vs WASHINGTON WIZARDS (0-0) @ CHICAGO BULLS (0-0) EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS – FIRST ROUND POST-SEASON GAME ONE, HOME GAME ONE SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2014 – 6:00 PM CT UNITED CENTER Comcast SportsNet / TNT / ESPN 1000 AM / WRTO-AM BULLS vs. WIZARDS ALL-TIME ALL-TIME .................. Bulls lead 113-95 BULLS CURRENT STREAK ........ 1 Win BULLS HOME STREAK ............. 1 Loss BULLS ROAD STREAK ............... 1 Win BULLS VS. WIZARDS THIS SEASON Jan. 13 @ Chicago – Wizards 102, Bulls 88 Jan. 17 @ Washington – Wizards 96, Bulls 93 April 5 @ Washington –Bulls 96, Wizards 78 BULLS PLAYOFF HISTORY VERSUS WASHINGTON 1997 EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND (BULLS WON 3-0) CHI - W 98-86 CHI - W 109-104 WAS - W 96-95 2005 EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND (WIZARDS WON 4-2) CHI - W 103-94 CHI - W 113-103 WAS - L 99-117 WAS - L 99-106 CHI - L 110-112 WAS - L 91-94 2014 EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND Game Notes Chicago Bulls (0-0) Home 0-0 Road 0-0 Bulls Season Averages: PPG: 0.0 (Opp: 0.0) RPG: 0.0 (Opp: 0.0) APG: 0.0 (Opp: 0.0) SPG: 0.0 (Opp: 0.0) BPG: 0.0 (Opp: 0.0) TO: 0.0 (Opp: 0.0) FG%: .000 (Opp: .000) FT%: .000 (Opp: .000) 3p%: .000 (Opp: .000) Probable Bulls starters Kirk Hinrich - PG - Jimmy Butler - SG - Mike Dunleavy - SF - Carlos Boozer - PF - Joakim Noah - C - Bulls Stats Leaders Points: Rebounds: Assists: Steals: Blocks: FG%: FT%: 3FG%: Injury report Derrick Rose (right knee) is out For a full report and the latest on Bulls' injuries, check out the AthletiCo Injury Report. Washington Wizards (0-0) Home 0-0 Road 0-0 Probable Wizards starters John Wall - PG Bradley Beal - SG Trevor Ariza - SF Trevor Booker - PF Marcin Gortat - C Injury report - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Bulls are hanging within shouting range of the Wiz, but the Wizards are looking like they might get 25 points in Q1 and the Bulls only have 15 with 2:45 left. But only down by 4.
I am stunned. We talked down the Bulls' chances, the announcer stalked up the Wizards, but yet I thought Thibs and Noah and Taj were going to come through. Thibs seriously needs to adjust. Watching Kirk take must make, clutch shots with the game clock running out is not going to win from behind. Boozer should have been in, or maybe Jimmer. It ain't over, by any stretch. We have to win one in DC is all.
Yeah, it was a good ole' fashion ass whooping. Thibodeau was part of the problem but the Bulls probably would have lost the game regardless of how he coached down the stretch. To me the Bulls were missing Dunleavy. They needed somebody with range down the stretch. Play Kirk or DJ whatever. You needed Jimmy at the 2 and Dunleavy at the 3. I also think Thibodeau needed to call a time out with 30 seconds left when the Bulls had the ball down by four. He just looked kind of shell shocked. Noah and Gibson aren't going to get pushed around like that over the entirety of the series. Charles picked Washington -- and he seems to just about always be right -- because he liked its bigs. I think the battle between the front lines is just starting. Whichever teams' hangs throughout the rest of the series will be the victor.
The Bulls had 7 guys in double figures. They lost the starting lineup match ups at 4 of the 5 positions. Kirk had a good enough game to make up for Dunleavy, but Ariza took advantage of his athleticism vs. him...
Not all that surprised. The Wizards played inspired ball and they have more talent. I thought Gortat did a great job of playing to the edge of what the refs allowed. He was very tough out there. The Bulls went 2-11 from the field in the last 5 minutes...reminded me of a Heat playoff game. Good grief.
I was talking up the Nene/Gortat frontline over on the Blazer page, but I certainly didn't think they would so thoroughly outplay Noah/Boozer.
Here is my take: not that Kirk is all that but he is a glue guy and I think the foyl trouble got him rattled and affected the whole team. He was clearly frustrated. He got off the game that works for The Bulls and slipped into his worst indecisive non aggressive dribble down the clock worst.That screwed up our O. On D Kirk I a pretty darn good defender in trrms of positioning keeeping a hand in the face etc. That can slow Wall in the backcourr if Kirk is aggaggressive but if he is concerned about fouls he has to sag and Wall is way to quick for Kirk to do much but hope to direct the lane to help defense (Dj is quicker but Hinrich is the more solid defebder) I don't know why but those rotations weren't there. Noah and Taj are great defenders and Booze is servicable. But the help wasn't there. As to big on big Gortat is...big but he is not especially fearsome. I would put Taj and Boozer on Gortat and hope their quickness can help beat G to his fav spots with Noah helping and put Noah primarily on Nene. ultimately I put this at the feet of Thibs. He is by far the best coach we've had since PJax but I think he dropped the ball with in game adjustments and overall game management I also have noticed a lack of fire and inspiration in the team overall in the last games of the season. This faded effort seems to be a continuation of that. Hope Survirorman is on retainer with tinder wood and a handmade flint
Augustin had a bad shooting game. Obviously we need to find more ways to get him open and our bigs be more aware that Miller will post him up as much if not more than he did in game one. Noah did not have a typical game. Gortat/Nene out played him. Could the death of his mentor have something to do with his overall performance? We shall see. Snell needs to be more aggressive offensively. We got Dunleavy for the playoffs. First half was awful He had one decent quarter. We need more from him in the playoffs if we expect to advance. We cannot be out rebounded or out played in terms of energy again and expect to win this series. Other than that the rest of the team played fairly well.