Throughout the playoffs, we are going to be looking at the teams that lost their last game and look at what they can do to try and get a win.

The Bulls really struggled on offense against the Cavs’ defense during Game 1.  They only scored 83 points, and with 106 total possessions, that comes out to only .78 points per possession.  However, there was one set that worked well for the Bulls, and it was the pick and roll.  The Bulls ran the pick and roll 27 times, and they were able to score on it 14 times.

In Game 2, the Bulls need to use the pick and roll to make the Cavs pay for playing Shaq.  On defense, the Bulls have nobody who can stop Shaq, and in Game 1 Shaq had 12 points on 5-9 shooting in just about 24 minutes.  Now, on the other end of the court, the Bulls need to involve Shaq in the pick and roll.  To do so, whoever Shaq is defending needs to set a screen for Derrick Rose.  Every single time down the court when Shaq is in.  Why?  Well, because when the Bulls did it in Game 1, it was effective.  This is because you are forcing Shaq to move, and at his age and game condition (he only just started playing again recently), that is going to be tough for him.  This is the first time the Bulls ran the pick and roll with Shaq in:

Notice how Shaq didn’t even move.  That lack of a hedge is what frees up Derrick Rose for a jumper.  Now, let’s look at another one:

As Hinrich comes off the Gibson screen, Shaq should be moving forward to challenge the shot.

However, his lack of mobility prevents him from doing that, and Hinrich winds up with an open jumper that he knocks down.

Now once the man coming off the screen knocks down a few jumpers, Shaq is going to have to challenge the shot.  When he does this, the roll man is going to be able to get his:

In the end, the goal of the Bulls should be to force the Cavs to make a decision.  Keep Shaq on the court and have the Bulls beat them up with the pick and roll (so they can benefit on offense), or take him out because he is too much of a defensive liability.  The pick and roll is one of the few ways the Bulls can score effectively in this series, so they need to keep doing it until the Cavs are going to be able to stop it, especially with Shaq in the game.