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PLAYOFF Game Thread: Bulls vs. Heat Game 2

Blogabull_s_tiny by your friendly BullsBlogger on in News

The sentiment for the Heat before this game is that they're going to bring more effort tonight. I enjoyed the response to that from Palm Beach Post Columnist Greg Stoda.

Sure, there are lies and damned lies and statistics. But it's a disservice to dismiss Chicago's victory as having been rooted in nothing more than the Bulls' superior work ethic.

"How willing are we to get our hands dirty?" Heat coach Pat Riley asked Monday in advance of tonight's Game 2 in Chicago.

C'mon now. There's more to Chicago than big-shoulders determination. Riley, deep down, understands it when he gets beyond talking about Miami's self-destructive "sense of entitlement" as reigning champion.

The Bulls, Riley said, "know what it takes to beat us, and they do it."

If some of the explanation shows up in so-called hustle numbers - transition points, second-chance points, turnover points - well, the Heat hasn't been good at any of that stuff all season. Maybe it's just a matter of Chicago being able to exploit those Miami deficiencies.

Wade may think they played with 'regular season effort', but I prefer to believe they had all the effort they needed, they're just old, slow, and hobbled. If the Bulls continue to play quicker than them I like the Bulls to take game two.

The Heat will have to do more than just try harder, they will make some adjustments. Perhaps get more size on Luol Deng (and expect some borderline-dirty help defense too) while still looking for ways to trap Gordon. Hope that Wade can get closer to the rim so it not only gets him easier looks but allows the Heat's role players for open shots of their own. And Shaq needs to stay on the court and stay effective enough to where the Bulls finally give in and double-team him. But a lot of it is hoping that Gordon/Deng/Hinrich play themselves out of the game. If they were great every night they'd be better players than they are. There's no better time than now to take that leap in consistency, but I would be lying if I said I didn't think Deng or Gordon had a shit game in them for this series.

But in terms of that 'energy' shlock, this is the playoffs, all that should be consistent across the board by now. It's who's executing, who gets a little luck, and who's imposing their offensive style that will win. The Bulls shouldn't rely on the vagueries of block/charge calls to get the upper hand, they'll keep the pace they way they like it (and again, that's not just fast breaks, but in half-court play as well) by being quicker.

For some reason I see a big game for Ben Gordon tonight, and a punch-in-the-mouth-then-run-and-hide victory. I'm guessing that's just wishful thinking, because any close-and-late game gives the advantage to the Heat, so I'd like to avoid that whole scenario altogether in a way that didn't happen in Game One.

No tickets to this one, so I'll be checking in throughout the game. But likely only if the Bulls play well. If they don't I'll be too busy fuming and/or weeping, and I don't want to shake the confidence of the readership by displaying that!

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I am very
nervous about this game. I don't know if Luol will have the same type game as Sunday. I hope he does but actually no one on this team is very consistant. It's very important for Kirk to keep himself on the floor tonight.

I hope the bench plays like they did on Sunday. That is a must for the Bulls to win.

GO BULLS!!!

Note to Shaq...there is no crying in basketball.

by sue369 on Apr 24, 2007 6:36 PM CDT   0 recs

no must-wins!
don't think that way. they're all 'musts'

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 6:40 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hah!
I was going to say the same thing, but like all good commenters, I quickly re-read the sentence. She said IT is a must for the Bulls TO win.

I was about to say it is much more of a must-win for the Heat. But I would put it at about a 90%-must for them.

by tyger1147 on Apr 24, 2007 6:43 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

gah
you're right. Apologies, Sue.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 6:46 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i really hope the Bulls win tonight
i cant stand the heat's crybabyness. Beat the Heat!
SHAQ-DADDY, PREPARE FOR THE STAMPEDE! IT'S THE BULLS, BEWARE OF THE NEW BREED!!!

by hongydraw on Apr 24, 2007 6:47 PM CDT   0 recs

Must/Win -- Go Bulls!
Is this a must-win?
No. The Bulls must play the game.
To win, you must play.
For the remainder of this series, I will post only in haiku. Hibachi!

by preverbal on Apr 24, 2007 6:51 PM CDT   0 recs

What do we do
YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME

by SRQman on Apr 24, 2007 7:01 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I remember
When the Bulls were up 2-0 on the Wizards. Everyone had said the same thing about the Bulls being too fast and wanting it more and the series was done. So if even the Bulls win today, I ain't gonna jump with joy knowing we got this series. I'll just be happy with the W and knowing we're that much closer to ending it.
The only Yi Jianlian fan here

by Option27 on Apr 24, 2007 6:52 PM CDT   0 recs

Who Sir Charles?
LUOL DENG! exactly....LUOL DENG!

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:03 PM CDT   0 recs

To be clear,
that is Sir Charles - idiot.

by wjb1492 on Apr 24, 2007 9:02 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Bullshit counter
bullshit call #1....wrong, and late

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:09 PM CDT   0 recs

looks like shaq's crying is gonna get him his way
piss.
SHAQ-DADDY, PREPARE FOR THE STAMPEDE! IT'S THE BULLS, BEWARE OF THE NEW BREED!!!

by hongydraw on Apr 24, 2007 7:09 PM CDT   0 recs

frick
frick
SHAQ-DADDY, PREPARE FOR THE STAMPEDE! IT'S THE BULLS, BEWARE OF THE NEW BREED!!!

by hongydraw on Apr 24, 2007 7:18 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

bullshit counter 2
shaq travel

and miami alreayd looks a step slow

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:10 PM CDT   0 recs

didnt post it because i forgot
but im predicitng a blwout tonight...dont know by whom....80% bulls 20% heat

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:14 PM CDT   0 recs

for being up 6
we could probably just as easily be up 12...or get the timeout about 90 secs earlier

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:15 PM CDT   0 recs

first timeout
Energy my ass...Bulls are still getting to the loose balls away from the basket. Shaq got a couple of offensive boards but that happens.

Only worry so far is the Bulls aren't being careful when running, Kirk with a TO trying to push the ball to Wallace, which would have wound up poorly even if Wallace got the ball. But that happens when you run, so I'll take the frightening moments sometimes.

First call on Wallace looked like BS...but he got an offensive foul for the elbow so my tinfoil conspiracy hat goes away for now.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 7:17 PM CDT   0 recs

wade looks terrible
and slow on defense

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:18 PM CDT   0 recs

bullshit counter 3
travel on shaq

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:19 PM CDT   0 recs

bullshit counter 4
haslem touched that ball

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:21 PM CDT   0 recs

thought so too
but Javy was right there. No way he missed that. (you'd hope)

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 7:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

second timeout
They're doing the same things, Luol is just missing some easy shots. Keep going to him and they'll get what they want.

Hinrich with the three off the OReb on the previous posession, and Jason Williams looked completely disinterested in stopping it.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 7:23 PM CDT   0 recs

everyones hyping this post up
but hes not really good when he posts up...hes much more of a spot up 15 footer and a slasher.....

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

who's hyping?
its not a post-up move if you can just turn around and shoot over a guy. He doesn't need to do fadeaways and jump hooks.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 7:25 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

really can't wait
for tyler perry's house of payne....looks sooo good

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:23 PM CDT   0 recs

Wade STUFFED
beautiful passing there

by jeeves on Apr 24, 2007 7:27 PM CDT   0 recs

nice touch pass kirk
bvullshit counter 5 that ball went over the line

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:27 PM CDT   0 recs

it feel so weird
not consistently checking the knicks score....i dotn knwo what we're gonna do next year without it

and since when has Jerome willaims been an "NBA Legend"

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:29 PM CDT   0 recs

Kirk's doing a great job on Wade
and....Ben Gordon bombing away. Love it.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 7:29 PM CDT   0 recs

I really hate
james posey and his damn incessant towel waving on the sidelines.

by daaaabulls on Apr 24, 2007 7:29 PM CDT   0 recs

I hate
The Miami Heat traveling cheer leading squad

by SRQman on Apr 24, 2007 7:30 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

BULLSHIT 6
blow the whistle when the foul happens not when the ball goes in

"HACK!" ~marv albert

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:30 PM CDT   0 recs

the "hack" by hinrich?
I guess I blinked hard, cuz I missed the contact, let alone the "hack"

by jeeves on Apr 24, 2007 7:31 PM CDT   0 recs

thaaaaaaaaboo

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:31 PM CDT   0 recs

Thomas scared the crap outta me there
but it worked, so what the hell

by jeeves on Apr 24, 2007 7:31 PM CDT   0 recs

counter 7
wade was outta control and the call was late

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:32 PM CDT   0 recs

the last two
foul calls have been pretty questionable at best... cmon refs

by daaaabulls on Apr 24, 2007 7:32 PM CDT   0 recs

Noc dumbass play counter
(j/k)

that was a silly idea stepping in though with Wallace right there.

baseline official was ready to make charge call though...

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 7:32 PM CDT   0 recs

AND 1 baby
nice find benny g!

by jeeves on Apr 24, 2007 7:33 PM CDT   0 recs

FUCK YOU POSEY!
and a booyah to matt's favourite bull

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:34 PM CDT   0 recs

love the argentine
BOOOOOOOM

by daaaabulls on Apr 24, 2007 7:34 PM CDT   0 recs

as the crowd chants noc-i-on-i
anyone read the article where noch said he didnt like the crowd chanting his name...

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:34 PM CDT   0 recs

Great Way to
End the Quarter by the Red Bull

by SRQman on Apr 24, 2007 7:35 PM CDT   0 recs

NOCH!
7 points in 11 seconds

matt noch nation accepts your apology!

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:35 PM CDT   0 recs

NOC!
Hoooooly Crap, Chapu is on fire

by jeeves on Apr 24, 2007 7:35 PM CDT   0 recs

chapu?
is that a nickname i missed?  i like it either way.

by daaaabulls on Apr 24, 2007 7:36 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Old nickname
In Argentina his nickname was Chapu, which was the name of some cartoon

by jeeves on Apr 24, 2007 7:41 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Chapulin Colorado!
AY NO ME GUSTA!

(They did it on the Simpsons, too. Bumblebee Man?)

PLAYOFF TIME. LETS GO CHICAGO!

by NittanyBull on Apr 24, 2007 7:44 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I REALLY LOVE THE ARGENTINE
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

by daaaabulls on Apr 24, 2007 7:35 PM CDT   0 recs

Oh Dear!
How I love life right now!

NOC!!

The only Yi Jianlian fan here

by Option27 on Apr 24, 2007 7:35 PM CDT   0 recs

Thabo has super long arms by the way
I never noticed just how long they are, but when he was raising his hand just now, they looked Jamal Crawford long

by jeeves on Apr 24, 2007 7:36 PM CDT   0 recs

alonzo morning likes heartland
well that means that it must be thug

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:36 PM CDT   0 recs

he likes heartland
because it's about a transplant doctor...

wow that might have been over the line?

by daaaabulls on Apr 24, 2007 7:37 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

thats why he was speaking on behalf of it
quesitonable/shitty call 8 thomas looked clean and how was that a shooting foul?

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:39 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Matt
Instead of only commenting when you think Noc messes up, give the guy some props when he drops 7 in 10 second. I mean come on.
The only Yi Jianlian fan here

by Option27 on Apr 24, 2007 7:37 PM CDT   0 recs

just did
and I said I was kidding with the 'dumb play counter'.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 7:39 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

1st quarter thoughts
Tyrus and Noc....why do we fight, they can play together for now, haha

Noc hitting two threes was huge, and Tyrus has made an impact yet again: assist to Wallace (he's getting better at making the right pass all the time), and a steal.

Gordon playing well with Thabo and manning the point, driving the lane and kicking it out to Noc for his first three.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 7:38 PM CDT   0 recs

Can't forget
The big dish to Noc to end the 1st

by SRQman on Apr 24, 2007 7:40 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

yikes
Steve Kerr said his nickname could be 'grabowksi' (or something) based on how he fits with the Chicago blue-collar attitude.

Luckily he made two 3-pointers before I could get upset with that, haha.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 7:40 PM CDT   0 recs

headbands?
anyone know the reasoning for skiles' ban on headbands?

by daaaabulls on Apr 24, 2007 7:41 PM CDT   0 recs

thabo doesnt look nearly as solid this game
in fact...id say rookieish

anyone see the nice NYT article on thabo today...it seems like every media outlet did their thabo story within the poast 24 hour

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:42 PM CDT   0 recs

nice ball movement but he ehat
gotta get into those lanes....deng is coming on for tyrus

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:44 PM CDT   0 recs

i guess
the follow through on a block allows for you to clobber a guy's face... unreal

by daaaabulls on Apr 24, 2007 7:47 PM CDT   0 recs

what the boobs
SHAQ-DADDY, PREPARE FOR THE STAMPEDE! IT'S THE BULLS, BEWARE OF THE NEW BREED!!!

by hongydraw on Apr 24, 2007 7:48 PM CDT   0 recs

what the balls....
tyrus i hope didnt just pull a wade in pretending he was hurt and laying at the other end of the court...and why was mourning allowed to dominate tyrus's face and head?
SHAQ-DADDY, PREPARE FOR THE STAMPEDE! IT'S THE BULLS, BEWARE OF THE NEW BREED!!!

by hongydraw on Apr 24, 2007 7:48 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

first timeout
Yikes, Zo is a complete piece of crap, but that was a hell of a block. Tyrus went high a hell and it still didn't matter.

Noc isn't going to get flop calls when he's the primary defender on Wade. Granted he was screwed matching up in transition, but he could at least unglue his hands from his side and give Wade a foul he feels.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 7:48 PM CDT   0 recs

second timeout
The Heat are doing a good job of not fouling Gordon or Deng when they get inside. They both have to start making some of these close shots, jumpers won't fall forever (as we all know and will be reminded of several times in the broadcast)

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 7:53 PM CDT   0 recs

shhhh
maybe the guys dont know that

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

for 3K we can rbign 15 kids to the berto center
guys if we raise like 10K we can all go to berto....BAB @ BERTO!

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:55 PM CDT   0 recs

counter 9
shaq traveled

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:55 PM CDT   0 recs

10
walker traveled

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:56 PM CDT   0 recs

we just need to set a brutal
Ben Wallace pick on Wade's bad shoudler
-Jeeves Sweet Home Sports

by jeeves on Apr 24, 2007 7:57 PM CDT   0 recs

i dont like this lineup
lets try and keep it at 7

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:57 PM CDT   0 recs

nba live move by gordon
when things arent working cheap it out....

god posey looks like hes a thug...

thankgod for that block foul....that was clearly a charge

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 7:59 PM CDT   0 recs

Skiles HATES leads
Brings in Duhon and Noc in tandem

That means you have to help Duhon's tiny-ass self when guarding Wade, leaving Posey open for a couple threes. They also get a healthy dose of rebounds with the Noc man at the 4.

There is no reason to put Duhon on Wade. Skiles thought with a 9 point lead and 4 minutes into the half he could take the risk and it backfired.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 24, 2007 8:01 PM CDT   0 recs

im not sure id be promoting less cupholders
that seems like ti would eb a kinda big point....

i dont care about HP or Engine size but dammit i need 12 cupholders

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 8:01 PM CDT   0 recs

When i am looking at cars
First thing i do is count the cup holders. It is crucial

by SRQman on Apr 24, 2007 8:03 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

what a head fake

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 8:03 PM CDT   0 recs

bye duh
hello thabo

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 8:04 PM CDT   0 recs

great play by duh

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 8:06 PM CDT   0 recs

once again
i profess my love of BG's voice....i cant even come up with adaquete joke or description of it

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 8:08 PM CDT   0 recs

I was scared of Kapono
before the series started, I just hoped Riley wouldn't put him in.
The only Yi Jianlian fan here

by Option27 on Apr 24, 2007 8:08 PM CDT   0 recs

if barklet thinks thats a charge
then lord knows it has to be

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 8:09 PM CDT   0 recs

tnt could go on the street
find a crazy homeless person who hadnt seen the game, and im not sure youd be able to tell the differnece between charles and him

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 8:10 PM CDT   0 recs

that little surge by miami before the half is
scaring me....gotta extinguish that early in the third

by milesgmsu on Apr 24, 2007 8:11 PM CDT   0 recs