Thompson: Chicago Shows Its True Colors, Advances
By Brad Thompson--
CHICAGO (WSCR) For the first time all series, the Chicago Bulls were the aggressor from the opening tip. Derrick Rose started Game 5 by attacked the basket and Joakim Noah incited the raucous home crowd with his passion and emotion in the first quarter. The sense of urgency and aggressive mentality that Chicago played with on Tuesday was too much for the pesky Pacers and ended their season.
This series wasn't easy for the Bulls, give Indiana credit. The Pacers were physical and tenacious, but were clearly the less talented team. In the end, Chicago's defense was too stout and Derrick Rose was too spectacular.
Chicago finished off the Pacers in the third quarter of Game 5 when coach Tom Thibodeau gambled and put Rose, who had four fouls, back in the game with just over six minutes to play. As Rose has done all season and series long, he took over when the Bulls needed it most. He sparked a 23-8 run, with two 3-pointers, a block and a steal while reenergizing the crowd. By the time the third quarter ended so had Indiana's season.
Looking back on the series, it doesn't feel like it went that well, but on paper it did. The Bulls took a 3-0 series lead, won all their home games and wrapped up the series with a dominant performance in Game 5. Ending the series on a high note definitely helps their confidence and reassures fans that the Bulls are a team to be reckoned with in the playoffs.
Do the Bulls have some concerns and things to work on? Absolutely, cutting down on turnovers and getting some consistent play from Carlos Boozer are great places to start. What's important to remember is that they did what was expected of them. And while they didn't dominate Indiana, they advanced. Rose was brilliant when he had to be, Korver was clutch when called upon and their defense was solid all series.
Keep in mind, this team and coach are new to this – winning playoff series. So even though it wasn't pretty for four and a half games, it worked. The Bulls can learn from this experience and feel confident knowing they overcame some adversity.
It's a long road to achieving the ultimate prize and on Tuesday night Chicago took a step closer toward reaching that goal. There's no reason to get too excited, a lot of work is yet to be done, but it sure was nice to dismiss that pesky team that's been bothering the Bulls for the last week and a half.
What are your second round predictions? Post your comments below.
Brad M. Thompson, a former college football player and coach, made his return to the Midwest in 2009 after fighting wildfires out West. He earned his master's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and covers the Big Ten Conference and Chicago sports. Follow him on Twitter at @Brad_M_Thompson. Find more of Brad's blogs here.
