Gimpy Gordon connects in the clutch
Ben Gordon added another entry to a lengthy list of clutch baskets on Sunday, but he almost didn't make it to overtime.
Gordon injured his hamstring early in the game, needed a painkilling shot at halftime and is scheduled to have an MRI exam this morning. The Bulls won't practice today, just head to Boston for Tuesday's Game 5.
He also got the wind knocked out of him by falling flat on his back during a drive to the basket with 9.8 seconds left in the first overtime. Five seconds of game time later, Gordon saved the Bulls' season by draining a tying 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds on the clock.
Gordon didn't shoot all that well (10 of 22 for 22 points) and missed a free throw that could have tied the score after his rough fall. But all that didn't matter once he took a pass from John Salmons, slid away from defender Paul Pierce and stuck the 3-pointer.
"To me, the most important thing is just to stay into it mentally, no matter what's going on out there," he said. "I've got a really short memory. I'm able to focus in more when the game gets a little tighter."
Gordon made a gesture of questionable taste after the tying basket, grabbing his private parts. After the game, he joked that he'll tell NBA Commissioner David Stern it was injury-related.
"If Mr. Stern asks, it was my groin (not the hamstring)," Gordon said.
Miller survives ejection: After Game 4, Bulls center Brad Miller claimed he wasn't aware that he was temporarily ejected with 10:12 left in the fourth quarter. Miller was fouled hard by Boston's Glen Davis and pushed back.
Once the referees looked at a replay, they gave Miller a technical foul instead of the original call, a grade 2 flagrant, which means an ejection.
"I just pushed back a little bit, seemed like it should just be a technical," Miller said. "I'm not trying to throw punches. Just pushing him off me was all I was trying to do."
Miller eventually fouled out, as did Boston's Kendrick Perkins and Brian Scalabrine.
Rare double overtime: The Bulls haven't played multiple overtimes in the playoffs since the triple-overtime loss to Phoenix in Game 3 of the 1993 Finals at the Stadium. The only other double-overtime playoff game in franchise history was Michael Jordan's 63-point performance in 1986, a 135-131 loss at Boston.
This is also the first time the Bulls have had two overtime games in the same playoff series. The Bulls also won Game 1 in OT.
Bull horns: Tickets are available for Thursday's Game 6 at Ticketmaster outlets and bulls.com. ... Boston coach Doc Rivers said the Celtics wanted to take a foul before Ben Gordon hit his game-tying 3-pointer. ... Derrick Rose was charged with 7 turnovers for the second consecutive game, but nearly matched Rajon Rondo's triple-double, finishing with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists