NBA | Bulls top Pistons to get back in the series
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Suddenly, it's a series. Ben Gordon scored 28 points and the hot-shooting Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons, 108-92, last night in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, pulling to three-games-to-two in the series.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Suddenly, it's a series.
Ben Gordon scored 28 points and the hot-shooting Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons, 108-92, last night in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, pulling to three-games-to-two in the series.
Detroit opened the series with two routs and made a big comeback in the third game, leading some to predict it would end with a sweep - or in five games at the most.
The Bulls had other plans.
Game 6 is tomorrow night in Chicago, and if Game 7 is necessary, it would be Monday night back on the Pistons' home court.
The Bulls started the game Tuesday night with a sense of urgency and didn't let up in a game they never trailed.
Chicago only missed one of its first seven shots while holding Detroit to 3 of 9 shooting and each starter scored to help build a 14-6 lead.
The Bulls made 72.2 percent of their shots in the first half - falling just short of an NBA record - but only led by eight at halftime.
Chauncey Billups scored 17, Richard Hamilton had 16 points and Rasheed Wallace added 15, but the Pistons trio combined to shoot just 16 of 42.
Jazz 100, Warriors 87
SALT LAKE CITY - Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko scored 21 points apiece as Utah beat Golden State to win the second-round series by four games to one. The Jazz will play Phoenix or San Antonio in the Western Conference finals.
Nowitzki bittersweet MVP. Dirk Nowitzki has some consolation for a first-round postseason flop - an MVP trophy.
The Dallas Mavericks forward officially ended the two-year MVP reign of good friend Steve Nash after a regular season in which the 7-footer led his team to 67 wins, the sixth most in league history.
Davis disciplined. Golden State guard Baron Davis was cleared to play in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals last night despite his flagrant foul on Utah's Derek Fisher in Game 4.
The play from late in Utah's 115-101 victory on Sunday happened away from the ball and was not seen by officials. On Tuesday the NBA reviewed it and gave Davis a flagrant foul, but did not suspend him.
Surgeries. Heat guard Dwyane Wade had surgery on his left shoulder and left knee, and the MVP of last season's NBA finals might need the remainder of the off-season to fully recover.
Lakers forward Lamar Odom had shoulder surgery and is expected to be ready for training camp in October.