It's not over yet

[green18!]

I don't think the series is over. Zipser was 6 of 8. Lopez was 8 of 11. The Bulls just played one of those games that happens a few times a year where the other team just can't miss. It was unfortunate for us that it came after Game 1, where we legitimately did not show up on the boards. The effort was a lot better last night on the boards (we lost it 38-43), except for Amir, who just can't hang with Lopez. But things will even out with the Bulls reserves -- Zipser and Portis are not going to have a whole series like that.

Zeller starts on Lopez. Hopefully if he doesn't start going off, it will be easier to contain him. The big problem is IT's defense -- if Crowder is on Butler and Bradley is on Wade, then IT has to take Rondo, and I don't see that getting better, especially b/c helping onto Rondo is just what he is looking for. We're just going to have to live with the fact that that is a bad match-up for us, although once we start rotating, then that makes it harder to get clean box-outs for the rebounds.

Horford must play better. I think he's too slight to play Lopez on defense. Again potentially playing more Zeller at the 5 and letting Horford play the 4 may help.

I was at the Celtics-Bulls game in March. The game was over before we got to our seats. Rondo, Butler, Wade and everyone else who is killing us in this series played in that game. I find it hard to believe that the Bulls are this much better than the Celtics one month later. Start Zeller and trust what got you here.

[green18!]

Maybe we should switch IT and Bradley on D. Rondo stirs the drink; it would be totally different with Bradley in front of him. Even if Wade scored 25 or 30 on IT, we could still win if we held the other guys in check.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I don't think the series is over. Zipser was 6 of 8. Lopez was 8 of 11. The Bulls just played one of those games that happens a few times a year where the other team just can't miss. It was unfortunate for us that it came after Game 1, where we legitimately did not show up on the boards. The effort was a lot better last night on the boards (we lost it 38-43), except for Amir, who just can't hang with Lopez. But things will even out with the Bulls reserves -- Zipser and Portis are not going to have a whole series like that.

Zeller starts on Lopez. Hopefully if he doesn't start going off, it will be easier to contain him. The big problem is IT's defense -- if Crowder is on Butler and Bradley is on Wade, then IT has to take Rondo, and I don't see that getting better, especially b/c helping onto Rondo is just what he is looking for. We're just going to have to live with the fact that that is a bad match-up for us, although once we start rotating, then that makes it harder to get clean box-outs for the rebounds.

Horford must play better. I think he's too slight to play Lopez on defense. Again potentially playing more Zeller at the 5 and letting Horford play the 4 may help.

I was at the Celtics-Bulls game in March. The game was over before we got to our seats. Rondo, Butler, Wade and everyone else who is killing us in this series played in that game. I find it hard to believe that the Bulls are this much better than the Celtics one month later. Start Zeller and trust what got you here.

This is essentially what we heard after Game 1. Yet it happened again.

In fact, I think the Celtics may have adopted the attitude of the more optimistic CB posters: "The Bulls got lucky in Game 1, hit a lot of shots that they can't possibly keep hitting. Game 2 is in the bag."

[Green-18]

I don't think the series is over. Zipser was 6 of 8. Lopez was 8 of 11. The Bulls just played one of those games that happens a few times a year where the other team just can't miss. It was unfortunate for us that it came after Game 1, where we legitimately did not show up on the boards. The effort was a lot better last night on the boards (we lost it 38-43), except for Amir, who just can't hang with Lopez. But things will even out with the Bulls reserves -- Zipser and Portis are not going to have a whole series like that.

Zeller starts on Lopez. Hopefully if he doesn't start going off, it will be easier to contain him. The big problem is IT's defense -- if Crowder is on Butler and Bradley is on Wade, then IT has to take Rondo, and I don't see that getting better, especially b/c helping onto Rondo is just what he is looking for. We're just going to have to live with the fact that that is a bad match-up for us, although once we start rotating, then that makes it harder to get clean box-outs for the rebounds.

Horford must play better. I think he's too slight to play Lopez on defense. Again potentially playing more Zeller at the 5 and letting Horford play the 4 may help.

I was at the Celtics-Bulls game in March. The game was over before we got to our seats. Rondo, Butler, Wade and everyone else who is killing us in this series played in that game. I find it hard to believe that the Bulls are this much better than the Celtics one month later. Start Zeller and trust what got you here.

I think we ultimately need to realize that this also isn't the same Bulls squad that we played in the regular season.  Rondo has all of the answers to our offense and his leadership has played a huge role in the confidence of their role players.  We should expect to see their role players step up until we can provide resistance against Rondo, Butler, and Wade.  The Bulls have zero doubt as to whether or not they are the better team.  The role players for Chicago will continue to follow the lead of the veterans.  The talent of their bench is virtually the same as ours.   

We don't have a prayer until we elevate our defensive intensity.  The poor rebounding is magnified by a lack of resistance on defense.  We are a step slow in our execution with the exception of Marcus.

[celtics2030]

How hard is it to shoot over 6 foot 2 players when you are 6 foot 6 and up?

Paul Zipser shot over short players all day.

He even buried a 3 in Smart's face. Smart could not do anything about that.

Wade was burying 3's in Bradley's face.

Butler same thing, what can you do?