Bulls steal Game 1 from the Celtics

Did I say Celtics in 5?

The Chicago Bulls rightfully won a gritty battle in Game 1 against the Boston Celtics.  It took an overtime session and a cast of heroes, but the Bulls pulled it out on the road against a very lackluster Celtics team.

Derrick Rose deserves a heap of credit for playing out of his mind, especially considering it was his first every playoff game.  He finished with 36 points, four rebounds and 11 assists, but did turn the ball over five times.

In the fourth quarter, Ben Gordon scored 12 of his 20 points.  If it weren't for his hot streak, the Bulls would not have been able to withstand a second-half surge by the Celtics.

Tyrus Thomas (16 points, six rebounds and three blocks) had his jump shot going all game long and was crucial for the Bulls, especially in overtime.

Joakim Noah also stepped up (11 points, 17 rebounds, three blocks) and should be grateful that his team eeked out a win.  His foolish foul on Paul Pierce at the end of regulation almost cost his team the game.

The big story for the Celtics was how disjointed the team looked offensively.  Pierce (23 points) and Rajon Rondo (29 points, nine rebounds, seven assists) carried the load, but Ray Allen was nowhere to be found.  Allen finished the game with four points, hitting just one of his 12 shots.

The Bulls deserve all the credit here.  They were ferocious and relentless on the offensive end, running at every opportunity.  If they can keep up this intensity, they could have a shot at extending this to seven games, in which case all bets are off.

Let's hope coach Vinny Del Negro doesn't let his team let up in Game 2 now that they've stolen one on the road.

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Jason Hahn
Jason Hahn is a fervent fan of the NBA and is currently living in Evanston where he is a graduate journalism student. More