""DarkRed"">PG</font>- Kirk Hinrich
<font color=""DarkRed"">SG</font>- Ben Gordon
<font color=""DarkRed"">SF</font>- Luol Deng
<font color=""DarkRed"">PF</font>- Andres Nocioni
<font color=""DarkRed"">C</font>- Tyson Chandler</font>


<font size=""1"">Coach: Scott Skiles</font>

<font size="3">Season Stats</font>
Leading Scorer: Ben Gordon- 17.0 PPG
Leading Rebounder: Tyson Chandler- 9.0 RPG
Assist Man: Kirk Hinrich- 6.3 APG
The 'X' Factor: Luol Deng (14.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.9 APG)



[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/kirk_hinrich.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DarkRed">Kirk Hinrich</font>
PPG: 15.9, RPG: 3.6, APG: 6.3
Captain Kirk hopes to build on his 29 point performance from game two as the Bulls look to avoid going down 0-3 in the series and all, but eliminating themselves from the playoffs. Hinrich will need to be the ultimate floor leader tonight for the Bulls to have any chance at a victory. He has to control the ball, and the tempo of the game. He should be more comfortable at home, and not in the Sea of White they call Miami.

[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/ben_gordon.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DarkRed">Ben Gordon</font>
PPG: 17.0 PPG, RPG: 2.7, APG: 3.0
Ben Gordon struggled in game two of the series scoring only 13 points. After there has been a minor fall out between him and coach Skiles over the touches he received in the game. Skiles took a couple shots at Gordon. Gordon threw out the whole “ it’s a misunderstanding card” now where back where we started down 0-2 relying on a inconsistent Gordon to get us a win.



[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/luol_deng.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DarkRed">Luol Deng</font>
PPG: 14.4, RPG: 6.3, APG: 1.9
Malik Allen is hurting so he will not be in a starting lineup tonight. Good thing for the Bulls is his back up is better than Allen is. Deng will get his first start in the playoffs during his young career expect him to feel some butterflies, but have a good game none the less.

[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/andres_nocioni.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DarkRed">Andres Nocioni</font>
PPG: 13.6, RPG: 6.1, APG: 1.4
Andres Nocioni has been nothing short of outstanding this series. Nocioni needs to say consistent the way he has thus far this series for the Bulls to stay in this game tonight. The Heat smell blood, and are coming in for the kill. Can Andres “The Red Bull” Nocioni help his team beat the Heat?

[imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/tyson_chandler.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DarkRed">Tyson Chandler</font>
PPG: 5.3, RPG: 9.0, APG: 1.0
Skiles says, because Sweetney all 260+ pounds of him can’t guard Shaq we should throw Tyson 180 Chandler in there to stop the big man. Well let me be the first to say, or at least the first person I heard say it, no big man on this team can stop Shaq.


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<ul><font color="DarkRed"><font size=""1"">Rebound</font></font> <font size=""1"">the Bulls cannot let the Heat get second chance opportunities the Bulls will have to play a perfect series to have a chance to pull off the upset. Boxing out and preventing the Heat from getting easy buckets will be a huge key.</font>[/list]

<ul><font color="DarkRed"><font size=""1"">Defense</font></font> <font size=""1"">the Bulls will need to force Wade to stay out on the perimeter and keep him out of the paint. If there is one question about his game it is his perimeter shooting ability. Easier said then done. </font>[/list]

<ul><font color="DarkRed"><font size=""1"">Transition Defense</font></font> <font size=""1""> don‘t let the Heat get easy buckets on transition. Also don‘t let them get out on the break and give Shaq a possession off to catch his breath.</font>[/list]

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<ul><font color="Orange"><font size=""1"">Get an early lead </font></font> <font size=""1""> like you have done in the first two games. The Bulls confidence is already low another slow start will completely destroy whatever confidence they have left.</font>[/list]

<ul><font color="Orange"><font size=""1"">See what Williams can give you tonight</font></font> <font size=""1"">if he is still hot he can stretch out the Bulls defense and help open things up for Shaq down low. </font>[/list]

<ul><font color="Orange"><font size=""1"">Get Wade started</font></font> <font size=""1""> he averaged less than 20 points a game against the Bulls this season. They need to get him going early. Without Wade being a threat the Bulls can concentrate on Shaq even more. </font>[/list]

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<font size="1">The Bulls need to win this game. If they don’t this series is over plain and simple. I’m sticking to my prediction Bulls in seven games. </font>