The Chicago Bulls were expected to showcase some playoff jitters during the team’s first postseason game following a league-best 62-win season, but few pegged the upstart Indiana Pacers to develop a double-digit lead with just under four minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Many pegged MVP candidate Derrick Rose(notes) to come through in the clutch for Chicago, though, and that’s exactly what All-Star guard did down the stretch for a Bulls team that seemed to gather confidence as the game went along.

Indiana roared out full of confidence, taking advantage of a sluggish Bulls team working through a noon local time start to Game 1. With all the pressure on Chicago, the 37-win Pacers were allowed to fling bombs at will, over-commit defensively on Rose, and let the Bulls own up to all those championship plaudits. The Bulls just couldn’t seem to break through against a Pacer team that was shooting way over its head. Indiana made 35 percent of its threes during the regular season, just under the league’s average, but Frank Vogel’s crew hit 10 of 18 during Game 1, a sizzling 55 percent.

All praise due to the hot hands, but Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau was succinct in his appraisal following the win, pointing out that Chicago “didn’t get it done [defensively] until the end of the game.” Though the Pacers had good looks, there was just something to Danny Granger’s(notes) hot hand, A.J. Price’s(notes) two three-point makes, and Tyler Hansbrough’s(notes) unending touch that didn’t seem long for Game 1.

So, caught in an unlikely shootout between the 23rd-ranked offense and the NBA’s top rated defense, Chicago relied on its likely star to do the most damage.

Rose was brilliant on his way toward 39 points. Though by his own admission he “didn’t hit a long range shot all game,” the Chicago native made up for his 0-8 mark from behind the three-point arc (including three long misses at the end of the first three quarters) by hitting 19 of 21 free throws.

Frustrated Pacer coach Frank Vogel was impressed with Rose, but he wasn’t exactly happy with Chicago’s point guard going to the line four more times than the entire Pacer team.

Rose is “impossible to take a charge on,” Vogel pointed out, before going on to add that there “should be a no-call” every time his players meet the Bulls All-Star in the air without hacking. “I looked at his 39 points,” Vogel said while glancing over the post-game box score, “and I am shocked.” Then again, what did Vogel predict would happen with a player he described as having “Allen Iverson’s quickness, Jason Kidd’s(notes) vision, [Chauncey] Billups’ shooting touch and Michael Jordan’s athleticism?”

Danny Granger was less fawning, in a way. Rose is “like a crazy stalker ex-girlfriend. Every time you tell her you don’t want to talk to her, she shows up at your door again.” So there’s that. Anything you’d like to discuss with us, Danny?

Rose’s final two and a half minutes featured seven points, two rebounds and two assists (one for an open three, one for a three-point play), all with the derring-do and TV-ready execution that has made him a must-watch player since entering the league in 2008. With rookie forward Paul George(notes) curiously guarding him over the final three minutes, Rose was able to turn the corner consistently, moving into empty spaces that had previously been filled up by the moving feet of Pacers center Roy Hibbert(notes).

And even after getting to the line 21 times, Rose looked fresh as, well, a Rose following the game.

When asked if the Pacers’ playoff fouls were a step up from the usual hacks and bumps he took in during the regular season, Rose was dismissive. The fouls were “hard, but not that hard. I knew they would be physical but I still tried to get to the basket.”

Aiding Rose along his way to a playoff career-high was Luol Deng(notes), who came through with a needed double-double, ending his afternoon with 18 points, 10 rebounds (five offensive), while finishing off several broken Chicago plays. Though Deng had his issues chasing Danny Granger (who led Indiana with 24 points) around the court, his surprisingly-poor defensive effectiveness shored up as the game moved along. The same couldn’t be said for Carlos Boozer(notes), who was one of several Bulls that allowed Tyler Hansbrough to notch 22 points in his NBA playoff debut, including six deep two-point jumpers.

Indiana just couldn’t sustain the shooting. The Bulls had allowed teams to shoot over 50 percent just 10 times in the regular season, and the Pacers managed just 38 percent from the field in four games against Chicago during the regular season (losing three times). And though the Pacers entered the fourth quarter shooting just under 51 percent, something had to give. Indiana managed just 35 percent from the field as the Bulls hounded them in the fourth, pulling in just three offensive rebounds (two coming in a fruitless final 10 seconds as Josh McRoberts(notes) was stuffed twice at the rim by Joakim Noah(notes)).

It was a startling peek into the two biggest elements behind Chicago’s just-as-startling 62-20 regular season run. Lights-out defense, punctuated by stunningly effective play from Rose.

And, typically, followed by a taciturn, focused post-game setting that sees both Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau (“This one is done. We have to learn from it, make our corrections and get ready for the next game. For us, what we got to do is go step by step. The next step is Monday’s practice”), and Rose eschewing all manner of soap opera-y narrative. Though Rose did loosen up long enough to admit that “life is pretty good” as the Bulls enter the playoffs with the league’s best record.

For Indiana, life has to be pretty frightening. They came at Chicago with a desperate, pell-mell attack, making shots they usually don’t make, and watching as Chicago missed shots they usually put in. And even though Indiana outplayed Chicago for about 44 minutes of a 48-minute game, they’re still staring at a 0-1 advantage before Game 2′s Tuesday tipoff.

Chicago? As it’s been all year, they’re looking toward their coach and top player as they point toward the team’s next practice. And we wonder where they get it from.

Related: Jason Kidd, Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng, Danny Granger, Joakim Noah, Josh McRoberts, Derrick Rose, Roy Hibbert, Tyler Hansbrough, A.J. Price, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, 2011 NBA Playoffs

The Chicago Bulls were expected to showcase some playoff jitters during the team’s first postseason game following a league-best 62-win season, but few pegged the upstart Indiana Pacers to develop a double-digit lead with just under four minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Many pegged MVP candidate Derrick Rose(notes) to come through in the clutch for Chicago, though, and that’s exactly what All-Star guard did down the stretch for a Bulls team that seemed to gather confidence as the game went along.

Indiana roared out full of confidence, taking advantage of a sluggish Bulls team working through a noon local time start to Game 1. With all the pressure on Chicago, the 37-win Pacers were allowed to fling bombs at will, over-commit defensively on Rose, and let the Bulls own up to all those championship plaudits. The Bulls just couldn’t seem to break through against a Pacer team that was shooting way over its head. Indiana made 35 percent of its threes during the regular season, just under the league’s average, but Frank Vogel’s crew hit 10 of 18 during Game 1, a sizzling 55 percent.

All praise due to the hot hands, but Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau was succinct in his appraisal following the win, pointing out that Chicago “didn’t get it done [defensively] until the end of the game.” Though the Pacers had good looks, there was just something to Danny Granger’s(notes) hot hand, A.J. Price’s(notes) two three-point makes, and Tyler Hansbrough’s(notes) unending touch that didn’t seem long for Game 1.

So, caught in an unlikely shootout between the 23rd-ranked offense and the NBA’s top rated defense, Chicago relied on its likely star to do the most damage.

Rose was brilliant on his way toward 39 points. Though by his own admission he “didn’t hit a long range shot all game,” the Chicago native made up for his 0-8 mark from behind the three-point arc (including three long misses at the end of the first three quarters) by hitting 19 of 21 free throws.

Frustrated Pacer coach Frank Vogel was impressed with Rose, but he wasn’t exactly happy with Chicago’s point guard going to the line four more times than the entire Pacer team.

Rose is “impossible to take a charge on,” Vogel pointed out, before going on to add that there “should be a no-call” every time his players meet the Bulls All-Star in the air without hacking. “I looked at his 39 points,” Vogel said while glancing over the post-game box score, “and I am shocked.” Then again, what did Vogel predict would happen with a player he described as having “Allen Iverson’s quickness, Jason Kidd’s(notes) vision, [Chauncey] Billups’ shooting touch and Michael Jordan’s athleticism?”

Danny Granger was less fawning, in a way. Rose is “like a crazy stalker ex-girlfriend. Every time you tell her you don’t want to talk to her, she shows up at your door again.” So there’s that. Anything you’d like to discuss with us, Danny?

Rose’s final two and a half minutes featured seven points, two rebounds and two assists (one for an open three, one for a three-point play), all with the derring-do and TV-ready execution that has made him a must-watch player since entering the league in 2008. With rookie forward Paul George(notes) curiously guarding him over the final three minutes, Rose was able to turn the corner consistently, moving into empty spaces that had previously been filled up by the moving feet of Pacers center Roy Hibbert(notes).

And even after getting to the line 21 times, Rose looked fresh as, well, a Rose following the game.

When asked if the Pacers’ playoff fouls were a step up from the usual hacks and bumps he took in during the regular season, Rose was dismissive. The fouls were “hard, but not that hard. I knew they would be physical but I still tried to get to the basket.”

Aiding Rose along his way to a playoff career-high was Luol Deng(notes), who came through with a needed double-double, ending his afternoon with 18 points, 10 rebounds (five offensive), while finishing off several broken Chicago plays. Though Deng had his issues chasing Danny Granger (who led Indiana with 24 points) around the court, his surprisingly-poor defensive effectiveness shored up as the game moved along. The same couldn’t be said for Carlos Boozer(notes), who was one of several Bulls that allowed Tyler Hansbrough to notch 22 points in his NBA playoff debut, including six deep two-point jumpers.

Indiana just couldn’t sustain the shooting. The Bulls had allowed teams to shoot over 50 percent just 10 times in the regular season, and the Pacers managed just 38 percent from the field in four games against Chicago during the regular season (losing three times). And though the Pacers entered the fourth quarter shooting just under 51 percent, something had to give. Indiana managed just 35 percent from the field as the Bulls hounded them in the fourth, pulling in just three offensive rebounds (two coming in a fruitless final 10 seconds as Josh McRoberts(notes) was stuffed twice at the rim by Joakim Noah(notes)).

It was a startling peek into the two biggest elements behind Chicago’s just-as-startling 62-20 regular season run. Lights-out defense, punctuated by stunningly effective play from Rose.

And, typically, followed by a taciturn, focused post-game setting that sees both Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau (“This one is done. We have to learn from it, make our corrections and get ready for the next game. For us, what we got to do is go step by step. The next step is Monday’s practice”), and Rose eschewing all manner of soap opera-y narrative. Though Rose did loosen up long enough to admit that “life is pretty good” as the Bulls enter the playoffs with the league’s best record.

For Indiana, life has to be pretty frightening. They came at Chicago with a desperate, pell-mell attack, making shots they usually don’t make, and watching as Chicago missed shots they usually put in. And even though Indiana outplayed Chicago for about 44 minutes of a 48-minute game, they’re still staring at a 0-1 advantage before Game 2′s Tuesday tipoff.

Chicago? As it’s been all year, they’re looking toward their coach and top player as they point toward the team’s next practice. And we wonder where they get it from.

Related: A.J. Price, Tyler Hansbrough, Roy Hibbert, Derrick Rose, Josh McRoberts, Joakim Noah, Danny Granger, Luol Deng, Jason Kidd, Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, 2011 NBA Playoffs

CHICAGO — Never mind what everyone else was thinking, Derrick Rose insisted he didn’t expect the Chicago Bulls to roll over the Indiana Pacers.

They certainly didn’t in Game 1.

Rose scored 39 points and found Kyle Korver for a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 48 seconds left, helping top-seeded Chicago stage a late rally to beat the Pacers 104-99 in their playoff opener today.

“We knew it was going to be a hard game,” Rose said. “From the beginning I guess we weren’t prepared for it. Next time I think we’ll be ready.”

For the Pacers, the loss was tough to accept. They controlled most of the game, but couldn’t put it away.

They’d make little runs, Chicago would come back, and the Pacers would pull ahead again. With Rose staring at them, Danny Granger never felt safe.

“With Derrick Rose on the other team? No,” Granger said. “With Derrick Rose on the other team, no. It’s like a crazy stalker ex-girlfriend. Everytime you tell her you don’t want to talk to her, she’ll show up at your door again.”

Trailing 98-88 in the final period, the Bulls showed the resolve that carried them to a league-best 62-20 record, closing with a 16-1 run over the final 3:38.

Rose scored seven during the impressive finish, including a three-point play and a floater that tied it at 99 with 1:27 left. He then hit Korver with a cross-court pass for a 3 that gave the Bulls their first lead at 102-99.

Danny Granger then missed a 3 and Joakim Noah got the rebound. Rose eventually hit two free throws with 14.8 seconds remaining.

Game 2 in this best-of-7 series is Monday night at the United Center.

Rose again showed why he is an MVP favorite even though he was off target. He missed each of his nine 3-point attempts but made 19 of 21 at the foul line and finished with six rebounds and six assists.

Luol Deng added 18 points and Korver finished with 13, no shot bigger than that 3.

Rose said an open 3 is “like a layup” for Korver, who credited the dynamic point guard for finding him.

“Derrick made a great read,” Korver said. “If my man helps, he’s going to kick it out to me. If he doesn’t help, he’s going to drive into the lane. That’s why it’s set up that way.”

Granger led Indiana with 24 points, and Tyler Hansbrough shook off an elbow from Kurt Thomas to finish with 22. Darren Collison scored 17, but had just two in the second half, and the Pacers came up just short in their first playoff game in five years.

Even so, they gave the Bulls all they could handle.

With the Pacers leading by 10, Deng hit two free throws with 3:28 remaining to start the comeback. Noah followed with a tip-in and dunk to make it a four-point game, and the Bulls were on their way.

Exactly how far they’ll go remains to be seen, but they’re certainly aiming high after securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They won nine straight and 21 of 23 down the stretch, and anything less than a big run would be a big disappointment.

Meanwhile, the Pacers will try to shake this one off and figure out how a game that looked so promising ended in defeat.

“We put forth a good effort, but who cares?” Granger said. “It’s 0-1.”

The Pacers were concerned late in the third quarter when Hansbrough was elbowed by Thomas as he was trying to rebound a miss by Rose. Hansbrough stayed down for several minutes and, still woozy, had to take a seat in the tunnel.

He eventually walked to the locker room on his own power. He returned with 5:33 remaining, and it looked as if he might lead the Pacers to a win.

Instead, the Bulls came surging back, erasing that deficit after Hansbrough hit back-to-back jumpers and converted a three-point play to make it 98-88. Now, they can breathe a little easier after a hard, physical game.

“Right now I’m feeling good and can’t wait to go eat,” Rose said.

For Indiana?

“This one hurts real bad,” Roy Hibbert said.

NOTES
Chicago held a 49-34 rebounding advantage. … The Bulls went 53-12 after a 9-8 start. … Former Bulls assistant Johnny Bach presented the game ball before the opening tip.

CHICAGO – Never mind what everyone else was thinking, Derrick Rose insisted he didn’t expect the Chicago Bulls to roll over the Indiana Pacers.

They certainly didn’t in Game 1.

Rose scored 39 points and found Kyle Korver for a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 48 seconds left, helping top-seeded Chicago stage a late rally to beat the Pacers 104-99 in their playoff opener on Saturday.

“We knew it was going to be a hard game,” Rose said. “From the beginning I guess we weren’t prepared for it. Next time I think we’ll be ready.”

For the Pacers, the loss was tough to accept. They controlled most of the game, but couldn’t put it away.

They’d make little runs, Chicago would come back, and the Pacers would pull ahead again. With Rose staring at them, Danny Granger never felt safe.

“With Derrick Rose on the other team? No,” Granger said. “With Derrick Rose on the other team, no. It’s like a crazy stalker ex-girlfriend. Everytime you tell her you don’t want to talk to her, she’ll show up at your door again.”

Trailing 98-88 in the final period, the Bulls showed the resolve that carried them to a league-best 62-20 record, closing with a 16-1 run over the final 3:38.

Rose scored seven during the impressive finish, including a three-point play and a floater that tied it at 99 with 1:27 left. He then hit Korver with a cross-court pass for a 3 that gave the Bulls their first lead at 102-99.

Danny Granger then missed a 3 and Joakim Noah got the rebound. Rose eventually hit two free throws with 14.8 seconds remaining.

Game 2 in this best-of-7 series is Monday night at the United Center.

Rose again showed why he is an MVP favorite even though he was off target. He missed each of his nine 3-point attempts but made 19 of 21 at the foul line and finished with six rebounds and six assists.

Luol Deng added 18 points and Korver finished with 13, no shot bigger than that 3.

Rose said an open 3 is “like a layup” for Korver, who credited the dynamic point guard for finding him.

“Derrick made a great read,” Korver said. “If my man helps, he’s going to kick it out to me. If he doesn’t help, he’s going to drive into the lane. That’s why it’s set up that way.”

Granger led Indiana with 24 points, and Tyler Hansbrough shook off an elbow from Kurt Thomas to finish with 22. Darren Collison scored 17, but had just two in the second half, and the Pacers came up just short in their first playoff game in five years.

Even so, they gave the Bulls all they could handle.

With the Pacers leading by 10, Deng hit two free throws with 3:28 remaining to start the comeback. Noah followed with a tip-in and dunk to make it a four-point game, and the Bulls were on their way.

Exactly how far they’ll go remains to be seen, but they’re certainly aiming high after securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They won nine straight and 21 of 23 down the stretch, and anything less than a big run would be a big disappointment.

Meanwhile, the Pacers will try to shake this one off and figure out how a game that looked so promising ended in defeat.

“We put forth a good effort, but who cares?” Granger said. “It’s 0-1.”

The Pacers were concerned late in the third quarter when Hansbrough was elbowed by Thomas as he was trying to rebound a miss by Rose. Hansbrough stayed down for several minutes and, still woozy, had to take a seat in the tunnel.

He eventually walked to the locker room on his own power. He returned with 5:33 remaining, and it looked as if he might lead the Pacers to a win.

Instead, the Bulls came surging back, erasing that deficit after Hansbrough hit back-to-back jumpers and converted a three-point play to make it 98-88. Now, they can breathe a little easier after a hard, physical game.

“Right now I’m feeling good and can’t wait to go eat,” Rose said.

For Indiana?

“This one hurts real bad,” Roy Hibbert said.

NOTES: Chicago held a 49-34 rebounding advantage. … The Bulls went 53-12 after a 9-8 start. … Former Bulls assistant Johnny Bach presented the game ball before the opening tip.

CHICAGO – Never mind what everyone else was thinking, Derrick Rose insisted he didn’t expect the Chicago Bulls to roll over the Indiana Pacers.

They certainly didn’t in Game 1.

Rose scored 39 points and found Kyle Korver for a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 48 seconds left, helping top-seeded Chicago stage a late rally to beat the Pacers 104-99 in their playoff opener on Saturday.

“We knew it was going to be a hard game,” Rose said. “From the beginning I guess we weren’t prepared for it. Next time I think we’ll be ready.”

For the Pacers, the loss was tough to accept. They controlled most of the game, but couldn’t put it away.

They’d make little runs, Chicago would come back, and the Pacers would pull ahead again. With Rose staring at them, Danny Granger never felt safe.

“With Derrick Rose on the other team? No,” Granger said. “With Derrick Rose on the other team, no. It’s like a crazy stalker ex-girlfriend. Everytime you tell her you don’t want to talk to her, she’ll show up at your door again.”

Trailing 98-88 in the final period, the Bulls showed the resolve that carried them to a league-best 62-20 record, closing with a 16-1 run over the final 3:38.

Rose scored seven during the impressive finish, including a three-point play and a floater that tied it at 99 with 1:27 left. He then hit Korver with a cross-court pass for a 3 that gave the Bulls their first lead at 102-99.

Danny Granger then missed a 3 and Joakim Noah got the rebound. Rose eventually hit two free throws with 14.8 seconds remaining.

Game 2 in this best-of-7 series is Monday night at the United Center.

Rose again showed why he is an MVP favorite even though he was off target. He missed each of his nine 3-point attempts but made 19 of 21 at the foul line and finished with six rebounds and six assists.

Luol Deng added 18 points and Korver finished with 13, no shot bigger than that 3.

Rose said an open 3 is “like a layup” for Korver, who credited the dynamic point guard for finding him.

“Derrick made a great read,” Korver said. “If my man helps, he’s going to kick it out to me. If he doesn’t help, he’s going to drive into the lane. That’s why it’s set up that way.”

Granger led Indiana with 24 points, and Tyler Hansbrough shook off an elbow from Kurt Thomas to finish with 22. Darren Collison scored 17, but had just two in the second half, and the Pacers came up just short in their first playoff game in five years.

Even so, they gave the Bulls all they could handle.

With the Pacers leading by 10, Deng hit two free throws with 3:28 remaining to start the comeback. Noah followed with a tip-in and dunk to make it a four-point game, and the Bulls were on their way.

Exactly how far they’ll go remains to be seen, but they’re certainly aiming high after securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They won nine straight and 21 of 23 down the stretch, and anything less than a big run would be a big disappointment.

Meanwhile, the Pacers will try to shake this one off and figure out how a game that looked so promising ended in defeat.

“We put forth a good effort, but who cares?” Granger said. “It’s 0-1.”

The Pacers were concerned late in the third quarter when Hansbrough was elbowed by Thomas as he was trying to rebound a miss by Rose. Hansbrough stayed down for several minutes and, still woozy, had to take a seat in the tunnel.

He eventually walked to the locker room on his own power. He returned with 5:33 remaining, and it looked as if he might lead the Pacers to a win.

Instead, the Bulls came surging back, erasing that deficit after Hansbrough hit back-to-back jumpers and converted a three-point play to make it 98-88. Now, they can breathe a little easier after a hard, physical game.

“Right now I’m feeling good and can’t wait to go eat,” Rose said.

For Indiana?

“This one hurts real bad,” Roy Hibbert said.

NOTES: Chicago held a 49-34 rebounding advantage. … The Bulls went 53-12 after a 9-8 start. … Former Bulls assistant Johnny Bach presented the game ball before the opening tip.

Read More: Derrick Rose (G – CHI), Tyler Hansbrough (F – IND), Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers

The Chicago Bulls played about 44 minutes of horrendous basketball, and they still came away with the victory.

With less than half of the quarter remaining, the Bulls found themselves down by ten points on their home floor against a completely over-matched Indiana Pacers team, and something clicked. Derrick Rose had a career playoff high in points, many of which came from the free throw line as the Bulls pulled ahead of the Indiana Pacers with a huge run late in the game.

After a bad first half, Danny Granger was absolutely unstoppable for the Pacers in the second half and really was key for their run, but not to be out done was power forward Tyler Hansbrough, who had his mid-range jumper working. Hansbrough, the former NCAA player of the year and National Champion at North Carolina, has really come on in the second half of the season for Indiana, and is one of the more intriguing players in the league right now. He was absolutely shredding the net from about 15-18 feet, and was virtually unstoppable.

For the Bulls, it was the worst 44 minutes of the season that I have seen, and I can say that with confidence. The Bulls were very fortunate for their offensive rebounding and the fact that Derrick Rose basically lived on the free throw line, because their deficit should have been much larger than it was.

Rose was ice cold from three-point range, and between he and starter Keith Bogans, they were 0-for-11 from beyond the arc. Still, the Bulls had two timely three point shots from Luol Deng, and as usual, Kyle Korver who hit the three that gave the Bulls their first lead in the game.

The Bulls need to find a way to harness the momentum they had at the end of this game, because the Pacers are going to be ticked off for their next game, and they have nothing to lose at this point. They have an interim head coach, and a team that barely scratched into the playoffs anyway—those teams can sometimes be the toughest to beat.

This series will resume on Monday where the Bulls will host the Pacers again with a 1-0 lead in the series.

Read More: Kyle Korver (F – CHI), Danny Granger (F – IND), Roy Hibbert (C – IND), Derrick Rose (G – CHI), Tyler Hansbrough (F – IND), Darren Collison (G – IND), Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls

With 3:38 to play, all was well for the Indiana Pacers.  Tyler Hansbrough had given the team a 98-88 lead after completing a three-point play and momentum rested squarely on Indiana’s side of the court.  However, the Pacers could not close the game out, allowing the Chicago Bulls to close with a 16-1 run, dropping Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs, 104-99.

Indiana led for all but the final 48.4 seconds, when Kyle Korver knocked down a three to put the Bulls up 102-99.

Hansbrough and Danny Granger carried the Pacers throughout the second half, with Granger scoring 18 of his 24 over the third and fourth quarters.  Hansbrough had 16 of his 22, but ultimately the Pacers could not get a bucket when it mattered most as Derrick Rose brought the Bulls back over the final 3:30.

A drive and finger roll brought Chicago within 99-97, and the prohibitive MVP favorite hit a floater on the next possession to knot the contest at 99 with 1:27 remaining.  

After Darren Collison lost an interior pass on the way up, Korver drilled his fourth three of the day to give Chicago its first lead of the game.  Korver finished a perfect 4 for 4 from long range in the contest.

Granger missed a quick jumper on the Pacers’ next possession, but after a defensive stand would have given Indiana one more chance at overtime, Indiana was not able to secure the rebound and the Bulls sealed the result with two Rose free throws.

Rose finished with a playoff career high 39 points, making up for a 0 for 9 shooting effort from three-point range by going 19 of 21 from the charity stripe.

Indiana led by as many as 12 points, building a 69-57 lead midway through the third quarter.  Seemingly answering every Chicago push, the Pacers took an eight-point edge into the final 12 minutes and were poised for the Game 1 upset before failing to connect on their final seven attempts from the field.

Darren Collison went toe-to-toe with Rose in the first two quarters, scoring 15 of his 17 in the game’s first 24 minutes, eventually finishing with 9 assists.  Roy Hibbert added 11, splitting a late pair of free throws that would have put Indiana ahead by six with two minutes to play.

Game 2 is set for Monday at the United Center. Tip is slated for 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

INDIANAPOLIS — Danny Granger hasn’t changed his mind.

The Indiana Pacers’ leading scorer still believes his team matches up better against Chicago than the Boston Celtics in the playoffs because of the Bulls’ reliance on Derrick Rose. Nor does he care if that opinion gets tacked to a bulletin board in the Bulls’ locker room as they prepare for Saturday’s opening game at the United Center.

“It’s the honest truth,” Granger said following the Pacers’ practice at Conseco Fieldhouse on Thursday.

“In the playoffs, you don’t need no bulletin-board material. Especially a team like Chicago; they’re the No. 1 seed and have their eyes on a championship, so they should be ready to play regardless.”

Granger’s recent statement wasn’t intended as an insult to the Bulls, and certainly wasn’t a slight to Rose. The Pacers tossed enough verbal bouquets at the point guard on Thursday to leave a scent that could be picked up in Chicago. Team president Larry Bird went first.

Bird, who achieved legendary status after leading Boston to three NBA championships in the 1980s, said he probably would have voted for Rose as the league’s Most Valuable Player if he had a ballot, with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James close behind.

“Rose seems to have taken his game to another level in a short period of time,” Bird said. “I knew he was a very talented player, but I didn’t know he was going to be this good. He’s quick, he’s strong, he’s powerful and he’s starting to hit his jump shot, which makes him almost impossible to guard.”

Even if some of the Pacers believe containing Rose makes the top-seeded Bulls a more beatable team than the Celtics or another Eastern Conference contender, they readily acknowledge the difficulty of doing that. Pacers point guard Darren Collison gives up three inches and at least 30 pounds to Rose, so he’s not equipped to do the job alone.

“It’s more how we defend,” Collison said. “If we’re not tied in together and don’t trust each other, it doesn’t matter how much film we watch.”

The Pacers will try multiple defenders on Rose — 6-foot-6 defensive specialist Dahntay Jones will get a shot as well — but they’re hoping to make the task a group effort. They’ve devoted much of their recent practice time to defending the Bulls’ screening action for Rose, and plan to rotate and give help when he does penetrate.

All of which is more easily drawn up and discussed than actually done, Pacers coach Frank Vogel admitted.

“His speed and size are unparalleled,” said Vogel, who took over for the fired Jim O’Brien on Jan. 30. “He’s definitely the fastest guy in the NBA. He’s got Allen Iverson quickness, but he’s very strong. Chauncey Billups strong. That combination is a killer, so you try to make him beat you from the perimeter but he’s now established that he’s a great jump-shooter. It’s a pick-your-poison type of thing with him. He’s got it all.”

Mark Montieth is a freelance writer based in Indianapolis.

After a needlessly overwrought season that seemed to start all the way back in July with LeBron James’(notes) “Decision,” the playoffs are finally here. After months of waiting, we’re at a point where we don’t have to qualify every on or off-court decision with the caveat that reminds us that we’re not yet at playoff time. No, we’re at playoff time. It’s the freakin’ playoffs, cats and kittens, and I can hear your goosebumps popping from here. Gross.

So come heed my middling mutterings, alongside the staggering genius of Dan Devine and Eric Freeman, as we discuss the opening round.

In this episode, the Indiana Pacers take on the Chicago Bulls.

Save for any feature that includes the hallowed-out shell that is the New Orleans Hornets, this is the only first round series where the yearly “I pick the _____ in two games” joke works. Chicago finished the season with the NBA’s best record, and the Pacers are one of the worst playoff teams in NBA history, and this series is expected by many resolve itself rather quickly.

Indiana has had its moments this season, and as someone who lives in the Hoosier State (though not exactly supporting the team), I’m glad to see the Pacers playing meaningful games deep into the Indiana spring. But Chicago has had the best record in the NBA since December, tearing along at a 53-12 pace, with a  league-best defense working alongside an ever-improving offense.

The hope is that Indiana can compete with Chicago, and that’s a fair expectation. The team’s spacing, provided the Pacers hit shots, can work its way toward acting as the sort of Achilles’ heel that has bothered Chicago all season. Though the Bulls are tops in the NBA at three-point shooting defense, spaced-out teams with a Euro-styled drive-and-kick attack can get to Chicago, and the Pacers (leaning on Reggie Miller’s influence) sure can kick.

Indiana is also the only team in Chicago’s division to take down the Bulls this season, a remarkable accomplishment for both sides, even considering the miserable ways in which the Central Division worked this year. At its best, the Pacers have bangers, shooters, the ability to leak in transition, and streaky guys that can get hot at the wrong time.

Chicago hasn’t had a wrong time since December, though. And even if the record starts at 0-0 after an 82-game slogfest, Chicago is still playing fantastic basketball as it enters the postseason. Nerves and the weight of expectations can get to Chicago after a while, but against a limited team like the Pacers? It won’t matter. Indiana will be relying on pin-point shooting to dodge these Bulls. Chicago will be relying on defense, which is a lot easier to execute than nailing 25-footers with Luol Deng’s(notes) hand in your face.

My pick? Chicago in four.

***

Dan Devine presents …

Welcome back to “PLAAAAAAAAAAYOFFS!” It’s that time of year again, sports fans! This postseason, who will survive and thrive? Who will spit the bit? And who’s going to come up with a third thing that rhymes?

Here to give you their made-up takes on the key X-factors, O-multiples and Zeeman effects of Bulls/Pacers are 7-foot-4 Utah Jazz center-turned-celebrity motivational speaker Mark Eaton and 310-year veteran/olde-tyme crustbucket Ol’ Man Howard!

Mark Eaton: All right, Ol’ Buddy Ol’ Pal, let’s take a closer look at this first-round matchup between Chicago and Indiana.  I’ll tell you what: Nobody seems to be giving the Pacers a real chance to win this series. How can they pull the upset?

Ol’  Man Howard: First step, to my mind? Up Solomon Jones’(notes) playing time by a score-and-eight. Upright name. Work-the-earth-type name. Good, strong name like that? Oughtter be playing 40 minutes a night.

ME: That would definitely be a surprising tactical move. Jones has never played more than 34 minutes in a game in his five years in the NBA, and has appeared in just three games since Frank Vogel took the reins in Indiana back in February.

OMH: Only book that counts says, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” Your book don’t count for squat. Your book’ll burn, Leviathan. Best believe your book’ll burn.

ME: Ha-HA! Oh, Olie, you irascible so-and-so! Borderline lunatic takes and obtuse angles about reserve big men, justified using selections from Psalm 118! That is what basketball analysis is all about! For my money, the matchup to watch in this series will be at the four-spot, between a pair of guys who really know how to GO FOR IT: Carlos Boozer(notes) and Tyler Hansbrough(notes).

OMH: Nope. Gonna be terrible.

ME: Oh, I can see it now. Carlos’ near-constant yelling to show everyone how hard he’s working, pitted against Tyler’s hustlefaces, which pack enough determination to level an adobe hut. That’s a head-to-head made in heaven for a guy like me, who’s staked much of his life on the belief that the most important part of “motorvation” is the “motor.”

OMH: That’s not the word. Heck, it ain’t even a word.

ME: But it is a world. Of possibilities.

OMH: …

ME: Also, Omer Asik’s(notes) play is so beautiful that it makes me cry. Bulls in 4.

OMH: The Creator, in His infinite wisdom, made me without tear ducts. Bulls in 4.

(Editor’s note: Dan also picks the Bulls in 4.)

***

Eric Freeman’s Reputation Index

The regular season counts, but the postseason is where reputations are made. Tracy McGrady(notes) never won a playoff series and will always be seen as a disappointment. Derek Fisher(notes) lacks several fundamental basketball skills but will always be seen as a champion because he makes big shots when it counts. Chauncey Billups(notes) owes his entire nickname to the 2004 playoffs. The point being that playoff performance skews national perception of NBA players beyond all reason. In that vein, behold the BDL Reputations Index, your guide to what’s at stake for the top names in the first round.

BULLS

Derrick Rose(notes): Rose is almost certain to be the NBA MVP this season, and he’ll be deserving. Yet, despite the fact that he’s vaulted himself into a small group of the best players in the league, he won’t solidify a spot alongside LeBron, Kobe, and others unless he takes the Bulls far into the playoffs. Beating the Pacers shouldn’t be much of a problem. But if Rose doesn’t perform like an MVP, even against an overmatched squad, we may begin to see a greater backlash against his MVP credentials among the general public.

Tom Thibodeau: The Bulls’ defensive improvement this season has been drastic, and Thibs deserves most of the credit for it. In the playoffs, though, tactical and strategic acumen is often just as important as holding a psychological edge. Thibodeau is obsessive genius when it comes to putting his players in the right spots, but does he have the ability to keep his team from playing too tight in their first postseason as favorites? If he does, he’ll take the nearly unprecedented step of being widely seen as one of the league’s best head coaches in only his first season at the helm.

PACERS

Danny Granger(notes): Granger has been an All-Star, but few NBA observers are convinced that he’s a legitimate first option for a perennial playoff participant. This is a relatively smart opinion, mostly because the Pacers haven’t looked like a playoff team for all but a few months. Indiana’s not going to win this series, and they might not win a single game. But this series is nevertheless the start of Granger’s postseason career, and if he looks good, he may make a greater name for himself beyond fantasy leagues.

Roy Hibbert(notes): Early in this season, Hibbert looked like a top candidate for Most Improved Player. He then hit a dry spell to fall out of the running. In 2011, Hibbert has been a far improved player. Again, no one expects the Pacers to give the Bulls a serious challenge in this series. But if Hibbert can play reasonably well against the vaunted Chicago defense, he may find himself mentioned again among the most promising young big men in the league.

My pick? Bulls in four.

Related: Tyler Hansbrough, Omer Asik, Derrick Rose, Roy Hibbert, Danny Granger, Luol Deng, LeBron James, Carlos Boozer, Tracy McGrady, Chauncey Billups, Derek Fisher, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Hornets, Utah Jazz, BDL Playoff Previews

After a needlessly overwrought season that seemed to start all the way back in July with LeBron James’(notes) “Decision,” the playoffs are finally here. After months of waiting, we’re at a point where we don’t have to qualify every on or off-court decision with the caveat that reminds us that we’re not yet at playoff time. No, we’re at playoff time. It’s the freakin’ playoffs, cats and kittens, and I can hear your goosebumps popping from here. Gross.

So come heed my middling mutterings, alongside the staggering genius of Dan Devine and Eric Freeman, as we discuss the opening round.

In this episode, the Indiana Pacers take on the Chicago Bulls.

Save for any feature that includes the hallowed-out shell that is the New Orleans Hornets, this is the only first round series where the yearly “I pick the _____ in two games” joke works. Chicago finished the season with the NBA’s best record, and the Pacers are one of the worst playoff teams in NBA history, and this series is expected by many resolve itself rather quickly.

Indiana has had its moments this season, and as someone who lives in the Hoosier State (though not exactly supporting the team), I’m glad to see the Pacers playing meaningful games deep into the Indiana spring. But Chicago has had the best record in the NBA since December, tearing along at a 53-12 pace, with a  league-best defense working alongside an ever-improving offense.

The hope is that Indiana can compete with Chicago, and that’s a fair expectation. The team’s spacing, provided the Pacers hit shots, can work its way toward acting as the sort of Achilles’ heel that has bothered Chicago all season. Though the Bulls are tops in the NBA at three-point shooting defense, spaced-out teams with a Euro-styled drive-and-kick attack can get to Chicago, and the Pacers (leaning on Reggie Miller’s influence) sure can kick.

Indiana is also the only team in Chicago’s division to take down the Bulls this season, a remarkable accomplishment for both sides, even considering the miserable ways in which the Central Division worked this year. At its best, the Pacers have bangers, shooters, the ability to leak in transition, and streaky guys that can get hot at the wrong time.

Chicago hasn’t had a wrong time since December, though. And even if the record starts at 0-0 after an 82-game slogfest, Chicago is still playing fantastic basketball as it enters the postseason. Nerves and the weight of expectations can get to Chicago after a while, but against a limited team like the Pacers? It won’t matter. Indiana will be relying on pin-point shooting to dodge these Bulls. Chicago will be relying on defense, which is a lot easier to execute than nailing 25-footers with Luol Deng’s(notes) hand in your face.

My pick? Chicago in four.

***

Dan Devine presents …

Welcome back to “PLAAAAAAAAAAYOFFS!” It’s that time of year again, sports fans! This postseason, who will survive and thrive? Who will spit the bit? And who’s going to come up with a third thing that rhymes?

Here to give you their made-up takes on the key X-factors, O-multiples and Zeeman effects of Bulls/Pacers are 7-foot-4 Utah Jazz center-turned-celebrity motivational speaker Mark Eaton and 310-year veteran/olde-tyme crustbucket Ol’ Man Howard!

Mark Eaton: All right, Ol’ Buddy Ol’ Pal, let’s take a closer look at this first-round matchup between Chicago and Indiana.  I’ll tell you what: Nobody seems to be giving the Pacers a real chance to win this series. How can they pull the upset?

Ol’  Man Howard: First step, to my mind? Up Solomon Jones’(notes) playing time by a score-and-eight. Upright name. Work-the-earth-type name. Good, strong name like that? Oughtter be playing 40 minutes a night.

ME: That would definitely be a surprising tactical move. Jones has never played more than 34 minutes in a game in his five years in the NBA, and has appeared in just three games since Frank Vogel took the reins in Indiana back in February.

OMH: Only book that counts says, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” Your book don’t count for squat. Your book’ll burn, Leviathan. Best believe your book’ll burn.

ME: Ha-HA! Oh, Olie, you irascible so-and-so! Borderline lunatic takes and obtuse angles about reserve big men, justified using selections from Psalm 118! That is what basketball analysis is all about! For my money, the matchup to watch in this series will be at the four-spot, between a pair of guys who really know how to GO FOR IT: Carlos Boozer(notes) and Tyler Hansbrough(notes).

OMH: Nope. Gonna be terrible.

ME: Oh, I can see it now. Carlos’ near-constant yelling to show everyone how hard he’s working, pitted against Tyler’s hustlefaces, which pack enough determination to level an adobe hut. That’s a head-to-head made in heaven for a guy like me, who’s staked much of his life on the belief that the most important part of “motorvation” is the “motor.”

OMH: That’s not the word. Heck, it ain’t even a word.

ME: But it is a world. Of possibilities.

OMH: …

ME: Also, Omer Asik’s(notes) play is so beautiful that it makes me cry. Bulls in 4.

OMH: The Creator, in His infinite wisdom, made me without tear ducts. Bulls in 4.

(Editor’s note: Dan also picks the Bulls in 4.)

***

Eric Freeman’s Reputation Index

The regular season counts, but the postseason is where reputations are made. Tracy McGrady(notes) never won a playoff series and will always be seen as a disappointment. Derek Fisher(notes) lacks several fundamental basketball skills but will always be seen as a champion because he makes big shots when it counts. Chauncey Billups(notes) owes his entire nickname to the 2004 playoffs. The point being that playoff performance skews national perception of NBA players beyond all reason. In that vein, behold the BDL Reputations Index, your guide to what’s at stake for the top names in the first round.

BULLS

Derrick Rose(notes): Rose is almost certain to be the NBA MVP this season, and he’ll be deserving. Yet, despite the fact that he’s vaulted himself into a small group of the best players in the league, he won’t solidify a spot alongside LeBron, Kobe, and others unless he takes the Bulls far into the playoffs. Beating the Pacers shouldn’t be much of a problem. But if Rose doesn’t perform like an MVP, even against an overmatched squad, we may begin to see a greater backlash against his MVP credentials among the general public.

Tom Thibodeau: The Bulls’ defensive improvement this season has been drastic, and Thibs deserves most of the credit for it. In the playoffs, though, tactical and strategic acumen is often just as important as holding a psychological edge. Thibodeau is obsessive genius when it comes to putting his players in the right spots, but does he have the ability to keep his team from playing too tight in their first postseason as favorites? If he does, he’ll take the nearly unprecedented step of being widely seen as one of the league’s best head coaches in only his first season at the helm.

PACERS

Danny Granger(notes): Granger has been an All-Star, but few NBA observers are convinced that he’s a legitimate first option for a perennial playoff participant. This is a relatively smart opinion, mostly because the Pacers haven’t looked like a playoff team for all but a few months. Indiana’s not going to win this series, and they might not win a single game. But this series is nevertheless the start of Granger’s postseason career, and if he looks good, he may make a greater name for himself beyond fantasy leagues.

Roy Hibbert(notes): Early in this season, Hibbert looked like a top candidate for Most Improved Player. He then hit a dry spell to fall out of the running. In 2011, Hibbert has been a far improved player. Again, no one expects the Pacers to give the Bulls a serious challenge in this series. But if Hibbert can play reasonably well against the vaunted Chicago defense, he may find himself mentioned again among the most promising young big men in the league.

My pick? Bulls in four.

Related: Tyler Hansbrough, Omer Asik, Roy Hibbert, Derrick Rose, Danny Granger, Luol Deng, LeBron James, Carlos Boozer, Tracy McGrady, Chauncey Billups, Derek Fisher, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Hornets, Utah Jazz, BDL Playoff Previews

Read More: Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls hope to make quick work of the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs, and they’ll get an opportunity to burst out of the gate with the league’s first postseason game. The Bulls, who on Wednesday claimed the top record in the NBA, host the Pacers Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.

If Chicago sweeps, the series could be over as soon as a week from Saturday. But Indiana will be pressing to stretch it out and get back to Chicago for a Game 5 on April 26.

Here’s the full schedule:

Game 1: Sat., April 16 in Chicago, 1 p.m ET, ESPN
Game 2: Mon., April 18 in Chicago, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3: Thu., April 21 in Indiana, TBD, NBA TV
Game 4: Sat., April 23 in Indiana, TBD, TNT
Game 5: Tue., April 26 in Chicago (if needed)
Game 6: Thu., April 28 in Indiana (if needed)
Game 7: Sat., April 30 in Chicago (if needed)

Be sure to check out our Bulls vs. Pacers preview.

Read More: Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls hope to make quick work of the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs, and they’ll get an opportunity to burst out of the gate with the league’s first postseason game. The Bulls, who on Wednesday claimed the top record in the NBA, host the Pacers Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.

If Chicago sweeps, the series could be over as soon as a week from Saturday. But Indiana will be pressing to stretch it out and get back to Chicago for a Game 5 on April 26.

Here’s the full schedule:

Game 1: Sat., April 16 in Chicago, 1 p.m ET, ESPN
Game 2: Mon., April 18 in Chicago, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3: Thu., April 21 in Indiana, TBD, NBA TV
Game 4: Sat., April 23 in Indiana, TBD, TNT
Game 5: Tue., April 26 in Chicago (if needed)
Game 6: Thu., April 28 in Indiana (if needed)
Game 7: Sat., April 30 in Chicago (if needed)

Be sure to check out our Bulls vs. Pacers preview.

Read More: Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls

We’ve known for nearly a week the Indiana Pacers would return to the playoffs this season after a five-year absence. We’ve known that they would face the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round. But we didn’t know, until now, when that series would start.

The NBA announced the Pacers’ series against the Bulls will begin Saturday, April 16, at United Center. The game will tip at noon Central time. ESPN will have the national telecast.

The league has yet to determine dates, times, and broadcast information for the subsequent games in the series, but will likely do so late Wednesday night, once each game on it schedule has ended.

The Pacers are heavy underdogs in this series. as Tom Ziller explains, there is only a four percent chance Indiana pulls off the upset. In 70 percent of his calculations, the Bulls win the series in four or five games.

For more on the Pacers, please visit Indy Cornrows. If you’d like the perspective from the other side, check out SB Nation Chicago and BlogABull.

A breakdown of the Pacers-Bulls first-round series:

Story line: The Bulls enter this series having put together a very strong closing run, going 23-3 since the trading deadline and serving notice to the rest of the East that they’re not just a young team happy to accrue some playoff experience. No, this team really thinks it can win this year. The Pacers, on the other hand, are 37-44 with one to play and just happy to log a little playoff experience.

Stars: Point guard Derrick Rose is likely to win this year’s MVP, and the Pacers will be hard-pressed to slow him down on the perimeter—point guard Darren Collison is quick, but he can’t match Rose’s combination of speed and strength. The Pacers do have good shot-blockers and are seventh in the league when it comes to keeping teams from scoring in the paint. But Rose will put a lot of pressure on Indiana’s big men. Danny Granger has had a down year for the Pacers this season, averaging 20.5 points on 42.5 percent shooting, but he is the only Indiana starter who has playoff experience.

Role players: This has been a breakthrough year for Pacers power forward Tyler Hansbrough, who didn’t play much as a rookie because of myriad health issues. If the Pacers win a game or two in this series, it will likely be because Hansbrough has a big game—he had 29 points and 12 rebounds in the Pacers’ upset of the Bulls in March. For Chicago, keep an eye on Luol Deng. He is the third wheel on the offense after Rose and Carlos Boozer, but his consistency has been valuable for the team.

Benches: The Bulls don’t have any standout scorers coming off the bench, but they do have a well-constructed set of reserves. In the frontcourt, Kurt Thomas is a smart, veteran big man, Taj Gibson was a starter last season and Omer Asik is a high-motor rookie center. C.J. Watson is a capable reserve point guard and a solid shooter from the 3-point line. Ronnie Brewer (defense) and Kyle Korver (shooting) give coach Tom Thibodeau options on the wings. The Pacers bench, anchored by big man Josh McRoberts and guard Mike Dunleavy, just can’t match up.

Xs and Os: One thing that Pacers coach Frank Vogel changed after he replaced Jim O’Brien was the team’s reliance on the 3-point shot—they took 22.8 per game under O’Brien and just 16.9 per game under Vogel. That should help the Pacers in this series, because Thibodeau gets his team to play very tough perimeter defense. Chicago leads the league in 3-point field-goal percentage allowed.

Number that matters: 27.0. Rose’s scoring average against Indiana this year. He scored 42 in their last meeting, though the Pacers won the game.

Outlook: The Pacers are the youngest team in the Eastern Conference playoffs, and they’re coming into this situation hoping to play well and maybe get a win or two. A series win, though, is out of the question. Bulls in five.