Let's go back to earlier in the 4th quarter, when the Bulls were playing out of their mind, led by Joakim Noah's amazing hustle (11 points, 17 rebounds--6 of those rebounds coming on the offensive end). The Bulls had an 81-71 lead with 5 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. And there was not a doubt in my mind, even at that point in time, that the Bulls would lose the game. Here's why:
- The Celtics are too good on their home court, in a must win game, against an inexperienced young team like the Bulls, to go down 3-2. Not when they have Paul Pierce. Not when Rajon Rondo has turned himself into the best point guard in this postseason. Yes, that's right, I'll say it again because it definitely warrants mentioning: Rajon Rondo is the best point guard in this postseason. It's simply unreal what he's been doing to the Bulls. I mean, this guy is actually averaging a triple double! In the playoffs! He has been absolutely killing the Bulls. I may start calling him The Matador if he keeps this up. Just when you think the C's are out of options, they force a bad shot, it looks like the Bulls will take over, in swoops Rondo for a spectacular offensive rebound--resetting the shot clock and almost invariably leading to points for the Celtics on what would have been a wasted possession.
- I don't think it's possible for a Vinny Del Negro coached team to win a playoff series. Where to even begin with this guy? He consistently runs out of timeouts in a series that has proven itself to go right down the wire every time (seriously, 4 OT games and 5 total OTs in 5 games is downright unbelievable)... he can't make the simple decision to double team Paul Pierce in the final minutes (more on this later)... he obviously can't get his team to close out on 3 pt shots by Ray Allen at the end of a game... Come on, have you ever seen a guy look more lost on the sidelines? He looks like Breckin Meyer, if he was a little more beaten down by the world. Take a look:
Spooky.
(recovering slowly)
Anyway...like clockwork, as soon as the Bulls had built that lead with 5 minutes left, it all came crumbling down. In nearly no time at all, the lead had been cut to 83-80. The biggest issue I had with this game though, was that Ray Allen had fouled out--and yet the Bulls still were not doubling Paul Pierce at the end of the game. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? Stephon Marbury was actually on the court. Yes, you read that right. With the game on the line, Marbury was on the court. He had two wide open looks in OT. One he was too scared to take the shot, passed it up, and the C's came away with nothing. On the other he lined it up and bricked. The guy's confidence is clearly gone. He's actually afraid to shoot the ball. If I told you "Starbury" would be afraid to shoot as little as 2 years ago, you would have laughed me out of the building. Now, he's a backup who is actually more reluctant to shoot than Brian Scalabrine.
...So given this knowledge, wouldn't you, as a moderately intelligent person, bring Steph's man over to double Pierce who you KNOW is going to try and take the last shot for the Celtics (and probably make it--let's face it, he's The Truth), and force the ball out of his hands? Wouldn't you want to force a washed up, scared former star to beat you? As opposed to the Celtics best shooter on the court (given Ray Allen had fouled out)?
Well of course, Pierce drains shot after shot over his man, and leads the Celtics to a 2 point lead with 3.4 seconds left. Just enough time for the Bulls to draw up a play for Ben Gordon and make sure they have a decent look to possibly force a second overtime. You know, or just completely choke away the game.
So not only do they fail to get the ball into Gordon's (or even Rose's) hands in the final seconds, the ball comes to Brad Miller (Yes, I know he was wide open, and he was basically flagrant fouled by Rondo when he was shooting--I still can't defend the decision to give the ball to Miller with the game on the line. Call a timeout if you can't inbound it to Rose or Gordon. What's that? Out of timeouts you say? Oh, right. Del Negro's coaching). I don't care how open he is, you don't let a player of his caliber decide the game for you. And what does this 7 foot center do when he gets the ball with an open lane to the basket? HE TRIES A FINGER ROLL. Really, Brad? Really? How many centers in the NBA do you know--scratch that, how many players in the NBA do you know that would not go up and dunk that ball with a clear shot to the basket? I think I may be sick. At least he got fouled, so he had a very valid excuse for the shot that he was definitely about to miss.
And while I must commend the Bulls on their free throw shooting during the game (they shot a blistering 84.4% from the line), they once again found a way to miss the big shots they needed when it really mattered. As soon as Brad Miller stepped to the free throw line, I was positive he would miss at least one. I just can't understand how they can so consistently come up short in the clutch. Is it nerves? Inexperience? KG making "I'm-gonna-kill-you-if-you-make-this-shot" faces from the sidelines? Whatever the case, it's there, it's real, and it's not going away.
I did intend to actually write about some other storylines, but the Bulls-Celtics series has been so gripping, that it's incredibly difficult to tear myself away. Rest assured, coming up I'll be detailing LeBron James and the Cavs, the Hawks-Heat (and the fading hopes of the Heat faithful as Dwyane Wade is now injured), the end of a Spurs dynasty, the unstoppable Lakers, the Magic-76ers, the Blazers-Rockets (in a battle of who can finally win a playoff series), the Hornets completely quitting on Byron Scott as the Nuggets actually dominate (Nuggets?? dominate?? Tell me sir, what crazy parallel universe is this?)... my head is spinning just thinking about it all.
You know, I think maybe I'll just lie down for a while.
