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what do yo think?????????

On Thursday, the defending champion Boston Celtics travel to Chicago to take on the Chicago Bulls in a pivotal game three. The key to the Bulls success will be determined by how they play this game, if they are tentative and lack the killer instinct, they will get crushed. They must make game three a statement game. The hustle points are obviously going to be key, but the Bulls need to play to their strengths and the Celtics weaknesses. They were huge underdogs in the series going in, but played the Celtics even in both games at Boston. Either team could be up 2-0 at this point. The Bulls need to take the ball to the rack and benefit from the home-court advantage, as Boston is a little banged up down low, with Kevin Garnett out and now Leon Powe also out for the play-offs.

For the Bulls, It all starts with Derrick Rose running the show and taking the ball deep into the paint. Rondo can’t handle him and seems to be getting muscled off the ball. Rose needs to go to the hoop early and either draw the foul, score, or look for dump offs to Noah and Thomas, or the kick-out to Gordon and Hinrich on the perimeter.

The Bulls outside shooting game has been a big part of their offense the past few years, but in order to set that up, they need to take it to Boston early in game three, in order to get them into the penalty early and foul trouble later. Referees tend to favor the more aggressive team in the play-offs, especially home teams. Now everyone knows the Bulls need a big game from Rose, but another player that could come up big is John Salmons.

Salmons is a big guard who knows how to score, and is one of the most underrated players in the league. Jerry Reinsdorf has got to love this guy; he scored 18 points a game shooting 47% from the floor, 41% from the three and 84% from the free throw line, and only makes 5 million a year! To top it all off, he’s signed through 2011. I see John Salmons as the breakout player for the Bulls on Thursday.

In the first two games of the series, Salmons hasn’t shot the ball well. He’s 12-33 in the series and that’s just not his game. He’s a better player then that. In game three, he needs to take the ball to the hoop with a vengeance. The Bull can’t make this or any other series an outside shooting affair. That approach will only get you so far, they need to get after it offensively and go right at the teeth of the Boston defense. Kendrick Perkins can block a few shots, but Big Baby and Mikki Moore aren’t shot blockers. They can get in the way and draw a charge or two, but neither is a real high flyer. Salmons ability to drive in and finish above the rim, can get him back on track and potentially make game three a huge victory for the upstart Bulls.

Foul wise the Celtics are averaging about 20 fouls a game in the first two. Perkins gets about three a game and Glen Davis fouled out in game one. A player is forced to play defense differently when they are in foul trouble, and if the Bulls take the ball to the hoop, it is inevitable that the Celtics will foul more. Plus, the Bulls as a team shoot about 80% from the free throw, so this should work in their favor.

This is also a game that can either revitalize the Celtics, or put a stake in their heart. They know they are not the same team without Kevin Garnett, both physically and spiritually, but the additional loss of Leon Powe really complicates things. Once you get past Mikki Moore and Brian Scalabrine, there is no one left. The Bulls are much deeper in the post and need to pass up the outside shot and take it to the rack to really slay the defending champs.

Nothing would be sweeter for the Bulls, then knocking off the defending champion Celtics, especially when they are basically building for the future. This team finished the season strong and has shown well in the play-offs so far. Add their two number one picks in next year’s draft, a healthy Luol Deng, and they’ll be even better down the road. The play-off experience they are receiving is priceless. Future looks bright in Chicago.