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It's day two of the NBA Playoffs and we're all, as basketball fans, mourning the Chicago Bulls' loss of reigning MVP Derrick Rose. The injury is a huge blow to not only the Bulls' championship run this season, but also the NBA and possibly the future of that franchise. I feel for all Chicago fans that had championship on their minds.
While the Bulls come to grips with how they'll continue on in this series without Rose, the Sixers have issues (while not nearly as pressing) of their own they've got to straighten out if they want to come out of this series possibly victorious. They got very little production from starting shooting guard Jodie Meeks, while Evan Turner played a pretty effective game off the bench. Will that trigger a change in the line-up? That, and more addressed in today's installment of Sixers Links.
Turner Shakes Off Boos, Turns In Solid Game - CSN Philly
The crowd booed him when he entered the game. The crowd booed him whenever he touched the ball. But Turner didn’t care.
"They’re not playing on the court," Turner said. "To tell you the truth, I only worry about my teammates, the opponent and the positive people like my family and friends in the stands. I don’t worry about the people that don’t play on the court."
"I thought Evan played well," Sixers coach Doug Collins said. "Evan is going to have to be out there for us because when you play against the Bulls, you have to have playmakers. You have to have guys on the floor who can make plays and Evan did a good job with that. We had him guarding Rose and Luol [Deng], which took him away from the basket. We would like to get him assignments that are closer to the rim so he can rebound the ball."
Sixers' Collins 'Crushed' by Rose Injury - Chicago Tribune
Once Collins heard Rose was out for the playoffs with a torn ACL in his left knee, Collins was devastated.
"When I saw the kid go down, it crushed me because I happen to love him,'' Collins said after Sunday's practice. "He's everything right that's in the NBA."
Sixers Likely to Shake Up Starting Five for Game 2 - Philadelphia Daily News
It would be hard to imagine that Sixers coach Doug Collins won't adjust his beginning five as he got virtually no production from starter Jodie Meeks in Saturday's 103-91 loss. Evan Turner played 29 minutes, 30 seconds in place of Meeks and scored 12 points and dished five assists.
Sixers' Lavoy Allen OK for Game 2 - Philadelphia Daily News
Sixers center Lavoy Allen took part in Sunday's practice session and will be fine for Game 2 despite suffering a thumb injury in Saturday's Game 1. The team said he sprained a thumb, but X-rays were negative.
He was wearing a bandage after Game 1, but did not have the thumb wrapped Sunday.
Derrick Rose Out for the Season: Immediate Pain, Long-Term Fallout - Blog a Bull
The actual diagnosis of a torn ACL is completely devastating. My heart sunk when I first read it. That's not just series-alterting, it's seasons-altering. It can change an entire career, and a franchise.
There's moving-on, too. There's still a playoff run to be had. This is still a very good and determined team, and they can win this series and maybe the next. I'll do my best to keep following and covering it. Derrick Rose will come back and be a Chicago Bull for many years. But, today, this championship-contending season is over. And there are major questions to answer as to when we can expect the next one to come our way again.
For Sixers, Worst Fears Realized - Courier-Post
All of the 76ers' worst fears came true in their playoff opener against the Bulls. They couldn't contain Bulls point guard Derrick Rose. They couldn't control the Bulls on the backboard. And they couldn’t penetrate the Bulls’ defense, which allowed the lowest average of points per game this season.
But the Sixers also got a break, although not in the way they wanted, when Rose crumpled to the floor with 1:17 left in the fourth quarter after planting his knee to go up for a shot. He was diagnosed with a torn ACL in his left knee and is out for the rest of the playoffs.
"I’m just hoping for the best," Sixers forward Thaddeus Young said, before learning of the diagnosis. "I don’t want to see him go down like that. He’s a great guy, who can go out there and change games. You don’t want to see anyone get hurt like that."
Benny the Bull Interview-Bombs Sixers Sideline Reporter Molly Sullivan - The 700 Level
Awesome moves from Benny. He rips the d-floor at weddings, I'd bet.