Celtics-Bulls preview

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Today is a monumental day in sports.

No, not the NFL Draft, or some NASCAR race. Who'd want to watch that?

I'm talking about Game 4 of the Bulls-Celtics series. I've been waiting for this game since the third one ended. Or something.

But on a more serious note, the Celtics have a great opportunity to seize control of the series. Another blowout like Thursday could all but spell Chicago's demise. Here's a few thoughts on today's game:

-- This has been a good coming-out party for Stephon Marbury, and Thursday might have been a turning point. He had a season-high 13 points, and an encouraging five assists to no turnovers, to lead in the rout. Granted, these didn't come in the most crucial minutes, but Rondo's going to need a backup with more all-around game than Eddie House as the playoffs wear on.

-- I'm sick of all these Rajon Rondo/Mo Williams comparisons (and you know it's going to be coming). Rondo's doubters need to just chill. I don't doubt his leadership skills after this series, where he's led the team in scoring (22.7), rebounding (10.7), assists (9.7) and steals (4.0).

If you want to crown Mo because he has a nice shooting stroke, then crown him. But I know who I want in the waning minutes.

-- Nice to see Paul Pierce light up the scoresheet in Game 3 after what I thought were dull closing minutes in Game 2. Yes, Ray Allen's shot was a thing of beauty, but let's look between the lines here. Ben Gordon and Tyrus Thomas combined for four blocks over the last five minutes, all on mid-range shots from a bad angle that needed to be taken to avoid traveling.

For Oakmont grads who were there for coach Ron Therrien's twilight years, I like to call this the "Pat Shea shot": dribble a bit, stop, pivot, get trapped by defender, flail elbows around like they were on fire, then take an ugly off-balance shot that airballs.

Oh, back to my point...Paul Pierce is a captain. The last two things I want to see a captain doing with a tie score at the end of a game is A) stand around watching from the perimeter, and B) set picks. He should be calling for the ball, or at least creating space, in pressure situations. Period. Even if Allen's on the floor.

-- I know he's only 19, and a rookie, but Derrick Rose has the potential to be the best Bull since Michael Jordan. And you know he's going to stick around for years to come.

Yes, better than Ron Artest, Tyson Chandler, Brad Miller, Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, and even Jason Caffey.

Chad gave me similar flak for singing similar praise about David Price after he clown-suited the Sox in Game 7. I'll explain my argument once this series is over.

-- Hold your breath while I quickly address the Tony Allen situation, please...

Look, the easy disposition is to ask, "Vice Lords or Gangster Disciples?" It's way too easy to label this guy a knucklehead, given his history and oft-foolishness. This story has the potential to get out of control, and that's a shame.

Truth is, we don't know the real Tony Allen, other than his upbringing as a south side Chicagoan. We don't know his friends, nor his enemies. Is it chilling that this allegedly has nothing to do with the 2005 fight that landed him in court? Perhaps. Is it chilling that an unnamed source told Adrian Wojnarowski in Yahoo! Sports, "I would not want to mess with this guy"? Perhaps.

Tony's going to play, and he should, because the C's need all the defensive stoppers they can get without Garnett. But until all the facts are confirmed, I'm not going to judge.

And you shouldn't, either.

My friend George is over to watch the game. And like a more famous George (Thorogood), he's got a few friends named Bud Weiser.

Mahalo.