Monday roundup: remembering an undefeated weekend

Bulls!


We'll get to Rose in a second, but I don't want his "welcome to superstardom" performance to cover up the fact that the Bulls' Game 1 win over the Celtics was a true team effort. We hear so many debates on ESPN and sports talk radio over whether the winning team "won" the game, or if the losing team blew it. Despite the fact that one Paul Pierce free throw at the end of regulation would have sent the Bulls back to Chicago 0-1, they definitely earned that victory. The Bulls used a huge second quarter run to take command, and I don't think they ever trailed by more than a point or two in the second half.

Noah's foul on Pierce stands as a defining moment in the game, but it shouldn't overshadow an otherwise breakout performance. He was a monster on the boards the whole night. Sure, it's not like he was boxing out Garnett, but Noah is still giving up tons of strength to Boston's front court rotation, so to see him dominate the boards the way he did is rather impressive.

Gordon was brilliant in the fourth to keep them in it, and he should also get some credit for turning Ray Allen into an afterthought. Everything I've read on the Celtics all year said Allen has been fantastic, but the Bulls held him to four points on 1-for-12 shooting Saturday. Gordon's not even close to a good defensive player, but he doesn't kill you when he's defending another jump shooter instead of a guy who can take him down low and post him up. And some of those shots in the fourth were insane. I cringe every time he hoists an off-balance jumper, but he has made so many of them at this point, it's about time I give him the benefit of the doubt.

Of course I have to point out that Tyrus was great too in OT, but I hardly want to see him take four 18-foot plus jumpers if the Bulls find themselves in another overtime these playoffs. Still, he made three of them and finished an efficient 8-of-12 from the field in just 28 minutes.

And then there's Rose who picked a great time to play his best game as a pro. It's a little reminiscent of what he did at Memphis: a fine regular season, but domination when it mattered most. He was the best player on the court by a mile in his first playoff game, on the road against the defending champs. The kid deserves every bit of praise he gets, and as TTCS's P-Barnes pointed out, nailing every free throw shows just how far he has come since this time last year when he cost Memphis a national championship with some bricks at the line.

I was pro-Rose from the second the Bulls won the lottery, but I also spent time lecturing on how John Paxson couldn't go wrong with either him or Beasley. I was definitely wrong about that. Michael Beasley would have been a colossal mistake. Without Rose the Bulls would be irrelevant, with him they have perhaps the most exciting future of any team in the city.

Here's Saturday's all-Rose highlights. It's worth reliving. The shot at the 2:00 minute mark of the video was the one that really stood out to me. 

Hawks!


Without a doubt, the hottest team in the city. It's awesome to see them being embraced the way they are right now, and you only need to check out your facebook news feed to see how excited everyone is. This series is still probably a long way from over, but you can't ask for any more from such a young team than to play like that in their first two playoff games. Jonathon Toews is amazing, and it's easy to forget how fantastic Martin Havlat is. When he arrived in town a few years ago he was so clearly the team's most talented player, and now it just seems like he's one of the guys. That's how it is when your team finishes with 104 points.

Playoff hockey has lived up to its lofty billing in every way so far. I seriously can't wait for more.

Sox!


Everyone thinks the AL Central is one of baseball's weakest, but consider that Carlos Quentin placed fifth in my last top ten list of best players in the division. If he's the fifth best player in the division, there is no division in baseball that can boost a better top five. How many guys are there in the AL right now that you would trade for Quentin, especially when you factor youth and minor league pedigree into the equation? Maybe just a handful, if that.

He's on pace for 95 homers right now with a league leading seven. He has developed into everything you want from your No. 3 hitter.

Big ups to the Sox' starters too, who have been downright nasty so far. I'll say it all year: if these guys can stay healthy for most of the season, there aren't many rotations in baseball that are better. And the Sox are going to win a lot of games again. It's just that there isn't a lot of depth (especially after seeing Poreda and Marquez's early season minor league numbers). If the rotation stays healthy though, we're looking at a really good team and one that should keep us thoroghly enthralled through the summer.

Chris Getz was awesome too, with two hits each in all three games he played in Tampa. He and Fields have both been awesome to watch so far. You gotta give it to KW for somehow placing young talent all over the field while they transistion from their '05 championship core.


I love everything about how the White Sox are operating right now. Can't ask for much more out of your favorite baseball team.

Tonight

Bulls at home at 6 on TNT, 'Hawks in Canada (ah, the memories) at 8:30.

If the 'Hawks can pick up one of the next two, it'll be fantastic. Another Bulls win would be monumental. Don't forget how routintely awesome they are at home.

I say the Bulls-Celtics series is a coinflip right now. The way this team has come together after the trade has been incredible. We're in for a memorable series either way.