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http://chicago.suntimes.com/basketball/7/71/549398/bulls-brooms-cavs-sights
MILWAUKEE — The chairs are upside-down on their tables. The bartender already has counted his tips. Let’s not kid ourselves: The Bulls’ first-round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks could not be more over.
Not technically, though. Technically the Brewtown Bucks, down three games to none, still have every right to take the Bradley Center court here Saturday in search of something — a delay of the inevitable? A glimpse of their promising future? Whatever, no team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.
The Bulls just want to get this sucker over with. They’ve got bigger fish to fry. Huge fish, really — LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have their own 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics and surely are looking forward to seeing Red.
“They don’t want their season to end,” said Jimmy Bulter of the young Bucks, “so they’re going to give their all, that’s for sure. It is important to end it in four, though, to get ready for the next round — whoever we may play — get some rest, study ourselves and our opponent. Winning in four is ideal, but it’s hard to do.”
The Bulls’ confidence is high after Thursday’s 113-106 double-overtime victory, in which they stormed back after trailing by 18 in the second quarter and dominated the final five minutes with withering defense. But they also blew a 10-point lead over the final 2:50 of regulation, going scoreless until a Derrick Rose free throw tied the game in the closing seconds.
Does this team have the killer instinct it needs?
“We’re going to find out,” said coach Tom Thibodeau. “The most important thing it not to get lost in closing out a series. Just understand what goes into winning. Prepare for this next game not being distracted, know what your job is and go out there and do your job. If we approach it that way, we’ll be fine. If you’re doing the right things, the results will take care of themselves.”
The tough get going
The Bulls have all the excuses a team could want. Rose, seven games into his latest comeback from injury, is only beginning to find his form. Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic are banged up. Factor in restrictions on playing time and shuffled lineups, and it would be easy for the Bulls to feel like they’re up against it.
But they don’t, and it’s more than encouraging.
“I think that we have something special, how everybody’s taking care of their body off the court, recovery-wise, everybody’s working out individually and just trying to push one another,” Rose said. “And when you have that on a team, especially a professional team, it’s something special. When you go in the gym and see the rookies working out or the veterans working out more than they’re supposed to, it does nothing but push you as a player.”
Gasol’s unselfishness
Pau Gasol is playing hero ball against the Bucks. Not in the pejorative sense of the term, where a guy tries to win games by himself, but in the very best sense. The All-Star seven-footer is taking on double-teams and making all the unselfish plays.
“The willingness in the plays that Pau is making probably gets lost because it’s not reflected in the box score,” Thibodeau said. “The double-team is coming, he’s kicking [the ball] out, then there’s a swing and a second swing. And so there’s nothing to show for that other than it’s winning basketball. And that’s Pau’s IQ. That’s what makes him so valuable to a team.”
MILWAUKEE — The chairs are upside-down on their tables. The bartender already has counted his tips. Let’s not kid ourselves: The Bulls’ first-round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks could not be more over.
Not technically, though. Technically the Brewtown Bucks, down three games to none, still have every right to take the Bradley Center court here Saturday in search of something — a delay of the inevitable? A glimpse of their promising future? Whatever, no team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.
The Bulls just want to get this sucker over with. They’ve got bigger fish to fry. Huge fish, really — LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have their own 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics and surely are looking forward to seeing Red.
“They don’t want their season to end,” said Jimmy Bulter of the young Bucks, “so they’re going to give their all, that’s for sure. It is important to end it in four, though, to get ready for the next round — whoever we may play — get some rest, study ourselves and our opponent. Winning in four is ideal, but it’s hard to do.”
The Bulls’ confidence is high after Thursday’s 113-106 double-overtime victory, in which they stormed back after trailing by 18 in the second quarter and dominated the final five minutes with withering defense. But they also blew a 10-point lead over the final 2:50 of regulation, going scoreless until a Derrick Rose free throw tied the game in the closing seconds.
Does this team have the killer instinct it needs?
“We’re going to find out,” said coach Tom Thibodeau. “The most important thing it not to get lost in closing out a series. Just understand what goes into winning. Prepare for this next game not being distracted, know what your job is and go out there and do your job. If we approach it that way, we’ll be fine. If you’re doing the right things, the results will take care of themselves.”
The tough get going
The Bulls have all the excuses a team could want. Rose, seven games into his latest comeback from injury, is only beginning to find his form. Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic are banged up. Factor in restrictions on playing time and shuffled lineups, and it would be easy for the Bulls to feel like they’re up against it.
But they don’t, and it’s more than encouraging.
“I think that we have something special, how everybody’s taking care of their body off the court, recovery-wise, everybody’s working out individually and just trying to push one another,” Rose said. “And when you have that on a team, especially a professional team, it’s something special. When you go in the gym and see the rookies working out or the veterans working out more than they’re supposed to, it does nothing but push you as a player.”
Gasol’s unselfishness
Pau Gasol is playing hero ball against the Bucks. Not in the pejorative sense of the term, where a guy tries to win games by himself, but in the very best sense. The All-Star seven-footer is taking on double-teams and making all the unselfish plays.
“The willingness in the plays that Pau is making probably gets lost because it’s not reflected in the box score,” Thibodeau said. “The double-team is coming, he’s kicking [the ball] out, then there’s a swing and a second swing. And so there’s nothing to show for that other than it’s winning basketball. And that’s Pau’s IQ. That’s what makes him so valuable to a team.”
