NBA Playoffs Odds: Chicago Bulls Look for 3-1 Series Lead vs Hawks
Sunday, May 08, 2011
by Bodog Sportsbook
For all those people who thought Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose didn’t deserve to be the NBA’s Most Valuable Player this year: Shut up. That’s how good Rose was in Friday night’s Game 3 of the Bulls’ Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Atlanta Hawks.
The youngest-ever NBA MVP hit 16 of 27 shots, including 4 of 7 3-pointers, to score a career-playoff high 44 points, along with seven assists and five rebounds, in a performance that will go down in Chicago lore behind that of only Michael Jordan. The Bulls dominated, 99-82, and can take total control of the series tonight – bet on Game 4 with Bodog Sportsbook’s NBA Playoffs Odds.
Rose, who shot just 38.9 percent in the first two games, shot 59.2 percent in Game 3. How dominant was Chicago? Hawks coach Larry Drew called his first timeout 49 seconds into the game with Atlanta down just 4-0, but he admitted that Chicago’s energy concerned him even that early. The Bulls cruised despite basically nothing from Carlos Boozer, who clearly is struggling through is turf toe injury. He had just six points and six rebounds and essentially was benched, playing only 22 minutes. Replacement Taj Gibson was terrific with 13 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks.
The Bulls have been a different club defensively since Game 1 when Atlanta’s Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford combined for 56 points. In Game 3, Johnson was 4-for-12 with just 10 points. Crawford had seven points. Those two combined for all of two points in the second half. The only bright spot was point guard Jeff Teague, who had 21 points. The Hawks are one of those teams that tends to lose focus: It was the eighth time this season Atlanta lost at Philips Arena by 15 points or more.
Can Atlanta bounce back in Game 4? Bet now at Bodog Sportsbook!
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atlanta hawks - carlos boozer - chicago bulls - derrick rose - jamal crawford - jeff teague - joe johnson - larry drew - michael jordan - taj gibson
