The Chicago Bulls will need energizing performances from their bench throughout the playoffs if they plan to make a deep run. In particular, guys like Taj Gibson need to step up with Joakim Noah battling through a painful case of plantar fasciitis in his foot. Gibson made a big contribution on Thursday night.
He may have only scored four points in Chicago’s 79-76 Game 3 win over the Brookltn Nets, but two of them were game-changers. During what turned out to be a 9-1 run that led to a 12-point lead for the Bulls in the second quarter, Gibson dunked all over Kris Humphries. The United Center went insane.
The Bulls took a 2-1 series lead over the Nets with the win, which is exactly where they want to be after three games. They did their job in splitting the first two games in Brooklyn, and now Chicago will look to take a commanding 3-1 lead on Saturday. If role players like Gibson and Nate Robinson step up, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to take the series.
