Chicago Bulls’ Taj Gibson: ‘I’m hurting’
By Mark Carman
A candid Taj Gibson discusses his physical ailments and the tough battle versus the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Chicago Bulls look to close out the Milwaukee Bucks in Game Four Saturday evening and get some of their key guys rest before facing LeBron James and the Cavs. One guy who could use the rest is Taj Gibson who admitted after the Bulls game-three win Thursday night his body is in bad shape,
"“My shoulder and my knee are killing me. That was a war tonight. It’s the playoffs. Lay it on the line. And like I told Joakim, I don’t remember playoffs being this hard. It’s a dogfight man, just to move on. You’re getting a team’s best shot every night and it’s fun to be a part of.”"
Gibson has not been himself in the series, shooting only 38.5 percent from the field averaging 4.7 points per game, down from his 10.3 in the regular season. His lift is missing and he is clearly not running comfortably.
If the Bulls close out the Bucks with a win in game four, that would give Gibson a week of rest before an Eastern Conference Semi-finals matchup with Cleveland.
Joakim Noah could use the rest too. Noah has been as bad at Gibson shooting the basketball, 36.8 percent. Noah is averaging a Gibson-identical 4.7 ppg and has passed up many point-blank opportunities. Noah has never fully recovered from off-season knee surgery. A week of rest might not matter, but it wouldn’t hurt either. Noah was asked after the game if he was happy to not be playing tomorrow and with a smile said “Yes.”
Derrick Rose might not need the rest. He has been spectacular in the postseason averaging 24 ppg on 47 percent shooting. Last night’s 34-point, eight-assist, 48-minute performance was the best sign yet that Rose may make it all the way back from three knee surgeries. Saturday is another key test to see how Rose bounces back from the heavy minute load with only one day off in between.
To listen to Taj Gibson in the post-game locker room click here.