Game 3: Pacers vs Bulls 04/21/11, 7:00 EST

[MUpacersSIC]

Did anyone else think that Hibbert was going to block that last layup by Rose? I kept thinking oh he's going to get it and this game is going into overtime, but then it went through the net. We have fought hard in this series, but as stated so many times we just don't have that guy who can close. I hope Paul George can up his game this offseason and become an offensive force the way he is on the defensive end.

[Miller4ever]

Derrick Rose is so clutch you can't shift gears without him.

[23artest23]

Rose is quite the closer. I would not call him the best (or even top 3 ) but that is mainly due to his experience more than anything else. Kobe is my top closer because he has been doing it for so long. If Rose keeps it up for another 2 or 3 seasons, he would easily be my pick for top closer.

[chube]

At least the refs were better tonight. Even outside of this series, I've gotten really sick of refs making decisive calls in the home stretch of a game. There were bad calls/no-calls but bad officiating is easier to stomach when it happens in the second quarter as opposed to late in the 4th. The only blatantly bad one was they allowed Derrick Rose to yap for an awful long time at Jeff Foster, igniting a mini-scuffle. Dwight Howard would've picked up 8 technicals for that alone.

[23artest23]

The only blatantly bad one was they allowed Derrick Rose to yap for an awful long time at Jeff Foster, igniting a mini-scuffle. Dwight Howard would've picked up 8 technicals for that alone.

So true. The refs screwed that one up. After seeing the Brawl at The Palace, I have always been under the impression that kind of behavior gets an immediate tech. I have seen it firsthand. Last night, it was not applied for some reason. Regardless, the refs were FAR better last night than game 1 or 2. During game 1 and 2, it really seemed to me like we were behind the eight ball playing against the Bulls and bad officiating.

[NcTrHeel13]

At least the refs were better tonight. Even outside of this series, I've gotten really sick of refs making decisive calls in the home stretch of a game. There were bad calls/no-calls but bad officiating is easier to stomach when it happens in the second quarter as opposed to late in the 4th. The only blatantly bad one was they allowed Derrick Rose to yap for an awful long time at Jeff Foster, igniting a mini-scuffle. Dwight Howard would've picked up 8 technicals for that alone.

Keep that stuff away from this board.

Consider this a warning,

Gremz.

[NcTrHeel13]

Let me re-phrase that: if that is a technical on Derrick Rose, then by my estimation Hansbrough would have 4 or 5 technical fouls of his own in this series. There have been multiple times where he's been fouled hard and immediately either gotten in Boozer's face or screamed something at the nearest referee.

[Miller4ever]

I believe Boozer and Hansbrough have both been handed technicals. Those two yapping away are the norm. As for Rose, that was a situation that could've turned ugly, because Rose doesn't usually react like that.

[NcTrHeel13]

I believe Boozer and Hansbrough have both been handed technicals. Those two yapping away are the norm. As for Rose, that was a situation that could've turned ugly, because Rose doesn't usually react like that.

Then obviously Rose should be penalized more severely than someone who does that sort of stuff all the time. Makes sense. Hansbrough and Boozer each have one tech, but one is a lot less than four or five.

[Miller4ever]

Technicals are given out way more inconsistently because they are much more context-based than action-based.

[Kuq_e_Zi91]

Is this dude serious?

In a series decided by a combined 15 points, the free throw attempts favor the Bulls 93-62. Enough said.

[NcTrHeel13]

Is this dude serious?

In a series decided by a combined 15 points, the free throw attempts favor the Bulls 93-62. Enough said.

I'll take a comparison like that seriously when it's weighed against the number of times each team aggressively attacked the rim. The reality is the Bulls drive all day while the Pacers float around shooting jumpers.

[Kuq_e_Zi91]

Is this dude serious?

In a series decided by a combined 15 points, the free throw attempts favor the Bulls 93-62. Enough said.

I'll take a comparison like that seriously when it's weighed against the number of times each team aggressively attacked the rim. The reality is the Bulls drive all day while the Pacers float around shooting jumpers.

Let's assume you're right. The Bulls "drive all day." Derrick Rose "drives all day." He "drove all day" during the regular season too, didn't he? I don't see any difference in how he's playing. In fact, he's playing worse if you look at his shooting percentages, assists, and turnovers. Except for one thing:

Regular Season ft made - ft attempted
5.9-6.9
This series ft made - ft attempted
14.7-16.3

So how do you explain it? Let me guess. "The Pacers are a dirty team that tries to injure Rose on every drive. They're too physical. In fact, they should be called for more fouls! How can the refs show such a bias for the small town team with no superstar!"

Man, if you think the refs are favoring us in this series just wait until you play Boston or Miami (if you get past Orlando or Atlanta). They see your one superstar and raise you three more. Then what will Rose do? Go to the line 60 times a game?

[23artest23]

Regular Season ft made - ft attempted
5.9-6.9
This series ft made - ft attempted
14.7-16.3

Those numbers speak volumes to me in reference to playing behind the eight ball.

[NcTrHeel13]

Is this dude serious?

In a series decided by a combined 15 points, the free throw attempts favor the Bulls 93-62. Enough said.

I'll take a comparison like that seriously when it's weighed against the number of times each team aggressively attacked the rim. The reality is the Bulls drive all day while the Pacers float around shooting jumpers.

Let's assume you're right. The Bulls "drive all day." Derrick Rose "drives all day." He "drove all day" during the regular season too, didn't he? I don't see any difference in how he's playing. In fact, he's playing worse if you look at his shooting percentages, assists, and turnovers. Except for one thing:

Regular Season ft made - ft attempted
5.9-6.9
This series ft made - ft attempted
14.7-16.3

So how do you explain it? Let me guess. "The Pacers are a dirty team that tries to injure Rose on every drive. They're too physical. In fact, they should be called for more fouls! How can the refs show such a bias for the small town team with no superstar!"

Man, if you think the refs are favoring us in this series just wait until you play Boston or Miami (if you get past Orlando or Atlanta). They see your one superstar and raise you three more. Then what will Rose do? Go to the line 60 times a game?

I can explain it really easily.

1. Rose can get to the paint whenever he wants. In the regular season, he picks and chooses his spots to do so because if he did it every play all year for 82 games he'd be hobbling by the time playoffs roll around. I watched every Bulls game this year and I can tell you Rose is choosing to drive literally about 3x as often as he did in the regular season.

2. Dirty play aside, the Pacers aren't really trying to defend Rose's shots in the paint without fouling. It's clear that their strategy is to just foul him hard to prevent easy layups/dunks whenever they get beat (which is very often).

3. There are 2-3 plays every game so far that should be fouls and more free throws for Derrick Rose that aren't being called. So yes, believe it or not, he should be shooting more free throws. Which is a testament to his will to relentlessly attack and the Pacers' inability to do anything about it, not biased officiating. Read my post in the locked thread about officiating if you want to be schooled on how the Pacers have gotten way more calls this series.

3. Thanks, but we're not worried about tougher opponents because all season long the Bulls have played better against the better teams. They went 8-0 to end the season against the elite teams of the NBA. No offense, but I'm more worried when the Bulls play inferior teams like the Pacers because they don't mentally get up to play a team they know isn't on their level.

[Miller4ever]

Guys, seriously, there is no favoritism. I was mad as hell after Game 2 when Foster got pushed, and Hibbert got called for a foul when he should've been called for a travel. In all honesty, though, what percentage of calls do you think you can make accurately when you only have 2 angles to make a call?

A really easy way to institute some trust in the refereeing is to put in more reviewable situations and give coaches 1 or 2 reviews on certain calls in certain situations.

In this series, it's easy to victimize the team you root for. That's bias. We've gotten the reputation for being "cheap" and "dirty" even though Kurt Thomas and Carlos Boozer have done just as much this series.

[23artest23]

We need to bring the Davis boys out of retirement. If Foster is dirty, the Davis boys are absolute scum. I think Rose would revert back to his jumper that he apparently is choosing to shoot 3x less at this point.