CHICAGO, (Reuters) – The Chicago Bulls stunned the Boston Celtics 128-127 in a triple overtime thriller on Thursday, sending the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series to a deciding seventh game.
A steal, slam-dunk and free throw by second-year centre Joakim Noah with 35 seconds to play put the Bulls up for good against the defending NBA champions after 21 lead changes.
“I felt like it took forever to get to that basket,” said Noah, son of former French Open tennis champion Yannick. “Words can’t really describe it. We’re still alive.
“We were very close to death. Each game has been a rollercoaster.”
The often ill-tempered series, which has already had an NBA record four overtime finishes, goes down to the wire in Boston today. The winners face the Orlando Magic. With its season on the line Chicago blew a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter and needed two clutch plays from backup center Brad Miller — a three-pointer and a driving lay-up — to pull level with 30 seconds left in regulation.
“Brad Miller was the savior for them. Those were the two biggest plays, I thought. It gave them hope again,” said Celtics head coach Doc Rivers.
Forward John Salmons led the Bulls with 35 points, including a crucial layup with two minutes left in double OT while Derrick Rose added 28 points in another tempestuous clash.
The rookie guard also posted a team-high seven assists and eight rebounds as the Bulls overcame a 51-point performance from veteran Boston guard Ray Allen.
“We’re making too many mistakes still but I’m pleased with how it turned out,” said Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro. “I’m so pleased with our guys’ ability to make shots when they had to.”
Boston let an eight-point lead slip away in the final minutes, to the chagrin of Rivers.
“We had our chances. We tried to hold onto the game but we stopped playing,” he said. “We let a team score 50 percent on us — and we’re supposed to be a defensive team.
“Some of our guys were tentative.”
Tempers flared as early as the first quarter when Boston’s Rajon Rondo, who Chicago felt was guilty of rough play earlier in the series, clashed with Kirk Hinrich.
Miller played with seven stitches in his mouth following Tuesday’s hit from Rondo, who was called for a flagrant foul this time. He finished with eight points and a game-high 19 assists.