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Long night. That is what the Chicago Bears had Thursday in the first round of the NFL draft. Mainly because they drafted Oregon offensive guard Kyle Long. Long night. That is what the Chicago Bulls looked like they might have as they fell behind by 12 points to the Brooklyn Nets in the first quarter of Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Maybe the Nets can use Beyonce to have the Bulls lose focus.
The Bears will be able to take a long view of drafting Long. If he is able to have an immediate impact (of the positive variety), they will be thrilled. Probably almost as thrilled as Long, the son of former NFL standout Howie Long. He said he hadn’t expected to be taken as high as No. 20, which is where the Bears drafted. Perhaps Bears general manager Phil Emery knows something that no one else does. Time — and ability (or lack of it) — will tell.
As for the Bulls, they are fortunate the opening minutes of their game did not tell the story of the contest. They battled back from a 17-5 deficit to end the first quarter with a 19-17 lead. They then built a lead as large as 17 (71-54 with 9:33 left in the game after a Nate Robinson three-point field goal) before the Nets ralled late. The Bulls held on for a 79-76 victory when former Bulls guard C.J. Watson missed a game-ending three-point field-goal attempt.
The victory gives the Bulls a 2-1 series lead with Game 4 on Saturday at the United Center. Which means it could be a long series for the Nets. Well, if they hope to advance to the Eastern Conference finals. Unless the Nets can regain homecourt advantage by winning a game in Chicago, the Bulls would seem destined to prevail in six games, possibly five. That’s the long and short — OK, mostly short — of things.
“The Bulls are playing good defense,” Nets coach P.J. Carlesimo said after his team short 35 percent from the field (28-of-81, including 5-of-21 on three-pointers). “They are loading up on our guys who are capable of scoring. We are not shooting a three well at all. Not just the contested ones, but the open ones.”
“Our defense was good, except for the first five minutes,” said forward Carlos Boozer, who had a team-high 22 points and game-high 16 rebounds. “They are a good team, and they came back. We did what we had to do to win.”
Postgame and Luvabulls video for your dancing and dining pleasure. Or whatever pleasure that works for you:
The latest edition of “Sports & Torts” with co-hosts David Spada and Elliott Harris is in the archives. Or wherever the fine folks at Talkzone.com put the program to make it available on podcast. The guests on the April 25 show were former Chicago While Sox pitcher Wilbur Wood, considered in some quarters as the best left-handed knuckleballer in big-league history. Also on the program was Martha Jo Black, who works in fan experience with the White Sox. She also is the daughter of former big-league pitcher Joe Black (he won the 1952 National League Rookie of the Year with the Brooklyn Dodgers). Joe Black also roomed with Jackie Robinson, who in 1947 broke baseball’s color line.
For those who missed the show and would like to view it (and/or for those who may have tuned in and might want an encore performance, you can access it by clicking here,
Here is where we go for some gratuitous video:
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