December 4th, 2004
Chicago 132, Washingon 125 2OT [
Boxscore ]
Note: Apparently, NBA Live 2005 doesn't track the overtime stats seperately. Both teams scored 10 points in the first overtime, Chicago scored 20 in the second overtime while Washington scored 13.
Overtime games haven't been too kind to us this season. You may recall losses to Phoenix and Denver with the offense breaking down in the waning seconds of the extra period. At times it looked as though the same thing would happen in this one, but we eventually prevailed after an exciting 58 minute contest.
For a while there, it didn't look like they'd be any overtime coming at the end of regulation. The first quarter ended with a tie at 21, but the Wizards pulled away in the second quarter as Arenas and Hughes abused the perimeter defense off the dribble before making our big men look foolish inside. Gordon was scoring easily, but he soon got into foul trouble. We fell behind by as many as ten, but brought the deficit back to single digits by the hald.
In the third, Washington ran up a 15 point lead that we managed to cut to six by the end of the quarter. The fourth quarter was our finest, but as the quarter drew to a close we were both in the penalty. We should have been able to close them out, but an ill-advised foul led to a 102-102 tie with 5 seconds left. We managed to rush the ball up the floor, but it was Chandler who had to take the final shot. It missed off the back of the rim, and we went into OT.
Knowing our tendency to fall apart in the OT, I slowed down the pace on offense while aggressively double teaming on defense. It worked for most of the first overtime, but a couple of careless fouls put us in the penalty.
With less than 10 seconds left in the game and the Wizards up 112-110, we were forced to foul Antawn Jamison to put him at the line. He missed both, and Chandler grabbed the rebound. We quickly called timeout, and set up a very simple play - Hinrich would receive the inbounds pass while Curry would post up down low where he would receive the entry pass for a shot to tie it. Curry couldn't establish position, but Chandler did. Hinrich got the inbound, sent it to Chandler who spun baseline and put up a layup that was good, with 0.2 seconds left. Double OT.
I'd been playing the starters since about halfway through the fourth quarter and by now, fatigue was starting to set in, especially with Chandler. But I decided that they were playing too well to shake things up now. I used the same gameplan at the start of the second overtime and again it worked, but a couple of defensive breakdowns allowed the Wizards to catch up. With about two minutes left, they took a 121-120 lead. We kept pounding the ball into Curry and he delivered, throwing down some powerful dunks and making a couple of circus shots.
Even though we led 126-123 with just under a minute and half left, the Wizards threatened to make one last run. However, Hinrich made a steal and passed the ball up to Curry, who ran the entire frontcourt for the dunk. Washington was forced to foul, so we ended up taking the game 132-125. Quite possibly the game of the year so far.
December 28th, 2004
Chicago 100, New Jersey 93 OT[
Boxscore ]
Ben Gordon scored 12 of his 23 points in overtime as the Bulls defeated New Jersey to end 2004 with four straight victories and a record of 16-10. The Bulls do not play again until New Year's Day, when they face the Orlando Magic.
Chicago appeared to have the game under control at halftime; having built an eight point lead, it seemed as though they would continue to keep the Nets at bay in the second half. But a couple of New Jersey fast breaks to begin the third quarter caught the Bulls by surprise. Though they remained solid defensively, the Bulls went cold from the field, shooting just 23% in the quarter. New Jersey held a 54-52 lead heading into the final period, having outscored Chicago 24-12.
The Bulls rallied in the fourth quarter and the two teams traded baskets in the final six minutes. With less than a minute left, it seemed Chicago would prevail, but Jason Kidd hit a long three to tie the game at 80. Eddy Curry made a dunk to give the Bulls an 82-80 lead, but Aaron Williams hit a short jumper with 0.4 seconds left to tie it up again. Ben Gordon had a chance to win the game with a three, but his shot bounced hard off the back of the rim.
Though he had missed the potential game winner, Chicago did not give up on Gordon, feeding him the ball early in the extra session. He responded by scoring the Bulls' first eight points in overtime, as they pulled out of the Nets' reach. The Nets would cut the deficit to 4, 92-88 with just over two minutes left but Kirk Hinrich hit a three to seal the game.
February 9th, 2005
Chicago 107, Houston 106[
Boxscore ]
When the Houston Rockets took an 84-66 lead into the fourth quarter, most folks figured the game was over. The Chicago Bulls were not amongst their number.
The Bulls completed one of the greatest comebacks this season outscoring the Rockets 41-22 in the final quarter to escape Houston with a 107-106 victory. Playing the second game in a tough back-to-back road trip in Texas, Chicago got a little help from their bench to completely turn the tables on the Rockets, who led by double digits for most of the game.
Houston jumped out to an early lead as they capitalised on offensive rebounds and Yao Ming's seven inch height advantage on Eddy Curry. The Bulls could do little to stop Yao, who would finish with 28 points on 13/20 shooting. Tracy McGrady and Jim Jackson hit threes on consecutive possessions to extend the lead to as many as 24 during the second quarter. When a third quarter run led by rookie standout Ben Gordon failed to make much of a dent in the deficit, it appeared the game was over.
Eric Piatkowski, the Bulls' reserve swingman who has been used sparodically so far this season and came off the injured list a few days ago, had one of the most amazing quarters in NBA history. Pike scored 28 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter shooting a blistering 7/12 from beyond the arc. The Rockets were reeling as Chicago continued to close the gap with every three pointer Piatkowski drained.
Though he would finally cool off missing his final two three point attempts, his last made three closed the gap to one, 98-97 with under two minutes left. But the Rockets scored on a dunk by Yao and appeared to put a halt to the unlikely comeback. The Bulls would not be denied, trailing just 105-103 with under a minute left to play. Ben Gordon drove baseline and slammed home an emphatic dunk over Tracy McGrady to cut the deficit to one with 30 seconds left.
Houston would have a chance to put the game out of reach, but could not penetrate the Bulls' defense, forcing Juwan Howard to put up a desperation three that missed. Chicago hustled to grab the rebound and called timeout with 10 seconds left. Piatkowski inbounded the ball to Kirk Hinrich, who dumped the ball down low to Eddy Curry. Curry however had bad position and was forced to dish off to Luol Deng.
Deng caught the ball at the free throw line, pump faked Juwan Howard into the air and drove hard to the basket for a layup that sat on the rim and appeared to be on the verge of spinning out, before slowing dropping through the hoop as time expired. As the referees went through the formality of checking the replay, the Chicago bench went crazy imploring them to not to wave off the basket even though there seemed little doubt that the bucket would indeed count. With the indication of the made basket, the Bulls' players celebrated while Rockets fans sat in stunned silence.
February 25th, 2005
Chicago 98, Washington 96[
Boxscore ]
Ben Gordon continues to make a strong case for Rookie of the Year as his game high 33 points and last second basket avoided overtime and a possible third straight loss as Chicago defeated Washington 98-96 at the United Center.
The third overall pick's dunk with 0.8 seconds left capped a 13 point fourth quarter which the Bulls began trailing by one and allowing Washington to lead by as many 7. Gordon appeared to have given Chicago the lead for good with two baskets late in the quarter, but Larry Hughes' three pointer cut the deficit to 83-82.
The Wizards would again take the lead, but the Bulls remained unrattled and evened the score at 94. Eddy Curry scored after a Bulls timeout to put Chicago ahead by two. The Wizards, having exhausted all of their timeouts, rushed the ball up the floor and found Brendan Haywood for a short jumper that tied the game with 1.7 seconds left.
After Chicago called their final timeout, Luol Deng inbounded the ball to Ben Gordon deep in the post. Gordon quickly spun baseline and elevated for a dunk that left Washington with less than a second left and no choice but to throw up a prayer from their own backcourt.
Though it seemed Chicago would fall victim to the same problems they had in their last two games after a sluggish first half, they outscored Washington 28-22 in the third quarter. Chicago also did a much better job of taking care of the ball, committing only 11 turnovers.
Washington got 13 points and 7 rebounds from Kwame Brown, the first overall selection of the 2001 NBA Draft who has been heavily criticised since entering the league. Jarvis Hayes was also a solid contributor off the bench for the Wizards with 13 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists. Gilbert Arenas top scored for Washington with 17, but was held to 7/20 shooting and had only 2 assists.
And all other subsequent Mortal Kombat's. My cousins were living with our family at the time, they were all teenagers and I was like 6 years old or something and we'd spend ages playing MK 1 and 2. To begin with they'd beat me 100% of the time, but after about 3 months or so I could regularly beat them 
1 of only like 5 half courters i ever made, in any live
. Did you do a dynasty for 2003?
