Wizard defeat Bulls 4-2

[Fresh8]

But what if they aren't lol???

At least this is good to know that home court advantage means somethnig during the playoffs! Let's hope Kwame plays in Game 5!

[Andrew]

Obviously it's not a good idea for them to sit back and presume they'll win at home, but I'm just saying if the Bulls can win every game in the United Center, they've four of them in this series and four wins is all they need. Given that they've been able to win at home but haven't played as well on the road, I'm thinking that it will probably come down to homecourt advantage in Game 7. But they have to win Game 5 first.

[Fresh8]

We'll see... it would be more interesting if they lost the next game! And see what pressure makes!

[Andrew]

Depends if you're a fan of either team or not. Most fans probably wouldn't want to see their team on the ropes, especially when they're as inexperienced and shorthanded as the Bulls are at the moment.

[fgrep15]

Ben Gordon, 1-13, so I'm assuming that classifies as the Wiz controlling him this game. The Wizards had another big performance from an unsuspected player as Juan Dixon chipped in 35 points. The Wiz also did it defensively, holding Chicago to 33.8% FG, and 30.3% 3PT.

Chandler gave the Bulls a big performance getting to the line 15 times, hitting 11, and also grabbing 13 rebounds, but the Bulls guards were for the most part shutdown, and just couldn't pull it together in this game.

Washington need to keep playing like this, and look to take a game on the road, if they can do that, they can win this series. Kwame was also out with a Stomach Virus, and it would be nice to see him back in the lineup, but Etan Thomas has been doing his thing.

RealGM - Juan Dixon followed a 1 for 10 performance on Saturday with 35 points on Monday to help the Wizards even the series at two games a piece. Gilbert Arenas chipped in 23 points in the 106-99 victory.

Dixon was apparently inspired by the Message Board occupied by both RealGM.com and WizFans.com, where they have a thread that a friend showed him which is titled, "The Amazingly Sucky Juan Dixon Thread." The thread can be read here, while a mp3 of the interview, provided by forum member Broohaha, is available for review here.

"I definitely wanted to throw that back in their face," Dixon said after the game.

Dixon was tipped off to the board by a close friend.

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archi ... es_series/

[air gordon]

randomn thoughts:

apparently kwame brown is pulling a bonzi wells

MCI= missing chicago, illinois

washington came out like gangbusters and chicago had the stupid hat on all game

nothing like home cookin' ....

it's hard to predict how this series was going to turn out/will turn out because of each team's inexperience. anyone that says otherwise is lying.

i hope duhon can play, i can't stand "any shot is a good shot so i'll shoot it " pargo

[Timothy Duncan]

Kwame Brown is suspended for the rest of the playoffs.

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Wizards suspended forward Kwame Brown on Tuesday for the remainder of the playoffs.

The announcement came after Brown, coach Eddie Jordan and president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld met for about 10 minutes before the team's practice.

"We had some philosophical differences," Grunfeld said, "and we're putting those behind us and focusing on the job at hand."

Brown won't travel with the team or participate in any practices for the remainder of the season. The Wizards are tied with the Chicago Bulls 2-2 in their Eastern Conference first-round series. Game 5 is Wednesday in Chicago.

"We're not going to get into specifics. We're going to do things a certain way. These players are committed to that," said Grunfeld, referring to the remaining players on the roster. "And those are the type of players we want around us."

Brown played only four minutes in the Game 3 victory Saturday, then didn't attend practice Sunday and Game 4 Monday. The team had said he was absent because of a stomach virus.

Asked whether Brown was sick, Grunfeld said: "He talked to our trainer and he told him he had a stomach flu."

Asked whether Brown was upset over a lack of playing time, Grunfeld said: "Everybody likes to play as much as they can. That's typical for the NBA."

The team's action throws into doubt Brown's future with the team. He turned down a multiyear contract extension last fall, which means he will become a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Grunfeld had previously said he would like to keep Brown. On Tuesday, he was more ambiguous.

"He's still part of our organization," Grunfeld said. "We'll deal with that in the offseason. He's going to be a restricted free agent in the summer, and we'll deal with that at the appropriate time."

A message left for Brown's agent was not immediately returned.

Brown has been a major disappointment for the Wizards since becoming the first high school player chosen No. 1 overall in the NBA draft in 2001. After a miserable two years dealing with the demanding Michael Jordan, Brown showed glimpses of his potential last season when he followed a 30-point, 19-rebound game against Sacramento with a 27 and 11 performance against Atlanta, but he often languished in single digits.

He averaged 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds for the season, just enough improvement for the Wizards to hope that his long awaited breakout was on the horizon.

But Brown broke a bone in his right foot during a pickup game last summer and started the season on the injured list. He played in just 42 games, starting 14, and was essentially a big-body role player off the bench. He averaged 7.0 points and 4.9 rebounds and was frequently booed at home.

Brown's numbers were much better on the road, a result, he claimed, of the treatment he received from the Wizards' fans. Gilbert Arenas even appealed to fans not to boo Brown before the Wizards' first home playoff game Saturday. The fans responded by cheering Brown graciously when he entered the game for his four minutes of play.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2 ... id=2052486

[Andrew]

What a finish to Game 5! ESPN PR actually bothered to show bonus coverage, so I was able to see just the final 1:30 of this one. But it was an exciting final 1:30 to watch.

I couldn't believe they managed to tie it up having been down by so many through the second half, let alone being down 10 with around 40 seconds left. I have to give Arenas credit for hitting that jumper at the buzzer - damn him - but what an effort by Pargo. I thought that was it after Hinrich missed those two free throws. That's a really, really tough loss. I thought they'd go to OT.

I want to believe Chicago will get it in 7, but this loss might have broken them, not to mention the fact Game 6 is in Washington. Oh well, no use in being negative. Go Bulls!

[Indy]

Great game. I found myself rooting for the Bulls and that last shot sucked.

[fgrep15]

Gilbert Arenas!!

Wow, what a great game, it shouldn't have been that close. The Wizards missed so many free throws, they were 2-6 to end the 4th, and it was just terrible. From being up by 22 points at one point to needing a game winner to win. Janero Pargo was just amazing, the guy hit 3 three's in the last 1-2 minutes of the game, and also hit the amazing three to tie it. Arenas, wow, this has been no doubt the best series in the playoffs so far.

[Matt]

wow, Arenas comes through in the clutch but how about Pargo knocking shots down.

[DipSetVC]

They'd be smart to either trade Brown or let him go, it's much more important to re-sign Larry "Contract Year" Hughes.

[Full Surface]

[Timothy Duncan]

Arenas made the most important shot of the game, but Hughes had the most impressive numbers:

33 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals

[c0nr4d]

wow, Arenas comes through in the clutch but how about Pargo knocking shots down.

yea amen to that, quite a crazy last 2 min.

[J-Smoove]

i hate the wizards.. dammit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

chandler finally showed up. 22-10. let's hope he doesn't get bullied down low by weaksauce fatty: brendan haywood.

cmon bulls, prove to us that you guys ARE NOT FLUKES

[air gordon]

great shot by arenas. i thought hinrich did a decent job defending him there but clutch players find ways to hit clutch shots.

what a heartbraker. this has gotta hurt for the bulls. i saw that chandler was so upset that he almost broke down in the middle of an interview talking about the game

i hate the wizards.. dammit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

chandler finally showed up. 22-10. let's hope he doesn't get bullied down low by weaksauce fatty: brendan haywood.

cmon bulls, prove to us that you guys ARE NOT FLUKES

actually chandler showed up in game 1, giving some big stops late in the 4th quarter. statistically, game 3 he showed up

regardless how the series plays out, THE BULLS ARE NOT FLUKES

i don't want to take anything away from the wizards- they've been playing great since game 3 and 2 quarters from game 2. they are playing smart and unselfish

but bulls are playing without 2 starters: deng and curry. plus duhon is hurting. i read that no nba team has won a series in a similar situation as the bulls.

the only thing i'm pissed at the team for is their lackluster play for the first 3 quarters in the last 2 games. i could understand if they shoot 30% from the field but not shit like ruffin dunking like crazy, soft interor defense, or the stupid TO's.

bulls have lost 10 straight @mci. i'm not sure how the team is going to repsond after a game like this but it is win or go fishin'

go bulls

[Andrew]

It's hard to be disappointed in a team that many predicted to be bottom of the Central come back from 0-9 to post a 47-35 record, make the playoffs as the fourth seed and take the first two games in the series. I hope they can advance, but the odds are against them and while it would/will be a shame to see them make an early exit, it's been a great year for the Bulls and us Bulls fans.

Go Bulls indeed.

[Ataraxia]

their showing the game tmrw....I havent seen a Bulls game for 2 years.....and all I remember in that game was Marcus Fizer jacking up 3's all night and the commentators going on abt how injury prone Tyson Chandler was and abt Curry's "obesity" problems.

Hopefully the Bulls can win although it will be tough for them considering the Wizards do have momentum going their way....

[DipSetVC]

It's hard to be disappointed in a team that many predicted to be bottom of the Central come back from 0-9 to post a 47-35 record, make the playoffs as the fourth seed and take the first two games in the series. I hope they can advance, but the odds are against them and while it would/will be a shame to see them make an early exit, it's been a great year for the Bulls and us Bulls fans.

Go Bulls indeed.

Nice to see Andrew digging the grave already. Wait until the season is over for the annual eulogy.

You didn't shout out the bandwagoners, don't forget about them.

I just hate it when fans do this, your team is still alive dammit.

[$Chris Bosh$]

what a hard foul by chandler that was like a hockey hit

[maes]

Even though the Bulls were higher seeded most experts had them losing this series. I remember reading something that when a team went into the playoffs without their leading scorer (for all games), with only 1 exception in history, they all lost 1st round.

It's really amazing they this series has gone this long considering they lost not only their leading scorer but most accurate, Curry has the 5th best FG% in the NBA.

Of course, in traditional Bull's fashion everybody is talking about trading him

[Anthony15]

woooo!!!!!CHICAGO LOST!!!F*ck gordon and silkes!

[Jona]

Good game by Nocioni, but he got his 5th foul late on the 4th quarter....

[Full Surface]

It's over!

Duhon made a stupid play by not looking at the ball on the inbounds play. And I swear Chandler is dumber than a rock sometimes. Why did he go for a 2 pt shot instead of a 3? He had a chance to kick it back out.