2009 Eastern Conference 1st Round: Boston Celtics vs Chicago Bulls

Although this was just a 1st round series, this was one of the best series in recent memory. This 7 game series was widely considered to be lopsided, but it ended up being razor close.

Backstory: The Celtics and their big 3 of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen had won a title in 2008. They looked to repeat as they began their championship run against the upstart Chicago Bulls. The Bulls were 41-41 on the year and featured rookie Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, and Joakim Noah. The Bulls were not yet at their peak, but they were getting there. The Celtics would be without Kevin Garnett during this series, and the Bulls would be without Luol Deng.

Game 1

Game 1 was in Boston, and it did not disappoint. Rookie Derrick Rose scored 36 points in his playoff debut, tying Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s record set 36 years prior. Paul Pierce missed a free throw with 2.6 seconds left in regulation, and the game went into overtime. In OT, Tyrus Thomas of the Bulls hit a jump shot with 50.5 seconds left that sealed the win for the Bulls. The Bulls stunned Boston on the road, winning 105-103 in OT. The Bulls led 1-0 in the series.

Ray Allen struggled for Boston, going just 1/12 from the field. Paul Pierce also struggled, shooting 8 for 21 and scoring 23 points.
PG Battle
Derrick Rose: 36 points and 11 assists
Rajon Rondo: 29 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists

Game 2

After a stunning Game 1 loss, the Celtics needed a win to stay in the series. After a great game 1 performance, Derrick Rose was in early foul trouble and was forced to sit out for most of the 1st half. The Celtics were leading for most of the first half, but their double digit lead was cut by Brad Miller and Ben Gordon, who combined for 33 points in the 1st half. After an abysmal Game 1 performance, Ray Allen came back hot in the 3rd quarter, hitting multiple 3’s. Ben Gordon matched his every shot, finishing with 42 points himself. Allen and Gordon would continue to battle all night long. But, with the game tied at 115, Ray Allen hit the dagger 3 with 2 seconds left to give the Celtics a 118-115 win.

Allen scored 30 points, much improved from his Game 1 performance. Rajon Rondo produced a triple-double himself. Derrick Rose had just 10 points for Chicago.
SG Battle
Ray Allen: 30 points, 5 assists, 6/10 3-PT
Ben Gordon: 42 points, 6/11 3-PT

Game 3

As the Celtics tied the series 1-1, Game 3 would be in the Windy City. David Stern presented Derrick Rose with the Rookie of the Year Award, and that was all that Chicago would cheer for that night. Game 3 was the only real blowout of the series as the Celtics won 107-86. Rondo dominated Rose again, finishing with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists. Paul Pierce shot 60% from the field and finished with 24 points. Derrick Rose shot 4/14 from the field and finished with just 9 points in the game.

Game 4

As the Celtics regained home-court advantage, the Bulls needed a Game 4 victory to stay in the series. Game 4 would be one of the more memorable games in the series. The game would be close throughout, but Ray Allen would be big once again. Allen hit the game tying 3 with 9.8 seconds left in regulation, tying the game at 96. Allen would finish with 28 points with 5 3’s for the Celtics. Derrick Rose missed a layup, and the teams would go into overtime. Overtime was close as well, but Ben Gordon hit a 3 with 4.5 seconds left to tie the game at 110. Gordon had 22 points in the game. Rajon Rondo missed the jumper, and we would go into a 2nd overtime. In double OT, the Bulls were ahead for most of the period, but the Celtics had one last chance. Down 121-118, they had a chance to tie the game, but Paul Pierce’s 3 was blocked, and the Bulls hung on to win 121-118 in double OT.
7 Bulls scored in double figures, with Derrick Rose scoring 23 points with 11 rebounds and 9 assists.
Paul Pierce had 29 points, and Rajon Rondo had 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. Rondo, Pierce and Allen all scored 25+ points.
PG Battle
Derrick Rose: 23 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists
Rajon Rondo: 25 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists

Game 5

The series was now tied 2-2 as the two teams went to Boston for the decisive game 5. Like all the other games, Game 5 was close throughout. But, the Bulls were up 77-66 with 9 minutes left in the 4th quarter. But, Boston came back, once again making it close. But, Ray Allen got stuck on a Brad Miller screen, and was whistled for a foul with 5:27 left in the 4th quarter. Allen would pick up his 6th foul, and he was done for the night. Now two members of the big 3 would be out. Ben Gordon hit a long two with 15.6 seconds left that gave the Bulls a 93-91 lead. Paul Pierce responded with a foul line jumper with 10.3 seconds left that tied the game at 93. Ben Gordon’s shot at the buzzer was off, and for the 3rd time in 5 games, we were headed to overtime. In OT, Ben Gordon got fouled on a 3, and he hit all 3 free throws with 28.4 seconds left to tie the game at 104. But, Pierce again responding, hitting the jumper with 3.4 seconds left to put the Celtics up 106-104. Now down by two, the Bulls needed a prayer. They found Brad Miller who drove to the hoop and got clobbered by Rajon Rondo. The Bulls wanted a flagrant foul, but were not given one. Miller missed both free throws, and the Celtics won 106-104 in OT. The Celtics now led 3-2 in the series.
Rajon Rondo had 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists. Paul Pierce had 26 points and 7 rebounds, and Kendrick Perkins had 16 points and 19 rebounds with 7 blocks.
Ben Gordon, who was playing with a strained hamstring, shot 6/21 and led the Bulls with 26 points.

Game 6

As the Celtics now led 3-2 in the series, the Bulls needed a win at home to stay in the series. Game 6 would be the best game of the series. The Bulls started off with a great 1st quarter, leading 37-26. But, the Celtics came back in the 2nd quarter behind Ray Allen, who scored 29 points in the 1st half, shooting 67% from the field. The Bulls duo of Derrick Rose and John Salmons combined for 38 points themselves. The Bulls ended the 3rd quarter with a series of 3’s and they took a 7-point advantage going into the final frame. This is where things would start to get interesting. The Celtics managed to claw their way back into the game, and 6:43 left in the 4th, an Allen 3 tied the game at 91. Allen would finish with 51 points, with 9 3-pointers. A couple of jumpers from Paul Pierce have the Celtics a 99-91 lead with 2:54 left. But, Brad Miller scored 5 key points in a row as the Bulls tied the game at 101 with 29.7 seconds left. Ben Gordon missed at the buzzer for Chicago, and we would be going to overtime.

In the 1st overtime, the Celtics were down 4, but managed to come back. Glen Davis scored as the shot clock expired to give the Celtics a 109-107 lead with 40.1 seconds left. John Salmons responded with a score in the paint, tying the game with 23.5 seconds left. Paul Pierce’s shot at the buzzer was way off, and we were tied 109-109 going into overtime number 2.

Onto the 2nd overtime, and now the fatigue is starting to set in. John Salmons scored 5 straight points, giving the Bulls a 116-113 lead with 2 minutes left. Salmons would finish with 35 points for Chicago. Now down by 3, Ray Allen hit a very deep two from the corner over Joakim Noah. The Celtics fouled and trailed 118-115. Ray Allen drilled a 3 from the left wing, tying the game at 118 with 7.6 seconds left. The Bulls did not get a shot off, and we were tied at 118 going into the 3rd overtime.

Now, both teams were gutting out each possession. Ray Allen tied the game at 123 with a long two. Now there was 1:57 left in the game. With 40 seconds left, Pierce tried to pass to Brian Scalabrine in the corner, but Joakim Noah stole it. He went coast to coast with an and one dunk. This put the Bulls up 126-123 after Noah completed the three point play. Eddie House scored a two with 28.8 seconds left, and the Celtics trailed 126-125. A bad foul from Glen Davis put Brad Miller at the line, and he hit both free throws. The Bulls now led 128-125. Rondo scored over Derrick Rose with 23.7 seconds left, giving the Bulls a 128-127 advantage. Kirk Hinrich missed a wide open layup, and the Celtics had one last chance. Rondo tried a fadeaway over Rose, and his shot was blocked. Rose got the ball and was fouled. He missed both free throws, but Boston did not get a good shot up, and it was over. Chicago has survived Game 6 with a 128-127 triple overtime victory. Game 7 would be back in Boston.

Ray Allen had 51 points for Boston, and Glen Davis had 23 points and 7 rebounds. Rajon Rondo had a bad game, shooting just 4 for 17.

John Salmons had 35 points and 6 rebounds for the Bulls, and rookie Derrick Rose had 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Game 7

After a crazy Game 6, the deciding Game 7 would be in TD Garden in Boston. The 1st quarter was relatively close, but the Celtics outscored the Bulls 29-11 in the 2nd quarter, and they led by 13 at the break. The Celtics never let the Bulls come any closer, and they won 109-99 in Game 7. Sort of anti-climactic since Game 6 was the ultimate cliff hanger, but it was a good end to a hard-fought series.

Ray Allen had 23 points and 7 rebounds for Boston and Paul Pierce added 20. Ben Gordon had 33 points and Derrick Rose added 18, but the Celtics proved that championship experience matters as they outlasted the young Bulls.

This series was very underrated. Game 1 brought Derrick Rose’s debut playoff performance of 36 points. Game 2 brought Ray Allen’s dagger 3 to give the Celtics a tied series. Game 4 brought lots of late game heroics from Ben Gordon, and Paul Pierce’s last shot was blocked. Game 5 was when Paul Pierce took over, showing us all the truth. Game 3 was the triple overtime thriller, headlined by Ray Allen’s 51 points, and lots of late game heroics from the Bulls as they won by a single point. Game 7 capped off the hard-fought series with the Celtics winning in 7.

Although this was just a 1st round series, it is perhaps one of the greatest playoff series ever played.

But, what do you think? Where does this series rank on your all time list? Which other series do you want me to break down? Leave all of your comments down below.

Follow My Instagram: @hoopnotions