Playing Dead Ball

We knew the Bulls having to win two games in Washington would be no easy task, but now, one has to wonder how that's possible or even if they'll get the chance.  Despite missing Nene with his suspension for head-butting Jimmy Butler in Game 3, the Wizards were somehow more inspired to claim Game 4 with a vengeance 98-89.  A series that seemed so easy coming in now sees the Bulls one defeat from elimination.

The final made it look closer than it actually was.  Washington scored 14 unanswered points to start, which wouldn't be so bad if we were talking about football, but that is sadly not the case.  It set the tone for an afternoon in which the Wizards had their way with minimal interruptions.  There were several stretches in which the Bulls looked primed for the comeback that would put the Wizards in their place.  However, it simply made Washington stronger and not even a late Bulls surge was enough to make up for everything that had happened earlier.  For almost the whole game, the Bulls turned the ball over, committed bad fouls and allowed more fast break points and points off turnovers than one could bear to witness.  Only enhancing the dread was the enthusiasm of the Verizon Center crowd.

Trevor Ariza, whom the Bulls might want to consider in free agency this summer, took some of whatever Mike Dunleavy had before Game 3 and scored a playoff career-high 30 points, including seven of the Wizards' first 11.  He knocked down his first four three-point attempts and added a fifth at the buzzer to close the first half.  Three of the other four Wizards starters also reached double figures with Bradley Beal scoring 18, Marcin Gortat 17 and John Wall 15.  Wall particularly served another reminder of the Bulls missing Derrick Rose by adding 10 assists.

Taj Gibson reached a personal scoring high for both the regular season and playoffs with 32 points, shooting 13-of-16 from the field.  Jimmy Butler had 16, but shot just 5-of-14 on field-goal attempts.  That I'm even listing him as one of the more notable players for the Bulls tells you how this game went.  Although Joakim Noah had a double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds, he looked easily frustrated, out of his element and simply outplayed by Gortat.  He was far from the biggest problem however.  D.J. Augustin shot 30 percent from the field, Kirk Hinrich 25 percent and Carlos Boozer picked up all five of his fouls in the third quarter.  It's no wonder Tom Thibodeau kept him out there during that frame even when he was in that trouble.

It was just so surprising to see the Bulls come out as flat as they did.  Their inspired victory in the last game provided them something to build on and a chance to make Nene's poor decision the turning point in the series.  Instead, it's just a footnote as the Wizards now have a chance to advance in the playoffs for the first time since knocking the Bulls out in 2005.  Offensive awareness was down, as was production, and they just appeared to be caught off guard by an opponent trying to prove they had enough talent to overcome the loss of their best player in the first three games.  When everyone is giving their very best effort as the Bulls do throughout the season, talent wins out and right now, Washington has more in its arsenal.

The Bulls will have a chance to keep their season going with a Game 5 win at the United Center on Tuesday.  They know they have to win out against the Wizards, but they can only get a third of the way there in their next game.  Nobody wants to see it end, especially at home, so if you're going to the game, get behind the Bulls to give them every possible advantage.