Bulls Vs. Hawks, Game 1: Joe Johnson Scores 34 In Atlanta Win; Derrick Rose Ankle Problems Back

The Bulls’ Game 1 loss to the Hawks in their Eastern Conference Semifinals series opener didn’t go the way Chicago fans had hoped, and that’s part of why Blog-a-Bull is re-evaluating the Hawks as “a real opponent” after Monday night.

Midway through Monday night’s Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks game, reports began to surface that Derrick Rose had won the 2011 NBA MVP. An hour later, Derrick Rose was limping off the court, and the Bulls had lost Game 1 to the Hawks.

Such is life in the NBA Playoffs right now, where nothing makes sense, and you’re probably better off betting on the exact opposite of what you expect to happen. For instance, after that Bulls-Hawks game, was there any doubt that the Lakers would blow their game vs. Dallas?

In Game 1 against the Atlanta Hawks, Rose had zero free throw attempts. The Bulls lost, and Rose was the least efficient player on the floor despite taking a third of his team’s shots.

To wit, in the regular season, Rose averaged 0.97 points per field goal attempt. Add in free throws with the commonly accepted understanding that each free throw represent 0.44 “trips to the line” -- it accounts for and-1s -- and Rose’s points per shooting possession rises to 1.1. That’s the difference between inefficient and pretty efficient. For a guy with about 30 shooting possessions per game, that’s the difference between 29 points and 33 points. It’s a big difference.

Johnson was the hero, as usual, but Peachtree Hoops wants you to know that Jeff Teague might have been the MVP.

Rose originally hurt his ankle during Chicago’s first round series against Indiana. He went to the locker room to have the ankle checked out in that game but later returned. Rose appeared to wear down some in that first round series as he was forced to carry a heavy burden offensively. This ankle injury appears to be something that will linger on throughout the rest of the playoffs. With home court advantage lost to the Hawks, Chicago can ill-afford to lose Rose now for any significant time.

Be sure to check out our Bulls vs. Hawks hub for full series coverage. For more on the Bulls, visit Blog-a-Bull and SB Nation Chicago. For more on the Hawks, visit Peachtree Hoops and SB Nation Atlanta.

Be sure to check out our Bulls vs. Hawks hub for full series coverage. For more on the Bulls, visit Blog-a-Bull and SB Nation Chicago. For more on the Hawks, visit Peachtree Hoops and SB Nation Atlanta.

Be sure to check out our Bulls vs. Hawks hub for full series coverage. For more on the Bulls, visit Blog-a-Bull and SB Nation Chicago. For more on the Hawks, visit Peachtree Hoops and SB Nation Atlanta.

Be sure to check out our Bulls vs. Hawks hub for full series coverage. For more on the Bulls, visit Blog-a-Bull and SB Nation Chicago. For more on the Hawks, visit Peachtree Hoops and SB Nation Atlanta.

Game 1 is Monday at 8 p.m. ET on TNT. Be sure to check out our Bulls vs. Hawks hub for full series coverage. For more on the Bulls, visit Blog-a-Bull and SB Nation Chicago. For more on the Hawks, visit Peachtree Hoops and SB Nation Atlanta.