Bruised and Beaten

There were two signs that Game 5 was headed for trouble tonight.  First, the Bulls didn't have a four-game winning streak throughout the regular season (or losing streak for that matter).  Second and more pressing, Kirk Hinrich was ruled out with a bruised calf.  He had to wear a walking boot during this morning's shootaround.  That was just the tip of the iceberg as to why the Bulls lost 110-91.

Although the Bulls took small leads throughout, it was clear from the beginning this wouldn't be their night.  When they began settling for frequent jump shots early in the first quarter, that should have told you we'd be in for a bad night.  They were eventually able to solve that problem, but they reverted back to the old form just as quickly.  On top of that, their defense wasn't able slow Brooklyn's big players down and they got beat by several role players.  Hinrich's presence was really missed.

Leading the assault were Brook Lopez's line of 28 points, 10 rebounds and Deron Williams' 23 points, 10 assists.  That made the game feel much like Game 1 except this wasn't a blowout until the final few minutes.  Gerald Wallace scored 12, but it was his late three-pointer and transition dunk off a steal that mattered most.  Those five points sealed the game.  Joe Johnson got some good looks to score 11 and Reggie Evans did what he's paid to do:  rebound.  He grabbed 12 of them to lead everyone in that category.  The bench received solid contributions from Andray Blatche and C.J. Watson, who scored 13 and 11 points respectively.  Watson was only too happy to get his revenge for the embarrassment he suffered on Saturday.  Whether he gets more of it soon is yet to be determined.

All five Bulls starters scored in double figures, led by Nate Robinson's 20.  Jimmy Butler was just behind with 18.  Carlos Boozer had his typical double-double of 10 and 10, but none of that could make up for Hinrich's absence.  Fatigue set in down the stretch, which made Robinson less than what he could be with proper rest.  Plus, Hinrich has been a warrior all series and that's not something you can simply teach to anyone.  Even with a bad foot, Joakim Noah can only do so much.  You need at least a couple of players to rely on toughness as a primary weapon.  Noah and Hinrich have been those throughout this series.  Robinson was tapped out, making one wonder why Marquis Teague was called upon early in the second quarter but never saw action again.  Most likely because Tom Thibodeau hates to send his rookies into the line of fire.  That's what happens when you have to go that deep into your bench.

Yes, it's too bad the Bulls weren't able to close it out right away.  You'd much rather get the series over as soon as you can, but this is the NBA Playoffs.  The Bulls weren't willing to lose it at home last year and the same could be said for these Nets.  It also didn't help that some of the personnel was missing.  This was also a grim reminder of how the playoffs can work.  Just when you think a team is down, they show signs of life.  A dangerous proposition to think about.

On the bright side, Game 6 is Thursday at the United Center.  This is as close to a must-win as can be without it actually being one.  If the series goes back to Brooklyn Saturday, all momentum shifts the other way.  Hopefully, the home crowd will give the Bulls enough energy to send the Nets home with no more basketball to look forward to.  Hinrich or no Hinrich, this will be a close game.  Remember to wear red if you're lucky to go.  That home court is more precious than some might think.

What Can You Say? Really? What Can You Say?

There comes a time in every NBA player's career when you just have to rise to the occasion.  Game 4 provided such an opportunity for many Bulls.  A 2-1 series means the next game is always important.  You can either take a commanding lead or let it turn into a best-of-3.  For an uncomfortable amount of time, it appeared the latter was going to happen.  Trailing 109-95 with less than 3 minutes to play, the Nets seemed to have seized all momentum in the series.  However, one Nate Robinson and three overtimes later, the Bulls were 142-134 winners.

After the Bulls jumped out to a big lead in the second quarter, Brooklyn trailed by only a basket going into the half.  The Nets went in front in the third quarter and when Brook Lopez hit a desperation three, the first of his career, the conclusion seemed forgone.  That's when Robinson decided to unleash what he had shown flashes of throughout the season.  Whether he was fueled by the missed dunk by C.J. Watson, whom he got into an earlier altercation with, may never be known, but Watson may be faced with being the goat of a Bulls playoff series for the second straight year.  Faced with the aforementioned 14-point deficit, he scored 12 unanswered and provided an assist to Carlos Boozer to tie the game and send it to free basketball.  His 23 points in that frame was one short of Michael Jordan's team playoff record set in 1990.

Robinson wasn't finished.  With time almost up in overtime, he banked in a long jumper that sent the United Center into a frenzy.  It would have been a perfect ending, but Joe Johnson answered back with his own field goal at the buzzer to force a second overtime.  That was long enough for Robinson to foul out with 34 points, bringing an end to one of the most memorable performances in Bulls playoff history.  A third overtime was needed and this time, the Bulls were able to seal it.  That period saw Joakim Noah (15 points, 13 rebounds) and Taj Gibson (10 points) pick up their sixth fouls, so Nazr Mohammed had to provide an unlikely offensive spark.  He led the team in the third OT with four points and it was his putback off a missed free throw from Boozer (21 points) that erased any doubt of the outcome.  Also notable in all these heroics were Kirk Hinrich's line of 18 points and 14 assists, Jimmy Butler's 16 and Luol Deng's 15.  Hey, when you play 63 minutes of basketball, numbers are bound to inflate.

This wasn't quite as exciting as Game 6 against Boston in 2009, mainly because the Bulls weren't faced with elimination this time, but it comes pretty darn close.  This is a season in which the Bulls are trying to prove they can field a competitive club even while Derrick Rose misses every game.  Understandably, nobody gave them much of a chance for anything.  However, I think even their own fans forget that there may be a certain organizational philosophy that just does not permit them to lose easily.  This has especially been apparent since that epic Celtics series. 

At the risk of alienating the anti-Hawk Harrelson crowd, the Bulls' have a TWTW (the will to win) that's off the charts.  Tom Thibodeau always has it and whenever Rose returns, his will be as high as ever.  I can't explain why this is, but it's amazing how we don't see enough of this in the NBA.  If there was different personnel running this team, they might be no better than a seventh seed in this year's playoffs.  Very few coaches can get so much out of a team that doesn't seem capable of producing that.  Props also go to Gar Foreman and John Paxson for finding players that fit right into their coach's philosophy.  Even so, I think even they underestimated just what they were getting in Nate Robinson.  Tell any Bulls fan last summer that he would put on an unforgettable playoff performance and they would have laughed loudly in your face.  He's probably made some forget that Rose remains waiting in the wings.

I tend to get nostalgic, so permit me to do that before closing.  Yesterday may have been as close to a Bulls 90s playoff game as it's gotten in the days since.  A packed United Center was watching an opponent from New York and Marv Albert was on the call for TNT.  As gravy, Steve Kerr was his color analyst.  On top of all that, there were those nerve-racking moments that showed us everything that's great about basketball.  And of course, the Bulls pulled out a close win.  Yes, the 2011 conference finals had a lot of that, but even the lone win in that series was a blowout.  Miami took control of that series afterward, so it never quite felt like those old days again.  What we just saw was a game not to be forgotten and I'll be buying it on iTunes as soon as it becomes available.  If you're a true Bulls fan, you'll want to relive this one again and again.

Back in the present, the Bulls have a 3-1 lead in the series and close it out in Brooklyn tomorrow night.  You know the Nets will be determined not to let their first season at the Barclays Center end there, so the Bulls will have to be ready for that.  Until then, bask in the glory that is Nate Robinson and the never-say-die Bulls.

Their Kind of Playoff Win

The NBA Playoffs can tell the world the types of games the competing teams thrived in during the 82-game regular season.  Last night, we saw one that made the Bulls the fifth seed, even without Derrick Rose.  In a contest filled with runs, droughts and merely keeping pace, the Bulls grinded out a 79-76 win over the Nets to take a 2-1 lead in the series, their first playoff lead since a certain game from last year's playoffs we'd rather not talk about, but can't seem to avoid.

As Brooklyn jumped out to a 17-5 lead, Bulls fans became a little worried of what the night may bring.  Then, as quickly as you can say changing of the guard, it was 33-21 Bulls late in the second quarter, taking advantage of a Nets shooting drought.  Much of the rest of the game had a similar story.  Luol Deng scored 12 of his 21 points in the third quarter, at one point outscoring the entire Nets team during that frame.  Brooklyn saved itself from that kind of embarrassment by finishing with 18.  The fourth quarter saw them make a game of it as the Bulls went into a dry spell of shooting themselves.  Once the lead was cut down to three with 14.4 seconds to play, the nerves started to pick up.  After Nate Robinson and Joakim Noah split trips to the free throw line, the Nets had one last chance to send the game to overtime.  The man to take the game-tying three was none other than C.J. Watson, who air mailed his attempt as a reminder of why he wasn't the right man to fill Rose's shoes last postseason.

Deng's 21 were topped only by Carlos Boozer's 22, made possible by 9-of-15 shooting and going 4-of-5 from the charity stripe.  No one had a better overall shooting night, which tells you that this game would give your average college game a run for its money.  The two starting forwards also combined for 26 rebounds, letting you and I know that everyone needed to be ready for missed shots all night.  Kirk Hinrich scored 12 and, coupled with Watson's two, it really makes you wonder if the Bulls would have beaten the 76ers last year if Hinrich was Rose's primary backup instead.  Noah's only point was the late free throw on a night when he was 0-of-7 from the field.  The plantar fasciitis is a good excuse for him.  All the Bulls really need out of him is minutes, so anything else he gives is gravy.  Then again, maybe he'll suddenly heal to the point where he has everything working in his arsenal at the same time.

Not to take anything away from this win, but for the last two games, the Nets have provided a textbook example of how not to shoot in the postseason.  Their 35 percent shooting compared to 40 for the Bulls last night sounds like a small different, but that number for them was in the 20s at one point.  They were lucky to stay in the game until the very end because on most other nights, it would have been a blowout.  P.J. Carlesimo said it best:  "When all is said and done, we have to make some shots."

The Bulls will need a better offensive game if they want to win this series.  These dry spells are not going to cut it every night and they eventually hurt you.  They have the defense down pat and can force the Nets out of their comfort zone.  Eventually though, every NBA team will break out offensively, so they can't let up.  And of course, more points are needed for your own sake.  Game 4 will provide the best opportunity for that.  They're in front of their home crowd and a win would put you in command of the best-of-7.  Keep playing to your strengths and don't make your offensive chances more difficult than they have to be.  If you can, you have a very good shot at moving on.

That's More Like It

What's the best medicine for being down 1-0 in a best-of-7 playoff series after getting blown out of the building in the previous game?  Come out in the next game and play your style of course.  The Bulls did that tonight in Game 2 to steal the home-court advantage away from the Nets 90-82.

Brooklyn had the lead just once early on, but it was almost all Bulls otherwise.  They did their best to mount a late rally and take a 2-0 series lead.  However, the Bulls were better at not letting themselves fall into a hole and they did it in ways not unfamiliar to their fans.  There was good hustle, successful driving, great rebounding and enough passing to find open looks.  These Bulls came ready to play, unlike whoever showed up Saturday.  By the time it was over, much of the Barclays Center crowd had decided it didn't want to stick around for the very end because they knew it wasn't going to end in their team's favor.  The Bulls just convinced them of the outcome that well.

I said the Bulls needed to reestablish Luol Deng as a primary scoring option in this game and they did just that.  Deng led the team with 15 points and 10 rebounds.  If he continues to play like that in this series, it will be key in advancing to the next round.  Carlos Boozer had his patented double-double with a 13-12 line.  Not wanting to be left out, Joakim Noah looked nothing like a player with an injured foot, joining the double-double club at 11-10.  His play was a huge mental lift for his teammates, which showed almost anything is possible when you play through a problem that should limit your production, but suddenly appears to be just a footnote.

Kirk Hinrich proved to everyone he's still a worthy player on a playoff team, so his 13 points and five assists were for those who may not have seen the Bulls as much this year.  Yes, he's older.  Yes, he would be a bench player if Derrick Rose had been healthy this year, but he's the best the Bulls could have hoped for at the position.  Nate Robinson has done well at the point too and his 11 points tonight showed it.  Whether you love or hate him, he has a flair for the dramatic.  If he's celebrating, you know things going well for the Bulls.  Nazr Mohammed was 4-of-5 from the field and his eight points matched Marco Belinelli's total.  This was as even a team effort as could be for a club looking to get back in a playoff series.

As the Bulls have proved many times this year, when all the machine parts come together, anything is possible.  Look no further than the recent wins against Miami and New York.  Whether they're healthy as can be or missing several key components, you can never count them out when it appears they're down.  They refused to let a horrible Game 1 dictate the direction of the series.  Lesser teams would have folded right away.  Not Tom Thibodeau's team.  They have too much self-respect and work way too hard to just quit.  They wanted to a play at least one game on their terms and they now have that chance.

Game 3 of this 1-1 series takes place Thursday at the United Center.  If you're lucky enough to be there, make sure you wear red.  The momentum is on the right side and should the next game be a win, the Bulls will be in complete control.  It sure feels good to feel like you're ahead even though you're not quite there, doesn't it?

Bullied in the Borough

Just a day after Joakim Noah said he likely wouldn't play Game 1 against the Brooklyn Nets and was questionable for the series, he suddenly made a start.  That should have been enough to inspire the Bulls to victory, right?  Turns out they needed more than a feel-good story to stop the Nets, who steamrolled their guests to the tune of 106-89.

The game was never really close save for the first few minutes.  Once the Nets got going, they were not to be denied a victory in Brooklyn's first postseason game since the 1956 World Series.  An 11-point deficit after the first quarter was still manageable, but the second quarter sent it spiraling out of control as the Nets made 16 of 20 field-goal attempts.  Deron Williams' bucket with only a couple seconds left before the break made the score 60-35 at the break and sent the Barclays Center crowd into a frenzy.  The second half was merely a formality.

Four Nets starters and two bench players scored in double figures.  Williams was the main guy with 22 points and seven assists with Brook Lopez just behind with 21.  Their main weapon was their shooting and it showed.  Williams was 9-of-15, Joe Johnson 7-of-13 and even C.J. Watson, whom I criticized quite a bit in last year's playoffs, haunted his old teammates by going 6-of-8 from the field.  Lopez made all seven of his free throws in addition to a 7-of-15 shooting game.  Gerald Wallace was perfect from the field in the first half.  Reggie Evans also had himself a game, grabbing 13 rebounds despite totaling just five points.  Few teams would have been able to keep up with how hot Brooklyn was.

The silver lining for the Bulls besides Noah's mere presence was Carlos Boozer, who led all scorers with 25 points and also had eight rebounds and four assists to pace the team.  Nate Robinson scored 17 off the bench while 13 each came from Jimmy Butler and Marco Belinelli.  There, you see the first thing that went wrong for the Bulls.  When you see two bench players near the top of your scoring list, that usually means things went wrong.  Luol Deng, quiet in Wednesday's season finale with the Wizards with five points, was ineffective again with six.  Kirk Hinrich managed only two assists before exiting with a thigh injury.  While Noah deserves all the credit for toughing out his plantar fasciitis, you could clearly tell he was laboring.  Unfortunately, that's not likely to improve in this series barring that sign from God Derrick Rose has been waiting for.  He's going to need a lot more help in slowing down Lopez.

Things can only improve for the Bulls from here.  It's hard to imagine a Tom Thibodeau team playing this flat throughout a series just as it is for the Nets to stay this hot from the field.  This night was also meant to be for Brooklyn.  After more than half a century without a professional sports team, it would have been almost criminal to welcome playoff action back there with no victory to show for it. 

Now that the festivities are over, it's time for the Bulls to really get serious and steal a game on the road.  To do that, they'll need to do a few things.  First, Deng must be reestablished as an offensive threat.  He's not the player you build your team around, but without him, the Bulls are nothing.  Two straight games with little production out of him is unacceptable.  Second, the passing lanes need to be taken away or Williams will be free to dictate the tempo of the game.  Even with Rose out for the year, the Bulls should know as well as any team that even the point guard can turn the tide if he has the skill set, which Williams does.  Finally, slow down Lopez.  He's going to take every advantage he can with Noah not completely healthy.  Double-team him often and force him into earning his points.

Game 2 will tip off tomorrow night.  Win and the series shifts to Chicago all even.  Lose and you find yourself in a must-win Thursday.  I'm rather optimistic that the tide can be turned.  Thibodeau won't allow his team to back down this early to an opponent this even with them.

Bulls vs. Borough

The middle of April is upon us and that can only mean the NBA Playoffs are underway.  The Bulls are one of 16 teams who get to compete for the championship.  Their first hurdle towards title number seven is the Brooklyn Nets, who have had a very successful first year in their new location.  As the fifth seed, the Bulls have no home-court advantage in this year's postseason, but it may not matter in this series.  They've beaten Jay-Z's club in three of four meetings already, so that's the first thing to consider.  What about match-ups?  I got 'em right here.

At the point, we've got Illinois product Deron Williams against Kirk Hinrich.  While Hinrich has been able to show flashes of being a competitive player as a true veteran, Williams is in a class of his own.  With Rajon Rondo out for the season, Williams could very well be the best at his position right now.  For all the drama he's caused with head coaches, he knows how to compete, so I'll give him the advantage.  Joe Johnson will have to guard either Jimmy Butler or Rip Hamilton (I don't know who Tom Thibodeau will go with yet).  He's right in the middle of those two on the age scale.  Butler has had a fiery second half and Hamilton can still shoot.  Johnson however has shown what he's made of during his first year in Brooklyn, reminding everyone a player of his caliber can be lethal in his prime.  I would trust him at the end of a game more than Butler or Hamilton, so again, the Nets get the advantage.

The frontcourt is where the field evens itself.  While Gerald Wallace has always been someone to watch out for, he's older and not as talented as Luol Deng, whom the Bulls would be completely lost without.  Deng was an All-Star this year and hasn't let up in his play, so the advantage goes to him.  Reggie Evans could create problems for Carlos Boozer, who despite averaging nearly a double-double this season, remains a defensive liability at times.  He'll get boxed out often, but the best players in the league are twofold and Evans isn't a scorer.  Even his backup, Kris Humphries, doesn't provide much relief offensively.  Boozer can do both, so I'd favor him here.

The most interesting head-to-head is at center with Joakim Noah and Brook Lopez.  Both are recent first-time All-Stars and intimidating forces for either team whenever they step onto the court.  Look for a lot of battles down low as the two are sure to test one another plenty of times.  I considered making this a wash, but then, I thought back to why I picked Carlos Boozer.  Defense is great, but if you don't score, it's all for naught.  Lopez averaged 19.4 points this season and just as important, he's been healthier.  No one knows how Noah will perform with the recent injuries that have plagued him and that's sure to play a role here.  I'll lift up Lopez's arm here.

The coaching match-up is a little easier to figure out.  P.J. Carlesimo has done a superb job as interim head coach of the Nets after Avery Johnson was fired.  With the Knicks not to be denied the Atlantic this year, he kept them as close to their intercity rivals as he could.  He deserves major props for what he's done.   Still, in the end, he's not Tom Thibodeau, who must consider the playoffs his Christmastime.  These are the games he lives for and he never met an intense contest he didn't like.  He rides his players hard in preparation for this and he's not about to be bounced early with the players he has.  Thibodeau wins this round.

These teams are fairly even defensively and Brooklyn has a better offense.  What will make the difference in this series however is experience and which coach can get the most out of his club.  True, this year's Bulls are quite different from the last two, but Thibodeau refuses to lose.  The Nets are back in the postseason after undergoing a complete makeover and history shows that upstart teams must pay their dues before winning a round later on.  Of course, calling the Nets upstart is pushing it with all the veterans they have, but unless you've assembled a Big Three that completely changes your team's fortunes, you'll have growing pains.  Williams-Johnson-Lopez are not James-Wade Bosh or Pierce-Garnett-Allen.  That's why I think once the Bulls steal a game in Brooklyn, they'll have this series wrapped up.  My pick is Bulls in six.

As mentioned last night, the fun begins Saturday at the Barclays Center.  Don't forget to wear red when supporting the Bulls and keep your team spirit high.  Bulls fans love the playoffs and these games will be entertaining.  The time is now, gentleman.  Earn your horns and the respect of the league.

Five-Timers

The scenario was simple tonight:  if the Bulls won or the Atlanta Hawks lost, the Bulls would have the fifth playoff seed in the East.  Both scenarios played out.  The Hawks were done getting pounded by New York before the Bulls finished off the Washington Wizards 95-92, but that didn't mean Tom Thibodeau wasn't trying to win this game anyway.  It just wouldn't be like the most fiery coach in the league if he had stepped off the gas pedal.

The first quarter had all the signs of a Bulls blowout as they jumped out to a 21-point lead.  The following quarter however saw the Wizards rattle off 16 unanswered points to cut the lead to two.  That was followed by another Bulls run, which kept the Wizards at a safe distance for most of the rest of the way.  The Wizards tied it at 85 with 3:19 to play on a three by AJ Price, followed by Jimmy Butler's alley oop dunk from Rip Hamilton.  The lead was never relinquished as John Wall missed a game-tying three at the buzzer to send the Wizards to the draft lottery yet again.

Carlos Boozer has had plenty of double-doubles during the regular season, so he figured he'd collect one more before the playoff intensity arrived.  His 19 points and 15 rebounds wrapped another year in which he was healthier than most of his team, appearing in 78 games.  Kirk Hinrich's season ended with a performance worthy of his filling in for Derrick Rose all season, scoring 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting.  The biggest surprise was Nazr Mohammed, starting for Joakim Noah once again and scoring a season-high 17 points.  This would be a nice postseason source of offense even though the question of whether he'll be able to keep this up remains to be answered.  Jimmy Butler proved once again he has rightfully usurped the starting two guard spot from Rip Hamilton by knocking in 13.  I'll be surprised if the Bulls pick up his option for next season.  Butler's emergence has made the veteran expendable.  We'll see if he can sway me over the next week and beyond.

Now that the Bulls have finished a Rose-less season at 45-37, we look at the questions facing them as "Win or Go Home" takes full effect.  Two in particular stand out to me.  Derrick Rose has yet to rule out a return, but is there anyone in their right mind who would let the franchise player take the floor in the most intense atmosphere possible in his first game action after the ACL injury?  Avoiding the drama that has only increased recently, all I ask is that a responsible adult within the organization make some sort of decision regarding the former MVP so all of this uncertainty can end.

Although every other injured Bull has returned to the court, not all of them made an impact tonight.  Joakim Noah was in noticeable pain, recording just one rebound in 14 minutes.  That will have to change if the team wants an extended postseason stay.  Hopefully, Thibodeau is just trying to ease back his All-Star center.  Taj Gibson showed his abilities better, finishing with a line of eight points and four rebounds.  Any contributions from him, big or small, will be important going forward.  The expendable Hamilton only managed a field goal.  He'll play in the postseason, but one has to wonder how much he'll be relied upon from here on out.  This team will go as far as its health.

Just as we wanted, the Bulls will be facing the Brooklyn Nets, whom they beat three of four times this year, in the first round.  It will be the first postseason meeting between the teams since the same round in 1998.  It's just too bad this team has more talent than the group led by John Calipari 15 years ago.  It would have been an easier series starting Saturday, but this was still the best match-up they could have hoped for.  They'll have a good chance at an upset and I'll talk more about this series within the next two days in a post that will size the two teams up.  Until then, prepare yourself to show the best spirit you've shown all season.

Showing Magic from Downtown

As we've entered the homestretch of the regular season, we've often wondered if the Bulls are ever going to have another game in which they move the ball with such crispness the opposing defense wouldn't know what hit them.  That would mean an impressive blowout victory.  Bulls fans got that tonight against the Orlando Magic.  Despite a hard-fought loss to Miami yesterday afternoon, they got their act together during a 102-84 victory.

Most of the first half saw a defensive struggle.  Many watching the game started to prepare themselves for another night in which a win against an opponent wouldn't come as easily as it should.  In the final few minutes of the second quarter however, a few shots starting falling and the Bulls took a 12-point lead at the break.  After that, a truck disguised as the Bulls came out of the locker room and got on a roll before much of the sparse Amway Center crowd had settled back into their seats.  Four minutes into the second half, the lead ballooned to 21 and it was all downhill for the Magic from there.  Despite their best efforts, they couldn't even sniff a single-digit deficit for the rest of the night.  They never looked impressive on offense or defense and it was easy to see why they've plunged to the bottom of the East in the immediate post-Howard era.  When was the last time you saw a Bulls opponent violate the shot clock so much the cops should have been called?

Carlos Boozer, who seems to be growing into his recent position as starting center, led all scorers with 22 points.  The only Bulls starter who didn't reach double-figures in the points column was Jimmy Butler and even he was only one basket shy of it.  Taj Gibson, who along with Joakim Noah and Rip Hamilton rejoined the action after missing time, poured in 12 off the bench.  The story of the offense came to be the shooting from 3-point territory.  Kirk Hinrich had the kind of night we'd like to see from him more often, going 4-of-6 from downtown and 5-of-8 overall, ending with 14 points.  Luol Deng (18 points) and Marco Belinelli (16) decided to make it rain too, respectively turning in 2-of-3 and 2-of-4 performances from that territory.  In the latest example of Tom Thibodeau's usual reluctance to play rookies, Marquis Teague was the only Bull not to see the floor.

Hopefully, tonight was a sign that the Bulls are getting into a good enough groove offensively right before the playoffs.  In a season that has seen them struggle to score against inferior teams, tonight provided a refreshing sight.  It also helped that every injured player not named Derrick Rose is back in the lineup.  They've at least been able to use that as an excuse for not obtaining home-court advantage in the postseason.  Now that the reinforcements are easing themselves back into game shape, we can safely say this team is almost as healthy as it's going to be for the remainder of the season.  There are a lot of hills to climb, but this group has shown it can rise to any challenge when called upon.

Only one game remains before the real games begin.  The Washington Wizards will invade the United Center Wednesday, trying to play the spoiler role to the Bulls' seeding.  The exact stakes for that game won't be determined until tomorrow night after Atlanta plays Toronto.  You want a chance to play for the fifth seed and the right to face Brooklyn in the first round.  We'd appreciate anything to make the path easier.

I would also like to express my condolences to the victims of today's explosions at the Boston Marathon.  The Celtics-Pacers game scheduled for tomorrow night has been canceled and will not be rescheduled, marking the first time I can remember that two NBA teams will play less than the scheduled number of games.  Basketball's not really a priority for that city at the moment however.  Please pray for an end to violence in this country.  It can happen anywhere, even in the loosest of environments.

When Shooting Snoozes,Your Team Loses

If you like games in which several players score a bunch of points, you might have enjoyed today's matinee against the Miami Heat.  Six players on each team scored in double figures, which would indicate a close game.  That was somewhat the case, but it came down to whoever made the most of their opportunities.  As the Bulls struggled to do that, the Heat, who are able to do it better than any other team in the league, showed how to close out a pesky opponent in a 105-93 win.

The Bulls mounted a comeback after a slow and took a brief lead in the third quarter.  Although they never went in front again after surrendering the lead, they stayed within striking distance the whole way.  Still, it came down to the fundamental aspect of shooting and that's where the team struggled throughout the afternoon.  Their shooting percentage was a poor .354 compared to Miami's .514.

Luol Deng was the team's best shooter at 8-for-18 and its leading scorer with 19 points.  Carlos Boozer had an impressive line of 16 points and 20 rebounds, but acted as an offender to the cause.  Twice in the fourth quarter, he had good looks at layups and missed them both because he didn't go up hard enough.  Nate Robinson scored 14, but most of his contributions came in the first half and before long, his shots weren't falling either. 

While it was nice to see the Bulls go 11-of-26 from three-point territory, it was the only way they could score from the field for awhile.  They went the entire third quarter and nearly half the fourth without a two-point basket.  If you can't make the most simple shot in basketball that's not a free throw, you're going to have problems.  It would be the latest example of injuries and Rip Hamilton's suspension not helping except that most of the team's best shooters played today.  There's not much of an excuse here.

While Deng and Boozer were somewhat productive, the slightly better scoring outputs of LeBron James (24) and Dwyane Wade (22) helped make the difference and painted a picture of the game's outcome.  Miami can beat you either blowout style, by doing just enough or grinding out a close one.  In this case, it was the second of those choices.  It wasn't memorable compared to some of the other victories they've had this year, but they still got the job done.  No matter who plays them in the playoffs, it will be tough to prevent them from winning the 16 games required to repeat as champions.  With enough help from role players, they're an easy pick to do it.

As for the Bulls, the only question that remains is whether they'll earn the fifth or sixth seed in the East.  Only one game separates them and Atlanta from the higher seed.  They would much rather face Brooklyn as No. 5 and avoid Indiana as No. 6 since they've had greater success with one as opposed to the other.  It comes down to the final two games of the regular season.  Their fate rests in their own hands and they can make a case for it tomorrow night against the Orlando Magic.  Will they tie the Hawks?  Can they pretend the Magic are as competitive as the Heat so a win will be more likely?  These answers and more will come in just over 24 hours.

Streakbusters At It Again

Just to make things easier on themselves, newspaper columnists should probably prepare their postgame comments before games in which a team entering the United Center with a long winning streak.  Considering a recent trend, it might save them the usual deadline pressure.  That trend continued Thursday as the Bulls beat the New York Knicks 118-111 in overtime to snap their guests' 13-game winning streak.

Someone apparently forgot to tell the Knicks what happened to Miami when they made the trip here recently.  Otherwise, they wouldn't have surrendered the lead they kept for most of the game.  Then again, maybe they peaked too early when they got off to a hot start of 23-6 midway through the first quarter.  The Bulls got back in it and match every Knicks run after with one of their own.  They trailed by five at halftime before finding themselves down 15 five minutes late in the third quarter.  That's when the streakbusters finally emerged.  They took the lead early in the fourth, but New York refused to concede easily.  Carmelo Anthony, who had a game-high 36 points, sank two late free throws to tie the game.  After Luol Deng missed a game-winner, Anthony did the same on the other end, make free basketball possible.  The Bulls outscored the Knicks 13-6 in the extra frame to send the home crowd home happy.

Everyone's favorite heart-attack causer, Nate Robinson, reared both sides of his game once again.  We'd like to eliminate the risky one, but when we see the good one, it's quite a thrill.  He came off the bench to score 35 points and provide his usual energy.  I wonder if he's just doing his own celebratory stuff or Joakim Noah taught him more than what he previously had.  Either way, you can't help but notice the way he recognizes when he's in a zone.  Jimmy Butler didn't quite play every single minute like the other night, but proved his worth in big games once again, scoring 22, grabbing 14 rebounds, having three steals, three blocks and making a case to be a starter next season.  Luol Deng came back from injury with 16 and Carlos Boozer, starting at center, achieved a double-double of 13 and 15.  Most encouraging, Rip Hamilton had his first notable game in some time with 14 points and a game-high eight assists.  Although I don't know if he'll start again this year, you have to like what he's contributed, at least for one game.

As the regular season winds down, games like this can have twofold definitions.  You're impressed that the Bulls are often in these games against the top teams in the league with many resulting in wins.  Then, you're just frustrated on what could be right now if they could take care of business against lesser teams.  There wouldn't be a dogfight for the fourth seed in the East right now because the Bulls would have wrapped it up by now.  Alas, it just isn't to be.  For now, it's nice to end another long winning streak and sweep the four games this season with the Knicks.  Regardless of where they end up, they won't be an easy out in the playoffs.  They're an easy candidate to be an upset team in the first round should they fail to secure home-court.  Sure, everyone will be giving 110 percent, but given the Thibodeau mantra that has taken a stranglehold on this team, they could be grinding harder than they've been in any of the first 82 games except perhaps the last Miami game.  Scary to think about.

With no time to enjoy the victory, the Bulls are on their way to Canada to face the Toronto Raptors Friday.  Time to lay down the beating they should have on Monday.  We want to see Dr. Jekyll, not Mr. Hyde.

Keeping Malcolm With Trouble in the Middle

With my repeated missed opportunities to write recently because of work and other obligations, I never had a chance to react to Malcolm Thomas' signing.  Now that's with the Bulls for the rest of the season, I thought I should take a short, but meaningful look at him.

As you can see by the above photo, Thomas played for the Bulls in the most recent summer league.  He started out the year however with the Golden State Warriors, playing in five games.  Since first signing with the Bulls March 19, he has appeared just twice and averaged two points.  It appears he was mainly signed to eat a few minutes here and there.  With Vladimir Radmanovic forced to play more with the recent rash of injuries that have hit this club, somebody on the bench has to serve his normal role.  And besides, Marquis Teague might have gotten lonely on the bench otherwise.  Don't worry, rook.  You'll have a chance at more minutes next season.

Speaking of injuries, here's an update on the most prominent one for the Bulls not related to Derrick Rose.  After returning to action Sunday against Detroit, Joakim Noah said he suffered a setback with his plantar fasciitis and received a cortisone shot for his foot.  He'll miss tonight's game against the Toronto Raptors and could sit the final six games of the regular season.  The only reason I could see him desperately wanting to suit up again would be if playoff seeding was that important to him.  My guess is probably not.  Even if they lose out, it's highly unlikely the Bulls will play Miami in the first round.  Besides that, they can win without Noah for the time being.

I would be more concerned about the absence of Luol Deng.  He sat on Sunday with an injured hip and the Bulls got punished by a Pistons team that hadn't beaten them in 18 straight games.  He won't play tonight either.  Neither will Taj Gibson or Rip Hamilton, though they could all be back soon.  If all goes according to plan, almost everyone will be close to 100 percent by this time next week, when only one game will be left on the schedule.  The Bulls are right where they belong in the playoff hunt.  Now, it's just a matter of who's going to have home-court advantage.  Really though, the Bulls have proven they can stick with anybody in the East, so opponent is not really an issue.  They just beat Brooklyn on their home floor in the most recent example.  If they slip to the seventh seed and New York holds onto the second, that would still be a fun series.  They won both games at Madison Square Garden this year, so don't be shocked if an upset brews.  Whatever happens, this last week is sure to entertain.

Although I'm not working tonight, I likely won't be able to recap tonight's Raptors game as I have another obligation.  Still, I will use this opportunity to say that like last year, I will have a post after every Bulls playoff game.  Some will be the same night, others the next day.  Regardless, the playoffs define the whole season, so I intend to chronicle every bit of it.  I can afford to miss a good chunk of regular-season contests, but it's win or go home after mid-April.  That's when the best is really on hand.

Too Stretched Out and Not Clutch Enough

I had a much lengthier post about tonight's 90-86 loss to the Washington Wizards, but Blogger's been having some issues lately and I lost the whole thing.  It took me awhile to write and I don't want to do the whole thing over, so I'll just list some key points I had:

• This short rotation of late is really taking its toll.
• Taj Gibson's MCL sprain and Kirk Hinrich's ejection didn't help matters.
• A lot of shots came up short, especially in the fourth quarter.
• Jimmy Butler's missed free throws at the end were a carbon copy of Saturday's loss to Dallas.
• Sometimes, you just don't have the horses to compete and the recent injuries have only sped that process up for the Bulls.
• The fact that this poor play since beating Miami has come against considerable lesser teams makes it all the more frustrating.

Their next crack will come on national TV Thursday against the playoff-bound Brooklyn Nets.  Again, I apologize for not having my initial post, but when your energy is drained from it, you're writing late and merely writing this blog leisurely, you get to make your own rules.