Top Ten Celtics That Might Catch a 'Hard Foul' in Game 6

Whether you believe it's wrong or right, there's a chance at some point in tonight's Bulls-Celtics matchup, things could get ugly.

That's typically what happens after two teams beat the hell out of each other for five games.

Throw in what looked like a flagrant foul committed by Rajon Rondo of the C's in Game 5, and you can be sure the Bulls may be out for a little bit of good ol' fashioned payback.

Throw one at us, we'll throw one at you. Hit one of our guys, we hit one of yours.

Nearly every sport has its own version of retaliation and the NBA is no different. I'm not saying it's right, but we decided to have a little fun with it. Besides, it's just playoff basketball at its best.

10. Stephon Marbury

Marbury has been passing up big shots in this series faster than Elton John passes up...female companionship.

The Bulls will definitely be leaving this guy alone.

9. Ray Allen

While the Bulls got hosed on the non-flagrant foul at the end of Game 5, Ray Allen has just as much to complain about as anyone.

No way he should have fouled out of that game.

But Allen doesn't do much but make big shots from beyond the arc. The chances of him getting a hard foul at the rack are pretty slim.

8. Doc Rivers

"It was a great foul by Rondo. You always talk about playoff basketball, no layups. Rondo did it on the very last play and it won the game for us."

Yeah Doc, that makes sense.

I'm sure you'd say the same exact thing if the tables were turned and D. Rose gave a closed fist mouth shot to Kendrick Perkins on a potential game winning drive to the hoop.

7. Paul Pierce

Cold. Blooded. Killer.

The Bulls brain trust led by Vinnie Del Negro cooked up a plan to cover Pierce in the game's closing moments that would have made Tim Floyd stop and stare in disbelief.

This team respects Paul Pierce too much to deliver a cheap shot foul his way.

6. Rajon Rondo

The poor man's version of Lil Bow Wow is public enemy number one in Chicago.

That blatant cheap shot against Brad Miller in Game 5 of the series was a flagrant foul, no questions asked. We constantly gripe about the lack of consistency in officiating during the NBA Playoffs, yet the primary defense against Rondo's pimp hand is that the ref's should change the way they officiate at the end of games.

Huh?

The NBA. Where hypocrisy happens.

5. Kevin Garnett

I'm not sure how the Bulls could pull this off. Fouling a player that's not even in uniform is technically not even possible.

But I'm sure they could cook up a loose ball scenario where an Aaron Gray goes diving into the Celtics bench.

Either way, congratulations to Kevin Garnett for devolving into the Kenny Powers of the NBA.

4. Tony Allen

To the 16% of the nation who actually knows Tony Allen, explain to me where this 'lockdown perimeter defender' tag came from?

Allen has yet to do anything in this series except for committing two ridiculous fouls at the worst possible time for the Celtics.

I almost hope the Bulls don't use him as an example, he does more good for us than he does for his own team.

3. Glen Davis

Has a man ever possessed a nickname more accurate than that of Glen 'Big Baby' Davis?

2. Kendrick Perkins

“I don’t think the refs like the Boston Celtics. ..I don’t know... We’ve got a lot of talkers on this team, if you know what I mean.”

Yup, we know what you mean. But don't forget that everyone knows what a guy your size should be doing to a rail thin, undersized Bulls froncourt.

If you know what we mean.

1. Brian Scalabrine

Did Scalabrine do anything to deserve a hard foul?

Nope, sure didn't.

But the ginger haired wonder is the poster child for all things Boston and it just seems like he'd be the guy .

The ideal candidate for a hard Bulls foul.

Ten thoughts/observations on Bulls-Celtics

In no particular order...

(Y! Sports)

10. It's hard for any of us as die hard Chicago sports fans to view this series with any bit of objectivity, but let's take a step back for a second and realize that we're watching a historically great NBA playoff series right now. We've all gotten so worked up over timeouts, poor officiating, and missed free throws, but damn has this been one exciting series so far.

Three of the five games have gone to OT, and another ended on a buzzer-beating three in regulation. As a sports fan, you can't ask for much more than that.

9. It's more than just that four of the five games have come down to the wire, too. A basketball game can be close but still kind of boring (see: Spurs, San Antonio). What sets this series apart is how aesthetically pleasing the style of play has been. These teams haven't given us a chance to catch our breath the entire series.

As a Bulls fan, it seems I go from elated to dejected every possession. The way both teams continuously attack the basket and take shots in rhythm has been a real joy to watch.

(ESPN.com)

8. Joakim Noah has had plenty of doubters during his Bulls tenure. Haters, even. But the second year center has taken a huge leap forward in this series. Noah is averaging 11 and 11 so far, but it's more than just the hard statistics. His energy has been contagious, and it appears he's emerged as the true heart and soul of the team emotionally.

7. Rajon Rondo has developed into a very capable point guard for the Celtics over the last two seasons. Some may even consider him one of the best in the conference. But who knew he could play like this? Rondo has been torching the Bulls all series long, providing the perfect foil for Derrick Rose. Like I said before, most people knew that Rondo was pretty good, but looking at his stats this series, you'd think the Bulls were going against LeBron. The numbers speak for themselves: 23-11-10.

6. All of the attention has gone to Celtics' injuries this series, but the Bulls are pretty banged up themselves. Ben Gordon looked clearly hampered by a bum hamstring last night. John Salmons has been playing hurt for a month. And no one even remembers Luol Deng is even on this team anymore.

For all the venom Deng has received for Bulls fans the last two seasons, remember that he's still one of the best players on the team, and the Bulls are certainly not the same without him. Maybe it's not as bad as being without KG (and Leon Powe), but the Bulls can hardly be considered healthy right now, either.


5. When we think of the best pure scorers in the NBA, the first names that come to mind are Kobe, Wade, LeBron, Carmelo, and Amare. But holy hell has Paul Pierce been impressive so far. How many daggers does this dude have in him? I feel like the Bulls - primarily Salmons and Kirk Hinrich - have done a solid job contesting shots all series, but Pierce continues to hit big shot after big shot.

4. Hinrich has reminded everyone this series that he's still a starter-level player in this league. He's become a forgotten man in Chicago this season because of Rose and a few nagging injuries, but this series wouldn't be nearly as competitive without him. Hinrich has been particularly stellar the last three games, hitting eight three-pointers and defending the bigger guards that Gordon can't handle about as well as we can ask.

Either Gordon or Hinrich isn't going to be around next year (even after a series as great as this one, don't think JR will be willing to pay luxury tax in this economy), and if Kirk leaves, whatever team lands him will be getting a hell of a guard.

3. If the officiating in this series was reversed, we'd be reading 5,000 word columns by Bill Simmons every day about anti-Boston conspiracy theories. These refs have been horrible, not just in Game 5, but all series. The Boston bias has been in full swing. At some point, it'd be great if Derrick Rose could get a call going to the hoop. Same goes for Tyrus and Noah down low. The Celtics are getting away with murder.

And how, exactly, is what happened to Brad Miller at the end of Game 5 not a flagrant? Just look at this picture:

(ESPN.com)

At no point was Rondo going for the ball on that play. He was going only for Miller's head. From behind. BS, I tell you.

2. Perhaps it's because of the officiating bias. Or because Boston sports in general have been insufferable since the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004. But man, do I hate these Celtics. Baby Baby is a clown, Rondo is a cry baby, and I would like nothing more than for someone to run over to the Boston bench and punch Kevin Garnett in the face. Few teams this side of the Packers and Twins can get my blood boiling like these losers.


1. I've heard some people talk about how this series is over now. 'The Bulls can't win a Game 7 in Boston', they say. Please, someone explain that to me. The Bulls have been right with the Celtics every step of the way this series. Forget the fact that Boston won 21 more regular season games; these two teams are evenly matched. The Bulls are every bit as good as the Celtics right now.

Not only do I expect the Bulls to force Game 7 on Thursday, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit if they won it. The Bulls have proven they can compete with the Celtics anywhere. I would like nothing more than to see Tyrus and Noah unleash some primal screams in face of the Celtics after a Game 7 victory. Don't be shocked when it happens.

Top Ten questions for the Bulls heading into Game 5

Two months ago, who would have thought that the Bulls would be battling the Celtics (even without KG) for the right to advance to the second round?

This series has had a little bit of everything: three classic games, a great point guard battle between two future stars (though Rondo has clearly won the matchup so far), incredible clutch shooting from a pair of former UConn Huskies, and the drama of an up and coming Bulls team trying to become the first No. 7 seed in the last 11 years to win a playoff series.

With the crucial Game 5 tonight, here are 10 key questions the Bulls must answer if they want to send more shockwaves across the league and get one step closer to pulling off the huge upset.

10. Will Kirk Hinrich, when he’s in the game, keep guarding Paul Pierce?

This may be the most overlooked aspect of the entire series. Even though Hinrich gives up a lot of size and strength to Pierce, he has done a great job when he has guarded him. In fact, the Bulls probably don’t win either Game 1 or Game 4 without Hinrich’s defensive play, not to mention his 18 points on Sunday. John Salmons has done a decent job on Pierce, but he’s clearly limited by his groin injury.

9. Will the Bulls come out with a sense of urgency?
Immediately after the Bulls won Game 4, I said to my dad, “well, you know the Celtics are going to come out pissed on Tuesday, and the Bulls might be a little soft knowing that they stole one.” Then again, I had similar concerns about Game 2, but the Bulls played really well and should have won that one also. One thing we do know is that it’s silly to try and predict how this inconsistent Bulls team will play from game-to-game.

8. Will Ben Gordon go on another one of his shooting sprees? Gordon, who becomes a free agent this summer, is making it real tough on John Paxson. He almost won Game 2 single-handedly, and he kept the Bulls alive in the series with a ridiculous three-pointer at the end of the first overtime on Sunday. For the Bulls to have a realistic shot at beating the Celtics two more times, Gordon has to go off again in at least one of the games, if not both. His unique scoring ability is what keeps defenses honest and opens things up for Rose.

7. Will the Bulls control the defensive backboards? If the Bulls had gotten any defensive rebounds late in Game 2, they’d probably be up 3-1 right now. However, the Bulls did outrebound the Celtics in these last two games. Boston’s shooters are too good to keep giving them second and third chances, so it’s crucial that the Bulls are able to keep Big Baby and Kendrick Perkins off the glass tonight.

6. Will Derrick Rose start going under the screens against Rajon Rondo? It seems pretty simple really: make Rondo shoot jumpers. Sure he has improved his shot, but I’ll take my chances with Rondo shooting 17-footers versus him getting to the basket, which he has done all series. Rose just isn’t playing very smart on defense when he’s trying to fight over the top of the high ball screens. Rondo is the Celtics’ best all-around player and the guy that makes them go. The Bulls, mainly Rose, have to do a much better job of stopping Rondo’s penetration.

5. Will Ray Allen and Paul Pierce both be on? Let’s be honest. If Allen and Pierce are both hitting their shots, the Bulls can’t win. They won the first game because Allen was way off, and almost took the second because Pierce played like he wanted to be somewhere else. And even though Pierce made some big plays late in Game 4, he still finished only 9-of-24 from the floor. When one of the two is off, the Bulls have a chance, because Boston doesn’t have a heck of a lot of other options. But if both are on at the same time, forget it.

4. Will the Bulls start feeling the pressure?
There’s really no pressure on the Bulls. They’ve already done more in this series than anyone thought they would have. That being said, the Bulls seem to honestly believe they can win this series, and they should. In Game 4, they stayed poised down the stretch, even when they fell behind by five points late in the first overtime. Guys like Rose, Noah, and Gordon really don’t seem to get rattled very easily in big games.

3. Will the Bulls limit their turnovers?
We saw what happened when the Bulls committed 16 turnovers in the first half of Game 3. You figure that the Bulls can’t commit more than 15 turnovers to have a chance to win tonight. Outside of Game 3, Rose has been really good, but he is still averaging more than five turnovers in the series so far, while Rondo is averaging less than two.

2. Will Tyrus Thomas be on the bench once again in crunch-time? Hopefully, the answer to that question is yes. The Bulls’ best lineup is Rose, Gordon, Hinrich or Salmons, Noah and Miller. Vinny Del Negro finally seems to realize that Thomas shouldn’t be on the court when the game is on the line. Yes, he did make a few jumpers in overtime in Game 1, but the chances of him doing that again are remote.

One other thing: near the end of regulation on Sunday, did you notice how after Tyrus got a rebound with 16 seconds left and the Bulls up two, he had every opportunity to give it up to either Rose or Gordon knowing that the Celtics had to foul? Instead, he kept the ball and the Celtics gladly fouled him. What we learned from that exchange is that Thomas is a selfish, egotistical player who wanted to be the one in the spotlight shooting the free throws, even though Rose or Gordon would have been a much better option for the Bulls.

1. Will the Bulls have the mental toughness to win another game in Boston? When you’re on the road, the lid on the basket seems a lot tighter, calls go the other way, and falling behind early is a death sentence. Remember, this is a Celtics team that won the title last year playing a Bulls team that has only three guys (Gordon, Hinrich and Miller) who have played significant playoff minutes. The Bulls showed they weren’t intimidated the first two games of this series playing in a hostile environment, but how will they respond when the Celtics make their inevitable run and the crowd gets into it?

Top Ten NFL players from Chicago

On Saturday, the city saw another local guy selected in the first round of a professional draft. This time, it was 6' 2" 270-pound defensive end/outside linebacker Larry English from Aurora.

But English is obviously not the first football player to be drafted out of the city and the near suburbs. Below are the top 10 current players in the NFL from the Windy City.

10. Tom Zbikowski



Zbikowski was the main reason I would tune into Notre Dame games earlier this decade. He is a freak and is simply fun to watch. My roommate was coincidentally on the Prospect team that stuffed Zibby, then a quarterback on his Buffalo Grove squad, on 4th-and-goal on the 1 in the state semifinal, promptly ending TZ's high school career.

9. Pierre Thomas



A relatively unknown draft pick from Illinois in 2007, it didn't take long to put his name on the map. His 2008 consisted of five starts, 625 yards rushing and nine touchdowns.

8. Shaun O'Hara



Ok, O'Hara didn't actually play high school football in Chicago, but he was born here. He is however, the most recognizable lineman on one of the best O-lines in football. The Giants' center has done a great job protecting Eli Manning in his four years in New York.

7. Napoleon Harris



Harris is a solid defender who will personally always be remembered to be the selling point on the deal that sent Randy Moss to Oakland. It's hard not to like Harris though, a Thornton grad and Northwestern signee. I like when guys stay at home and help out their local university programs. Oh and last week, Harris hit the game-winning three in overtime of his own McLegends All-Star Basketball Game.

6. Antwaan Randle-El



A high school teammate of Napoleon, Randle-El is one of a select few who made the transition from quarterback to receiver once they become pros. The highlight of the former Hoosier's career has to be the flea-flicker touchdown pass to Ward in the Super Bowl.

5. Kelvin Hayden



A late addition to the list, simply because we forgot about him, but certainly a guy who deserves to be on here. Most Bears fans recognize Hayden as the guy who picked off one of Rex Grossman's passes in the Super Bowl. The former Hubbard DB was injured for six games in 2008, but still managed to pick off three balls including a 85-yard return to the house.

4. Michael Turner



Everybody knew once a team was willing to give Turner they keys to the car that he would not disappoint. But I am sure nobody thought he was going to be arguably the best back in the NFL after Year 1 of first-string duties. "The Burner" is built like a bull and showed he has the ability to break a game wide open, as he did so often last season.

3. Flozell Adams



The Cowboys took Adams with a second-round pick in 1998, and moved him from guard to tackle, where he has since become a five-time Pro Bowler. Adams has become one the most consistent run-blockers the NFL has to offer. The Proviso West grad has made life easier for Marion Barber and Felix Jones, and will continue to do just that.

2. Simeon Rice



For the better half of a decade, there was no better end than Simeon Rice. For the first 10 years of his career he posted 10+ sacks a year eight times. His 122 total puts him 12th all-time. Because of a combination of age and arrogance however, it is tough to see any team with a strong desire to sign him to help add to that total.

1. Donovan McNabb



My grandfather was a member of the coaching staff of McNabb's pop-warner team on the South side about 25 years ago. And I like to think that he heavily molded DMN into the quarterback he is today. Regardless, the former Mount Carmel standout is one of the best quarterbacks in football. His elusiveness as well as a rocket arm make him maybe the most complete the league has ever seen. While we will have to wait to see if the Eagles can get to the Super Bowl again, it will most likely only happen with McNabb at the helm.

Top Ten moments in Chicago / Boston sports history

Chi-Town vs. Beantown is more than just sports. It’s deep dish vs. clam chowder, the El vs. the T, Kanye vs. Aersosmith, Magnificent Mile vs. Freedom Trail, Daley’s vs. Kennedy’s, Midwestern values vs. Northeastern arrogance and oh so much more.

Here at TTCS though, we just focus on sports. So in honor of the current Bulls vs. Celtics series going on, here are the top ten moments these two great cities have shared in sports.

10: MLS Rivalry

Fire versus Revolution is about as intense of a rivalry as there is in soccer…American soccer that is. The two teams have met in the MLS Cup Playoffs four seasons in a row, with New England advancing in ’05, ’06 and ’07 before Chicago finally got revenge last season. Here in 2009, the Fire and Revolution are sitting in first and second in the Eastern Conference, potentially to meet again in the post-season.

9: McDonalds commercial

For his next attempt, MJ is going to shoot from the 18th green at Pebble Beach, off a blackjack table and over his glowing scouting reports of Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison. Nothin’ but net.

8: Phil Esposito trade

In a 1967 swap between two of the original six NHL franchises, the Blackhawks sent Esposito and two other players to Boston for the trio of Pit Martin, Jack Norris and Gilles Marotte. The deal is considered one of the most lopsided in hockey history, as Esposito went on to play in the All-Star Game every year he was a Bruin, won two Hart Trophy’s (NHL MVP) and is now a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

7: Career of Bill Buckner

Everybody remembers his time in Boston, or rather, everybody remembers one play from his time in Boston. But people forget that while a Cub, Buckner was one of the top first basemen in the National League. He led the NL in batting average in 1980, was tops in doubles in ’81 and ’83 and drove in 105 runs during the ’82 season. Still, his legacy will always be that one little ground ball.

6: Nomar Trade

In July of ’04, with both the Red Sox and Cubs needing to make moves to bolster their post-season chances, they anchored a four-team deal that moved Nomar Garciaparra to the North Side of Chicago. His career in Cubby Blue was an injury-filled disappointment, but considering what they gave up (Alex Gonzalez and two minor leaguers), the trade for Mr. Mia Hamn (and Matt Murton) can’t be deemed a failure for Chicago. And since the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, it’s didn’t hurt them either.

5: Bulls vs. Celtics, 2009 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

The first two games of this series featured a record-setting rookie performance, an overtime thriller, a pair of jaw-dropping shooting displays and a game-winning three with two seconds left. Game three featured nothing worth mentioning, but if the series reverts to its previous form, it has a chance to be a playoff classic.

4: Carlton Fisk

Fisk played his first nine seasons with the Red Sox, including the ’75 World Series, which included one of the most famous home runs in baseball history. Then in 1981 he went to the White Sox, playing his final 13 seasons on the South Side winning three Silver Sluggers as the league’s best hitting catcher. Fisk has a B on his cap in Cooperstown but there is a statue of him at the Cell, and his number (27 with Boston, 72 with Chicago) has been retired by both teams.

3: White Sox vs. Red Sox, 2005 ALDS

On their way to winning the 2005 World Series, the ChiSox knocked off the defending champion BoSox in a three-game sweep. The key play of the series occurred in game two, when in typical Red Sox fashion, a Juan Uribe ground ball that would’ve been an inning-ending DP went through the five hole of Tony Graffanino, extending the inning. Very next batter for Chicago, Tadahito Iguchi, hit a three-run bomb that gave the White Sox command of the game.

2: #23 goes for 63 in ‘86

I’d like to take this time to remind fans in Boston that the 72-10 Bulls squad from 1996, the real greatest NBA team ever, never allowed 63 points in a single game to a second-year player with an injured leg. Yes I know, the Jordan and the Bulls wound up losing this game. But you can be sure that if the roles were reversed, and Chicago was the team stacked with four future Hall-of-Famers, Larry Bird or any other man in green wouldn’t have come close to 63.

1: Super Bowl XX

The greatest game in Chicago sports history would be #1 on basically any list it applies for, and since it just happened to be against New England, it’s sits atop this one as well. So many amazing stats were the result of this 46-10 Bears beat down, my favorites being that the Patriots had -19 total yards at the end of the first half and that New England QB Tony Eason finished the game zero for six on passing attempts, the only Super Bowl starting signal-caller to not complete a pass.

Top Ten Chicago Bears Second Round Picks of All Time

Despite not having a first round pick in this year's draft, the Bears could still wind up selecting a player that has an impact on this team for years to come.

Is it going to be one of these players that Ricky talked about yesterday?

Only time will tell. But what we do know is that some of the best players in Bears history were snagged in the second round and here are the Top Ten.

10. Matt Forte – 2008

The rookie wunderkind blew away every expectation we could have come up with in his rookie season with the ballclub. He showed that he is more than capable of running either in between the tackles or sideline to sideline.

The future is even brighter for Forte now that the Bears have the services of Jay Cutler. I can't wait for the season start.

9. Mike Brown – 2000

Despite being plagued by injuries much of his career, Mike Brown's impact on the Bears will be felt for a long time.

He has a knack for coming up with a big play in the biggest of moments and his bone jarring hits still echo throughout Soldier Field.

8. Ron Rivera – 1984

Hola chico.

The name Ron Rivera remains fresh in the minds of Bears fans after a sour departure following the team's appearance in Super Bowl XLI.

Rivera played with the Bears for nine years, becoming both the first Puerto Rican or Mexican player in the league and the first to play in and win a Super Bowl.

7. Devin Hester – 2006

Devin Hester, you...are...mediocre?

Hester may have had a down year in 2008, but he is still the greatest return man the Bears ever had (no disrespect to Gayle Sayers). And there's still plenty of time left for him to regain his status as the league's best and possibly best of all time.

6. Charles Tillman – 2003

Is there anyone in the league better at stripping a football than Peanut?

Tillman's had more ups than downs in his career with the Bears and will remain a cornerstone of their secondary for years to come.

If you're like me, the everlasting image of Tillman you have in your mind is the game he ripped the ball away from Randy Moss in the end zone.

5. Matt Suhey – 1980

The man who plowed the way for the greatest running back of all time, Suhey was revered in the city of Chicago for his role on the 1985 Bears. Never once did you hear him complain about a lack of touches or limelight playing second fiddle to Payton.

He was as blue collar as they get and a symbol for everything the Bears fans expect from their players.

4. Bobby Douglass – 1969

Bobby Douglass was the original Randall Cunningham and one of the few Bears quarterbacks that could be considered above average. While nobody would ever confuse his passing abilities with those of the newly acquired Jay cutler, Douglass was in a class of his own with both feet on the ground.

In 1972, Douglass set the single season rushing record for a quarterback with an astounding 968 yards and eight touchdowns. That number was surpassed by Michael Vick in 1996.

The only difference? Vick had 16 games in his attempt to reach a record Douglass set in only 14 games.

3. Richie Petitbon – 1959

This rugged safety out of Tulane amassed 48 INT during his 13 year career while playing for the Bears, Rams and Redskins.

For fans too young to remember watching Petitbon patrol the secondary for the Bears, just imagine a more dominant version of Gary Fencik and you'll get the picture.

He was selected the Pro Bowl four times and named to the NFL All-Pro team five times before retiring and would eventually become head coach of the Washington Redskins.

2. Mike Singletary – 1981

Good old Samurai.

Long before he dropped his pants at halftime, Singletary was the heart and soul of the 1985 defense that is regarded by those who know anything about football as the greatest unit of all time. Opposing quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers needed only one look into the wide eyes of the Samurai before the fear set in.

Some of his accolades include 10 trips to the Pro Bowl, two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards and eight selections to the All Pro team.

Oh, and a little thing called the Hall of Fame.

1. Bill George – 1951

Credited with being the first middle linebacker in NFL history, Bill George was the origin of the mystique that surrounds this particular position for the Bears.

His accomplishments include eight consecutive Pro Bowl selections, eight All-Pro selections, 18 career interceptions and member of the NFL 1950's All-Decade Team.

George was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1974 and is still remembered as being the Bears toughest player of all time.

No small feat when you think of the legends the team has produced.