TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2014 SPORTS Even Thibodeau can’t Photo of the day defend this loss CHICAGO: Watching the Bulls play offense coach-drew-it-up six-pass sequence with the some nights, it’s a wonder The House That last of his three 3-pointers around the 7-minute Jordan Built is still standing. Sunday turned out mark. “Up 13, we exhaled and they came back,” to be another one of those nights, and in a 102- Joakim Noah said ruefully. “Bad turnovers, they 93 playoff-opening loss to the Washington got some easy scores. We’ve got to make Wizards no less. Worse, the tough-minded adjustments. “This is chess,” he added. “It isn’t defense that has let the Bulls stand up to high- checkers.” powered opponents lacked its usual effort and Given the pieces he’s been handed, intensity. Thibodeau has played his four seasons here like So coach Tom Thibodeau zeroed in where a Grandmaster. He helped Rose win the he always does. “One-hundred-and-two points, league’s MVP award before his knee gave out, 48 percent, outrebounded - it’s hard to win like stole a playoff round from Brooklyn last season that,” he said, just getting started. “Giving up 35 with the much-traveled (and since-departed) free throws ... “ Nate Robinson shooting out the lights, and The way those numbers rolled off now Thibodeau has refashioned the always- Thibodeau’s tongue was no accident. The guy awkward Noah into one of the most reliable spent most of his 25 years between head- big men in the game. Which made his perform- coaching jobs - Thibodeau’s first stint was at ance against the Wizards a little puzzling. Division III Salem State University in 1984-85 - To be sure, it came at the end of a tough at a half-dozen NBA stops, where every defense week. He flew to New York after learning of the he touched got better and someone else usual- death of Tyrone Green, a much-respected ly got the credit. youth basketball coach whom Noah called a Thibodeau accomplished it by relentlessly mentor and “second father.” Against the breaking down game films, possession by pos- Wizards, Noah contributed 10 points, 10 session, then drawing up a plan to win every rebounds and a team-high four assists. But he one. That was long before he lost his two best also got run over repeatedly on the defensive scoring options early this season - Derrick Rose end by Nene, who scored a game-high 24 to a knee injury (again) after just 10 games; and points. Luol Deng in a deal with Cleveland after just 23. “He’s versatile,” Noah said in front of his lock- It’s like he’s competing - at least some nights - er, his voice barely above a whisper. “He can with one hand tied behind his back. The Bulls shoot, he can post up, he’s aggressive.” A finished an NBA-worst in scoring average and moment later, Noah was asked whether he shooting percentage, and only Miami and found it tough to play after losing a close Mansour Al Safran performs in Kuwait City, Kuwait.— www.redbull.com Indiana attempted fewer shots. friend. “I don’t want to talk about it,” he said. Thibodeau has made do with once-promis- But the moment after that, he was repeat- ing castoffs DJ Augustin and Mike Dunleavy, ing the Thibodeau mantra: If you can’t play any and made it a priority to share the ball, no mat- better, at least try harder. “We definitely have to ter how meager the talent at any given pick up our intensity a little bit,” Noah said. Wizards stop Bulls charge moment. But mostly, he doubled down on A few lockers over, DJ Augustin echoed it. what he knows best - treating every defensive “They came out and played harder,” he said. stand like it was the last. “We’re going to have to match that.” And a few CHICAGO: Nene dominated with 24 points and So no one had to remind Thibodeau the minutes after that, the master motivator himself Trevor Ariza scored 18 as the Washington Bulls were just 4-12 this season when they gave walked into the interview room. “Offensively, if Wizards rallied from 13 points down to beat the up 100 or more points, worse (2-11) when they we think a call isn’t going our way, you can’t Chicago Bulls 102-93 in their playoff opener on allowed opponents to shoot 48 percent or bet- allow that to take away from getting back and Sunday. ter from the floor, and winless (0-11) when they playing great defense. There is a lot of things John Wall scored 16 in his postseason debut. failed to collect at least 13 assists. In other you can do,” Thibodeau said finally, “to help your Marcin Gortat added 15 points and 13 rebounds, words: Thibodeau’s nightmare trifecta. team win.” Read between the lines and this is and the fifth-seeded Wizards pulled out the vic- What made it even tougher to digest is that the message he’s sending his team; You guys tory even though they looked like they were Chicago led by 13 points barely two minutes miss a lot of shots and because you’re not ready to be blown out. They cut a 13-point into the third quarter and was still ahead 69-57 Michael Jordan, you won’t get a lot of calls. So deficit to one in the third and trailed by three when Dunleavy finished off a just-like-the- get back on defense - or else. —AP going into the fourth, before outscoring Chicago 18-6 over the final six minutes to come out on top in their first playoff appearance since 2008. Kuchar wins Heritage Game 2 is today. HEAT 99, BOBCATS 88 HILTON HEAD ISLAND: American Matt Augusta National roar (from the gallery).” LeBron James scored 27 points, Dwyane Kuchar ended a frustrating run of close calls Kuchar carded a seven-under 64 to finish Wade added 23 and Miami used a late charge to in spectacular style when he holed a bunker at 11-under-par 273, collecting $1.044 million beat Charlotte in Game 1 of an Eastern shot on his final hole to win the RBC Heritage for his seventh PGA Tour win. He had been in Conference first-round series. in South Carolina on Sunday. Minutes after contention in the final round the previous Chris Bosh scored 13 points and James Jones three-putting the 17th from four feet, Kuchar three weeks, finishing no worse than fifth, but had 12 for the Heat. Game 2 of the best-of-seven responded emphatically by sinking a 20-yard had stumbled down the stretch, most notably series is tomorrow. Kemba Walker scored 20 sand shot for birdie at the par-four 18th to at the Houston Open, where he bogeyed the points for the Bobcats, who led by nine early and beat third round leader Luke Donald by one last and lost a playoff. led again in the third. Al Jefferson missed eight stroke at Harbour Town on Hilton Head The 35-year-old looked to have squan- of his final 13 shots after getting hurt in the first Island. “I wish it wasn’t that great a finish but I dered another chance after missing a four- quarter. He finished with 18 points and 10 made it that way after 17 and, man, that was footer and a two-footer at the penultimate rebounds for the Bobcats, who got 17 from Gary CHICAGO: Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) drives to the basket against Chicago so thrilling to see that ball disappear,” said hole. “It was blowing pretty hard on that Neal and 15 from Josh McRoberts. Miami sealed Kuchar, in a green side television interview. green. I tried to play it straight (and) it went a Bulls center Joakim Noah (left) and forward Carlos Boozer (5) during the first half in Game 1 of it with an 18-4 run in the fourth, all but three of an opening-round NBA basketball playoff series. —AP “To hole the bunker shot in that fashion is little left,” said Kuchar of his first putt. “I know those points coming with James getting a rest. something I’ll never forget. That was a full-on that’s not a characteristic of mine to three- rebounds for top-seeded San Antonio, which has Aldridge fouled out with about a minute left putt from four feet (and) I wanted to have SPURS 90, MAVERICKS 85 won 10 straight against Dallas. Devin Harris in overtime in Game 1 of their first-round playoff another chance.” Tim Duncan scored 27 points, and San scored 19 points for the Mavericks, who nearly series and Lillard, who was making his playoff Donald, meanwhile, narrowly missed a 30- Antonio held Dallas to one field goal in the final pulled off a huge upset. debut, took over. He scored the next five points yard birdie chip at the last and was left to rue seven minutes to win Game 1 of their first-round for Portland and put the Trail Blazers on top by another near-miss at Harbor Town, where he playoff series. The Mavericks also went scoreless TRAIL BLAZERS 122, ROCKETS 120 one point with a pair of free throws with 17 sec- has finished second or third five times in the for 51/2 minutes during that stretch, their lone LaMarcus Aldridge scored a club playoff- onds left.