NBA Playoffs 2011: Chicago Bulls Bench Mob Must Step Up To Finish Indiana Pacers

It has been Derrick Rose's team since Day 1.

He has led them, during his MVP-caliber season, to the Eastern Conference's top seed with extraordinary desire and talent. But we all know that.

Rose bailed the Bulls out in Games 1 and 2 in Chicago, and also Game 3 in Indiana, with huge buckets in crunch time. He was forced to create due to the lack of offensive production from his teammates. But, nonetheless, Chicago entered Game 4 vying for an opening-round sweep of the Pacers.

But those hopes were put on hold when Rose went down late in the first quarter, struggling to put weight on his injured left ankle.

ESPN Columnist Michael Wilbon may have said it best via twitter:

@RealMikeWilbon I'm in NYC but could hear a collective groan 800 miles away In Chicago when D.Rose went down...He and Bulls r playing very freaked out too.

With his ankle listed as day-to-day after a precautionary MRI on Sunday afternoon, Rose will absolutely be out on the floor, but his overall effectiveness, which relies so heavily on his superb athleticism, may be impacted. This creates a clear void that Chicago's bench must fill if they don't want to pay another visit to the Canseco Fieldhouse.

The "Bench Mob," led by Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver and Taj Gibson, will be needed more than ever to contribute on the offensive end of the floor.

In Brewer's case, he is an athletic wing who likes to get after it on defense and is effective in transition. The Bulls are minus-six in turnover margin thus far in the series, a facet of the game that must improve for Tom Thibodeau's club. They are also minus-10 in the fast break points margin. The Bulls ability to create easy points in transition is reliant upon the energy that the reserves bring to the floor.

Forward Taj Gibson is often one of the first Bulls off the bench. His shot-blocking and defensive strengths are evident night-in and night-out, but his production offensively has been sporadic. Gibson can knock down the 15- to 18-foot jump shot pretty regularly, but in this series has has averaged a dismal 2.5 points per game.

One of the few bright spots for the "Bench Mob" this series has been the play of veteran guard Kyle Korver. As one of the best three-point shooters in the league, Korver was a key addition for the Bulls this offseason when he was signed as a free agent from the Utah Jazz.

In Game 1, Korver hit a three in the closing seconds to ensure a Bulls' victory. It's his shooting spark off of the bench that can get a building to erupt and opposing coaches to lose their hair. And Korver has been a remarkable 80 percent (8-of-10) from deep this series.

Overall, the Bulls bench must step up fast, as they have been outscored by the Pacers' bench 117-91 in the first four games of the series.

Especially with Rose less than 100 percent, additional offense will be a necessity for the Bulls as they look to move on to Round 2 of the 2011 NBA Playoffs.

Josh Rosenblat is a high school student from Chicago looking to find a way to break into sports journalism. He often writes about the NBA (primarily the Chicago Bulls), as well as the MLB, College Basketball, and the NFL. You can email him at [e-mail] or follow him on twitter @JMRosenblat. Feel free to send him comments.