Minutes restrictions go out the window in playoffs
Derrick Rose played the entire first quarter in Monday's Game 2. It's the first time he's done that since coming back from arthroscopic knee surgery late in the regular season. It also proved coach Tom Thibodeau is a man of his word.
“There's no minutes restrictions now,” Thibodeau said before the game. “You're playing to win. If you're playing well, you play more. If you need a break, we'll get you out.”
One factor to watch is whether the perpetually short-handed Bulls can build chemistry while trying to win a first-round playoff series.
“It may have seemed like a little thing, but I think it was a big thing to have Derrick back for those last five games of the regular season,” Thibodeau said. “That gave us a chance to get going. If you throw out the last game, each game he's played better and better. I think we're starting to find a rhythm. I think there's a long way to go.”
Two Bulls nominated:
Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol were among 10 players nominated for the NBA's full-season community assist award. Noah was the monthly winner of the award in February.
Noah has taken an active role in trying to curtail gun violence in Chicago. His Noah's Arc Foundation developed the “Rock Your Drop” campaign to support those who have lost loved ones due to the violence. He also helped produce a short film and public service announcement on the subject.
In his first season with the Bulls, Gasol has been a frequent visitor at Lurie Children's Hospital. In March, he hosted a night at the nearby Ronald McDonald House to help celebrate St. Patrick's Day with patients and their families.
The winner of the community assist award will be chosen through fan vote and a panel of judges. Fans can vote via Twitter by combining the hashtag #NBACommunityAssist with the player's name. Fans can also vote through Facebook and Instagram by using the same hashtags.
Other nominees for the award are New Orleans' Anthony Davis, Dallas' Tyson Chandler, the Clippers' Chris Paul, Golden State's Klay Thompson, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, Portland's Damien Lillard, Orlando's Tobias Harris and Sacrament's Ben McLemore.
Passing the Bucks:
According to nba.com statistics, the Bulls made 357 passes in Game 1, more than 100 more than Milwaukee's 246.
“There's a stat for everything,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said before Monday's rematch. “That's a good stat because that's not who we are. We have to pass the ball. We're not a team that's just going to isolate or one guy's going to come off and shoot it.
“For us, that was something that we talked about as a team is that we've got to get multiple touches and the ball has to touch the paint. If that happens, hopefully we can get the ball in the basket.”
The Bulls finished with 30 assists on Saturday, compared to 22 for Milwaukee.
Several Bulls sixth men:
The strength of the Bulls' bench was evident in voting for the NBA's Sixth Man Award, which was announced Monday.
Toronto's Lou Williams was the winner, followed by Boston guard Isaiah Thomas. Three different Bulls received votes. Nikola Mirotic was sixth, Taj Gibson 10th and Aaron Brooks 11th. Mirotic and Gibson each received one first-place vote.
Bull horns:
Kirk Hinrich was again unavailable Monday because of a hyperextended left knee. He has missed four straight games. … After scoring 23 points on Saturday, Derrick Rose is now averaging 28.7 points over his career in Game 1s of the playoffs. That's second-highest among active players, minimum five games played, behind Kevin Durant's 30.5.