Stare too long at this photo and you’ll fall into a deep trance. The kind where Kevin Garnett is a sane, well-behaved human being who doesn’t feel compelled to sneer and curse excessively down the stretch of close basketball games.

(If you’re wondering if the photo is doctored, we asked ourselves the same question earlier today; it appears to be very real. And it jives with some of Boston’s trash talk earlier in the series.)

The last time the Bulls lost a close game to the Celtics on a late jumper … Chicago came out flat in the next game and got blown out of the building. Don’t expect that to happen this time out, but we do expect a physical affair with heated emotions, especially after the Rajon Rondo closed-fist shot to the face of Brad Miller that led to seven stitches.

We’re just going to make three minor requests with Vinny Del Negro: 1) If Boston ever peels off eight in a row, call timeout … 2) Mix up the defenders on Pierce throughout the game – Hinrich’s done well on him – and then in the fourth quarter, seriously consider Ty Thomas … 3) As fantastic as Ben Gordon has been, Derrick Rose can get to the hoop against anyone, and please remember that in a close game.

The Bulls are three-point favorites. We’ll take the Bulls by one.