On April 20th, 1986, Michael Jordan set the record for most points in a playoff game with 63 points, as the Bulls lost to the Boston Celtics 135-131 in double overtime.

Today, April 20th, 2009, exactly 23 years later, Ben Gordon, who Kenny Smith called Ben Jordan after the game, did his best Michael Jordan impression. Gordon finished with 42 points, shooting 14-24, hitting 6 threes. Unfortunately, like Jordan, Gordon’s big game against the Celtics ended in a loss.

Gordon was able to tie the game at 115, breaking over a triple team for a midrange jumper. Then Ray Allen answered with 2 seconds left in the game with the game winning three. The Bulls were left without a timeout, threw up a heave, and lost, 118-115.

A lot of people are pointing the finger at Vinny Del Negro, but I can’t do that. I thought Del Negro deserves a lot of credit for having his team come out with the proper intensity that was needed to compete in this game.

I think Vinny used his timeouts properly. With the Bulls down by 2, they needed to take a relatively quick shot, so they had time just in case they missed. If they made, they would be giving Boston the last shot. In that case, Vinny could have very easily left a timeout on board, as regulation expired. The problem wasn’t that the Bulls had no timeouts, the problem was that they didn’t get a stop on the Celtic’s final posession of the game, with the shotclock turned off.

Ben Gordon was just terrific tonight. He started getting going in the second quarter, to lead the Bulls to a halftime lead. I thought in the second quarter, he did a good job of playing defense on Rajon Rondo as well.

I hope that Del Negro and company realize that the Celtics can’t stop Ben Gordon. They don’t have any real shotblockers with Garnett out, and Gordon can feast on the drive in this series. I think starting the game with some Gordon drives would be wise, now that Leon Powe is likely done for the series with a sprained knee. If the Bulls can draw some early fouls on Kendrick Perkins, then the Celtics are likely toast.

Derrick Rose was only so so today, finishing with 10 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He wasn’t horrible, and was taken out of the game a bit early on by early foul trouble. But you would like to see him be a lot more aggressive.

Rajon Rondo was phenomenal for the Celtics tonight. He finished with at triple double with 19 points, 16 assists, and 12 rebounds. He also had 5 steals. His speed is deadly, and gave the Bulls all sorts of problems in the first half. Rondo injured his ankle when he came down awkward after being blocked by Derrick Rose in the second quarter. We’ll have to wait and see how that injury affects Rondo. If it swells up and is bad, Celtics are toast. But I don’t think that will be the case. I think Rondo will still be able to play at a really high level.

Ray Allen, after a poor first half, caught fire in the second half, scoring 28 points in the second half, including the game winner. He finished with 30 points in the game. He was simply on fire, not much the Bulls could do.

Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins killed the Bulls as well. Glen Davis finished with 26 points and 9 rebounds. He scored most of his points on midrange jumpers. Kendrick Perkins finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Paul Pierce finished with 18 points.

It is clear cut why the Bulls lost this game. Their fornt court played weak. It was a weird game from the front court, as they all played somewhat good. Tyrus Thomas finished with 6 blocks, but only 4 rebounds and 6 points. Joakim Noah finished with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 steals. Brad Miller finished with 16 points and 9 rebounds.

Their initial defense was good, but they just didn’t rebound the ball. After blocks, the ball would just be floating or bouncing there, and they wouldn’t grab it. The Celtics seized on this in the first quarter, scoring a ton of easy points off of Bulls blocks. The Bulls gave up 21 offensive rebounds. That’s how you lose basketball games.

Two simple things the Bulls can do that will greatly improve their chances of winning. If you’re going to foul, foul hard, so you don’t give up the and one, which the Bulls gave up all too many times tonight. And secondly, rebound the basketball.

John Salmons also had an inefficient 17 points for the Bulls.

Closing Comments

The Bulls are in a good position going back to Chicago tied 1-1. The Bulls went 28-13 at home this year, and based on the way they played Boston in these first two games, they stand a great chance to win these two home games. I don’t see the Bulls losing two out of their three home games in this series, so at best for Boston, this will go 7 games, which is what I predicted before the series began.

The best sight of the night was Tom Thibodeau’s expressions. He looked clueless as how to stop the Bulls’ offense. The Bulls have just made a mockery of Thibodeau’s defense, and they’ve done it the last 4 times the Bulls played the Celtics.

The Celtics are in a world of hurt. They don’t have a bench at this point in the series with Leon Powe injured. If the Bulls can get Kendrick Perkins in foul trouble, or really any of the Celtics main three perimeter players, the Celtics will be hurting, as their bench lacks anything really useful with all their injuries.

Good effort by the Bulls tonight, they just need to rebound better.

Go Bulls!

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Tags: 2009 Playoffs, 63 points, April 20th, Ben Gordon, Ben Jordan, Brad Miller, Derrick Rose, First Round, Game Winner, Glen Davis, Joakim Noah, John Salmons, Kendrick Perkins, Michael Jordan, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, timeout management, Tyrus Thomas, Vinny Del Negro

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