Publicly, Derrick Rose told the Chicago Sun Times Wednesday that he was concerned that the Bulls were "not moving in the right direction."

Privately, within the Bulls locker room, their belief that they could beat the Celtics changed when Boston traded Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City.

The Bulls felt that with Perkins gone, everything changed for the Celtics. They no longer had the toughness, the tenacity, the presence in the post.

“He was tough,” Rose said. “He was really tough to go around. They’re different.

“We know we can beat them,” Rose flatly said.