Heat Eliminate Banged Up Bulls

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images(MIAMI) -- It was a tough series, but the Miami Heat are moving on.

LeBron James scored 23 points, Dwayne Wade added 18 and the Miami Heat defeated the Chicago Bulls 94-91 in Miami on Wednesday night to close out their second-round series in five games.

"We gave it everything we had," James said. "I have no energy left."

The Bulls had an 11-point second-half lead when Wade went back into the locker room for some quick treatment on his ailing right knee.  He came back in and helped the Heat outscore the Bulls 25-14 to advance to their third-straight Eastern Conference finals.

Carlos Boozer led the Bulls with 26 points and 14 rebounds.  The Bulls were once again without three of their top players, and they still found a way to advance to the second-round of the playoffs.  Guards Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich, and forward Luol Deng were all out with various injuries.  Rose hasn't played since last April when he tore his ACL.

"Obviously we're disappointed in losing the series," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "But I was never disappointed in our team. I thought our team fought hard all year long. There was no quit in them."

The Bulls blew out the Heat in Game 1 of the series, before Miami won four straight.  They are 45-3 in their last 48 games overall.

The Bulls will face the winner of the series between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.

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Bulls Top Nets In Game 7

Elsa/Getty Images(BROOKLYN) -- The short-handed Bulls are moving on.

The Chicago Bulls overcame injury and illness to defeat the Brooklyn Nets, 99-93 in Game 7 at the Barclays Center to advance in the NBA playoffs.

Joakim Noah, who continues to deal with plantar fasciitis, had 24 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks.

Chicago played the game without Kirk Hinrich or Luol Deng. Deng was dealing with the side effects of a viral flu and Hinrich continues to be hampered by a calf injury.

The Bulls built a 61-44 halftime lead on the strength of Noah and Carlos Boozer, who finished with 17 points and seven rebounds.

Brooklyn was able to cut into the lead, and trimmed it to 86-81 with 6:08 remaning. 

However, Chicago responded and Marco Belinelli gave them a lift with a big three-pointer to push the lead to 10 with just under five minutes left.

Deron Williams had 24 points for the Nets and Brook Lopez added 21 points and nine rebounds. Joe Johnson struggled, shooting just 2-for-14.

The Bulls will take on the Miami Heat in the conference semifinals.

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Bull's Deng In ER, Game 7 In Doubt

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images(DEERFIELD, Ill.) -- The already-injured Chicago Bulls may stay that way for Game 7 against the Brooklyn Nets.

Bulls forward Luol Deng is in the ER because of a case of viral flu that caused him to miss Game 6 for Chicago, a loss to the Nets. Deng originally went to the ER on Wednesday night and recieved a spinal tap.

"As a result of the spinal tap I suffered the worst headache I've ever experienced and been the weakest I've ever felt," Deng tweeted. "Yesterday I was unable to walk or even get out of bed. I made it to the UC and was sent home. (Friday) morning my symptoms worsened."

Deng also tweeted that he would never miss a game because of the flu. 

In addition to Deng's status, guard Kirk Hinrich may not play because of a calf injury. "We'll see. [He will] get more treatment, and then we'll see," coach Tom Thibodeau said.

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Bulls Snap Heat's 27-Game Winning Streak

David Banks/Getty Images(CHICAGO) -- The streak is over.

Luol Deng scored 28 points to lead the Chicago Bulls past the Miami Heat, 101-97 on Wednesday to end the Heat's 27-game winning streak.

LeBron James scored 32 points for Miami (56-15), but a late comeback fell short. Miami fell six games shy of tying the all-time record of 33 straight wins set by the Lakers in 1972.

"We haven't had a chance to really have a moment to know what we just did," James said. "We had a moment, just very fortunate, very humbling and blessed to be part of this team and be part of a streak like that."

Carlos Boozer pulled down 17 rebounds for Chicago (39-31), which clinched a playoff spot with the win.

"We were much more competitive in the second half. It became make or miss in the fourth quarter, and we couldn't get the necessary stops we needed to," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. 

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Lakers Top Bulls

Stacy Revere/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- The Los Angeles Lakers are starting to figure things out.

Dwight Howard scored 16 points and pulled down 21 rebounds to help the Lakers past the Chicago Bulls, 90-81, on Sunday at the Staples Center.

The Lakers (33-31) are now two games over .500 for the first time all season. They moved a half-game ahead of the Utah Jazz for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Despite the accomplishments, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant knows there is work to do. "We're very focused," Bryant said. "We know what we have to do and what lies ahead. Everybody's locked in."

Bryant scored 19 points to go along with nine assists and seven rebounds.

Chicago (35-28) got 18 points and 17 rebounds from Joakim Noah but still lost for the fifth time in their last eight games.

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Pacers Fend Off Bulls

Chris Chambers/Getty Images)(INDIANAPOLIS) -- In a battle for Central Division supremacy, the Indiana Pacers were just a little bit better.

David West scored 31 points to help lead the Pacers past the Chicago Bulls, 97-92, on Sunday night.

The Pacers (38-22) now own a four-game lead over the Bulls in the division standings and own the head-to-head tiebreaker after sweeping the first three meetings between the teams.

"It's a huge win. It's someone who was the best in our division," Pacers guard George Hill said. "They say to be the best, you have to beat the best, and today we took that as a challenge to go out there and play hard."

Joakihm Noah had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the short-handed Bulls (34-26). Marco Belinelli missed a potential game-tying three with 7.8 seconds left, and Indiana secured the rebound and made free throws to seal the win.

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Bulls Stifle Hawks

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images(CHICAGO) -- Even for the defensive-minded Chicago Bulls, this was quite a performance.

The Bulls held the Atlanta Hawks to the fewest first-half points in their history in a 97-58 beatdown at the United Center on Monday night. 

Chicago (21-15) held Atlanta to five second quarter points and 20 first half points. The 58 total points allowed was the fewest in Bulls franchise history.

"This was very, very embarrassing," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "From where we were as a team to where we're at right now, we have lost all sense of team on both ends of the floor. And why that's happened I really can't put my finger on it."

Carlos Boozer had a double-double 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls, who had more than enough offense for the night.

Atlanta (21-16) had only one player in double figures and shot 29 percent from the floor.

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Bulls Turn Back Magic

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images(CHICAGO) -- Even with injured superstar Derrick Rose sidelined, the Chicago Bulls will still be a tough out. Luol Deng scored 23 points, Nate Robinson gave the Bulls a lift and Chicago handed the Orlando Magic their first loss, 99-93 on Tuesday night at the United Center.

The Bulls (3-1) trailed by five in the second half, but went on a 15-2 run to grab an eight point lead.

"(Winning is) all that counts, but we need to play better," Bulls forward Joakim Noah said. "This isn't going to cut it against a better team. We've just got to keep fighting."

Noah had 20 points, nine rebounds and five blocks.

For the Magic (2-1), they did not have enough to start 3-0 on the season despite losing center Dwight Howard to an offseason trade.

Guard Aaron Afflalo had 28 points to lead the team. 

"Our lull offensively gave them an opportunity to hit some shots in the fourth quarter," Afflalo said. "It's unfortunate, because it was a game I thought we could have won."

Robinson had 11 points off the bench for the Bulls, who play the Oklahoma City Thunder at home on Thursday.

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Iguodala Comes Through in the Clutch, 76ers Advance

Philadelphia 76ers/NBA(Philadelphia) --  Philadelphia 76ers forward Andre Iguodala has had a rough time shooting free-throws in the fourth quarter this season. He averaged 45 percent from the charity stripe during the regular season, but Thursday night he hit his free-throws when it counted.

With 2.2 seconds left in the game, Iguodala hit the game tying shot and the go-ahead free-throws giving the Sixers a 79-78 victory over the Chicago Bulls. It also gives the Sixers their first playoff series victory since 2003.

"I don't know how you could write a better script," 76ers head coach Doug Collins said. "Then Andre Iguodala getting a rebound, driving the length of the floor...Struggled all year at the foul line and stepped up, made two free-throws to win a playoff series and get to the second round for the first time."

Loul Deng had 19 points and 17 rebounds in a losing effort.

Up next for the Sixers is a match against the Boston Celtics. Game 1 is Saturday night at 8 PM ET in Boston.

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Bulls Snap Streak, Beat Celtics 93-86

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images(CHICAGO) -- The Chicago Bulls (43-13) continue to find a way to win without their all-star Derrick Rose.

On Thursday night, Luol Deng scored 18 of his 26 points in the second half to lead his team past the Boston Celtics (30-24) 93-86.  Joakim Noah added 17 in the victory.

"We definitely want Derrick back out there, he helps, but even when Derrick comes back, it's not going to be easy," Noah said. "We have a long road ahead, a lot of games, a lot of battles. With Derrick back, we have to play hungry. When we play hungry, we're tough to beat."

Rose missed his 12th consecutive game with a strained right groin.  C.J. Watson provided 15 points filling in for the all-star.

"I think the big thing is you look at what you have. Our team has shown all year that we have great fight and we believe we can win with whoever we have out there, and they have shown that all year," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said.

Chicago snapped a two-game losing streak and are now 15-7 with Rose sidelined.

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