Apr 26, 2009 9:51 pm US/Eastern
Gordon, Bulls Beat Celtics 121-118 In 2 OT
CHICAGO (AP) ―
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Derrick Rose No.1 of the Chicago Bulls leaps to grab a rebound away from Mikki Moore No.7 of the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at the United Center on April 26, 2009, in Chicago, Illinois.
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Another playoff thriller between Chicago and Boston, and this one went to the Bulls. Ben Gordon scored 22 points, hitting the tying 3-pointer in the first overtime, and the Bulls beat the Celtics 121-118 in double overtime Sunday to tie their first-round series at two games apiece.
The teams split two tight games in Boston, before the Celtics blew out the Bulls in Game 3. This time, they stretched the drama into a second overtime.
Derrick Rose added 23 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. John Salmons scored 20 points after a slow start, hitting four free throws in the final 26 seconds of the game and blocking Paul Pierce's tying 3-pointer.
Boston's Ray Allen buried a 3-pointer with 9.8 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 96, and Rose missed a fadeaway in the closing seconds of regulation. Gordon came through with 4.5 seconds left in the first overtime, hitting a 3-pointer over Pierce to tie it at 110, and the Bulls never trailed in the second OT.
Salmons hit two free throws with 26.6 seconds left and, after a 3-pointer by Pierce, he hit two more at the line. After a timeout, Pierce got the ball on the left side but couldn't shake Salmons, who deflected his 3-pointer.
It was a dramatic end to another dramatic game. The series goes back to Boston on Tuesday, where the Bulls took Game 1 in overtime and the Celtics won Game 2 by three.
Pierce led Boston with 29 points, although he was just 9-for-24. Allen added 28, and Rajon Rondo again hounded the Bulls, finishing with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
Rose, who got outplayed by Rondo in the previous two games, again had trouble hanging onto the ball. He committed seven turnovers for the second straight time, but made up for it with some big shots down the stretch.
Kirk Hinrich added 18 points off the bench. Tyrus Thomas added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Joakim Noah scored 12 while grabbing 10 boards.
The Celtics were leading 105-100 in the first OT after baskets by Pierce and Allen, but the Celtics couldn't put away the Bulls.
Salmons buried a 3-pointer, and after a basket by Pierce, Hinrich knocked down a jumper. Salmons then stole the ball, and Hinrich hit 1-of-2 free throws after a clear-path foul on Brian Scalabrine to make it 107-106 with 26 seconds left.
Allen then made only one at the line. So did Gordon after a hard foul by Glen Davis, making it 108-107. The Bulls immediately fouled Allen, who hit two with 9 seconds left, and then Gordon came through.
He got the ball near the top of the key and dribbled to his right, burying the tying 3 over Pierce. Rondo then missed a jumper, sending it into a second OT.
Rose started the second overtime with a basket and Salmons converted a reverse layup on a 3-on-2 break with 2:35 remaining to make it 114-110.
After Davis scored, Noah dunked over him to get the lead back to four with 1:26 left. Pierce missed a 3-pointer, and with the crowd chanting his name, Noah buried 1 of 2 free throws to make it 117-112 with 35 seconds left.
Pierce converted a three-point play to pull Boston within two, but Salmons hit two more free throws before his big defensive play.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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