Leading the series and playing with total confidence heading into their Game 5 showdown with the Brooklyn Nets, the Chicago Bulls had the chance to hand the franchise their first playoff loss since relocating from New Jersey to Brooklyn.
With a sluggish start offensively and porous defense, the Chicago Bulls never gave themselves a chance to put Brooklyn away, dropping Game 5 110-91.
Still in control of the series, Chicago will have a chance to win get out of the first round at home. Game 6 from the United Center will tip Thursday, May 2nd at 8:00pm, EDT. Coverage of the contest can be seen on TNT television along with the local YES Network in the New York area and CSN Chicago across Illinois.
Chicago dropped the opening game of the series but looked fantastic throughout the next three games, including a thrilling triple-overtime win in Game 4. Heading back to Brooklyn however, the Bulls struggled without point guard Kirk Hinrich, who was absent because of a bruised left calf and may miss Game 6 all together.
Minus their floor general in Hinrich, the Bulls did receive 20 points from Nate Robinson, a player who has certainly provided Chicago with a boost this season while superstar Derek Rose has been out all year with a knee injury.
Knowing a win puts Chicago through to the next round, Hinrich hopes he can be part of a potential Bulls victory.
"I'm just going to try to play if I can," Hinrich told NBA.com's Andrew Seligman. "That's my goal."
Whether or not Hinrich plays won't change the plan of attack for Brooklyn. Needing a win to force a decisive Game 7 back home in New York, Nets head coach P.J. Carlesimo knows it will take a complete effort to defeat Chicago on their home floor for the first time all season.
"Twice we did a very poor job of finishing. I don't think there's any magic to the building," Carlesimo said to NBA reporters. "I think it's the guys in the white uniforms and the fact that we've done a poor job closing out for sure."
The Nets had leads in Games 3 and 4 at the United Center and twice were unable to close the deal, failing to get timely buckets at crucial moments during each loss.
While the Nets trail 3-2 heading back to Chicago, the confidence level is still there according to one player.
"I think we've been confident throughout the whole series regardless of whether they were up 3-1," Nets forward Joe Johnson told NBA.com reporters. The series is not over until the first team gets four wins so at this point we've still got a shot."
Brooklyn certainly does have a shot at tying this series up and giving themselves a chance to win the series outright at home.
They'll have to win their first game in Chicago this season to do so. Entering Thursday night, the Nets are 0-4 at the United Center this season.
No matter the outcome, the entertainment level of Game 6 should be the highest it's been all series.
Be sure to catch Game 6 of the Eastern Conference playoff series between the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls Thursday, May 2nd at 8:00pm, EDT. Coverage will be available on TNT television as well as local networks across the New York and Chicago areas.
See the Highlights from Brooklyn's convincing Game 5 Victory:
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