Bulls steal Game 4 in 2OT

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Sorry for the long delay here -- and, hopefully, I won't be repeating that line ad nauseum -- but I'm in the middle of my own 48-hour marathon. When I finally get some Z's Monday night, I'm house.

Anyways, the Bulls stole another one from the Celtics in what some are deeming "an instant classic" (at least, that's what the folks on WEEI were waxing about). Once again, Ben Gordon and Ray Allen seemed to go shot for shot in the waning minutes, and John Salmons provided some late explosiveness.

Is this an instant classic? I'm not sure if I'm so eager to rush to judgment. After all, this is a first-round game. I'll say this, though: other than the Houston-Portland series, which is at least remotely watchable, this is the most exciting series of the first round. How often have we had a first-round series where three of the first four games have been decided by two points or less?

Call it arrogance if you will, or just hopeless optimism, but I'm not pushing the panic button. I feel like this was Chicago's best shot this afternoon. And if this is what their haymaker looks like, yet it still takes two overtimes to come away with the victory, I'm content. Not exactly in "we got 'em where we want 'em" mode, but this was a solid effort today, unlike Game 1 and 2.

A few more thoughts:

-- Give Boston this: they're one of the best when it comes to damage control. Derrick Rose, Ben Gordon and John Salmons were on fire through most of the second half, yet the Celtics (RE: Rondo) never let them take the game out of hand.

-- I'm still steaming about the sixth foul on Kendrick Perkins. In a tie ballgame with a minute left in regulation, you're gonna take a guy out of the game because somebody inadvertently tripped over his shoe? Seriously?

The missed five-second call on Kirk Hinrich stung, too. But it's going to take me a while to get over that horrendous call on Perk.

This "crackdown" on perimeter fouls is making it impossible to defend finishers; and while the slow-down pace of the game was overdue for a cleanup, this new era of hand-check violations has made MVPs out of defensive liabilities (Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki) and all but same-day air-mailed the title to teams that were Maradona'ing it (Spurs, Heat). Michael Jordan had to deal with physical lineups like the Bird/McHale/Parish Celtics, Bad Boy Pistons and pre-Jail Blazers Portland. Dwyane Wade and LeBron James have had to "fight" through hand checks.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm in the school of thought that believes basketball is a contact sport. If you got a problem with that, go play Magic the Gathering. Or horseshoe.

David Stern needs to take a long, hard look at the guys officiating playoff games this offseason. I appreciate the fact that he keeps loose reigns on the refs, wanting them to establish an artistry, but this is getting ridiculous.

-- Paul Pierce's health might be the new "Will KG come back?". We saw him limping up court a few times toward the end of the game, and while Garnett out has the C's scrambling for lineup adjustments, no Pierce means no wins. Period.

Pierce is eclipsing his peak years, and he's not as athletic as he used to be. Like KG, he's not one to let on how hurt he is, but let's hope he gets a good night sleep. He's showing signs of drainage.

-- Those who watched the national broadcast may have heard the announcers talk a few times about Vinny Del Negro being extra hard on Tyrus Thomas, and about how Thomas was equally in Scott Skiles' doghouse, if not more. This shouldn't come as a shock to those who follow the league closely. I have it on good authority from guys who cover the NBA that Thomas is one of the biggest jerks in the league.

-- Point guard stat lines:

Rondo 9-18 fg, 7-9 ft, 11 reb, 11 ast, 1 TO, 2 stl, 5 fouls, 25 pts
Rose 10-17 fg, 3-4 ft, 11 reb, 9 ast, 7 TO, 4 fouls, 23 pts

Giving Rondo the edge here, obviously, because of the seven turnovers and no steals for Rose. Granted, Rose has a bright future in this league, but he threw the ball away too many times. Rondo-Rose will be fun to watch the next few years.

-- Again, why is Scalabrine playing?