How 'bout those Bulls?

They're holding their own against the defending champs, and it's a bears market these days, but Rick Morrisey looks past the numbers to the passionate play:

Oh, I know what the scoreboard said. And I know the Celtics lead this best-of-seven playoff series 3-2. But I also know the series returns to Chicago on Thursday and that what the Bulls might lack in talent, they make up for in grit. This isn't youthful ignorance at work. The Bulls know exactly where they are and what they're up against.

And they don't care.

"We came in confident, and we're leaving confident," forward John Salmons said.

(Ben) Gordon had said earlier in the day that he would need some divine intervention to help heal his injured leg, and who knows, maybe there was a pregame laying-on of hands in the Bulls' locker room. Or maybe the spirit of Michael Jordan's famous flu game infused him with extra willpower. Or maybe the hammy wasn't all that bad. Whatever the case, Gordon came out and played Tuesday night. Afterward, he said he felt fine.

You could feel the legend-making machine getting fired up, but Gordon was playing on two legs, not one. The Celtics didn't get his best Tuesday night, but they got something close enough.

It was Gordon, sore hamstring and all, whom the Bulls called on to take the last shot in regulation. He missed. It was Gordon who was fouled by Tony Allen on a three-point attempt in overtime, and it was Gordon who hit all three free throws to tie the game at 104.

But the Bulls didn't know how to deal with Paul Pierce, who struggled early and then hit his last five shots to lead Boston to victory. He made back-to-back jumpers late in the overtime to give the Celtics a 104-101 lead. And then he followed Gordon's three free throws with a jumper over Salmons with 3.4 seconds left.

Oh, and he had hit a 15-foot jumper over Derrick Rose with 10.5 seconds left in regulation to tie the game 93-93.

Gordon's hamstring is not going to improve markedly for Game 6 at the United Center. Strained hamstrings don't work that way. But he proved to himself that he could deal with the pain and still get his shots. The goal Thursday will be to make more of them. He was 6 of 21 from the floor.

"He was terrific," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "He made some unbelievable shots. And we'll [let him] take those shots."
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The Bulls eventually are going to go away in these playoffs. Just not right away. And maybe not in this series.