Chicago Bulls Playoff Thread

[Flames24Rulz]

 

BTW, KC Johnson said on the radio this morning that both Deng and Gibson could end up playing in the Miami game.

 

This is what I'd be most worried about, that this loss causes Thibs to panic and bring back Deng (and to a lesser extent Gibson) too quickly.

 

I'm pretty sure that Deng and Gibson were targeting Sunday as a return date, even before the game yesterday.

[Banedon]

 

BTW, KC Johnson said on the radio this morning that both Deng and Gibson could end up playing in the Miami game.

 

This is what I'd be most worried about, that this loss causes Thibs to panic and bring back Deng (and to a lesser extent Gibson) too quickly.

 

I'm pretty sure that Deng and Gibson were targeting Sunday as a return date, even before the game yesterday.

 

Correct. Deng has been telling teammates that he's targeting Sunday, and Taj is walking without a limp now. It's not panic as much as it's just guys coming back. Both cases are pretty much pain management at this point.

[CubColtPacer]

Yeah, too much is being made of it. I was fine with it. The shot didn't fall. There's lot of other things to complain about in that game. I think I heard this morning that the Pacers had 50 points in the paint? That's awful.

 

BTW, KC Johnson said on the radio this morning that both Deng and Gibson could end up playing in the Miami game.

 

Yup, the Pacers had 50. Although the Bulls had 40 of their own. And I think that's the 3rd or 4th time the Pacers have had 50+ this year. Pacer fans were excited to see that Hibbert had a good game against the Bulls. We thought he was much improved, but he's always had a lot of trouble against Noah.

 

I'm kind of surprised with the Bulls injuries that Korver only got 10 minutes last night. Watson a little bit too, although he wasn't hitting anything. The Bulls starters played even more minutes than usual didn't they? I know they play more than most teams, but averaging 38.2 minutes among the 5 starters seems high. (the Pacers starters also played more than usual-averaged 34.4 last night with the top guy playing 37 minutes).

[bcl412]

 

BTW, KC Johnson said on the radio this morning that both Deng and Gibson could end up playing in the Miami game.

 

This is what I'd be most worried about, that this loss causes Thibs to panic and bring back Deng (and to a lesser extent Gibson) too quickly.

 

I'm pretty sure that Deng and Gibson were targeting Sunday as a return date, even before the game yesterday.

 

Does leaving Deng out even do much for his healing? I thought it was either surgery or play in pain but maybe I'm making it too cut and dry.

 

Gibson I wouldn't want to play until he feels better.

[Banedon]

If Deng plays in pain, does he still eventually have to have surgery to fix the tear? Because after the season, he's supposed to go play in the Olympics for Great Britain.

[SpongeWorthy]

If Deng plays in pain, does he still eventually have to have surgery to fix the tear? Because after the season, he's supposed to go play in the Olympics for Great Britain.

 

I'm assuming yes and I hope he doesn't play in the Olympics but I wouldn't be surprised if he did. It's in London after all and he's always talking up his involvement with the national team.

[Banedon]

If Deng plays in pain, does he still eventually have to have surgery to fix the tear? Because after the season, he's supposed to go play in the Olympics for Great Britain.

 

I'm assuming yes and I hope he doesn't play in the Olympics but I wouldn't be surprised if he did. It's in London after all and he's always talking up his involvement with the national team.

 

Exactly, and he's apparently been quite excited about playing. So it's gonna be interesting to see how that all goes down.

 

In a non-Deng related note, Derrick wasn't happy about the Pacers celebration after the game....

 

"I'll never forget how they celebrated just from winning this game," Rose told reporters. "I can't wait to play them again."

 

Ronnie Brewer, who started in place of Luol Deng and scored 20 points, said the Bulls could hear the Pacers' celebration continue from the court to the locker room.

 

"When you're walking off the court, you're in the same corridor," Brewer said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "And we were walking into our locker room, and you could hear those guys celebrating, cheering, screaming, and that kind of hit home with a lot of guys on our team.

 

"We're all competitors. They're in our division. Every time we play them it's a tough matchup. And especially in front of our fans, you don't want to have a letdown and lose at home. To hear them do like that adds a little fuel to the fire. We talked about it after the game."

[cubbyvirus00]

If Deng plays in pain, does he still eventually have to have surgery to fix the tear? Because after the season, he's supposed to go play in the Olympics for Great Britain.

 

I'm assuming yes and I hope he doesn't play in the Olympics but I wouldn't be surprised if he did. It's in London after all and he's always talking up his involvement with the national team.

 

Exactly, and he's apparently been quite excited about playing. So it's gonna be interesting to see how that all goes down.

 

In a non-Deng related note, Derrick wasn't happy about the Pacers celebration after the game....

 

"I'll never forget how they celebrated just from winning this game," Rose told reporters. "I can't wait to play them again."

 

Ronnie Brewer, who started in place of Luol Deng and scored 20 points, said the Bulls could hear the Pacers' celebration continue from the court to the locker room.

 

"When you're walking off the court, you're in the same corridor," Brewer said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "And we were walking into our locker room, and you could hear those guys celebrating, cheering, screaming, and that kind of hit home with a lot of guys on our team.

 

"We're all competitors. They're in our division. Every time we play them it's a tough matchup. And especially in front of our fans, you don't want to have a letdown and lose at home. To hear them do like that adds a little fuel to the fire. We talked about it after the game."

 

Good. I freaking hate the Pacers. I cant quite put my finger on it, but I really dislike that team.

[bcl412]

If the Bulls want to get upset and play better because of it (if that even happens) fine but the Bulls have Noah who has always acted like a jackass so I don't really care about the Pacers celebrating.

[UMFan83]

 

Good. I freaking hate the Pacers. I cant quite put my finger on it, but I really dislike that team.

 

It's quite simple. The Pacers give the Bulls a tough time when we play and like to say that they are better than the Bulls and they know they can beat us. Plus quite a few of their players are annoying goons.

[JimSorgi]

 

Good. I freaking hate the Pacers. I cant quite put my finger on it, but I really dislike that team.

 

It's quite simple. The Pacers give the Bulls a tough time when we play and like to say that they are better than the Bulls and they know they can beat us. Plus quite a few of their players are annoying goons.

Which players said that?

[UMFan83]

 

Good. I freaking hate the Pacers. I cant quite put my finger on it, but I really dislike that team.

 

It's quite simple. The Pacers give the Bulls a tough time when we play and like to say that they are better than the Bulls and they know they can beat us. Plus quite a few of their players are annoying goons.

Which players said that?

 

Granger had some quote last night about them expecting to beat the Bulls. Last year during the series Vogel made a lot of comments about the Pacers playing better than the Bulls and saying that they should be up 3-1 instead of down 1-3. I know he just says this stuff so his players believe it and to get the media talking, but he said it nonetheless.

[JimSorgi]

 

Good. I freaking hate the Pacers. I cant quite put my finger on it, but I really dislike that team.

 

It's quite simple. The Pacers give the Bulls a tough time when we play and like to say that they are better than the Bulls and they know they can beat us. Plus quite a few of their players are annoying goons.

Which players said that?

 

Granger had some quote last night about them expecting to beat the Bulls. Last year during the series Vogel made a lot of comments about the Pacers playing better than the Bulls and saying that they should be up 3-1 instead of down 1-3. I know he just says this stuff so his players believe it and to get the media talking, but he said it nonetheless.

I feel like Granger was simply saying the Pacers think they can compete with and beat anyone. Don't think he meant it as an insult to the Bulls. Vogel always talks with a lot of confidence, so I get why that annoys fans of other teams.

[UMFan83]

 

Good. I freaking hate the Pacers. I cant quite put my finger on it, but I really dislike that team.

 

It's quite simple. The Pacers give the Bulls a tough time when we play and like to say that they are better than the Bulls and they know they can beat us. Plus quite a few of their players are annoying goons.

Which players said that?

 

Granger had some quote last night about them expecting to beat the Bulls. Last year during the series Vogel made a lot of comments about the Pacers playing better than the Bulls and saying that they should be up 3-1 instead of down 1-3. I know he just says this stuff so his players believe it and to get the media talking, but he said it nonetheless.

I feel like Granger was simply saying the Pacers think they can compete with and beat anyone. Don't think he meant it as an insult to the Bulls. Vogel always talks with a lot of confidence, so I get why that annoys fans of other teams.

 

I don't think he meant it as an insult either. My point was that along with frustrating games against the Pacers, those super confident remarks they make irritate Bulls fans.

[JimSorgi]

I feel like Granger was simply saying the Pacers think they can compete with and beat anyone. Don't think he meant it as an insult to the Bulls. Vogel always talks with a lot of confidence, so I get why that annoys fans of other teams.

 

I don't think he meant it as an insult either. My point was that along with frustrating games against the Pacers, those super confident remarks they make irritate Bulls fans.

 

Gotcha. This rivalry is going to be pretty great for awhile.

[17 Seconds]

it's not really a rivalry. the pacers are just the annoying team that plays us tough and then think they're on our level because of it.

[Banedon]

I was bummed that tonights game is on WCIU, being that that's the only way I miss Chicago sports anymore, but according to my Directv scoreguide thingy, it'll be on NBATV. But the NBATV website doesn't show it. I hope it's not lying to me.

[CubColtPacer]

it's not really a rivalry. the pacers are just the annoying team that plays us tough and then think they're on our level because of it.

 

I don't know what more it will take to make it a rivalry. The players don't seem to like each other. The fanbases don't seem to like each other. And the teams are not horribly mismatched anymore. The Bulls are still definitely better but the Pacers are coming fast, and both teams should continue to improve in the next couple years. If there was a playoff series between them, the Bulls would be favored but the Pacers would have a shot to actually win the series. Will it actually take the Pacers beating the Bulls in a playoff series to make it a rivalry? I think that's a pretty strict definition that would lead to pretty much no rivalries in the sport.

[UMFan83]

It has the foundation of a rivalry but by no means is it a rivalry. We're talking about 2 regular season games (counting the last regular season game of last year when pacers ruined bulls quest to go 16-0 in division), and a 5 game playoff series. 9 months ago there was absolutely nothing between the two teams. Sure theyve played us tough but to the Bulls at this point they are an annoying little brother that fights back.

 

I just think rivalry is one of those words that gets thrown around too easily. One final example...I purchase a small chunk of a season ticket package from a member on NSBB. When we did our lottery to divvy up the games, the two Pacers games were amongst the last ones chosen, picked amongst games against Toronto and Detroit. If it was a true rivalry those would have been snatched up quickly, and I don't think 1 regular season game will change that just yet. In time though.

Edited January 27, 2012 by UMFan83

[Banedon]

Rivalries are games that are circled on the calendar before the season begins. The Pacers are a good basketball team, but I sure didn't look at when the Pacer games were this year.

[Derwood]

The Bulls/Pistons rivalry is long dead, so the only real rivalry the team has right now is the Celtics, and possibly the Heat. No one in the division is rivalry worthy right now, though Indiana might get there if they continue to give the Bulls problems

[CubColtPacer]

It has the foundation of a rivalry but by no means is it a rivalry. We're talking about 2 regular season games (counting the last regular season game of last year when pacers ruined bulls quest to go 16-0 in division), and a 5 game playoff series. 9 months ago there was absolutely nothing between the two teams. Sure theyve played us tough but to the Bulls at this point they are an annoying little brother that fights back.

 

I just think rivalry is one of those words that gets thrown around too easily. One final example...I purchase a small chunk of a season ticket package from a member on NSBB. When we did our lottery to divvy up the games, the two Pacers games were amongst the last ones chosen, picked amongst games against Toronto and Detroit. If it was a true rivalry those would have been snatched up quickly, and I don't think 1 regular season game will change that just yet. In time though.

 

I agree it's just the beginning stages of the rivalry process. But there isn't really any way at this point that it doesn't get heated. Neither team is going anywhere anytime soon, they play in the same division, and there is bad feelings between the players (I wouldn't be surprised if sometime in the next 2-3 years a fight breaks out in one of the games). And they match up really well against one another so most of the games are going to be close.

 

It will probably grow even bigger than the middle 90's, where the Pacers were probably the team in all of basketball who won the most games against the Bulls, but I'm not sure that was a rivalry.

[SouthSideRyan]

Rivalries are games that are circled on the calendar before the season begins. The Pacers are a good basketball team, but I sure didn't look at when the Pacer games were this year.

 

I'm sure you circled the Heat game on the calendar, but they sure as [expletive] aren't a rivalry.

[Banedon]

Rivalries are games that are circled on the calendar before the season begins. The Pacers are a good basketball team, but I sure didn't look at when the Pacer games were this year.

 

I'm sure you circled the Heat game on the calendar, but they sure as [expletive] aren't a rivalry.

 

Maybe. I don't really know if the Bulls have a rivalry at all right now, but the Heat are probably the closest thing.

 

It doesn't seem like the NBA really has many true rivalries anymore.

[illiniguy]

it's not really a rivalry. the pacers are just the annoying team that plays us tough and then think they're on our level because of it.

 

I don't know what more it will take to make it a rivalry. The players don't seem to like each other. The fanbases don't seem to like each other. And the teams are not horribly mismatched anymore. The Bulls are still definitely better but the Pacers are coming fast, and both teams should continue to improve in the next couple years. If there was a playoff series between them, the Bulls would be favored but the Pacers would have a shot to actually win the series. Will it actually take the Pacers beating the Bulls in a playoff series to make it a rivalry? I think that's a pretty strict definition that would lead to pretty much no rivalries in the sport.

Beat us in a playoff series. Have you ever done that? Until then youll be the team that gets up for us and never beats us when it matters.