2011 Chicago Bulls Playoff Thread (5/26 7:30pm CST - TNT)

[Soul]

It was ugly but I'm not complaining with a playoff win. Don't forget that when we were a lower seed five years ago, we gave the Heat a pretty competitive six game series in the first round and they eventually wound up winning the championship. The name of the game is to survive and advance.

 

I'm not comfortable with it. I feel like they're waiting back in the early part of the game rather than just coming with their A game right away.

 

Late in the 4th they turn it on and put it away. Just put Indy away early and forget about it.

 

One of these games Indy won't go cold late, and they'll lose.

[SouthSideRyan]

As long as your goons keep injuring 1 Indiana star per game, you guys should be fine.

[Exile on Waveland]

The Pacers played out their collective asses again but, did anyone think every touch foul was called on the Bulls the last five minutes? Whereas the Pacers got away with some mugging hell, everytime they double teamed Rose they fouled him four, five times.

 

It does seem likely that the NBA would favor the small market team with no stars over the big market team with a star.

[bukie]

In reality, 22 turnovers goes a long way towards keeping the opponent in the game as long as possible.

 

In near the same way that 57 rebounds goes a long way towards keeping your team in the game.

[Magnetic Curses]

As long as your goons keep injuring 1 Indiana star per game, you guys should be fine.

 

i would be happy if we get to see hansbrough snoozing on the court in every game.

[SouthSideRyan]

The Pacers played out their collective asses again but, did anyone think every touch foul was called on the Bulls the last five minutes? Whereas the Pacers got away with some mugging hell, everytime they double teamed Rose they fouled him four, five times.

 

It does seem likely that the NBA would favor the small market team with no stars over the big market team with a star.

 

I'm interested to see what type of performance Bulls fans would consider acceptable from the Pacers.

 

It really say a lot about the Bulls that they were able to beat the Pacers. They shot 41%!! Why do teams always have their best games against us??? I mean Hansbrough shooting 16%??? This is [expletive], lucky chucking bastards

[SouthSideRyan]

As long as your goons keep injuring 1 Indiana star per game, you guys should be fine.

 

i would be happy if we get to see hansbrough snoozing on the court in every game.

 

Pacers fans would appreciate you taking out AJ Price next game. 5 TOs in 24 minutes, I am impressed.

[Magnetic Curses]

not everyone can have a cj watson to step in and not miss a beat.

[UMFan83]

It was ugly but I'm not complaining with a playoff win. Don't forget that when we were a lower seed five years ago, we gave the Heat a pretty competitive six game series in the first round and they eventually wound up winning the championship. The name of the game is to survive and advance.

 

Not a horrible comparison, but at least that Bulls team got themselves to .500 that season.

 

I would think the Hawks-Celtics series would be a good comparison, except the Celtics blew out the 37 win Hawks badly every game that took place in Boston.

 

Game 1: In Boston, 23 point win

Game 2: In Boston, 19 point win

Game 3: In Atlanta, 9 point loss

Game 4: In Atlanta, 5 point loss

Game 5: In Boston, 25 point win

Game 6: In Atlanta, 3 point loss

Game 7: In Boston, 34 point win

 

What a weird series. I guess SSR should understand being a heavily favored team that struggles against a 37 win team at the very least.

[SouthSideRyan]

not everyone can have a cj watson to step in and not miss a beat.

 

The Pacers bench is so awful. Would any of them even lay claim to the Rasual Butler never play roster spot?

[UMFan83]

ok ombudsman ryan, we've had enough, Bulls fans need to be senseless homers today. Take your mocking and logic to the NBA playoffs thread.

[bukie]

Yeah, the other weird argument I've been hearing is that this is how the Bulls played all year, we just never noticed. Which would make more sense if they didn't have the second highest scoring margin in the NBA.

 

The reality is, in game 1 the Bulls didn't play well defensively (and the Pacers hit a high percentage of generally low percentage shots). In game 2, the Bulls didn't play well offensively (couldn't shoot, couldn't protect the ball).

 

Maybe next game they can get more assists than turnovers. That'd be a good start.

[SouthSideRyan]

It was ugly but I'm not complaining with a playoff win. Don't forget that when we were a lower seed five years ago, we gave the Heat a pretty competitive six game series in the first round and they eventually wound up winning the championship. The name of the game is to survive and advance.

 

Not a horrible comparison, but at least that Bulls team got themselves to .500 that season.

 

I would think the Hawks-Celtics series would be a good comparison, except the Celtics blew out the 37 win Hawks badly every game that took place in Boston.

 

Game 1: In Boston, 23 point win

Game 2: In Boston, 19 point win

Game 3: In Atlanta, 9 point loss

Game 4: In Atlanta, 5 point loss

Game 5: In Boston, 25 point win

Game 6: In Atlanta, 3 point loss

Game 7: In Boston, 34 point win

 

What a weird series. I guess SSR should understand being a heavily favored team that struggles against a 37 win team at the very least.

 

Resting up for the Finals IMO

[SouthSideRyan]

Yeah, the other weird argument I've been hearing is that this is how the Bulls played all year, we just never noticed. Which would make more sense if they didn't have the second highest scoring margin in the NBA.

 

The reality is, in game 1 the Bulls didn't play well defensively (and the Pacers hit a high percentage of generally low percentage shots). In game 2, the Bulls didn't play well offensively (couldn't shoot, couldn't protect the ball).

 

Maybe next game they can get more assists than turnovers. That'd be a good start.

 

It really seems like they're coasting, which I never thought I'd see from this team.

[Magnetic Curses]

not everyone can have a cj watson to step in and not miss a beat.

 

The Pacers bench is so awful. Would any of them even lay claim to the Rasual Butler never play roster spot?

 

rasual butler is only around to be the psychic maestro of this team.

[Banedon]

In reality, 22 turnovers goes a long way towards keeping the opponent in the game as long as possible.

 

In near the same way that 57 rebounds goes a long way towards keeping your team in the game.

 

Not to shortchange the Pacers, because they're giving the Bulls all they can handle, but I have to admit I was amused reading an article from Indystar.com this morning where it said the Pacers "forced 22 turnovers". I'm sure it was just a turn of a phrase, but the Pacers didn't "force" all/most of those TO's. The Bulls did a fine job of doing that on their own.

[bukie]

Yeah, the other weird argument I've been hearing is that this is how the Bulls played all year, we just never noticed. Which would make more sense if they didn't have the second highest scoring margin in the NBA.

 

The reality is, in game 1 the Bulls didn't play well defensively (and the Pacers hit a high percentage of generally low percentage shots). In game 2, the Bulls didn't play well offensively (couldn't shoot, couldn't protect the ball).

 

Maybe next game they can get more assists than turnovers. That'd be a good start.

 

It really seems like they're coasting, which I never thought I'd see from this team.

It also goes back a good 3-4 weeks, aside from the Atlanta and Boston games. And yet they're 16-1 in the stretch, so I'm not sure what to be upset about.

[Tyrant]

As long as your goons keep injuring 1 Indiana star per game, you guys should be fine.

 

Haha. Like Indiana has stars.

[CubColtPacer]

not everyone can have a cj watson to step in and not miss a beat.

 

The Pacers bench is so awful. Would any of them even lay claim to the Rasual Butler never play roster spot?

 

The interesting thing is that the Pacers bench was considered the greatest strength of their team. In fact a common theme of the season was that the starters would get down early and the bench would come in and pick them up. But the Pacers big men who were pretty good during the season are getting absolutely destroyed in this series.

 

As for the turnovers, I thought the Pacers were everywhere in the first half stepping in the passing lanes and forcing turnovers. The Bulls started having some worse looking turnovers in the second half.

[bukie]

I'm curious how much of the offensive rebounding for the Bulls is a result of the Pacers bigs making a point to keep Rose as far away from the basket as possible. When they're focused on Rose, it's much easier for Boozer/Noah/Gibson/Thomas/Asik (did he play yesterday?) to get position for offensive rebounds.

[Brian]

Asik (did he play yesterday?)

 

1:47 according to the box score.

[CubColtPacer]

I'm curious how much of the offensive rebounding for the Bulls is a result of the Pacers bigs making a point to keep Rose as far away from the basket as possible. When they're focused on Rose, it's much easier for Boozer/Noah/Gibson/Thomas/Asik (did he play yesterday?) to get position for offensive rebounds.

 

That's what Vogel is theorizing in the Indystar article today:

 

"Yeah, it's a major concern,'' Vogel said earlier. "(The Bulls) are monsters on the glass. Now you're asking your bigs to always help on Rose, and it's going to be a challenge to box them out. It all starts with keeping Rose out of the lane.''

[Old Style]

Asik (did he play yesterday?)

 

1:47 according to the box score.

I remember seeing him run up the floor once.

[SouthSideRyan]

Asik (did he play yesterday?)

 

1:47 according to the box score.

I remember seeing him run up the floor once.

 

That would be the full 1:47

[chuckywang]

As long as your goons keep injuring 1 Indiana star per game, you guys should be fine.

 

You have got to be delusional if you think that Darren Collison injury was a "goon play". Rose even had his back turned on Collison has he went into the cameraman.