MRI reveals Gordon's injury a hamstring strain
An MRI exam on Monday morning confirmed the Bulls' original diagnosis that guard Ben Gordon has a hamstring strain.
The Bulls traveled to Boston on Monday for Game 5 of their first-round playoff series, but did not practice. Gordon's injury status is officially listed as day-to-day, but he looked ahead to Game 5 after helping pull out a dramatic double-overtime win on Sunday at the United Center.
"If we keep playing with that edge, anything is possible," said Gordon, who buried a tying 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds left in the first overtime. "Right now, we don't have anything to lose, so we just have to leave it all on the floor."
Plenty of players in this series are banged up. Bulls forward John Salmons is playing through a painful groin strain, and Boston point guard Rajon Rondo is nursing a sprained ankle suffered in Game 2.
Celtics all-star Kevin Garnett, backup power forward Leon Powe and Bulls forward Luol Deng are all out for the series.
"When you're playing in that situation, you become numb to everything," Bulls center Joakim Noah said after Sunday's marathon. "It's like your whole body is numb. All those nagging injuries, everything that's hurting - everything is just numb. All that matters is getting a stop or getting a score."
The Bulls have already played two competitive games in Boston to start the series. They won Game 1 in overtime 105-103 behind 36 points by rookie Derrick Rose, then lost 118-115 in Game 2 despite Gordon's 42 points.
Comedy of conspiracy: Both Boston newspapers pointed out that Sunday's officiating crew included two Chicago-area residents - Danny Crawford and Marc Davis - while claiming that family members of the two referees attended Sunday's game dressed in Bulls clothing, citing an unnamed source.
Should the Bulls be upset that Connecticut native Bennett Salvatore officiated Game 1 in Boston?
Davis and Crawford are among the league's most respected referees and worked a number of Bulls games during the season. Crawford's son, Drew, is a senior at Naperville Central and committed to play basketball at Northwestern.
Bull horns: Tickets are available for Thursday's Game 6 at the United Center and can be purchased at TicketMaster outlets or bulls.com. - There are three potential start times for Game 6. If Utah stayed alive by beating the Lakers in Los Angeles late Monday night, the Bulls and Celtics will tip off at 7 p.m. If the Lakers series ends in five and Portland forces a Game 6 against Houston, then the Bulls will start at 6 p.m. If both the Lakers and Houston end their series in five games, then Bulls-Celtics becomes the second half of a TNT doubleheader and would start at 8:30.