ducks
03-12-2005, 07:26 PM
Bulls 100, SuperSonics 97
March 12, 2005
Photo
AP - Mar 12, 2:17 am EST
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SEATTLE (AP) -- With the game in the balance, Chicago's Ben Gordon has a good time.
The rookie guard scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, including a runner with 12.1 seconds left that put Chicago ahead for good, to lead the Bulls to a 100-97 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday night.
``I've been playing ball my whole life, and you look forward to situations like that. I look at that situation as fun,'' said Gordon, who posted a double-digit point total in the fourth quarter for a league-leading 18th time this season. ``I was just trying to make it. I made up for the other shots I missed a little earlier.''
The Sonics lost their third in a row for the first time all season, while Chicago extended its winning streak to three games.
``It's an 82-game season but we can't keep our heads down,'' Seattle's Antonio Daniels said. ``No one is going so feel sorry for us. We've got to go on the road and take care of business and continue to be greedy. If we win three games on the road, these games won't even matter.''
Seattle gets a chance to avenge Friday's loss with a rematch with Chicago on Tuesday.
The Bulls led by as many as seven in the fourth quarter, 78-71 with 10:28 to play, but Seattle grabbed a 97-96 lead on a layup by Nick Collison with 20.7 seconds left.
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Gordon then put the Bulls ahead with a 14-footer.
On Seattle's next possession, Ray Allen had his 20-foot jumper blocked by Tyson Chandler. Chris Duhon recovered the loose ball and was fouled. Duhon made one of two free throws to give Chicago a two-point lead with 4.5 seconds left.
Still with a chance to tie, Rashard Lewis was fouled under the basket by Eddie Curry with 1.2 seconds left. Lewis missed the first and then missed the second intentionally, and Tyson Chandler rebounded and made a free throw for the final margin.
``At that point of the game, you put it in your best player's hand,'' McMillan said of Allen and Lewis. ``You've got to make the free throws and it didn't happen. In this game you make breaks for yourself and that team made the plays.
Lewis led all scorers with 27. Allen added 17, and Luke Ridnour had 14.
Curry had 17 points, Antonio Davis had 13 and Chandler 12 for Chicago.
``I was really happy with how we kept our heads late,'' said Bulls coach Scott Skiles. ``We've had lots of close games. Our guys fought for it. I know they would have been heartbroken if we weren't able to come up with it.''
For nearly two full quarters, the scoreboard was incorrect -- off by three points to the Bulls' advantage. Chicago appeared to receive six points on a converted three-point play by Chandler in the second quarter. The points were not taken off the board until the start of the fourth quarter after the official scorers and representatives from the Sonics and Bulls sorted through the play-by-play.
``I was just hoping that we wouldn't get into a situation where we were up by two in the fourth quarter and then all of a sudden they'd be up by one,'' said Chandler.
At the end of the third quarter, the scoreboard had the Bulls leading 78-69. Before play began in the fourth quarter, those mysterious three points were finally taken away and the score was adjusted to 75-69.
``We didn't know exactly how many points, but we knew the score was off,'' said Skiles. ``When we came out after the half, they said they were going to adjust the score. I just thought it was odd that we were playing so long without the proper score. It's crazy. I've never seen anything like it.''
Notes
Sonics F Danny Fortson did not suit up. Coach Nate McMillan threw Fortson out of Thursday's practice after the two engaged in a shouting match. General manager Rick Sund felt that Fortson's behavior was inappropriate and determined that the forward would be held out of action against Chicago, but not under a suspension. McMillan said he and Fortson had a good, long talk in the morning and the two are ready to move forward. ... F Reggie Evans left the game with a left ankle injury with 4:14 to play in the game. ... The Bulls' 32 wins are their most since the 1997-98 campaign, when they went 62-20.
March 12, 2005
Photo
AP - Mar 12, 2:17 am EST
More Photos
SEATTLE (AP) -- With the game in the balance, Chicago's Ben Gordon has a good time.
The rookie guard scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, including a runner with 12.1 seconds left that put Chicago ahead for good, to lead the Bulls to a 100-97 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday night.
``I've been playing ball my whole life, and you look forward to situations like that. I look at that situation as fun,'' said Gordon, who posted a double-digit point total in the fourth quarter for a league-leading 18th time this season. ``I was just trying to make it. I made up for the other shots I missed a little earlier.''
The Sonics lost their third in a row for the first time all season, while Chicago extended its winning streak to three games.
``It's an 82-game season but we can't keep our heads down,'' Seattle's Antonio Daniels said. ``No one is going so feel sorry for us. We've got to go on the road and take care of business and continue to be greedy. If we win three games on the road, these games won't even matter.''
Seattle gets a chance to avenge Friday's loss with a rematch with Chicago on Tuesday.
The Bulls led by as many as seven in the fourth quarter, 78-71 with 10:28 to play, but Seattle grabbed a 97-96 lead on a layup by Nick Collison with 20.7 seconds left.
ADVERTISEMENT
Gordon then put the Bulls ahead with a 14-footer.
On Seattle's next possession, Ray Allen had his 20-foot jumper blocked by Tyson Chandler. Chris Duhon recovered the loose ball and was fouled. Duhon made one of two free throws to give Chicago a two-point lead with 4.5 seconds left.
Still with a chance to tie, Rashard Lewis was fouled under the basket by Eddie Curry with 1.2 seconds left. Lewis missed the first and then missed the second intentionally, and Tyson Chandler rebounded and made a free throw for the final margin.
``At that point of the game, you put it in your best player's hand,'' McMillan said of Allen and Lewis. ``You've got to make the free throws and it didn't happen. In this game you make breaks for yourself and that team made the plays.
Lewis led all scorers with 27. Allen added 17, and Luke Ridnour had 14.
Curry had 17 points, Antonio Davis had 13 and Chandler 12 for Chicago.
``I was really happy with how we kept our heads late,'' said Bulls coach Scott Skiles. ``We've had lots of close games. Our guys fought for it. I know they would have been heartbroken if we weren't able to come up with it.''
For nearly two full quarters, the scoreboard was incorrect -- off by three points to the Bulls' advantage. Chicago appeared to receive six points on a converted three-point play by Chandler in the second quarter. The points were not taken off the board until the start of the fourth quarter after the official scorers and representatives from the Sonics and Bulls sorted through the play-by-play.
``I was just hoping that we wouldn't get into a situation where we were up by two in the fourth quarter and then all of a sudden they'd be up by one,'' said Chandler.
At the end of the third quarter, the scoreboard had the Bulls leading 78-69. Before play began in the fourth quarter, those mysterious three points were finally taken away and the score was adjusted to 75-69.
``We didn't know exactly how many points, but we knew the score was off,'' said Skiles. ``When we came out after the half, they said they were going to adjust the score. I just thought it was odd that we were playing so long without the proper score. It's crazy. I've never seen anything like it.''
Notes
Sonics F Danny Fortson did not suit up. Coach Nate McMillan threw Fortson out of Thursday's practice after the two engaged in a shouting match. General manager Rick Sund felt that Fortson's behavior was inappropriate and determined that the forward would be held out of action against Chicago, but not under a suspension. McMillan said he and Fortson had a good, long talk in the morning and the two are ready to move forward. ... F Reggie Evans left the game with a left ankle injury with 4:14 to play in the game. ... The Bulls' 32 wins are their most since the 1997-98 campaign, when they went 62-20.