i do think the refs made it harder to win this game, but their calls (esp. the ones against chauncey in the third) didn't make it impossible.

our players were still making decisions, on every play both offensively and defensively, and many of them were bad decisions.

the bulls heating up (as compared to the first two games and the second half of the third) should make the games close, but it shouldn't lead to a chicago blow-out.

what drove me crazy last night, more than anything, was our utter paralysis on offense: nobody was moving, play after play: rip one on one while the other four guys stand still ont he other side of the floor, sheed one on one on the block while the other four guys stand still on the other side of the floor, tay one on one on the lbock while the other four guys stand still on the other side of the floor, chauncey one on one from the toop of the key while the two guys stand still on either side of him. NO MOVEMENT WITHOUT THE BALL AND NO MOVEMENT OF THE BALL. chicago's a good defensive team, but we made it easy too easy for them.

this was key, for example, when we had the score at 68-62 with the ball: rip took a bad shot (i don't remember where the other four guys were, but probably they were standing still on the other side of hte floor), chi rebounded and scored, then, yes, cb got his fourth foul and it was the beginning of the end. but even then, down 8 or 10, without cb, they still could have played like the veteran team they are and remembered to run an offense.

and this adjustment -- to actually put some effort in on offense -- is on theh players on the floor. they'll do it on thursday and we'll win, or they won't and we'll lose (a close one if chicago shoots normally, a blow out if they shoot like they did on tuesday).

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