Game 7 morning report: Gordon, Salmons health unchanged

The Bulls changed their pregame routine before Game 7. After holding shootaround at a downtown college two blocks from their hotel before the previous two games in Boston, the Bulls were at the chilly TD Banknorth Garden for Saturday's shootaround.

Injuries were a hot topic, not surprisingly. Based on their Game 6 performances, it appeared that John Salmons (35 points) was feeling better after struggling for nearly a month with a groin strain and Ben Gordon (12 points) wasn't doing well with his let hamstring injury. But both players suggested their health was status quo.

“The injury's still there,” Salmons said Saturday morning. “That's not going nowhere. I just made some shots. Since I hurt my groin, I feel like I've been settling for a lot of jump shots, that's part of the reason why I haven't been as effective shooting he ball, because I've been shooting a lot of jumpers.”

True, Salmons did look very good attacking the basket on Thursday and got past Paul Pierce with relative ease.

“My first 3 shots were jumpers,” Salmons reminded. “They went in. That got me going for the rest of the game.”

Gordon, in retrospect, felt he could have done a better job of staying loose when he was on the bench in Game 6.

“I think Game 6, I got in foul trouble, so I didn't really work up a lather,” Gordon said. “I didn't get to play as many consecutive minutes as I did in Game 5 to kind of create that flow. I think that was the main thing that kind of slowed me down.

“It was still hurting. Maybe I could have done some extra heat and stuff like that. I don't think I'll have that problem today. I'm going to spend a little extra time stretching it and warming it up and making sure I'm not stiff before I get in the game.”

Meanwhile, second-hand ticket prices have soared for Game 7, according to the Boston Herald, as people want to witness the end of what has been among the most competitive playoff series in NBA history. The Bulls and Celtics have played 7 overtime periods and five games decided by 3 points or less.

“We talked a lot about it on the plane coming over here,” Salmons said. “I think we all have the same goal. We're definitely a family. We really came together in this series. I think we've got a great shot at winning the game.”