Bulls hoping to put end to errors, finish off Bucks
The Chicago Bulls head into tonight in control of their series against the Milwaukee Bucks, needing just one more victory to advance to the next round.
But that doesn’t guarantee a smooth finish.
Even when series appear to be well in hand, things can go wrong. Tempers can flare at the wrong moment. An ankle can roll on a drive to the bucket. A desperate opponent can put up an unexpected fight.
The Bulls go back to Chicago for Game 5 (TNT, 7 p.m.), leading 3-1. The Brooklyn Nets host Atlanta (NBA TV, 6 p.m.), trailing the Hawks 2-1.
After taking the first three games of their series against the Bucks, the Bulls dropped Game 4 on a buzzer-beater by Jerryd Bayless that kept Milwaukee alive. It’s possible the Bulls were looking ahead to a second-round matchup against LeBron James and the Cavaliers, which might have led to some sloppy play.
Now coach Tom Thibodeau is trying to bring the focus back to the present.
“Just worried about the next game,” Thibodeau said Sunday. “That’s it.”
A look at tonight’s games:
HAWKS AT NETS
The sharpshooting Hawks haven’t been able to find the range during the first three games of their series against eighthseeded Brooklyn.
After shooting 46.6 percent in the regular season, fourth in the NBA, the Hawks have hit just 39 percent of their shots against the Nets. That’s the worst mark in the playoffs.
Kyle Korver went 1 for 8 from the field for two points in the Game 3 loss after scoring 38 points to help the Hawks win the first two games at home.
“I didn’t get any good looks early and I tried to force a couple late,” Korver said. “I need to be better on Monday.”
The Hawks shot just 35.6 percent (32-of-90) in Game 3. According to the official game report, they missed 13 layups.
If the Nets are going to tie the series, they could use some help from Deron Williams. He is 7 for 26 in the series and came out of Game 3 with what appeared to be an injured tailbone. He did not play in the fourth quarter and Jarrett Jack helped the Nets take control of the game.
Coach Lionel Hollins said Sunday that Williams is hoping to play.
Hollins said he doesn’t like the criticism of Williams.
“I’m disappointed in how everybody’s coming down on Deron and trying to treat him like he’s a pariah,” the Nets coach said. “Deron’s a good person, he’s a good player. Now, is he on the level that you guys think he should be? That’s your fault for thinking that somebody should be something.”
BUCKS AT BULLS
Chicago point guard Derrick Rose’s eight turnovers drew the bulk of the attention after Milwaukee’s 92-90 win Saturday, but Thibodeau was just as concerned with the 28 turnovers by his team.
Thibodeau said the Bulls looked at all the turnovers and “obviously some were (Milwaukee’s) defense,” but some were due to Chicago’s errors and decision-making.
“We watched them straight through,” Forward Mike Dunleavy said of the Bulls’ errors. “When you turn it over 28 times, there’s some pretty amazing ways to do it. At some point, you start becoming creative.”
That’s exactly what Thibodeau wants to stop. He wants simple plays.
“Hit the first open man, be sound with the ball,” he said. “When we did that, we got good shots.”
Even with the ball-security issues, the Bulls had a chance to sweep. Dunleavy hasn’t lost sight of the Bulls’ strong position.
“Look, the reality is we didn’t play very well but we had the ball with 20 seconds left and a chance to win the game,” Dunleavy said. “You turn it over 28 times and to be in that position, you’re doing a lot of things right. We’ve just got to correct the things we’re not doing right.”
Bulls rookie forward Nikola Mirotic is listed as probable for the game with a strained left quad.