This game was as ugly as the scratches on Spencer Hawes' face during the post game press conference. It was not enjoyed by anyone, excluding Luol Deng who went 4 for 5 from 3 and 10 for 19 overall to score 24, until the Bulls sealed the victory. The Bulls played relentless defense and were not nearly as enthusiastic on offense. Carlos Boozer abused Thaddeus Young ritually. He did whatever he wanted and scored 19 points on 20 shots, albeit, but he made key baskets whenever the Sixers came in sniffing distance of making a comeback.
The Bulls' front court for Chicago really controlled the game. The clogged the lane and played impressive defense. Their defensive interior led to them playing great all around defense and limited the Sixers to a paltry 11 free throws. Whereas, the Sixers were shooting an average 30 free throws a game in their wins. The odd thing is the Sixers set an NBA record low for average free throws per game at 11.4, and they have increased their average by nearly 250%. The good thing is they seemed to have learned from the mistakes of the regular season but last night they had a relapse back into that negative behavior.
Getting to the charity stripe was a principal reason the Sixers were able to overcome their struggles in their wins and end up as the team with the most points. The Sixers tried to drive early on but the referees were calling a tough game and they decided not to go to the hole as consistently as a result. The two bright spots were Hawes and Jrue Holiday again, continuing their progress as a high low tandem. Hawes had 11 points and 14 rebounds. He did a great job on the boards but did not really do much to stop Boozer from scoring his 19. He has had a solid series and season for that matter. I just hope it is that dreaded contract year 'bump' that some people achieve just to receive a great contract. No one wants to be 'Geigered' again here in Philadelphia. Jrue missed plenty of shots but his numbers are still solid and he has had a pretty strong series. He has really capitalized on not having Derrick Rose in the line up.
The rest of the Sixers on the other hand were horrendous. Iguodola had an average game offensively but he got scorched by Deng who had previously been shackled by him. Iggy knows that his best asset is his perimeter defense and to offset a bad offensive game he usually steps up. This was not the case. The same for Thaddeus Young, he has had an abysmal series and it was the same lame story last night. Luckily Boozer has not been that good this series either and that has allowed Young to remain off of the fans 'boo' radar.
The Sixers had to expect this. The Bulls are a good team with or without Rose and they proved that throughout the season. It was highly probable that the Bulls would get at least one more game, now the Sixers must react appropriately. Reverting back to the from of the previous three games should be a focal point for them when going over video today. I predicted Sixers in 6 games prior to tip off of game one and it seems that my prognostication might be coming to fruition. I am looking forward to the Sixers moving on tomorrow evening.
Alright ladies and gentleman, time for game 6. I am eager to see how the Sixers respond to the Bulls taking game 5. The Sixers need to make sure they live on the free throw line because that is how they won their games this series. Jrue will need to keep up his aggressiveness and also find a way to jump-start the offense of his teammates. I know it is a lot to ask but he has showed the potential to be an elite combo guard this series. Now, he will have to do it when it matters most. Spencer Hawes will have to continue his double double play that has been a big part of this series. We will need him especially if Joakim Noah plays, at time of this post he is still a game time decision. I guess they mean that literally. Defense will be crucial to the Sixers getting out on the fast break and limiting the Bulls' second chance opportunities. Our bench must come through, especially in those times of the game when the Sixers struggle to score. That means Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young will have to show up big time. Lou has been pretty consistent and needs to stay on the attack. Thaddeus needs to do the exact opposite of what he has been doing this series. Thad has had zero effect on the offensive side, while doing an average job on Boozer defensively. The player who will be most important to me is Evan Turner. His ability to drive to the bucket and get contact should keep him on the charity stripe. Foul trouble plagued him last game and he needs to realize that the Bulls are intentionally doing this. He needs to control his temper. I am predicting a 5 point win by the Sixers and we will await the dreaded Celtics who are their likely opponent in the Conference Semifinals. Let's go Sixers!!
