Bulls vs. Hawks Game 2 Discussion Thread

[Uman85]

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals tonight at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT LIVE from the United Center in Chicago, IL

Atlanta took Game 1 behind the hot shooting of Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford who finished with 34 and 22 points, respectively. The Bulls came out flat and couldn't mount up enough of an offense to come back. To make matters worse, Derrick Rose tweaked his injured ankle in the final minutes of the game, leaving fans holding their breath as they look to Game 2. Rose will play tonight and will receive his MVP award prior to tip-off in front of the home crowd. Down 1-0 in the series, the Bulls can ill-afford to go down 0-2 as only 6% of teams have come back in those situations. The Madhouse on Madison will be packed tonight as the Bulls look to even the series before heading to Atlanta on Friday.


Go Bulls!

 

[Anytime23]

Im wondering how everyone expects the Bulls to play tonight? Are we gonna see another slow start from the Bulls? Do we see them come out and dominate like game 5? Maybe a so-so type of game. Good enough to build some leads but yet bad enough to lose them?

I honestly dont know what to expect from this team. All i know is if theres one game that will show you what this team is capable of, its tonight. Down 0-1 at home, lose and youre basically done. This is a must win, no way around it.

 

[Scoot26]

How I pretty much feel tonight:

Marty: Doc, what if we don't succeed?
Doc: We must succeed!

 

[TopekaRoy]

If Rose isn't too hampered by his ankle and has a decent game I think the Bulls will start off a lot stronger tonight. I don't see them building a nearly 30 point lead like they did in game 5 against the Pacers, but if they get a decent lead they should be able to maintain it.

In Game 1, the Bulls were down 0-9 2 minutes and 46 seconds into the game. Over the next 45:14 they outscored the Hawks by 1 point. Eliminate the slow start and (even as bad as they played,) the Bulls win the game. That's what I expect them to do tonight.

 

[Anytime23]

Would like someone besides Korver provide a spark off the bench. Im really hoping Bogans can have another good game. Maybe not a 5-7 from 3 night like game 5 but maybe a 3-5 or something along those lines. If Boozer can play like he did the 3rd QTR offensively, we'll be fine. Unfortunately, i feel like thats asking way too much from him.

 

[zack54attack]

Must win...IMO

 

[Anytime23]

Anyone can say we're only down 0-1 in a 7 game series, its not a must win...WRONG. It is a must win. We have home court, we've already lost it. ATL isnt exactly a loyal sports town. Theres so many Chicago transplants there and in Northern FL that the Bulls fans could easy take that place over. But history tells you that being down 0-2 is nearly impossible to come back from. The Hawks are soaring(corny, i know). Their confidence is sky high after destroying the Magic and now they took game one from the overall #1 seed. If they take game 2, theres no coming back.

 

[zack54attack]

I will be disapointed if this thread doesn't reach 500 replies tonight...

 

[NealKleren]

If we lose tonight theres a good chance its done. Today is a must win. We need to start better offensively and get a rhythm going early or else ATL will win again. We've played only 1 full good game of basketball(Game 5 vs the Pacers) and every other game we've waited until the 4th quarter to play basketball. Thats why we need to start off strong early and continue it throughout the rest of the game.

 

[Anytime23]

I dont think we were great offensively but besides that 1st QTR, we really werent bad. Defensively was our biggest issue. Then again, great defense was played at times and they were hitting shots anyways.

 

[Scoot26]

If we lose tonight theres a good chance its done. Today is a must win. We need to start better offensively and get a rhythm going early or else ATL will win again. We've played only 1 full good game of basketball(Game 5 vs the Pacers) and every other game we've waited until the 4th quarter to play basketball. Thats why we need to start off strong early and continue it throughout the rest of the game.

Lose both games at home? Has a team ever come back from that? I'm pretty sure it'd be over then. Especially since we're not the greatest road team either.

I hope Thibs has figured out something that he can expose Atlanta and we get a good early start in this game. We don't need to blow them out, but a game where we have the game in hand with under two minutes to go would be nice.

 

[Uman85]

I think Thibodeau has a game plan for the Hawks tonight. The D will suffocate them like the regular season. I am optimistic and I hope the team plays like they have all season against Atlanta. A blowout would be a heck of an antidote heading to the ATL Friday.

 

[Scoot26]

I will be disapointed if this thread doesn't reach 500 replies tonight...

I'll be home tonight, however, I typically only post large amounts of posts in game threads when pissed off with the ongoing results. So if the game is going good, expect me to stay in my rocking chair cheering instead of being on the computer.

 

[Anytime23]

I dont get when people say we're not the best road team. I cant say we're the best because i havent taken a look at the road records amongst the remaining playoff teams but im sure it cant be more than a 2 or 3 game difference, which isnt really that much.

 

[NealKleren]

Lose both games at home? Has a team ever come back from that? I'm pretty sure it'd be over then. Especially since we're not the greatest road team either.

I hope Thibs has figured out something that he can expose Atlanta and we get a good early start in this game. We don't need to blow them out, but a game where we have the game in hand with under two minutes to go would be nice.

I agree I think it would be over if we lost today. Also as long as we keep a consistent lead from the beginning I think we will be fine. Most of our shots weren't falling the last game and I really don't see Joe Johnson lighting us up like that again. Deng played defense fine but when someone is on a hot streak its hard to cool them down at times. I really don't see him doing that again today though.

 

[NealKleren]

I dont get when people say we're not the best road team. I cant say we're the best because i havent taken a look at the road records amongst the remaining playoff teams but im sure it cant be more than a 2 or 3 game difference, which isnt really that much.

I wont say we're a bad road team but look at it like this...when a team has beaten you twice at your home court and theyre about to go play on theirs in front of their crowd then thats a good advantage for that team.

 

[Anytime23]

If we lose tonight it's over. I'm just saying that I don't understand when ppl say were a bad road team

 

[Scoot26]

I think Thibodeau has a game plan for the Hawks tonight. The D will suffocate them like the regular season. I am optimistic and I hope the team plays like they have all season against Atlanta. A blowout would be a heck of an antidote heading to the ATL Friday.

Well even just playing like OKC did against Memphis last night would be fine...Of course I wouldnt want a 20 point lead cut to 6 in less than 4 minutes (or whatever it was) in which Memphis did, but either way, playing like OKC did for 3 1/2 quarters would be ideal.

 

[NealKleren]

If we lose tonight it's over. I'm just saying that I don't understand when ppl say were a bad road team

Idk how people think that either. I dont think we are but the thought of going 0-2 and heading to ATL would scare me and it would be over.

 

[Anytime23]

I just checked, Miami and Dallas have better road records by 2 wins, LA better by 1. That really is nothing, especially considering how we had more back to backs than anyone and lost boozer and Noah for huge stretches.