Bulls shouldn't let opportunity pass them by

Somebody is going to have to explain to me why the Bulls shouldn't beat the Celtics in their first-round NBA East playoff series.

Before Game 1, so many wonks on ESPN and elsewhere gave the Bulls little chance.

Nearly to a man these alleged experts expressed that Boston couldn't repeat as NBA champions with Kevin Garnett out with an injury.

But they also expressed that the Celtics would routinely dispose of the Bulls.

Now the series is tied at a game apiece after Boston's 118-115 victory Monday night, and that supposedly should satisfy the Bulls going home for the next two games.

If anything, however, the Bulls should be angry that they weren't greedy enough to return to the United Center ahead 2-0.

"We're happy," Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said of the split, "but obviously it could've been better."

Both games were close and either team could have won them. That alone indicates the teams are closer than many expected, so why shouldn't the Bulls think that they should win the series?

My guess is the loss to Toronto in the regular-season finale distorted the public's perception of the Bulls as they opened the playoffs three days later. That seemed to obscure that two days earlier the Bulls won a critical game on the road against the Pistons.

Anyway, sure, the Celtics are the defending NBA champions and they won 62 games during the regular season and those were 21 more than the Bulls won.

But with Garnett on the bench in street clothes, this isn't that same Boston team. If the Celtics can spot the Bulls their best player - one of the NBA's best - and still win this series -

Well, that would mean the Bulls are more mediocre than even I could have imagined.

The Celtics look a lot like Miami did two years ago, when the Heat tried to defend its NBA title on old, tired, ailing legs. The Bulls swept the Heat in that first-round series, and I can't think of any reason they can't win this one.

The Celtics do have the edge of a more accomplished head coach. They have more overall experience. They should have the hearts of champions.

But the Bulls do have younger legs. They have seven or eight guys who can really score. And they have, or at least should have, the carefree mentality of gunslingers with little to lose.

This certainly is a dramatically different Bulls team. Traditionally the franchise wins with defense, but these guys can score on even the best NBA defenses while being unable to keep even average NBA offenses from scoring.

Could anything symbolize that more than Monday night's shootout between two Connecticut products, the Bulls' Ben Gordon and the Celtics' Ray Allen.

"It was fun," Gordon said. "It was like we were at UConn in the summertime playing pickup."

Allen had and made the last shot, so the teams are tied going back to Chicago for what figure to be two more thrillers.

Again, why can't the Bulls win them? Heck, why can't they win this best-of-seven playoff series?

The Bulls should be disappointed they're not ahead 2-0 right now and should be devastated if they blow the opportunity this series presents.

mimrem@dailyherald.com