Times wires
Thursday, May 26, 2011
CHICAGO — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh joined to win a championship. Well, now they have their shot.
James scored 28, Wade added 21 and the Heat eliminated Derrick Rose and the Bulls 83-80 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final Thursday.
Miami closed with an 18-3 run to beat the team that had the most wins in the league, that boasted the league's MVP in Rose and that sent expectations soaring around Chicago in a way not seen since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were racking up titles.
Rose led Chicago with 25 points but hit just 9 of 29 shots. He fouled Wade on a key four-point play and missed a tying free throw with 26.7 seconds left.
James had 11 rebounds and six assists. Wade's late surge helped negate his nine turnovers. Bosh added 20 points and 10 rebounds.
"They're Hollywood as hell, but they're still very good, so you got to give credit where credit is due," Bulls forward Joakim Noah told TBS after the game. "They're very good."
In Miami, more than 10,000 watched on a giant screen outside the Heat's downtown arena. Mario Pollazo said Miami fans have "been ripped all year for not loving our team. How dare people say that about Heat fans?"
The Bulls led 77-65 with about three minutes to go, but Wade started the deciding run with a runner and layup. A 3 by James pulled Miami within 77-72. Rose scored, but he fouled Wade as he nailed a 3, resulting in a four-point play. After a miss by Rose, James tied it at 79 with a 3 with 1:01 remaining.
Rose turned the ball over, and a James jumper put Miami up 81-79 with 29.5 seconds left. Rose was fouled by James, but the league MVP made only one free throw.
After two Bosh free throws, the Bulls had one more chance to tie it, but Kyle Korver got doubled near midcourt and passed to Rose on the wing. Double-teamed by James and Udonis Haslem, Rose shot an air ball on a 3 as time ran out.
"Defense. Staying together,'' James said of how the rally occurred.
Of Wade, who struggled for most of the game, James said: "I kept telling him to play through it. We need him.''
"Everything is a learning experience,'' Rose said. "At the end it's on me. Everything is on me — turnovers, missed shots, fouls If anything, it made me hungry. We're going to work on our game over the summer.''
The Heat will open the Finals on Tuesday against the Mavs, the first time in 25 years the championship series will begin in May.
Miami beat Dallas in six games in 2006 with Shaquille O'Neal at center and Wade winning the Finals MVP award.
Heat 83, Bulls 80
MIAMI (83): James 8-19 9-11 28, Bosh 7-15 6-6 20, Anthony 1-2 1-3 3, Bibby 0-4 0-0 0, Wade 6-13 8-11 21, Haslem 0-4 0-0 0, Chalmers 1-2 1-2 4, Miller 3-7 0-0 7. Totals 26-66 25-33 83.
CHICAGO (80): Deng 6-17 4-5 18, Boozer 1-6 3-4 5, Noah 2-4 1-2 5, Rose 9-29 5-6 25, Bogans 2-5 0-0 5, Brewer 4-5 1-2 10, Gibson 0-3 0-0 0, Thomas 2-5 0-0 4, Watson 1-3 1-2 3, Korver 2-4 0-0 5. Totals 29-81 15-21 80.
Miami21171926—83
Chicago25201718—80
3-Point Goals—Miami 6-15 (James 3-6, Chalmers 1-1, Wade 1-2, Miller 1-4, Bibby 0-2), Chicago 7-22 (Deng 2-4, Rose 2-8, Brewer 1-2, Korver 1-3, Bogans 1-4, Watson 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Miami 52 (James 11), Chicago 54 (Thomas, Noah 8). Assists—Miami 12 (James 6), Chicago 18 (Rose 8). Total Fouls—Miami 18, Chicago 28. Technicals—Gibson. Flagrant Fouls—Boozer. A—23,057 (20,917).
Kings: Owners Joe and Gavin Maloof say they are "optimistic" that Sacramento can help finance a new arena after a feasibility study was released at a special City Hall meeting. The Maloofs said "the political and public will are here" in Sacramento despite years of failed measures to finance a facility. The study was preliminary and didn't outline a financing plan.
Conference finals
East
Heat 4, Bulls 1
Game 1: Bulls 103, Heat 82
Game 2: Heat 85, Bulls 75
Game 3: Heat 96, Bulls 85
Game 4: Heat 101, Bulls 93 OT
Thursday: Heat 83, Bulls 80
West
Mavericks 4, Thunder 1
NBA Finals
Heat vs. mavericks
Tuesday: at Miami, 9, Ch. 28
June 2: at Miami, 9, Ch. 28
June 5: at Dallas, 8, Ch. 28
June 7: at Dallas, 9, Ch. 28
June 9: at Dallas, 9, Ch. 28*
June 12: at Miami, 8, Ch. 28*
June 14: at Miami, 9, Ch. 28*
* If necessary