NBA playoffs: Bulls slip past Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Derrick Rose struggled all game long, but still found a way to be the difference-maker in the end.

Rose scored 23 points, including the go-ahead layup with 17.8 seconds left, to help the Chicago Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers 88-84 on Thursday night and take a 3-0 lead in their first-round series.

Rose’s late basket was his only field goal in the second half. He made just 4 of 18 shots as he was blanketed, and at times pummeled, by Indiana’s Paul George and Dahntay Jones. He made up for it by making 13 of 15 free throws. Rose averaged 37.5 points in the first two games of the series.

Luol Deng had 21 points and Kyle Korver added 12 for the Bulls.

Indiana’s Danny Granger had a chance to win it at the end, but he missed a 3-pointer in the closing seconds. He led the Pacers with 21 points.

Rose, guarded by Jones, drove left for a layup with 17.8 seconds remaining to give the Bulls an 86-84 lead and spark “MVP!” chants from the thousands of Bulls fans who made the 3-hour drive.

The Pacers went for the win, but Granger’s 3-pointer was off, and Chicago’s Ronnie Brewer rebounded. He was fouled, then made two free throws with 1.1 seconds left to put the game out of reach.

The Pacers, who lost double-digit leads in both of the first two games, led by five points in the fourth quarter on Thursday and couldn’t hold on.

Indiana took a 68-65 lead on a layup by Jones with just over 10 minutes to play. His fadeaway jumper over Korver bumped Indiana’s lead to 70-65.

Rose tied the game with two free throws, then gave the Bulls a 72-70 lead with two free throws after he drove and drew Indiana center Roy Hibbert’s fifth foul. Korver followed with a 3-pointer to push Chicago’s lead to 75-70 with 7 minutes to go.

Heat 100, 76ers 94

PHILADELPHIA — Dwyane Wade had 32 points and 10 rebounds, LeBron James finished with 24 points and 15 boards and the Miami Heat took a 3-0 lead in their first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Chris Bosh scored 19 points for the Heat, who rallied from an early 10-point deficit to move within one win of a sweep of the Eastern Conference series.

Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

Tags: sports, basketball, nba, playoffs