The Chicago Bulls triumphed 128-127 in triple-overtime yesterday to push reigning National Basketball Association champions Boston to a decisive seventh game in their Eastern Conference playoff series.
The Chicago Bulls triumphed 128-127 in triple-overtime yesterday to push reigning National Basketball Association champions Boston to a decisive seventh game in their Eastern Conference playoff series.
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The fourth game of the series to go to overtime sends the teams back to Boston to decide who will face the Orlando Magic in the second round.
Chicago's Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose scored 28 points and blocked a potential game-winning shot from Rajon Rondo and John Salmons scored 35 points for the Bulls, who knotted the series at three games each.
"It's crazy, but you've got to love it," Rose said.
Ray Allen scored a career playoff-high 51 points for the Celtics, but he couldn't get the Celtics past the tenacious Bulls.
Rondo drove and pulled up to shoot with eight seconds to play, only to have Rose thwart the attempt.
Rose then missed two free throws with 3.2 seconds to play, before Rondo missed a desperation heave from past midcourt.
With the scored tied at 123-123 in the third overtime, Joakim Noah stole the ball and raced to the other end to score, was fouled by Paul Pierce and made the free throw.
"This series is a lot of fun for the fans, the people of Chicago, the people of Boston," Noah said.
"It's a lot of fun for us, too, playing in environments like this on the big stage. It's special to be part of this, and I know that it's a series people will be talking about for a long time."
Eddie House responded with a jump shot that pulled Boston within 126-125, but two free throws from Brad Miller stretched Chicago's lead to three with 28 seconds to play.
Rondo put back his own missed shot to close the gap to one, but Boston just couldn't close out the series.
Allen certainly did all he could. He finished three points short of John Havlicek's club playoff record and matched the NBA playoff record with nine three-pointers. Glen Davis chipped in 23 points and Pierce scored 22.
"It's very bittersweet," Allen said. "There's nothing to really talk about anymore. We lost and we had the agony that it wasn't enough."
Orlando's victory in Philadelphia was a complete contrast, as the Magic Magic overcame the absence of suspended star Dwight Howard to beat the 76ers 114-89 and advance with a four-games-to-two series victory.
Even without Howard - suspended by the league for elbowing Philadelphia center Samuel Dalembert in game five - Orlando jumped on top of Philadelphia early, making 12 of their first 19 shots.
Rashard Lewis scored 29 points and Rafer Alston had 21 as the Magic won in Philadelphia for the second time in the series.
Alston nailed two three-pointers in the Magic's fast start, while JJ Redick made all three of his three-point attempts in the first half as he filled in for injured Courtney Lee.
"They wanted to prove something," Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. "They have great appreciation in that we would be where we are without Dwight."
Andre Miller scored 24 points and Andre Iguodala had 20 for Philadelphia, who were eliminated in the first round for the second straight season.
"We had no answer," 76ers coach Tony DiLeo said. "They had the first punch and we never had a counterpunch."
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