NBA Scores Eastern Conference Playoffs: Chicago Bulls Win Another Epic Battle, Drop Boston Celtics in Triple-OT to Force Game 7

John Salmons scored 35 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, Derrick Rose added 28 points, 8 boards and 7 assists and Brad Miller finished with 23 points and 10 off the glass as the Chicago Bulls survived a 51-point effort from Ray Allen and knocked off the Boston Celtics to even their best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series at 3-3 and force a Game 7.

Needing to win to keep their season alive the Bulls came out firing in the opening frame as they built a 21-11 lead, nine of those points coming on a trio of three-pointers from Salmons. The lead would be pushed to as many as 13 before Boston managed to climb to within 34-26 but the Bulls closed the quarter three free-throws and led 37-26. After struggling in the first the second quarter belonged to Boston and more specifically Ray Allen as the Celtics guard scored 20 points in the frame and by the half the defending NBA champions were within 59-57.

Boston grabbed their first lead since a 4-3 advantage in the first when Glen Davis hit jumper early in the third and the Celtics clung to a one-point advantage with 5:05 left in the frame but an 11-2 run by the Bulls put Chicago in front 83-75 and they carried an 83-76 lead into the fourth. That lead was extended to 12-points in the opening minutes of the fourth and it looked like the Bulls would put the game away but Boston found new life with an 18-0 run that turned the tide of the game and put them in front 99-91 with 3:38 left on the clock. Instead of folding the Bulls answered and with 1:06 left Brad Miller buried a rare three-pointer to pull to within 101-99 and then Miller came back with a driving layup with 29 seconds to tie the game at 101-101. Boston had a shot to win the game in regulation but Paul Pierce missed a 19-footer and the game was heading to overtime, the fourth time the series has seen an extra frame.

Both teams traded leads in the first overtime as the Bulls moved in front 107-103 with 2;17 left but four straight free-throws from Pierce evened the game and then Glen Davis hit a jumper to put Boston up 109-107 with 40 seconds left. Salmons answered for the Bulls with a layup to tie the game and Pierce had another chance to win the game but his 15-footer failed and it was on to a second OT.

Once again Chicago moved in front and were up by three with just over 20 seconds when Allen cut the Boston deficit to 116-115. Chicago pushed their advantage back to three with a pair of free-throws from Miller with 16 seconds left but Allen buried a triple with 7 seconds left to tie the game and the game went into triple overtime.

The game was tied at 123-123 with 35 seconds left when Joakim Noah game up with a huge three-point play and after Eddie House brought Boston to within 126-125 Miller sank another two free-throws to push the lead back to three with 28 seconds left. Rajon Rondo had the Celtics back to within 128-127 after he tipped in his own miss with 23 seconds left. After Kirk Hinrich missed a layup Derrick Rose came up with a huge block on a Rondo jumper with 7 seconds left. Rose was then fouled but missed both free-throws but Rondo’s desperation 42-footer failed to drop and the Bulls had the win and forced the series back to Boston.

Click here for more Sports News

About YourFINDit

YourFindit Community is a business, music and social networking community. YourFINDit provides members with a wealth of applications that enable them to create an in depth profile within YourFindit. Profiles include an About Me, Background and Lifestyle, Videos, Photo sharing, News, Music, Blogs, unique URL and networking with other members inside the YourFINDit community. YourFindit provides ADit to each member providing them the opportunity to have an exclusive profile (no outside advertising) displaying only banner ads they upload to their pages. Members can run their own ads or give or sell their ad space to advertisers at prices the member sets.

To create your profile sign up and within minutes you too can have your People profile running your ads and building your network with new members daily.

YourFindit is owned and operated by TransWorldNews, Inc. a news and press release distribution service.