Bulls point guard and newly-crowned NBA MVP Derrick Rose had an abnormally lackluster performance, leaving the spotlight wide open for Hawks forward Joe Johnson. Johnson scored 34 points and went 5-5 from 3-point range; only the third player to do so in NBA postseason history. Rose settled too often for jumpers instead driving to the hoop and either finishing strong -- an attribute that helped him earn the MVP honors -- or drawing a foul, which he failed to do in Game 1 for the first time this postseason.
But the real story from Game 1 was Rose's ankle, which he rolled in final seconds of the game, sending a collective shiver up the spines of Bulls fans everywhere. So, even though Rose and the Bulls' coaching staff assure that his ankle is fine, it remains to be seen whether it will have any significant impact on his performance. And let's face it, Rose needs to play like the MVP of the league in order for the Bulls to take care of business at home against the red-hot Hawks.
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