So this current Bulls/Celtics series has required me to purchase a defibrillator, but on the bright side, I’m a shoe in for Crank 3.

So before this all important game 6, I just wanted to put up a couple of my thoughts.

– When the Bulls made the playoffs, I figured they didn’t have a prayer of getting to the second round.  When it looked like we would draw the Magic or the Celtics in the second round, I was actually hoping for the Celtics, as even with Garnett, I thought we could be fiesty enough to give the Celtics some problems.  But I still figured we would maybe steal a game, and maybe at most 2.  But when it was determined that Garnett would be out, I thought “oh boy, we could take this series.”  Turns out I was right, as the Bulls had a chance to already win this series.  Now that I got a taste of it, all I want is for the Bulls to win this series, and it’s going to hurt when we probably don’t.

–  Going along with that, I think the biggest thing to take away from this playoffs as a Bulls fan is that we are going to win a championship with Derrick Rose.  It’s going to happen.

–  I have such a love hate relationship with Ben Gordon.  He makes the most ridiculous shots, and when he’s on, he can hit from absolutely anywhere on the floor.  However, at the same time, he clearly thinks that he can make every shot, and therefore he takes lots of bad ones.  When he’s on he hits them.  When he’s not he doesn’t.  But it doesn’t change that he takes every shot he can.  He should not have taken the last shot in game 5, and all through overtime, everytime he got the ball he just tried to force up a shot, and I think he made one of those.

–  So the flagrant foul controversy.  I will say that I’m not going to scream about how that was a flagrant, though I do think it was.  But I can understand why it wasn’t called that.  I’ve heard a lot of people say that if they would have called that a flagrant, they’re basically handing the game to the Bulls (even though they would have had to hit two free throws and a shot in 2 seconds).  However, by not calling it a flagrant, you’re basically handing the game over to the Celtics, as Brad Miller (who just got hit in the face) would have to be the one taking the shots, and would have to hit both.  So I can understand either side, but more than anything I think I’m just sad that it had to come down to that.

–  Jeff Van Gundy was on Mike and Mike and said several things that made me scratch my head.  First off, he said that the last 4 minutes of a game should be reffed differently.  So he said that Rondo’s foul was a flagrant, but shouldn’t be one in the last 4 minutes.  I can’t disagree with that more.  If you have a “no more flagrant fouls” rule for the last 4 minutes, then what prevents everyone from beating the shit out of each other in the last four minutes?  I understand that the intensity goes up, but a flagrant is a flagrant, I don’t care when it happens.

He also said that Brad Miller just needs to worry about bleeding later, and he needs to go out there and hit those free throws.  Really?  So he should just trail blood all over the floor while attempting to shoot?  He had to go through like two towels to eventually stop bleeding, and I think he may have even had stitches put in the next day.  Even hockey, one of the roughest sports on the planet stops play when someone is bleeding.  So seriously, Van Gundy, just go back to looking like a raging alcoholic and shut up.

–  Garnett is a dickhead.  I get the whole “he’s really intense” thing, but after your team wins because one of your teammates essentially punched one of the opposing players in the face, you have the nerve to yell over at the Bulls bench?  Don’t bark over at the other team if you’re not even playing in the damn game.

–  Ben Gordon is also a dickhead, and I wish he would stop with his little celebratory things he does after every shot.  Crotch grabbing, the eye thing, whatever man, just make shots and go back and play d.

–  I mentioned this to my Celtics friend Tim that I think one of the more valuable players on the Bulls is Kirk Hinrich.  He was an average starting point guard, but he might be the best backup point guard in the league.  And he’s a totally underrated shooter, which he showed off in game 5.  He’s also about the only guy who can consistently guard Pierce too.  He’s been the unsung hero of this series, and I love the idea of him being a 6th man for the next several years while Rose is the starting point guard.

–  And finally, my last thought.  I’ll be damned if I haven’t grown to love Noah.  I really like him as the emotional leader of our team, I will say.  And I have to imagine he’ll just get better.

So here we go on Game 6.  Tim and I will likely text throughout the game wondering why the refs are so bad against our separate teams, and seeing every call as being different.  :-p  Love ya Tim!

And go Bulls!