Gordon thankful series didn't end with him as helpless bystander
Ben Gordon was helpless.
At one of the most crucial times of his career, in one of the most important moments of his life, he was powerless.
SuperBen, the man who has saved the day so many times with superhuman efforts, leaping tall players in a single rebound and turning back time with mind-numbing shots, could only sit and watch Thursday night, a mere mortal in the final two overtimes after fouling out in the first OT.
And only one thought kept passing through his mind.
"I was thinking that I can't believe that this could be my last game here (as a Bull), and I have to sit and watch,'' Gordon said. "It was really awful. I'm just glad my teammates gave me another chance to play.''
Gordon will have at least one more game in a Chicago uniform Saturday night in Boston after one of the most improbable series in NBA history surpassed in Game 6 the unbelievable from the first five.
And whoever said you shouldn't get anything for coming in second was wrong.
No, really.
When you play seven overtime periods in six games and you're tied at three games apiece, the team that loses Game 7 ought to get something.
It has to be one of the best basketball series you've ever seen, and one of most entertaining and most competitive playoff series in NBA history.
That's how extraordinary this series has been.
With physical play worthy of the NHL, bloody lips and bloody noses, ups and downs, twists and turns, runs galore and toes on the line viewed and reviewed, it's only fitting that this series heads back to Boston for Game 7 after the Bulls won, 128-127, in triple overtime at the UC Thursday night.
And Game 7 really ought to go into overtime as well.
"Oh man, I'd rather not have to play that one in overtime, too,'' Gordon laughed. "I'd like to win that one in regulation if we can, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was another overtime.''
Early Thursday afternoon, we spotted a security guard wearing one of those all-too common flu masks as we neared the UC entrance.
By the end of the night you can be certain he switched to an oxygen mask.
That's how ridiculous a game this one was on the West Side.
"It's almost surreal, the things you see happen out there,'' Gordon said, shaking his head. "You see guys making the biggest plays of their lives, and then the other team comes down the floor and someone else makes the biggest play of their life.
"I don't know if there's ever been anything like this before, but I just can't believe there's ever been a series like this.''
If it was his last game at the UC in a Bulls uniform, it was about the worst possible way he could go out.
Gordon, who is fighting numerous injuries, was awful, scoring 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting, with 2 rebounds and 4 assists in 31 minutes, fouling out and taking a technical after chasing around Ray Allen, who poured in an astounding 51 points.
"It's just that it wasn't consistent,'' Gordon said of the referees' calls. "It was frustrating from the start.''
Gordon will get a chance to redeem himself in Boston, knowing the Bulls have never won a Game 7 on the road.
But the unusual has become the usual in this series, with the Bulls' 3 victories coming in overtime, double-OT and triple-OT.
"This wasn't how I wanted to play in this game,'' said Gordon, who will be a free agent this summer. "I'm grateful to my teammates for giving me Saturday.''
And what about Saturday?
"Probably four overtimes,'' Gordon said. "Why not, right?''
Exactly.
brozner@dailyherald.com