It was a game of runs, truly making it a back-and-forth affair. So it was only fitting that extra time would be needed. The Bulls could have closed out a come-from-behind effort in regulation, but Kirk Hinrich fouled Monta Ellis in the active shooting behind the three-point line, allowing enough free throws to tie the game and bringing about the first overtime. Derrick Rose banked in a three at the end of that session to extend the game further, but air mailed another long ball one period expiration later and that was that.
Ellis, who averaged 19.6 points per game entering Tuesday, led all scorers with 38 points. The Mavericks had their fair share of contributors, but Ellis stepped up more than anyone else, even hitting the game-winning three. This is a guy who is often overlooked in the NBA, but games like this show why any team would be lucky to have him. He put on a performance and did all the right things in a way that would make MJ himself jealous.
Of course, Ellis had his supporting cast to bring him home. Chandler Parsons, making his mark in Dallas after coming over from Houston, scored 24 and went 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki was just behind with 22 and Devin Harris hit all six three-point attempts for 18 of his 20. J.J. Barea shot 5-of-8 from the field for 13 in 12 minutes.
Pau Gasol, surely gassed after this one, led the Bulls with 29 points and 14 rebounds in 50 minutes. The offense ran through him more often than not: further evidence that he has a lot left in the tank which wasn't quite utilized properly near the end of his Lakers tenure. Jimmy Butler continued his offensive onslaught with 23 and the normally quiet Mike Dunleavy had a loud 20. Rose's 18 were hurt by his game-high seven turnovers, but Nikola Mirotic's 15 surely made some forget that second part of Rose's evening.
While it's difficult to accept that the Bulls let this one get away, it's hard to overlook that they allowed a hot Dallas team many open looks during certain stretches, forcing them to come from behind more than once. This may have contributed to their habit of shooting too much behind the three-point line (8-of-26). The offense may be better than it was a year ago, but it's average at best when it relies on that game plan. The 50 points in the paint shows the Bulls are stronger at getting the ball to the basket, so Tom Thibodeau may want to emphasize that more going forward.
Rose was clutch at various moments, but several tweeters observed that he remains passive when diving for the ball and isn't battling as hard for tough rebounds. We don't know if he's either unwilling or unable to do that right now, but it's a reminder of how far he still has to go on his road to recovery. Right now, he's succeeding at scoring, passing and staying healthy. He just needs a little more of that fearlessness and explosiveness that set him apart from others in the league a few years ago.
The Bulls have no time to rest after this marathon. They travel to Charlotte Wednesday to play Michael Jordan's lowly new-look Hornets. It's unknown how long certain players will see the floor after going above their usual minutes in this defeat. Hopefully, it won't matter if a lesser team allows them to take a bit of a breather, if Thibodeau can even picture that.
One more note on a project I'm currently tackling. This holiday season, I'm trying to record 24 different holiday song parodies about Chicago sports. I'll post all the ones I write about the Bulls on here. My very first one involves Rose and his inability to stay healthy. Enjoy.
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