2011 Playoffs: (1) Bulls vs. (8) Pacers

[Alpha_]

This is a must win situation for the Pacers.

[koberulz]

Seriously? You don't say.

[Lamrock]

If Indy drops this game, I can't see them winning the series.

This game, while I'm glad is going Indy's way, is extremely depressing. The majority of the crowd is Bulls fans, and there was even a "Lets go Bulls" chant. Turrible fans deserve to lose their team.

[Rta]

I can't belive it,almost the pacers lost the game..

[Axel The Great]

This game, while I'm glad is going Indy's way, is extremely depressing. The majority of the crowd is Bulls fans, and there was even a "Lets go Bulls" chant. Turrible fans deserve to lose their team.

This. It's something I've never understood. While there is nothing that says that you have to go for the home team, I still find it rather surprising that people would go against their home team like that. That would be like me being a Lakers fan..... Pacers are in the playoffs, be happy and root for them dammit!

Scary moment with Rose rolling his ankle there, but he was still able to come back and force a rally for the Bulls. Boozer was pretty close with the potential game-tying three as well. The way the Pacers were playing, it doesn't really surprise me that they take a game, but there goes my prediction of a sweep.

[Lean]

Bulls got bored today?

[deihatein]

At least the Pacers ain't a choker, unlike that certain blue team in the west

[Lamrock]

The Pacers choked in game 1, and they choked in this one as well - they came unbelievably close to giving this away

[Andrew]

A loss and an ankle injury for Rose; not exactly what I wanted to see in Game 4. Hopefully it's not too serious and he'll be available for Game 5.

[Stress Fracture]

There you go, Andrew.

It would probably take a broken bone for Derrick Rose to miss a playoff game, so consider this good news for the Chicago Bulls.

His sprained left ankle is just that - sprained.

Rose plans to suit up for Game 5 on Tuesday when the Bulls try again to close out their first-round series with the Indiana Pacers.

"It's getting better every day,'' he said Monday. "I've been getting treatment on it the last couple of days, coming in in the morning, coming in at night, getting treatment. Hopefully, it'll be ready tomorrow. It's not broken so I'm definitely playing.''

[Andrew]

Good news. They're showing the game here as well, so I'll be sure to catch it.

[Lamrock]

Frank Vogel looks a bit like that congressman who could fly from that show Heroes.

[Dan's Brain]

BOGANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Outstanding finish to the series by the Bulls. Not only by everyone's favourite starter, but also a great return to form by Rose and Noah, and Deng was absolutely incredible. Terrific play by Gibson off the bench to compensate for Boozer being absolutely terrible.

More than anything, it was a magnificently coached game by Thibodeau, bringing Rose back on with 4 fouls in the 3rd quarter was a gutsy move, but it certainly paid off with a trio of 3-pointers each by Rose and Bogans that basically put the Pacers out of the contest.

Whoever is coming next (Atlanta or Orlando), the Bulls are going to need to play infinitely better than they did in Games 1 to 4. I think they'll beat either opponent, but they'll need to play more like they did today to do it.

Good times.

P.S. The Rose block on Hibbert

[NovU]

Lol.. Why did McRoberts took a swing at Joakim Noah? Good thing the Bulls players stayed away from cheap trouble that could have resulted in suspensions. Now the Bulls go onto the next round at full strength if all are healthy.

[Killer Crossover aka OG]

Congratulations to the Bulls for the next round

[George7]

Well that was a far more convincing win that the other 3.Really liked what I saw from most of the players-except Boozer who still was a little crappy- but it was a nice win!
Bogans really surprised me in the series,he was quite good! It seems as well that this is a career season for Deng,not in terms of numbers,but in terms of the actual impact he has on the team!He's hustling,he's defending great and he is passionate as well(in the other seasons he seemed to me quite indifferent,or failing to play hard)

My guess was right,and lets wait to find out the next opponent,which will be possibly Atlanta,an opponent I didn't expect a couple of weeks ago!

[Andrew]

P.S. The Rose block on Hibbert

That was incredible, just an amazing block. Let's enjoy it one more time.

phpBB [video]

Boozer's performance aside, that was the game we Bulls fans were waiting for. Rose didn't seem to show too many ill-effects from his ankle sprain, he didn't have a lot of lift on some of his three point attempts but he started knocking them down in the third quarter. Thibbs' trust in him certainly paid off, great effort by Rose to avoid picking up that fifth foul until the fourth quarter when the Bulls were already on a roll. Hopefully a couple of extra days rest will pay off, here's hoping the Magic/Hawks series ends up going to seven.

Looks like they're in much better shape heading into the second round, though Boozer still needs to get going. Strong performances from the rest of the team to take care of business and advance though, great game.

[Stress Fracture]

That's just

[Phil89]

Lol.. Why did McRoberts took a swing at Joakim Noah?

Maybe because Noah shoved him in the face with his forearm seconds earlier.

[Andrew]

And McRoberts gave Noah a shove before that while boxing him out. Basically they both got a shot in so the referees let it go but then McRoberts lost his cool with that forearm and they weren't going to let it slide. It wouldn't surprise me if he's out for the first game next season.

[Phil89]

Could just be bitterness from losing the series, but Danny Granger seems to think Noah was playing dirty.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/21 ... z1Kk2XgPv0

Granger: Noah Is A 'Dirty Player'

Danny Granger had to be restrained from going after Bulls center Joakim Noah as the teams exchanged handshakes on the court at the end of the Bulls' series-ending 116-89 win.

Granger accused Noah of playing dirty throughout the game, taking cheap shots at Pacers, including forward Josh McRoberts, who was ejected in the third quarter.

Granger was in the hallway outside the locker room using expletives to describe Noah's play.

"Everybody saw what Josh did and he got ejected," Granger said. "Nobody caught what happened first. It's always the second man. (Noah) was playing dirty the whole game. My teammates got caught with it and nothing happened."

[-BHZMAFIA-]

Congrats Andrew. I know its been a long time coming to see this kinda success from Chicago since the Jordan-era. I've actually kept up with them a lot this season.

[Andrew]

It's not an unreasonable accusation to make of Noah I guess, but considering that Jeff Foster had a few dirty moments himself, Granger really doesn't have that much of a leg to stand on as far as people playing dirty in the series. In the end, he does come off as a sore loser there.