Weak finishing kick for Bulls in Game 4
ATLANTA — After taking a 2-1 series lead, the Bulls expected a tougher fight from Atlanta in Game 4 on Sunday night. Well, maybe they just half-expected it, considering the Hawks' history of erratic performances.
In the final analysis, the Bulls' 100-88 loss might be a cruel blow to their belief system.
Simply put, if the Bulls are in a tie game with four minutes remaining — home or away — between MVP Derrick Rose and their imposing defense they should finish off a victory.
It didn't happen on this night at a suddenly raucous Philips Arena. After Rose tied the score on a lightning drive to the rim with 4:32 remaining, the Hawks flew away on a stunning 10-0 run. A referee admitting a mistake after the game that cost the Bulls was little consolation.
Now the series is tied at 2-2 and instead of having a chance to close things out at the United Center, the Bulls will be under pressure to hold serve at home in Game 5.
“The tone of the game was set in the first quarter. It was too easy,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We didn't finish the game the way we would have liked.”
That last line is certainly an understatement. Atlanta took the lead for good on a driving lay-in by Jeff Teague with 4:09 remaining, then everything seemed to fall apart at once for the Bulls.
Rose drove to the basket, missed the shot and didn't get a foul call. The Hawks headed the other way and just before dishing off a pass to Al Horford for a lay-in, Teague crashed into Kyle Korver, who was standing still outside the restricted area. No foul was called, so the Hawks led 88-84.
Rose drove again to the hoop and this time was knocked down by Horford with no foul called.
“I'm anxious to see the replay,” Thibodeau said. “From my perspective, I thought he was getting fouled. If there's contact in the restricted (area), then it should be a foul.”
Rose lost his dribble on the next possession, leading to another Horford fastbreak and a 6-point Atlanta lead.
“It was a tough game, but no excuses,” Rose said. “Put this game on me, 2 turnovers at the end. It was a tough game, but it's a series, first to 4 (wins), and we know that.”
The trouble with whistles wasn't over for the Bulls. Rose was outside the 3-point arc when he pump-faked Jamal Crawford into the air and threw up an errant 3-pointer as the whistle sounded with 2:27 left. The Bulls applauded, thinking Rose was headed to the line for 3 free throws.
But the referee closest to the play ran to the scorer's table and insisted it was an inadvertent whistle. So there were no free throws, Joakim Noah lost a jump ball to Josh Smith, and the Hawks went up 92-84 a few seconds later on a Horford dunk. Another Teague drive finished the 10-0 run with 1:26 left.
Thibodeau went nose to nose with referee Bennett Salvatore during a stoppage in play. By that time, the damage had been done. Salvatore later told a pool reporter that he looked at the replay and should have called a foul against Crawford.
“I didn't think it was a foul,” Salvatore said. “Having watched the replay after the game, it was a foul and I should have called it. I made a mistake.”
Thibodeau wasn't happy about the result, but he was in forgiving mood.
“At that time of the game, I've never seen that,” Thibodeau said of the inadvertent whistle. “But look, Bennett's a good official. He said he made a mistake. He's human. He's a good official. Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it doesn't.”
Rose finished with 34 points and 10 assists but hit just 12 of 32 shots. Atlanta's three stars all had big games. Joe Johnson scored 24 points and Horford 20, while a suddenly more intense Smith piled up 23 points, 16 rebounds and 8 assists.
The Hawks started the game hitting 9 of their first 11 shots from the field and regularly beat the Bulls' double-teams for open baskets inside.
“The ball was in the paint too easy,” Thibodeau said. “When you put two on the ball, you have to protect the paint and then react out. It requires great intensity, multiple effort and when you try to shortcut it, you're going to give something easy up.”
The Bulls usually bounce back well from tough losses. Tuesday will be their biggest test of the season.