Rush’s 29 Points Aren’t Enough: Bulls Defeat Indy, 112-106

I can’t believe this happened. There is no hope for the Pacers now. After losing to the seventh seed Chicago Bulls, 112-106, the Pacers don’t seem to have a chance to make the playoffs and are now 30-43. How can they even make it?

But guess what? There is still hope! With the Pistons at 34-37 and holding the eighth seed, the Pacers can still possible beat out the Pistons. The Pistons have been struggling all year and the Pacers can just steal it. The Bucks don’t stand a chance for a spot in the playoffs.

With the NBA playoffs coming in less than a month, the Pacers are going to give more heart than they ever had to. The Pacers can get it. They are going to meet the Bulls again on March 31st, which is in three days. They can bounce back and beat them. The Pacers have this one shot, and they can’t fail.

This recap sickens me, but hey, I’m a Pacers writer and a die-hard fan. I have to do this recap, for the Pacers and for every Indiana Pacers fan in the world:

The Bulls capped their fourth straight win by beating the Pacers by a close score, 112-106. John Salmons had two, key, late three-pointers along with his 22 points scored. This is the Bulls biggest win streak since two years!

Ben Gordon helped out too with his 25 points. Tyrus Thomas pulled his effort into the mix with 18 points and eight rebounds. Star rookie, Derrick Rose, helped out the Bulls in his effort with 16 points.

The Pacers had a win, easily. After leading by more than 14 points and making the Bulls blow a 10-point lead, the Bulls still managed to hold on with Derrick Rose, John Salmons, and Tyrus Thomas doing the work.

With 3:20 left, Brandon Rush swooshed a jumper for a 102-99 lead. But it wasn’t over for the Bulls. Salmons answered back by making two straight three-pointers that made the Bulls have a comfortable lead.

With 1:29 left, the Bulls made another shot to make it look like a win: 107-102. It wasn’t over for the Pacers. They can’t possibly blow a lead like they had earlier. That’s when T.J. Ford came back with a layup. It was going to be a fight till the very end!

Even though the Pacers are 2-6 in their last eight games, there superstar, Danny Granger, has been consistent as he piled 32 points. As Granger was knocking down shots, Rush had a career-high 29 points scored. Rush, I think, is the X-Factor to the Pacers. He is, what I consider, the sixth man for Indy.

The Bulls had a very nice lead, 92-82. But after a Granger’s important three-pointer in the 13-2 run, the game was all changed as the Pacers led, 97-96. The Bulls blew a 10-point lead that could have made them destroy the Pacers.

Troy Murphy missed his second-straight game because of injury. If the Pacers had him, oh boy, the Pacers could have won. But the could have and should have and almost isn’t enough. You have to win it. Not almost. The Pacers just couldn’t hold on.

The Bulls couldn’t stop Granger and Rush. We all know nobody can stop Danny Granger, but Rush proved he is a very important player to the team. I just hope the Pacers get the playoff spot. I mean, you are talking about four years that they haven’t made it to the playoffs.

Watching the Pacers for so long…four grueling years of no playoff spot, I can’t take it. I don’t want to go to five. 2005 was the last time the Pacers made the playoffs. They blew a 2-1 lead in the series to the New Jersey Nets, but lost the series, 4-2.

I was heartbroken from Indy losing in that series. Now I can’t wait any longer, the Pacers need to make to the playoffs. Like I said, you are talking about four years. I can’t go to five. Hope is the answer. Granger is hope. T.J. Ford is hope. Troy Murphy is hope. Brandon Rush is hope. But most importantly, the Pacers are the hope.

The Pacers can surprise the NBA by making the playoffs. And that is why “amazing happens” in the NBA. It’s passion, pride, and the PACERS!