Chicago Bulls outlast Indiana Pacers
in Game 1, 104-99: NBA Play-Off Recap
Derrick Rose tallied a play-off career-high 39 points and Kyle Korver nailed a 3-pointer as the top-seeded Chicago Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers 104-99, in the opener of an Eastern Conference
quarter-final series at the United Center on Saturday.
“We knew it was going to be a hard game,” Rose said. “From the beginning I guess we weren’t prepared for it. Next time I think we’ll be ready.”
Rose also had six rebounds and six assists while Korver finished with 13 points for Chicago, which capped the game on a 16-1 run. Luol Deng scored 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls,
who went 62-20 this year.
Danny Granger posted 24 points while Tyler Hansbrough scored 22 points for the eighth-seeded Pacers, who went 37-45 this season. Darren Collison added 17 points in the loss for Indiana.
The Pacers' Head Coach, Frank Vogel, was pleased with his side’s performance despite the defeat. He said, "I'm very proud of our effort tonight. I have a great deal of belief in this team.
We should have won this game. The last several weeks we've been playing as well as anyone in the NBA. This will be a series."
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will take place in the second city on Monday.
Indiana took an early 27-23 lead in the first quarter and carried a six-point lead into the second quarter. The Pacers continued to play front-runner in the second with superior inside
play. They extended their lead to eight points when a Collison trey and Hansbrough's jumper made it 45-37 with less than six minutes remaining in the second.
The Bulls rallied in the second and reduced their deficit to four points, 55-51, at the break.
The Pacers used a 10-0 run to take a 63-53 lead early in the third quarter. Indiana maintained its lead throughout the frame and took a 79-71 lead into the fourth quarter.
Rose made two free-throws with less than five minutes remaining to make it 91-88 for the Bulls.
With less than two minutes to play in the third, Rose took a free-throw to cut the deficit to 99-97.
Darren Collison's missed jumper provided Chicago an opportunity to equalise the contest, and they did so. Rose tied the game at 99-99 with a spinning floater.
Korver then gave the Bulls their first lead of the night. He first blocked a shot from Collison. Rose then drove to the net and dished to an open Korver beyond the arc. The shot gave Chicago
a 102-99 edge with less than one minute to go.
Granger missed a jumper for Indiana and Deng missed it for the Bulls, but Kurt Thomas controlled a key offensive board. The Pacers were forced to foul Rose, who made a pair of free throws
to make it a 104-99 game with less than 15 second to play.
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