The One That Got Away

Game 4 was the One That Got Away. Looking back on Game 4, there isn’t a whole lot to be critical of. I disagreed with clearing out the floor for Rose with 8 seconds left at the end of regulation (especially given how unreal Lebron was defensively on Rose), but I understand the decision. So without further ado, a breakdown of my thoughts on Game 4:

(1) Ronnie Brewer was spectacular. When you are defending Wade or Lebron, you know that they are going to make shots. Your job is to make it as difficult as possible for them to make shots. Brewer did that on Lebron in the 1st Quarter when Deng picked up his 2nd foul and he did it in the 4th Quarter on Wade. Brewer even hit a huge 3 in overtime that kept the Bulls fading hopes alive. In a series where Kyle Korver has been non-existent, Brewer’s minutes late kept the Bulls alive.

(2) Welcome back Carlos Boozer. I don’t know why I thought Boozer was “The Back to the Basket Scorer the Bulls missed” since he is amazingly ineffective with his back to the basket, but he has finished well around the basket, made jumpers, made free throws, and rebounded over the last two games. If you told me Boozer would get back to back 20-10s at Miami, I would have expected at least one win. Unfortunately, Boozer still is a complete and utter liability defensively. His soft foul on the Lebron “And 1" late and his dubious flagrant foul on Bosh forced Thibs to put a cold Taj Gibson in up 84-83. Taj bit on a Bosh shot fake and hit a 12 foot jumper.

(3) Lebron James is a freak of nature. Lebron’s defense on Rose gave me PTSD style flashbacks to March 2001 when Richard Jefferson absolutely locked down Frank Williams in the Elite 8. I think it is important for everyone to take a step back, remember that Rose is 22 years old and the only player that can create offense for himself on a 62 win, Eastern Conference Final participant. Rose will improve, the Bulls will continue to play great team defense, and they will come back hungrier next year. Tip your cap to Lebron. But for his late game heroics in Games 2 and 4, the Bulls are up 3-1 heading back to Chicago to close the series out. Lebron may be an egomanical (see his tattoo of the “Chosen One” on his back), poorly advised (see the Decision), overgrown child, but there is no denying the fact that he is the most destructive athletic force in the NBA and the most dominant player in the game today. So there you have it, I can give credit where credit is due.

(4) Loul Deng deserves a lot of credit this year. In order for this Bulls team to have the season they had, two things had to happen. The first is that Rose had to evolve into an elite player (check). The second was that Luol Deng had to accept his role as the third option offensively and, most importantly, his role as the Bulls high minute, defensive stopper. Deng did both of those things. Watching him harass Lebron this series has been a thing of beauty. Watching Deng trudge off the court at the end of Game 4, you could tell that he left everything he had on the floor. So long as Deng continues to accept that role, the Bulls will be contenders for a long time.

(5) This series is not over. The Bulls were in Games 2, 3 and 4 in the 4th Quarter. If they can win Game 5 Thursday and figure out a way to get Rose going offensively (how good has Miami’s defense on him been? Since Game 1, Rose has had no room to breathe), the Bulls have shown they can play with Miami on the road. This will take a Herculean effort, but the Bulls are not dead in the water yet.