Celtics bully Chicago in critical Game 5

BOSTON -- Celtics guard Eddie House has one of the quickest releases in the NBA.

It was quite a surprise then that House -- after finding himself early in the fourth quarter open behind the arc on the left wing -- had his 3-point attempt blocked by Ben Gordon. That would be the same Ben Gordon who couldn't even walkthrough a shoot-around on Tuesday morning because of strained left hamstring.

Not 14 seconds later, Brad Miller found Joakim Noah alone in the lane for a layup to give the brash Bulls a 77-66 lead with 9:28 to go in the fourth.

So this was how the Boston Celtics were going to go down 3-2 in this series? A player with a bum leg was going to give the Celtics the bum's rush by outhustling them, outworking them and basically just showing more heart no matter how much it killed him to play?

Apparently not, because somewhere during that timeout they took at the 9:28 mark, the Celtics remembered who they were and Paul Pierce remembered that he could take over like few else in the NBA.

In what was another incredible game in this amazing series, Pierce scored 15 of his 26 points in the final 14:15 of regulation -- including going a perfect 3-for-3 from the field in overtime -- as the Celtics defeated the Bulls 106-104 in Game 5 at TD Banknorth Garden.

It was the third overtime game of the series, an NBA record, and the first overtime game this series in which the Celtics prevailed. Instead of going to Chicago down a game, Boston leads the series 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Thursday at the United Center.

"He was just doing what he was supposed to be doing, you know," Celtics forward Glen Davis said. "Being the Captain, being Paul Pierce, the Truth.

"You know, you've seen it a dozen times. I think since I've been here I've seen it a million times. He's amazing. Nothing surprises me."

Nothing about Pierce's heroics may stun Perkins, but through five exhilarating games that have featured four overtime periods, this series has not lost its ability to shock or thrill.

With the exception of Boston's blowout in Game 3, Game 5, like Games 1, 2 and 4 had a little something for everyone on both sides.

For the Bulls, there was Gordon's gritty performance. The 6-foot-3 guard played 50 incredibly tough minutes and led the Bulls with 26 points. Add to that total his eight rebounds, six assists, three steals and that one block on House and if they had won, the Bulls may have had to put another statue out in front of the United Center.

Then there was Kirk Hinrich, who would have replaced Gordon in the starting lineup had Gordon not been able to play. Hinrich ignited the Bulls off the bench with 14 of his 19 points in the first half. Also, there was Noah, who had his third double-double of the series and his second with at least 17 rebounds.

Speaking of rebounds, Perkins had 19 of them. When you put that number next to his 16 points and seven blocked shots, you could say he had a pretty good night.

Of course, there was Rajon Rondo. There's always Rondo, who led all scorers with 28 points and 11 assists. He also grabbed eight boards and had four steals. Boston coach Doc Rivers had run out of words to describe his point guard's play this series and could come up with only one.

"Rondo's just been Rondo," Rivers said.

Yes, Rondo's name is becoming a synonym for excellence.

And then there was Pierce, who showed his championship mettle in the game's last 14 minutes, 10 of which he didn't have Ray Allen to take any defensive pressure away from him. When Allen got caught in a double-foul with Miller at 5:27 in the fourth, it was Allen's sixth and he had the nauseous pleasure of watching the game as a spectator.

"Now I know what it feels like to sit on the sideline and not be able to do anything and not be in control," Allen said. "For me it was the toughest situation I had to deal with, but Paul and Rondo came through for us.

"I thought we settled down offensively and we made better plays, as the game went on in the fourth quarter, they didn't get those easy buckets."

The Celtics, who trailed by three when Allen fouled out, made sure of that. Rose had a layup to give the Bulls a 91-87 lead, but Chicago didn't hit a shot within 17 feet in those final five minutes of regulation, as Perkins blocked two of John Salmons shots and Rose turned the ball over twice.

On the other end, Pierce took over. One veteran NBA observer noted that Pierce looked like Oscar Robertson, creating space and hitting tough turnaround jumpers.

"Down the stretch, our execution was phenomenal," Rivers said. "I thought, obviously, Paul's shots he made down the stretch were huge. He got to his spot."

Despite Pierce's heroics, the Bulls had a chance to send the game into another overtime. With a two-point lead, Miller somehow found himself all alone at the top of the key with the ball. Miller looked as if he were going to have an easy layup until Rondo got him with a shot to the head and face. Miller, his mouth packed with gauze to stanch the bleeding, missed the first free throw.

"You have to go for the basketball," Del Negro said, "and [Rondo] didn't come near the basketball. He came right across his face so the ball was extended, and he came right across.

"I thought it was flagrant, and I thought it was a physical call. I agree that it is a playoff foul, but you still have to call it. I'm sure that will be addressed and they'll take a look at it."

He's right. This one could leave a mark. Physically, the Bulls may be in worse shape than the Celtics. Gordon's strained hamstring has been well documented, as has Salmons' nagging groin injury. At one point, Hinrich and Miller both needed stitches. Hinrich got his over his right eye in the third quarter after a fall. Miller's stitches came courtesy of Rondo's hard foul at the end of overtime.

But it's this loss that may leave the biggest scar. Faced with the prospect of returning to Chicago for Game 6 with a 3-2 series lead, the Bulls feel they let this one slip through their fingers.

"This series is just an up-and-down series," Salmons said. "We just need to keep our edge. We came in confident and we're leaving confident. We had a chance to win the game, we just didn't pull it out."

Regardless of the outcome of Game 6 -- even we're not foolish enough to predict anything in this series -- Boston will return home after Thursday's game.

The biggest question is: will the Bulls come with them?