INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers point guard Darren Collison, who sprained his left ankle in the second quarter of Monday’s game against the Chicago Bulls, remains optimistic he can play on Thursday in Game 3.

Pacers coach Frank Vogel, however, is preparing as if he won’t.

Collison was dressed for Wednesday’s practice but did not participate in live action.

“Right now it’s feeling better than [Tuesday], so I expect tomorrow it should be feeling even better,” Collison said.

Although the official team prognosis for Collison is “day to day,” Vogel said he considers him doubtful for Thursday’s game and is preparing to start A.J. Price and play T.J. Ford off the bench.

“We’re hoping for the best, but we’re listing him as doubtful,” Vogel said. “He’s still very sore. He’s going to try to give it a go but I’m preparing to not have him.”

Mark Montieth is a special contributor to ESPNChicago.com.

Rose, Bulls build 2-0 lead over Pacers

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) – The Chicago Bulls continued to have their hands
full with the Indiana Pacers in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series,
but Derrick Rose once again carried the load in Game 2 with 36 points, eight
rebounds and six assists en route to a tight 96-90 victory.

Kyle Korver hit a go-ahead three-pointer during Chicago’s game-ending 16-1 run
in the series opener, and drained another critical three with 1:04 remaining
on Monday after the Pacers cut their deficit to two.

The Bulls, who got 17 points and 16 rebounds from Carlos Boozer, sealed the
victory at the free throw line and will carry a 2-0 series lead into Game 3
Thursday in Indianapolis.

The Pacers stayed close against the top-seeded Bulls despite playing the
second half without Darren Collison after the up-and-coming point guard
suffered a sprained ankle. Danny Granger paced Indiana with 19 points.

04/19 00:43:28 ET

Read More: Derrick Rose (G – CHI), Joakim Noah (C – CHI), Indiana Pacers

Derrick Rose scored 36 points as the Chicago Bulls held off the Indiana Pacers 96-90 on Monday night in Game 2 of their playoff series. The Bulls now lead the series 2-0.

Danny Granger brought the Pacers within two points at 85-83 with 74 seconds left before Joakim Noah took two dribbles down the lane and kicked to Korver, who knocked down his only three of the game to put Chicago ahead, 90-85, with 1:04 showing on the clock.

The Pacers went directly at Noah on their next possession, as the center was playing with five personal fouls. However, Roy Hibbert was called for a questionable offensive foul on his hook shot, negating Paul George’s putback. Indiana had one more chance after A.J. Price hit three free throws after being fouled by Derrick Rose, but Chicago knocked down its final six free throws to seal the result.

Game 3 is set for Thursday night at Conseco Fieldhouse with tip-off coming on NBA TV and FSIndiana at 7 p.m. ET.

For more on this series, Chicago fans should check out Blog A Bull and SB Nation Chicago while Indiana fans should visit Indy Cornrows and SB Nation Indiana.

Read More: Mike Dunleavy (G – IND), Carlos Boozer (F – CHI), Derrick Rose (G – CHI), Darren Collison (G – IND), Paul George (G – IND), Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls

The Indiana Pacers have now led the Chicago Bulls for five of six quarters in the first two games of their series, holding the halftime lead for the second straight contest, 47-44, over the Bulls.  However, the Pacers may be without the services of Darren Collison in the second half, after the point guard sprained his left ankle after turning it in the photographers well following a layup.

Getting a balanced effort across the lineup, nine of the 10 Pacers who have appeared in the game have scored.  At the beginning of the second, it was Mike Dunleavy who got Indiana going to start the frame, knocking down consecutive buckets to notch his first career playoff points.

Indiana eventually built a nine-point lead in the quarter, taking a 43-34 advantage on a Paul George three coming out of a timeout.  However, after Collison’s injury, Chicago closed the quarter on an 8-2 burst.

The Bulls have shot 17 free throws in the game, but have converted just 11, while the Pacers are 10-of-12 from the charity stripe.  Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer have been the beneficiaries of the whistles, combining for 13 of Chicago’s freebies.  Both players have 13 points to lead all scorers. 

By Zachary Lee – Bulls Contributor

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Apr 18, 2011 - In previewing Game 2, what would probably be most fun would be to relive the last 3:29 of game one and the Derrick Rose-fueled 16-1 run that allowed the Bulls to steal it. But since this article’s goal is prognostication, the 45 minutes where the Bulls were largely outplayed must be examined just as closely.

The Pacers offense, when shots are falling, is flat-out dangerous. Their spacing Saturday was some of the best I’ve seen this year, and although Darren Collison has been inconsistent initiating the Pacers offense in his first year on the team, he was impressive in his playoff debut as a starter. Danny Granger is a flat-out professional, and Tyler Hansbrough’s energy gave the Bulls fits inside all afternoon.

All that said, the Pacers put forth one of their best efforts of the year on a day when their shots were falling. The knock on Indiana is that their effort wanes when the iron is unkind. As we witnessed in the games final minutes, which were understandably brutal for an underdog on the road against a player who took his game into the stratosphere, the Pacers offense bogged down when the jumpers stopped going in. Without a crunch time answer to stop the massive swing in momentum from the Bulls, the Pacers simply wilted.

After the game, to absolutely no one’s surprise, Tom Thibodeau had a lot to say about the Bulls defensive effort. Chicago didn’t come out flat, but they didn’t match Indiana’s energy, which resulted in slow rotations, poor recovery on pick and rolls and most of all, bad close-outs on shots.

When the Bulls eventually did lock down on D, it was Joakim Noah’s defensive energy and length that keyed the effort. As good as the season has gone for Chicago in his absence, it’s easy to forget how much Noah means to the Bulls for the energy he provides. And while I hate it when writers lean on “energy” to describe a “gritty” player’s value, with Noah it is almost quantifiable. He is the Bulls best two-way defender, able to guard on the perimeter and enforce in the paint. As Thibodeau has said, Chicago will need Noah at his best if they are to compete for a championship. With the long layoffs between games and only 30 minutes played on Saturday, nothing would be better for the Bulls than a classic 12-point, 14-rebound, 2-block Noah performance.

Rose scored an absolutely brilliant 39 points on Saturday, which is crazy considering he went 0-9 from distance. He was simply unstoppable off the dribble, scoring at will and hitting 19-21 from the free throw line. But going forward he will need to involve his teammates more, especially inside with Carlos Boozer and Noah. The Bulls struggled to score when he wasn’t in the game Saturday, and as the team’s floor leader and point guard he will need to work harder to keep the offense balanced. You saw just how effective that could be during the game’s final minutes when, between his own drives to the hoop, he found Noah streaking down the lane for a dunk and then Korver for what was ultimately the game-winning shot.

Last but not least, Boozer must play well for the Bulls to ultimately succeed. And while it is up to Boozer to step up his game, Thibodeau needs to scheme plays to get Booz involved early, and his teammates need to deliver the ball where he is most comfortable. The Bulls will need his scoring and rebounding before this ride is over.

At the risk of looking silly on Tuesday, I expect Monday night’s game to go in the Bulls’ favor rather easily. The Pacers hit an inordinate number of jumpshots beyond 15 feet Saturday, something they’ll be hard-pressed to repeat two games in a row on the road. Thibodeau has made adjustments as well as anyone in the league all year (look at the Bulls’ success in 3rd quarters for evidence), and he will have a plan to keep the Pacers from a second straight night of getting to virtually any spot they wanted on the floor.

Finally, can the Bulls never, ever play another noon playoff game please? There’s little more embarrassing than needing a mid-day nap after the adrenaline wore off from that crazy win.

Game 2 begins at 8:30 CDT Monday night at the United Center. CSN Chicago has the call, with national coverage also on TNT.

Read More: Carlos Boozer (F – CHI), Danny Granger (F – IND), Joakim Noah (C – CHI), Derrick Rose (G – CHI), Tyler Hansbrough (F – IND), Darren Collison (G – IND), Tom Thibodeau (A – BOS), Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls, Apr 18, 2011 8:30 PM CDT

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

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

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.

INDIANPOLIS (WISH) – Indiana Pacers fans can show their spirit at a pep rally at midday Friday. 

 

The rally, planned from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday in the Food Court at Circle Centre Mall, will feature music by local band Dave & Rae, face painting and balloons and appearances by special Pacers celebrities including Boomer and the Pacemates, and local VIPs, including Mayor Greg Ballard. Posters and cheer cards will be distributed.

Ballard also has declared Friday “Indiana Pacers Blue and Gold Friday” ahead of the Indiana Pacers’ first post-season appearance since the 2005-06 season, and is encouraging residents to don the Pacers colors in a show of team spirit.

The Pacers are set to play the No. 1-seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs. The first game is Saturday at the United Center in Chicago. The Pacers will return to Conseco Fieldhouse for games 3 and 4 on April 21 and 23.

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

The Chicago Bulls will open their NBA playoff schedule by hosting the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of their series on Saturday, April 16, at 1 p.m. ET at the United Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and local cable partners of the teams. It will be the first game of the 2011 NBA Playoffs; two other East series kick off on Saturday, and at least one West series should as well. (None of the West’s four playoff series are yet set.)

The rest of the series schedule has yet to be announced, but expect 1-2 days of rest between games. Because it begins on Saturday and the Bulls are such heavy favorites, the Chicago-Indiana series has the greatest likelihood of ending earlier than any other first-round series.

The Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks also tip off on Saturday, and Orlando is expected to handle Atlanta quickly. The winner of that series will meet the winner of Bulls-Pacers.