Top Performers from the second round play-offs Game 1 - May 2: Part 1
Atlanta Hawks’ Joe Johnson
Atlanta Hawks’ Joe Johnson helped his team to outclass the mighty Chicago Bulls at their backyard at United Centre, in Chicago with 103-95. Johnson posted a match high 34 points, gathered four rebounds while assisted three points in a bitter manner and thrashed
the Bulls in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference play-offs’ second round semi-finals.
Johnson led from the front and dominated his presence in the entire game especially in the fourth quarter where he scored 10 points and led the Hawks to a stunning upset against the Bulls.
Johnson scored five three pointers and remained unstoppable for Bulls’ defence specialists, Keith Bogans and Ronnie Brewer.
Atlanta Hawks’ Jamal Crawford
Atlanta Hawks’ Jamal Crawford also proved his valour in this particular game and scored 22 points in total. Crawford played very aggressively all the way through and helped his team ending the game on a high note. Crawford with Johnson spearheaded the Hawks
and defeated the Bulls in a great fashion with 103-95.
Crawford also stated to the media regarding his team who always plays like a one unit. Crawford said, “We're the team that nobody talks about.”
Crawford carried his great form from the first round of play-offs to the second round semi-finals. Crawford performed consistently through-out in the six matches against the Orlando Magic and helped his team to qualify for the second round.
Chicago Bulls’ Luol Deng
The Chicago Bulls might have lost their second round of semi-finals’ first game against the Atlanta Hawks, but Chicago's forward, Loul Deng, gave a tough time to the Hawks and snatched 21 points and six rebounds in the game.
Though, he could not able to finish the game the way he wanted, but Deng certainly made an impression as he would be coming back with full thrust in the second play-off game on Wednesday.
Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose
The recently announced Most Valuable Player (MVP) Derrick Rose was not 100 percent when he went into this second round of play-off clash against the Atlanta Hawks.
Rose scored 24 points and assisted 10 points, but could not impress enough with his ball play as the Bulls fell short at 103-95 and gifted a well-deserved welcome win to the Atlanta Hawks.
Rose also scored five rebounds, but went off the court limping as he twisted his ankle in the last minutes of the game.
Rose’s limp was very difficult to observe for many Chicago fans who were expecting the Bulls as their new NBA champions this year.
Rose came out in the media and calmed down many with his statement when he said, “I should be OK, I'll probably get treatment right now, go home, get some more treatment and be ready to go for [Game 2] Wednesday.”
The Atlanta Hawks are now leading the seventh match of the second round of play-off series with 1-0. The next encounter is going to be more excited when these two teams meet once again at the United Centre in Chicago on Wednesday night.
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