Times wires
Thursday, April 7, 2011
CHICAGO — Derrick Rose had 30 points, eight assists and five rebounds as the Bulls closed in on the top seed in the East by beating the Celtics 97-81 on Thursday.
Chicago's fifth consecutive win and 17th in 19 games put it four games up on Boston and Miami. Each has four games left.
The Heat can't earn the top seed because it is 0-3 against the Bulls.
"At training camp and in the beginning of the year, I thought my team was ready to fight," Rose said. "I just saw what we were going through in training camp. Guys were keyed in and focused, making sure that they came in very, very hungry, wanting to win."
Luol Deng scored 18 of his 23 in the second half for the Bulls.
However, Joakim Noah repeatedly needed his sprained right ankle taped, and he didn't play in the fourth. The status of the ex-Gator hasn't been determined.
Boston had just one player, Paul Pierce with 15, who scored more than 10.
"We've got to be better than this," center Kevin Garnett said.
"No way we can come out and put an effort like this in a game this big."
magic's Howard, teammate suspended: Magic center Dwight Howard was suspended for one game and guard Quentin Richardson for two. The league upheld Howard's technical foul from Wednesday, when he was called for taking too much time to shoot a free throw then threw the ball away. It was his 18th technical of the season. Howard received a one-game suspension for his 16th, and league rules call for another for every two afterward. Richardson shoved the Bobcats' Gerald Henderson in the face during an altercation Wednesday.
Around the league: Heat guard Dwyane Wade will be a game-time decision tonight. He sat out Thursday with a bruised right thigh sustained Sunday. … Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal missed his second game with a strained right calf. Coach Doc Rivers said he believes O'Neal will be ready for the playoffs.
Bulls 97, Celtics 81
BOSTON (81): Pierce 6-13 2-2 15, Garnett 3-9 4-4 10, J.O'Neal 2-5 1-2 5, Rondo 3-10 1-3 7, Allen 3-11 1-1 7, Davis 1-8 6-6 8, Green 4-7 2-2 10, Krstic 1-2 4-4 6, West 4-7 0-0 9, Pavlovic 1-1 0-0 2, Murphy 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 28-73 23-26 81.
CHICAGO (97): Deng 9-18 2-2 23, Boozer 6-16 2-3 14, Noah 1-3 0-0 2, Rose 9-16 10-10 30, Bogans 2-3 0-0 6, Brewer 2-4 0-0 4, Gibson 3-5 0-0 6, Thomas 1-2 0-0 2, Korver 2-7 0-0 5, Watson 1-3 0-0 2, Butler 1-1 0-0 3, Asik 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-78 14-15 97.
Boston 18 25 17 21— 81
Chicago 26 22 23 26— 97
3-Point Goals—Boston 2-10 (West 1-2, Pierce 1-5, Allen 0-3), Chicago 9-22 (Deng 3-6, Bogans 2-3, Rose 2-5, Butler 1-1, Korver 1-5, Watson 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Boston 43 (Garnett 10), Chicago 47 (Boozer 12). Assists—Boston 14 (Rondo 6), Chicago 21 (Rose 8). Total Fouls—Boston 12, Chicago 21. Technicals—Davis, Pierce, Thomas. A—23,067 (20,917).
