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Philippines, 24 Apr 2024 |
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NBA Playoffs -- Still not enough By Kristy Gonowon PhilBoxing.com Tue, 28 Apr 2015  CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bulls had enough. Or at least they thought they did. After losing Game 4 Saturday night against the Milwaukee Bucks in what should have been a 4-game sweep, with Bucks guard Jerryd Bayless cutting along the baseline, marching around Derrick Rose, and putting up a game-winning layup at the buzzer, and with the Bulls committing a season-high 28 turnovers, the Chicago Bulls seemed like they had enough. The Bulls entered Game 5 back on their home court at the United Center in Chicago on Monday night (Tuesday Manila time). Although sitting comfortably with a 3-1 series lead against the Bucks, the Bulls knew they had to finish out this first round in order to prepare for what awaited the winner of this series in Round 2, a now crippled Cleveland Cavaliers team that saw forward Kevin Love leave Sunday's Game 4 against the Boston Celtics with a dislocated left shoulder and guard J.R. Smith tally a flagrant foul 2 and ejection. The fallout? Love has been ruled out for the entire next series and Smith has been suspended for the next 2 games. But, first thing's first: the Bulls had to get past the pesky, upstart Bucks. And pesky they were. The Bucks jumped out to a 9-0 lead well into the first quarter. But, it's not like the Bulls weren't trying to score, as none of their shots dropped for almost five minutes until center Joakim Noah dropped in a layup to put the Bulls on the board and start and 11-0 run. However, after the two teams went basket-for-basket for the rest of the quarter, the Bucks went ahead by one, 23-22. The Bulls continued to lag a bit into the second quarter until the 10 minute mark when Bulls guard Jimmy Butler got the steal and took off on a fast-break. Although he missed the layup, Butler was fouled and got to sink two free throws anyway. Bulls guard Aaron Brooks then sank a 3-point shot to tie the game at 29-all and then frustrated Bucks guard Bayless into turning over the ball on a loose dribble. Just before the 7-minute mark, Bayless committed the foul, allowing the Bulls to regain possession of the ball. And then the double technicals happened. Bucks guard O.J. Mayo got into another scuffle with Bulls guard Jimmy Butler, reminiscent to the Game 3 double technicals given against both players in an impending melee on the court. The Bucks appeared to frustrate and agitate the Bulls like they had in Game 4, requiring the Bulls to play catch-up for most of the second quarter and ending the half with a 3-point lead, 52-49. The Bulls sank further into a hole, going down as much as 9 points in the third quarter, never leading in the quarter, and finishing still down 6 points. However, in the fourth quarter, Jimmy Butler ignited the crowd at the 9-minute mark by sinking a fallback 2-pointer and then drawing the foul from guard Michael Carter-Williams, completing the 3-point play. Bulls center Joakim Noah kept the fireworks going by slamming another basket 30 seconds later. Ultimately, the Bucks proved to be too much of a handful for the Bulls, as the Bucks won Game 5, 94-88, grabbing a huge second win to put the series at 3-2, and forcing the series back to Milwaukee for a potential series-tying Game 6 on Thursday. The biggest concern for the Bulls now is whether they can alleviate their continual turnover problem long enough to close this series out in six and get the much needed rest before hopefully facing the Cavaliers next week. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Kristy Gonowon.  |
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