NBA News: Pacers see Red
Game 4 of the first-round NBA Eastern Conference Playoff series was supposed to be the end of the Indiana Pacers. Despite the Pacers valiant efforts in games 1-3 of their first round playoff war with the Chicago Bulls, game 4 was predicted to be the nail in the coffin for the Pacers. Why not? Bulls fans were willing to make the 3-hour drive and full Concesco Field House to see the Pacers die a cruel death in their home arena. The Pacers confidence remained despite three vain attempts to take out the Bulls who bolster the best record in the league. Prior to game 3 Pacers Head Coach Frank Vogel pleaded with the Indiana faithful to support them and don't let those arrogant Chicago fans come in and make it a virtual home court for the Bulls. Yeah good luck, during yesterdays pre-game introductions the Pacers were loudly booed on their home floor. Vogel also proclaimed that its not impossible for the Pacers who are down 3-0 to recover and beat the Bulls in this series. Only a handful of teams in various sports being down 3-0 have every come back and win a best-of-seven playoff format. For now the Pacers seemed to have taken that first step by staving off a furious 4th quarter rally by the Bulls and beating them 89-84 to avoid elimination. Everyone was expecting the Pacers typical M.O. of dominating the first three quarters and then collapsing late in the 4th quarter to eventually lose to the Bulls. Like game 3 the Pacers continued to press Bulls guard Derrick Rose in an attempt to make him a non-factor. Indiana trapped, double-teamed, and pressed Rose at ever turn throughout the contest. With frequent ball denial and a number of hard fouls Rose finished with 15-points and 10 assists. The Bulls got a scare with about a minute left in the first quarter when Derrick Rose sprained his ankle after scoring on a lay-up and limped off painfully to the locker room. There was a bit of relief when he came back out onto the court early in the second quarter but you can see he was hobbled by the sprain which limited him the rest of the way. Joakim Noah led the way for Chicago with 21-points and 14 rebounds but it wasn't enough for another Bulls come back. Danny Granger powered the Pacer attack with 24-points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. In the final seconds of the 4th the Bulls had a broken play to tie the ball game where Carlos Boozer attempted a 3-pointer. Three pointers is not one of Boozer's strong suits and the Pacers forced it in his hands to try and make it. Rose couldn't get open and the Pacers did a great job of preventing Luol Deng and Kyle Korver from getting a shot off. So now the Pacers get to live another day and try to back-up coach Vogel's proclamation that they can come back and win the series. The Bulls blew their chance to close this out early and get some much needed rest for the next round. Game 5 is Tuesday back in Chicago and hopefully the Bulls end it......nuff said....
