After having success with the Derrick Rose/Kyle Korver pick and pop in game one, it was surprising to see the Bulls shy away from that action in game two, especially considering their offensive struggles in game two.

Chicago did try to run a similar action with 1:30 in the fourth quarter trailing by seven points, but they added another twist, and this time it really hurt the offense.  Perhaps overthinking it, the Bulls ended up making the pick and pop easier instead of harder to defend by adding a few unnecessary actions:

The set starts with Kyle Korver setting a screen for Derrick Rose on the wing as he brings the basketball down the court.  The first noticeable difference is that the Bulls are running this pick and roll early instead of sending Korver from the block.

The purpose of this screen isn’t to free up Derrick Rose, but only to draw the trap, which it effectively does as both Mike Bibby and LeBron James step up to Rose.  Once that happens, Korver releases the screen.

Instead of flaring out to the open area in the ballside corner, Korver heads to the opposite wing where there is a double pindown being set for him.  This path, and the fact that Korver isn’t a threat in the paint, allows Bibby to go over the top of both pindown screens and beat him to the spot.

The fact that Bibby doesn’t doesn’t have to chase Korver around the screens and simply needs to go over the top of everything means that Rose can’t get the ball to Korver and they need to go to the second option, which is the pick and roll with Deng as the screener.

However, because Dwyane Wade is defending Deng as James is defending Rose, the Heat are able to switch this screen and prevent Rose from getting into the paint without double teaming.

Eventually after passing it out to Deng and getting the ball back, Rose rises up for the jumper, one that Wade ends up blocking.  Here is the play in real time:

In my opinion, the Bulls just ran an overcomplicated play to try and get something they could get with a simple pick and pop. Also, this was a great heads-up play by Mike Bibby, reading the double screen and going overtop of it rather than fighting through it. It will be interesting to see if the Bulls try to get back to their standard pick and pop with Korver as the screener.