Wade admits he's a little surprised by Chicago Bulls' 2-0 lead
Dwyane Wade admitted he's just like everyone else in the NBA world. He's a little surprised the eighth-seeded Chicago Bulls won two games in Boston to open their first-round playoff series.
"We're a confident team, but you never think you're going to go to Boston and get two," he admitted Thursday at the Advocate Center. "You're just trying to get one; that's the focus. But once you got that one, now it's just another game, now you've got to try and get the next one.
"But coming in, I didn't say, 'Hey, we're going to be up 2-0 in Boston.' No one thought that. But we are in this position and we've earned it. We played very well. I'm sure they did some things they want to improve on or they can be better at. But we have, too. So we'll take it."
Wade felt it is an advantage for the Bulls to have two players - himself and Rajon Rondo - who have won NBA titles. Besides Al Horford, who went to the playoffs eight times in Atlanta, most of the Celtics have never won a playoff series.
Boston is 2-10 in playoff games the last three seasons.
"We've got leaders in this locker room that's been through this moment before," Wade said. "I remember when I was young and I went on the road and it got loud, it shook me a little bit. Now being older, being down 7-0 at the start of the game, I'm not even thinking about that, I'm thinking about what I have to do for the next play. So having veteran guys … it really helps."
Rondo gets recommendation:
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg already seems to have a replacement in mind if he ever decides to return to Iowa State. On Thursday, he again pumped up Rajon Rondo's coaching future.
"Rondo, I'm telling you, he's going to be a heck of a coach when it's all said and done, just because of the way he sees the game," Hoiberg said. "He'll come up and talk to you when he's on the bench. Even when he had his 5 fouls, we put Jerian (Grant) in, Rondo was right there talking to him as he came off the floor (in Game 1). He continues to do so many little things for this team, and he's been such a rock for us all season long."
Hoiberg was asked how much control he's given Rondo to run the offense in this playoff series.
"We're allowing him to do quite a bit of that," Hoiberg said. "Again, he does such a good job of seeing where guys are on the floor, the whole team doesn't have to look over at me to run a play. Rondo does a great job of getting us organized in the offense, and we'll continue to do that."
Wade seeks trophy:
Asked again about calling the Bulls Jimmy Butler's team after he signed as a free agent last summer, Dwyane Wade increased his offer of support.
"I'm a supporting man. I want to be up for an Oscar in my supporting role," Wade said Thursday. "Jimmy's the leader. He's the lead actor. Myself, (Rajon) Rondo and all those guys - it's our job to support him.
"When it's time for me to lead, I've done it my whole life. I'm not saying I'm going to always come through, but I enjoy the moment when it's time for me to make (plays).
"Some nights, it won't be. You've got to do other things. But the other night, it was an opportunity for me to make some shots, get the ball in the areas that I like. God willing, the ball went in. That's a comfort in our team knowing that we have multiple guys that can do it.
"As the series goes on, they're not going to just allow Jimmy to do what Jimmy wants to do. It's going to change at some point in the series, so we've all got to be ready to shine in our leading moments."