There are probably not too many people giving the Milwaukee Bucks much of a chance to beat the Bulls in Game 5 of their first round playoff series tonight at the United Center in Chicago.
The oddsmakers have established the Bulls as 8.5 favorites. You could probably get a good bet, though, that the Bucks’ players are among the small group thinking they can win. And why not?
After one of the most exciting games in the Bucks’ playoff history Saturday night, plus playing the Bulls pretty even in the first three games, nothing seems impossible for these guys.
The BMO Harris Bradley Center was a wild and crazy place Saturday night after Jared Dudley made the pass of a lifetime that resulted in a layup for Jerryd Bayless as time expired, giving the Bucks a heart-stopping 92-90 win – their first playoff win since Game 5 of the team's 2010 first round matchup against the Atlanta Hawks – and avoiding the dreaded sweep.
"The basket was huge," said coach Jason Kidd. "But the big thing is that the guy with the ball has to have the nerve to make that kind of pass. Duds saw it and had the nerve to do it."
Dudley is a seven-year veteran – as well as one of the few on the Bucks with previous playoff experience – and he showed a veterans poise, both in his play and his interview after the game.
"I saw lots of red jerseys (Bulls’ fans) in the stands," Dudley said. "I want to thank them for coming up and helping our economy and giving us money for a new arena. Now it’s time for us to steal one on the road."
In all four games thus far, the Bucks have shown both a surprising toughness and a relentless defense that forced the Bulls into 28 turnovers Saturday night – eight alone from the Bulls' resurrected star Derrick Rose – including an incredible 20 steals.
"They play great defense," said the Bulls' unstoppable rising star Jimmy Butler before Game 5. "They are very aggressive and have very quick hands. They get up in your face."
"That’s who we are," Kidd said. "We are a team that lives on defense."
The Bulls are regarded as one of the two best teams in the Eastern Conference, and they have a reputation as a bunch of neighborhood brawlers. But the Bucks have stood toe to toe with them throughout the series.
"We have clean things up," said Tom Thibodeau. "They play tough defense, and we let them get out of our sets. We have to fix that before Monday."
Perhaps realizing how much Saturday night took out of his team, both physically and emotionally, Kidd gave the players the day off Sunday. You can understand it. They know how to beat the Bulls and don’t need a whole lot of film study or anything. What they need to be is just as tough and physical as they were Saturday night. If so, as Dudley said, the Bucks might just "steal one on the road."
Game 5 between the Bulls and the Bucks begins tonight at 7 p.m. The Bulls currently hold a 3-1 lead on the series.
With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.
He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.
This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.
Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.
