It isn't going to be easy but it can be done. The Chicago Bulls can still come back and save the world from another Miami Heat celebration. When I say another I don't mean the celebration in 2006 when they actually won a championship, I'm referring to what they did this past summer when the "Big 3" started counting off how many titles they would win.
Many want you to believe that the Miami Heat have dominated the Bulls the past three games but they are mistaken. The only team that has dominated any of the games in this series were the Bulls in game 1. Chicago has had a chance in each of the last 3 games and they let it slip away from them.
For an example to follow the Bulls only have to look at their roommates at the UC. The Blackhawks were down 3-0 to the Vancouver Canucks. They were facing elimination in game 4 on their home court much like the Bulls face tonight in game 5. But the Hawks didn't lose, they didn't give up, they fought and crawled their way back to force a game 7 and even sent it to overtime. They did this by getting back to playing they way they play.
Despite the poor shooting from MVP Derrick Rose the Bulls have been close in the 4th quarter of each of the last three losses. Dwayne Wade despite his overtime performance has looked tired and slow. Lebron James for the most part has been held in check while Chris Bosh has absolutely abused Carlos Boozer. We all knew the big 3 were going to get their points but the Bulls have kept them combined in check. However what happened to the fiery, scrappy Bulls who out rebounded and out-hustled the other teams. Has Haslem really made that much of a difference? I know he is a good player but the impact he has made on this series is unreal.
Asik is gone so Joakim this is your time. You are the emotional leader and it is time for you to make an impact. You have been doing a good job on the boards but it is time for you to go off with one of those 20 point 15 rebound performances that you have every now and then.
Thibs maybe it is time to try something different on offense. Former Bulls coach Scott Skiles used to start every game pounding the ball downlow to Eddy Curry and then after he got his 10 points or so never went back to that offense and let his perimeter players do what they do. Why don't we try that with Carlos Boozer? Let's see if we can get the Heat bigs in early foul trouble and make them play small like they did in game 1 when they got completely outplayed.
Derrick you have been showing us flashes of what made you the MVP but those flashes haven't been enough. I know you worked real hard on that outside shot but now is the time for you to put on the jets and get to the rim instead of settling outside. It may hurt and you will be sore after the game but I'd rather see you take 10 shots and get fouled everytime rather then see you settle for 20 shots outside.
And finally Luol Deng. About once or twice a year you go off with these ridiculous games, usually against the Portland Trailblazers. Well I need you to pretend that the Heat moved to Portland and besides keeping Lebron in check, make them regret taking him off of you to guard Derrick.
In the other conference we saw a young, inexperience Thunder team, very similar to the Bulls loss in 5 games to the more veteran Dallas Mavericks. The Thunder looked lost at the end of games and couldn't close much like the Bulls did in game 4. But the Bulls are so much better then that team from Oklahoma. All season long the Bulls would take games over in the 3rd and 4th quarter no matter who they were playing and they just finished teams off. The Bulls need to stop worrying about where they are and who they are playing and just play like we know they can and force the Heat back down to Miami for another game and then we can go from there because I'm not ready for this season to end tonight.
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