Chicago Bulls dominate Atlanta Hawks 93-73 - NBA Play-offs Recap
Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose scored 19 points and 12 assists to help the top-seeded Chicago Bulls dominate the Atlanta Hawks, 93-73 in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference semi-finals on Thursday, May 12.
Rose played more of a supporting role, helping Chicago improve to 13-1 all-time in play-off series in which the Bulls have led 3-2 after five contests.
For the first time since 1998, the Bulls cruised to the Eastern Conference finals this season. The last time Michael Jordan led Chicago to its third straight National Basketball Association title and sixth overall. This time, it is the 2010-11 NBA MVP Derrick
Rose leading the charge.
Chicago will meet the Miami Heat in the finals. Miami beat the Boston Celtics in five contests to advance to the conference finals. Game 1 is scheduled for Sunday in Chicago.
After the game, an excited Rose said, "We're happy to get to the conference finals. But we're not planning to stop right there."
Carlos Boozer ended with 23 points and 10 boards for Chicago, which held a 3-2 series advantage over the fifth-seeded Hawks with a 95-83 win in Game 5 on Tuesday.
Joe Johnson and Josh Smith each lit the lamp with 19 and 18 points, for Atlanta which shot just 36.5 percent from the field.
The Bulls jumped out to an early lead and kept the pressure on the Hawks. A 7-0 Chicago run late in the opening period gave the visitors a 27-15 advantage. The Bulls led by 10 points, 27-17 heading into the second quarter.
Ahead 35-25 halfway through the second quarter, Chicago scored seven straight points. Boozer drilled a Jumper, Joakim Noah drained a three-pointer and then Luol Deng's jumper put the Bulls up by 17 points, 42-25 with less than five minutes to play in the
second.
It appeared like the Bulls were ready to run away with it. However, the Hawks came out and made the play interesting at the end of the second. Smith hit a free throw after he was fouled on a one-handed alley-oop jam. Atlanta then cut their deficit to 45-35
when Zaza Pachulia made a free throw before the half-time. After that, the Bulls never let the lead below double figures over the final two periods.
Holding a 56-45 lead halfway through the third quarter, the Bulls pulled the game away with a 7-1 flurry. Keith Bogans hit a trey and Boozer knocked down a jumper to give the Bulls a 63-46 lead with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Bulls extended its lead to 70-51 later in the period when Omer Asik hit a three-pointer and Boozer made a pair of free throws.
"They just got on a roll. Boozer probably had his best game that he has played all series. You have to give them credit," Johnson said.
The Bulls held a 70-53 margin heading into the final quarter and cruised to victory in the fourth.
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