Associated Press
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INDIANAPOLIS ó Derrick Rose was beaten up and shaken up by Indianaís trapping defense, which was intent on shutting him down at all costs.
The Chicago Bulls guard struggled all game long and even lost his cool at times, but he still found a way to be the difference-maker. He scored 23 points, including the go-ahead layup with 17.8 seconds left, to help the Bulls beat the Pacers 88-84 on Thursday night and take a 3-0 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.
Roseís late basket was his only field goal in the second half. He made just 4 of 18 shots in the game as he was blanketed, and at times pummeled, by Indianaís Paul George and Dahntay Jones.
ěIt was a little rough out there, but itís basketball,î he said. ěThey had something to prove.î
Rose, guarded by Jones, drove left for the layup that gave the Bulls an 86-84 lead and sparked ěMVP!î chants from the thousands of Bulls fans who made the 3-hour drive.
Danny Granger had a chance to give the Pacers the lead, but his 3-pointer was off, and Chicagoís Ronnie Brewer rebounded. Brewer was fouled, and he made two free throws with 1.1 seconds left to put the game out of reach.
Rose missed his first eight shots of the second half, but he never hesitated when it was time to go for the lead late.
ěThe whole time, I was just thinking Iíll go to the hole,î he said. ěIt was tough the whole night the way they were playing, but at that time, I saw space and went for it.î
Roseís teammates expected him to deliver.
ěWe have had a lot of close games all year,î Bulls guard Kyle Korver said. ěHe always wants the ball at the end, and usually, he comes through.î
Rose made up for his shooting difficulties by making 13 of 15 free throws. Chicago can close out the series on Saturday.
ěThe bottom line is weíre up 3-0,î Chicago forward Carlos Boozer said. ěWeíre getting better. Our defense was much better than it was the first two games of the series, and weíve got to be ready for Game 4.î
Heat 100, 76ers 94
PHILADELPHIA ó Dwyane Wade had 32 points and 10 rebounds, LeBron James finished with 24 points and 15 boards and the Miami Heat took a 3-0 lead in their first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers with a 100-94 victory Thursday night.
Chris Bosh scored 19 points for the Heat, who rallied from an early 10-point deficit to move within one win of a sweep of the Eastern Conference series.
Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.
James hit the court hard late in the fourth quarter and briefly sat against the scorerís table. He grimaced when his teammates pulled him up and he slowly walked back to Miamiís bench.
The Sixers were determined to win one on their home court and played like a team trying all it could to get the series back to Miami.
Elton Brand had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers.
Wade missed practice before Game 2 with a migraine headache. Hours before Game 3, Wade said he was fine.
ěI donít have to worry about bright lights,î he said.
He was fantastic under the postseason spotlight.
Wade delivered with a string of big baskets ó he was 10 of 19 from the field overall ó in the third and fourth quarters that spurred the Heat to the brink of the conference semifinals. He drew a foul on a spin move against Jrue Holiday and hit two free throws with 51.6 seconds left that about clinched the game.
ěWeíre a desperate team right now,î James said. ěWe want to continue to play that way. D-Wade had an unbelievable game … and weíre ready to close it out.î
Wade was 12 for 12 from the free throw line. For all the hype around the Big Three, Wade remembers he was the Biggest One in Miami. He still plays that way and the Heat needed all of his effort against the scrappy Sixers.
Lou Williams missed a 3 in the final minute that would have made it a one-point game. Holiday scored 20 points and Williams finished with 15.
For most of the game, it seemed like a Game 1 rerun. The Sixersí fast start would get picked away by Miami, the Big Three would take over and the Heat would roll.
When James hit a pull-up jumper for a 54-52 lead early in the third for Miamiís first lead of the game, the plan was going as scripted.
The Sixers had a whole new ending planned.
Jodie Meeks and Holiday bookended 3s during a stunning 12-0 run that helped them regain the lead in front of rollicking crowd that truly made it feel like big-time, meaningful basketball was alive and thriving in Philadelphia.
In a play that showed what make the Heat great, James stumbled and flipped an underhand pass to Wade for a ferocious dunk that cut it 68-64.
ěIt definitely started a run for us,î James said. ěLuckily I was able to get rid of the ball before I traveled and D-Wade was able to slam it home. Itís a great play for us, a great team win and weíre looking to close them out on Sunday.î
King James played jester when he fired an airball late in the quarter ó the crowd reveled in that miscue ó and the Sixers kept a 75-73 lead into the fourth.
Fans booed each time James touched the ball, but they sure got a kick out of his one misfire.
Philadelphiaís fast start fizzled down the stretch and a team that showed amazing resiliency all season simply doesnít have the talent to match up with the Heat.
The 76ers made their first four shots, raced to a 9-0 lead and drove a rare pumped sellout crowd bonkers.
Philadelphiaís stellar first quarter was a familiar feeling for both teams. In Game 1, the Sixers made eight of their first 10 shots and led 25-11. While the Sixers coughed up the lead in the second quarter in that one, they stretched the lead to double figures and never lost the lead, going into halftime up 52-50.
Brand, who scored only 20 points the first two games, established his mid-range jumper and scored 13 points in the first half. The Sixers only turned the ball over twice and proved the Game 2 flop was well behind them.
Williams delivered on his two pregame promises.
The first compared Phillyís fans to Miamiís: ěOurs will be better.î
Fueled by ěRockyî clips, 20,404 fans were stoked from the time the lights were dimmed for intros to the final horn.
The other: The 76ers would ěfight hard, fight to the finish.î
They did. They just didnít win.
NOTES: Former New York Giant Michael Strahan was at the game. … The Heat donít care about fansí expectations. ěWeíre not trying to prove anything. Weíre just trying to win,î Bosh said.
The Associated Press
04/21/11 22:56