(7) Chicago Bulls (3-3) at (2) Boston Celtics (3-3), 8 p.m.
One of the most entertaining NBA playoff series in recent memory will come to a close Saturday when the defending champion Boston Celtics face off with the Chicago Bulls in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinals set.
Whether it ends in four quarters is anybody's guess.
In a series that has now featured four overtime contests, including three in a row, and a total of seven extra sessions, the Bulls forced Game 7 on Thursday when the outlasted the C's in triple-overtime.
Joakim Noah came up with the steal and go-ahead three-point play, and the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose had the crucial block on Rajon Rondo's shot in the waning seconds, helping the Chicago escape with a 128-127 win in Game 6 at the United Center.
"I'm just excited that we're still alive," said Noah. "We were really close to death today and I feel every game is like that. It's such a roller coaster. I'm having so much fun out there."
The Bulls got 35 points from John Salmons and overcame a playoff career-best 51-point effort from Boston's Ray Allen, who tied an NBA postseason record by hitting nine three-pointers.
Rose totaled 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, but his lone block of the night came at the most crucial time. Brad Miller ended with 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls. Ben Gordon, who is struggling with a balky hamstring, was limited to 12 points before fouling out.
Paul Pierce had 22 points and nine rebounds for the Celtics, and Glen Davis tallied 23 points, but both players fouled out along with teammate Kendrick Perkins, who had 12 points and 13 boards. Rondo, who is averaging a triple- double in the series, tallied eight points, nine rebounds and equaled a Celtics postseason record with 19 assists.
Noah, who had 15 rebounds, stepped into the passing lane to deflect Pierce's pass, raced the other way and threw down a right-handed jam. Pierce fouled out on the play, and Noah sank the free throw for a 126-123 difference with 35.5 seconds left.
"It was more of a reaction," said Noah. "He drove to my side and I stunted at him, tried to make him pick up his dribble. He threw the pass, got the steal and it felt like it took me forever to get to the basket, but I'm happy I got there."
For Pierce, he admitted the big mistake trying too quick to pass to Brian Scalabrine.
"I should have taken my time with the pass. It was an awful pass that Noah deflected," said Pierce. "At that point you want to save the basket. You want to try to get back as hard as you can and you don't think about fouls."
Eddie House drained a jumper from the left corner seven seconds later for a one-point difference before Miller sank two from the charity stripe. Rondo then tipped in his own miss for a 128-127 margin with 23.7 seconds to go.
Chicago's Kirk Hinrich then missed a wide open layup off an inbounds pass, giving the second-seeded Celtics the ball back with 16.7 seconds left, but Rose snuffed Rondo's fadeaway jumper and came up with the loose ball.
Rose missed both ensuing foul shots with 3.2 seconds left, but Rondo's shot from near half-court hit high off the backboard as time expired.
"The series is a lot of fun for the fans, of the people of Chicago, of the people of Boston, but it's a lot of fun for us too, playing in environments like this, on the big stage and putting on a great performance almost every game," said Noah. "It's special to be a part of this and it's a series I know people will be talking about for a long time."
The Celtics have played the entire series without All-Star power forward Kevin Garnett but any hope of a heroic appearance a la Willis Reed in Game 7 remains unlikely. Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, who is recovering from a mild heart attack, reiterated to the Boston Globe that Garnett is out for the playoffs with his knee injury.
The Bulls stole the opener of the series with a 105-103 overtime win in Boston behind Rose's 36 points and 11 assists.
The Celtics rebounded in Game 2 when Allen won a shootout with fellow former UConn star Ben Gordon as Boston won 118-115 in regulation. The Celtics then took their first lead in the set with a 107-86 Game 3 rout.
The Bulls bounced back with a 121-118 double overtime win in Game 4 before losing an 11-point fourth-quarter lead in a Game 5 106-104 overtime loss.
Chicago is trying to become the first seventh seed to knockout the second seed since New York beat Miami in 1998.
Boston won two Game 7s during last year's postseason en route to their 17th NBA championship. The Celtics were deadlocked 3-3 in their series with Atlanta and Cleveland, before going on to beat both in seven games.
The winner on Saturday will face No. 3 seed Orlando in the conference semifinals. The Magic, minus a suspended Dwight Howard and an injured Courtney Lee, finished off Philadelphia, 114-89, on Thursday in Game 6 of that first- round series.
One of the most entertaining NBA playoff series in recent memory will come to a close Saturday when the defending champion Boston Celtics face off with the Chicago Bulls in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinals set.
Whether it ends in four quarters is anybody's guess.
In a series that has now featured four overtime contests, including three in a row, and a total of seven extra sessions, the Bulls forced Game 7 on Thursday when the outlasted the C's in triple-overtime.
Joakim Noah came up with the steal and go-ahead three-point play, and the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose had the crucial block on Rajon Rondo's shot in the waning seconds, helping the Chicago escape with a 128-127 win in Game 6 at the United Center.
"I'm just excited that we're still alive," said Noah. "We were really close to death today and I feel every game is like that. It's such a roller coaster. I'm having so much fun out there."
The Bulls got 35 points from John Salmons and overcame a playoff career-best 51-point effort from Boston's Ray Allen, who tied an NBA postseason record by hitting nine three-pointers.
Rose totaled 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, but his lone block of the night came at the most crucial time. Brad Miller ended with 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls. Ben Gordon, who is struggling with a balky hamstring, was limited to 12 points before fouling out.
Paul Pierce had 22 points and nine rebounds for the Celtics, and Glen Davis tallied 23 points, but both players fouled out along with teammate Kendrick Perkins, who had 12 points and 13 boards. Rondo, who is averaging a triple- double in the series, tallied eight points, nine rebounds and equaled a Celtics postseason record with 19 assists.
Noah, who had 15 rebounds, stepped into the passing lane to deflect Pierce's pass, raced the other way and threw down a right-handed jam. Pierce fouled out on the play, and Noah sank the free throw for a 126-123 difference with 35.5 seconds left.
"It was more of a reaction," said Noah. "He drove to my side and I stunted at him, tried to make him pick up his dribble. He threw the pass, got the steal and it felt like it took me forever to get to the basket, but I'm happy I got there."
For Pierce, he admitted the big mistake trying too quick to pass to Brian Scalabrine.
"I should have taken my time with the pass. It was an awful pass that Noah deflected," said Pierce. "At that point you want to save the basket. You want to try to get back as hard as you can and you don't think about fouls."
Eddie House drained a jumper from the left corner seven seconds later for a one-point difference before Miller sank two from the charity stripe. Rondo then tipped in his own miss for a 128-127 margin with 23.7 seconds to go.
Chicago's Kirk Hinrich then missed a wide open layup off an inbounds pass, giving the second-seeded Celtics the ball back with 16.7 seconds left, but Rose snuffed Rondo's fadeaway jumper and came up with the loose ball.
Rose missed both ensuing foul shots with 3.2 seconds left, but Rondo's shot from near half-court hit high off the backboard as time expired.
"The series is a lot of fun for the fans, of the people of Chicago, of the people of Boston, but it's a lot of fun for us too, playing in environments like this, on the big stage and putting on a great performance almost every game," said Noah. "It's special to be a part of this and it's a series I know people will be talking about for a long time."
The Celtics have played the entire series without All-Star power forward Kevin Garnett but any hope of a heroic appearance a la Willis Reed in Game 7 remains unlikely. Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, who is recovering from a mild heart attack, reiterated to the Boston Globe that Garnett is out for the playoffs with his knee injury.
The Bulls stole the opener of the series with a 105-103 overtime win in Boston behind Rose's 36 points and 11 assists.
The Celtics rebounded in Game 2 when Allen won a shootout with fellow former UConn star Ben Gordon as Boston won 118-115 in regulation. The Celtics then took their first lead in the set with a 107-86 Game 3 rout.
The Bulls bounced back with a 121-118 double overtime win in Game 4 before losing an 11-point fourth-quarter lead in a Game 5 106-104 overtime loss.
Chicago is trying to become the first seventh seed to knockout the second seed since New York beat Miami in 1998.
Boston won two Game 7s during last year's postseason en route to their 17th NBA championship. The Celtics were deadlocked 3-3 in their series with Atlanta and Cleveland, before going on to beat both in seven games.
The winner on Saturday will face No. 3 seed Orlando in the conference semifinals. The Magic, minus a suspended Dwight Howard and an injured Courtney Lee, finished off Philadelphia, 114-89, on Thursday in Game 6 of that first- round series.
