Bulls' Postseason Rebound Unexpected After Tumultuous Year
CHICAGO (AP) -- For a team that bickered and barely made the playoffs, the Chicago Bulls are the early surprise of this postseason.
They hold a stunning 2-0 lead over the top-seeded Celtics as the series shifts to Chicago for Game 3 on Friday night.
"The credit through this team sticking together through injuries to put ourselves in position to make the playoffs goes to everyone from the coaching staff to the leaders to the young guys, everyone did it together," Dwyane Wade said.
The Bulls took a commanding lead in the series with Tuesday's 111-97 victory, and they come home looking like a strong contender to become just the sixth No. 8 seed to knock off a No. 1. None has swept a top seed.
It was hard to see the Bulls in this position. They didn't clinch a playoff spot until they beat Brooklyn in the final regular-season game. That put Chicago back in the postseason, after missing out a year ago for the first time since 2008.
The trip to the playoffs comes on the heels of a turbulent regular season for a transitioning team.
There was the big trade last summer when the Bulls sent hometown favorite and former MVP Derrick Rose to New York after going 42-40. Chicago also split with Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol, helping clear the way for young players such as Bobby Portis to get more time.
They brought in Rajon Rondo and then Wade in free agency, moves that seemed to go against the idea of getting younger. And even though they came with a combined four championships, neither veteran filled the team's biggest need: better shooting.
There was a big flare-up in January when Wade and Butler teed off on the team following a loss. Rondo fired back while defending the younger players, and all three veterans got fined by the organization. Rondo was also suspended for a game by the team earlier in the year, and he was in and out of the rotation this season.
The Bulls sat him for five straight games at one point, but had him start 13 of their final 16 games. In Game 2, he just missed a triple-double with 11 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds. Just as important, he helped contain Isaiah Thomas, the Celtics' dynamic, high-scoring point guard.
"He's a confident kid and that rubs off on all the other guys," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "He's been in a lot of these big moments, championship experience and he's going to continue to lead us as long as we are playing."
At the moment, everything seems to be going right for the Bulls.
Butler is averaging 26 points through the first two games. The 35-year-old Wade is coming off a 22-point performance in which he scored 16 in the second half. Not bad, considering he missed three weeks late in the year because of a fractured right elbow.
The Bulls have also gotten big contributions from their role players and have pounded the Celtics on the glass, outrebounding them by 22 through the first two games.
Chicago got 19 points and nine rebounds from Portis in the opener. In Game 2, Robin Lopez chipped in with 18 and eight, while Paul Zipser scored 16.
"I'm just trying to shoot it with confidence," said Lopez, who hit several midrange jumpers. "I'm sure Bobby told you the same thing. Whenever we're passing the ball we're told shoot it if you're open. That makes it easy to shoot the ball. It makes it easy for it to go in."
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