Bulls' Game 3 instant analysis

The courtside wireless at the United Center isn't always reliable, so let's hope it holds out. That's one thing Cleveland does better than Chicago.

Here's another: Filling the seats before tip-off. Bulls fans are dressed mostly in red and making some noise, but quite a few empty seats at the start because of the 6 o'clock tip and heavy Thursday traffic.

At the start, it looks like Cleveland is content to hang around and try to win the game in the fourth quarter -- something LeBron James is very good at doing. The Cavs are taking more outside shots that usual -- 5 3-point attempts in the first nine minutes.

The Cavs tried posting up James against Luol Deng early on and it didn't work. Derrick Rose seems to be locked in. He has 10 points already and missed an open layin.

Also, the fans are booing James every time he touches it. I suppose that's retaliation for Cleveland booing Joakim Noah, but sounds like a dangerous plan to me.

Shaquille O'Neal went 4 for 4 at the foul line in Game 2 and just hit his first 2 free throws tonight. That's 6 in a row for Shaq, probably a career-high.

Updates to follow throughout the night....

NICE FIRST QUARTER
The Bulls finish the first quarter with a 32-21 lead. Derrick Rose with 15 points on 6 of 8 shooting. Like I said, the Cavs seem content to wait until the fourth quarter to try and win this one.

LeBron James scored 10 points in the first quarter, but hit just 4 of 10 shots. He lined up James Johnson at the end of the first quarter, but missed a 20-foot fade at the buzzer.

The Bulls shot 54.2 percent in the first quarter (13 for 24), Cavs 38.1 percent (8 for 21). Bulls have no turnovers and are 2 for 2 from 3-point land.

Kirk Hinrich has knocked down 2 jumpers, including a 3-pointer. Might be a good sign.

UNITED CENTER SALUTES CLEVELAND
A few years ago, I wrote a column about the Cavaliers’ over-the-top introductions and noisy special effects. They have flames coming out of the scoreboard and used to fire off a couple of sonic booms before tip-off.

Commissioner David Stern complained a few months later and the Cavs seemed to tone it down after that. The fiery scoreboard still hasn’t set any banners on fire, fortunately, but they did seem to quiet the pregame explosions.

The Bulls haven’t gone that far, but they did borrow several in-game entertainment gimmicks from Cleveland. I mentioned the other day how the Cavs encourage booing during opponent free throws by showing pictures of the city’s many sports enemies – Steelers, Yankees, Red Sox, John Elway, Michigan.

The Bulls started copying that a year or two ago by showing a Packers logo and encouraging boos. That’s the only team I’ve seen up there. Send your suggestions to the United Center.

As far as I can tell, the Bulls also borrowed Regurgi-cam (showing fans eating in reverse) and Oblivi-cam (timing how long it takes an unsuspecting patron to realize he’s on the scoreboard) from Cleveland.

The fans started a "Cleveland (stinks)" chant a couple of times in the second quarter. Joakim Noah's kind of people.

The Bulls opened a 16-point lead a couple times early in the second. Now it's 44-33 with 6:02 left in the first half as director Ron Howard makes an appearance on the video board, seated in the front row.

JAMES IN A FOUL MOOD
Stop the presses, LeBron James picked up his second foul with 3:31 left in the second quarter. Looked like a debatable call, reaching in on Joakim Noah. James averaged less than 2 fouls per game during the regular season.

The Cavaliers have knocked down 3 3-pointers in the last four minutes – 2 by Mo Williams, 1 from Jamario Moon. The Bulls don’t need that.

Shaquille O’Neal missed a dunk and a 5-foot- lane hook on two straight possessions. But then the Bulls coughed up the ball in the backcourt and Deltone West have O’Neal an easy dunk. Shaq has 6 points, 2 rebounds; Noah is at 8 and 8.

BULLS GOOD AT HALF
Halftime: Bulls lead 56-45. They almost finished the half in spectacular fashion. Joakim Noah blocked a driving shot by LeBron James, then Derrick Rose missed a fast-break reverse, which may or may not have counted.

Bulls have three players in double figures: Rose is stuck on the 15 he scored in the first quarter. Kirk Hinrich, shooting well, has 12 points on 5 of 7 attempts. Luol Deng has 11. James has 15 to led Cleveland, followed by Mo Williams with 8.

Bulls are shooting 47.9 percent, Cleveland 41.9. Bulls lead in rebounds 25-18, assists 13-9, second-chance points 10-2 and fast break points 11-6. Bulls have 3 turnovers at halftime.

I’d say the thing the Bulls are doing best is running the floor. There was one play in the second quarter when Noah got downcourt so fast, he distracted two Cavs defenders and Deng snuck in from behind for a layup and 3-point play. One problem: Rose seems to lose his shooting touch as the game goes on.

Cavs picked it up from 3-point range (5 for 12), which has helped keep them as close as they are.

BULLS KEEP THE FIRE BURNING
This is what the NBA is all about: Antawn Jamison reaches out and pokes Derrick Rose in the eye, then jumps around in disbelief when he’s called for the foul.

Rose was shaked up for a minute, but appears to be fine. The Bulls start the third quarter with a 10-2 run and open up their biggest lead at 66-47 with 8:25 as the Cavs call time out.
Keep in mind, LeBron James, loves to launch those late-game comebacks just when the home crowd figures the win is in the bank.

Cleveland guard Anthony Parker, a Naperville Central grad, looks like he’s having a Dwyane Wade-type experience – too pumped for his own good about playing in his home town. Parker has 3 points in 14 minutes and just stepped out of bounds for a turnover.

A sign just popped up on the video board: “We have already witnessed,” with a photo of young Michael Jordan.

CAVS FINALLY MAKE A MOVE
The Bulls’ lead reached 21 points with 7:52 left in the third quarter, but the Cavaliers finally responded with a quick 11-0 run to cut it all the way down to 10 in three minutes. LeBron James and Mo Williams each knocked down a 3-pointer during the run.

Here’s a thought: There was a story in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer the other day about how the Cavs need a long playoff run to turn a profit this season. So is Cavaliers management quietly pulling for the Bulls to win a least once this weekend to force a Game 5 in Cleveland on Tuesday?

DENG STARS IN HIGHLIGHT
Luol Deng just made the best move of his career late in the third quarter. Starting from the right corner, he took LeBron James one way, then changed direction with a behind the back dribble. Deng then drove into the lane, got hit by both Anderson Varejao and Anthony Parker and dropped in a reverse layin. Why there was no foul called is anyone’s guess, but the play stood on its own.

Tough play late in the third quarter for the Bulls. Joakim Noah was switched onto James and let himself get pump-faked into the air: 3-shot foul and now Noah has 4 fouls for the game. Not good news for the Bulls.

The third quarter ends with the Bulls leading 79-68. My advice for the Bulls is to stretch the lead, real insightful stuff.

The Cavs are double-teaming Derrick Rose like there’s no tomorrow. James and Rose are still on the floor as the fourth quarter starts. Check that, Rose came out at the 10:45 mark, James stayed in.

FIFTH FOUL KEY FOR NOAH
A potential disaster for the Bulls came with 8:56 left when LeBron James scored on a drive and dunk, while Joakim Noah reached in and needlessly committed his fifth foul.

Noah had to sit down and when James missed the ensuing free throw, Anderson Varejao kept the rebound alive and eventually Delonte West canned a 3-pointer to complete a 5-point possession and bring Cleveland within 84-78.

The only bright side for the Bulls was Varejao picked up his fifth foul a short time later, but the Cavs kept hurting the Bulls on the offensive glass.

Things got scary for the Bulls while trying to hold an 8-point lead with 38 seconds left. The Cavs knocked down a pair of 3-pointers while Kirk Hinrich and Derrick Rose missed 3 of 4 free throws.

The Cavs had the ball down 3 with 10.1 seconds left. The Bulls fouled Varejao intentionally and he hit just 1 of 2. Brad Miller knocked down a pair at the line to make it 107-103 with 6.2 seconds remaining.

FORGET ABOUT A SWEEP
The Bulls hang on to win 108-106 as Naperville’s Anthony Parker misses a running 3-pointer at the buzzer The series is going back to Cleveland for Game 5 on Tuesday and the Bulls have a chance to tie it 2-2 on Sunday at the UC.

Derrick Rose finishes with 31 points, Kirk Hinrich 27 and Luol Deng 20. LeBron James leads the Cavs with 39 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists. Mo Williams scores 21 and Antawn Jamison 19. Otherwise, not much for the Cavs.

Once again, Joakim Noah (10 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists) forced Shaquille O’Neal to stay on the bench for most of the second half. Zydrunas Ilgauskas barely played at all.

The Bulls shot 50 percent for the game, compared to 43.9 percent for Cleveland. Otherwise, the stats were pretty even.