As we noted a couple of times (Nate Robinson scuffling! Nate Robinson banking in a 20-foot runner!) this afternoon the Bulls' 142-134 triple overtime win over the Nets was straight-up bananagrams and what on earth is happening in this AP photo.
Robinson came off the bench to score 34 points, the most by a reserve in a playoff game in eight years, including 12 straight for the Bulls when they were closing a 14-point gap in the fourth quarter. That was astonishing, but not as amazing as — seriously, it's like the ref's fist is Tom Thibodeau's new grenade-shaped Muppet nose. What the what.
That doesn't even account for Nazr Mohammed stepping in for big plays once Joakim Noah fouled out (one of five players to do so) or Joe Johnson forcing the second overtime with a buzzer-beater or Kirk Hinrich coming alive to sling 14 assists or the fact that Thibodeau's mouth is still totally visible, making him look like one of those vegetable heads that people put on calendars they sell at the farmer's market.
The Bulls take a 3-1 series lead. Your heart has to go out to the Nets. And to Thibodeau's new hand-based mashup face. It's eternity in there.
Photo credit: AP