Source : Yahoo SportsCHICAGO (AP)—LeBron James hit the go-ahead 3-pointer, and the Miami Heat looked as if they were in good shape.
Instead, they were shaking off another loss.
C.J. Watson scored 16 points, including the game-tying 3 at the end of regulation, and the Chicago Bulls pulled away in overtime to beat the Heat 96-86 on Thursday night.
Carlos Boozer scored 19 points and Kyle Korver added 17 for the Bulls, who outscored Miami 12-2 in overtime to boost their lead in the Eastern Conference to four games.
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 12: LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat walks off of the court after a loss to the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on April 12, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Heat 96-86 in overtime.
“This is one of the worst feelings in the regular season I’ve had this year,” James said.
The Bulls were able to pull out the victory despite a horrible shooting night by Derrick Rose, who scored a career-low two points.
His team did just fine, at least.
James scored 30 points for Miami but missed a free throw that would have made it a two-possession game late in regulation. Dwyane Wade added 21 points, Chris Bosh scored 20, but the Heat lost for the sixth time in 11 games.
“It hurts,” James said. “I think as a team we fought and played well. Gave our self a chance to win, but we gave up a 3 at the end to send it to overtime and they pretty much dominated the overtime.”
Things were looking good for Miami when James made a 3 that made it 83-81 with 49 seconds left in regulation. But with a chance to seal the game, he missed the first of two free throws with 11.4 seconds remaining.
That kept the Bulls in it and Watson made a 3 to tie it at 84 with 2.2 seconds left. The game went into overtime when Wade missed a baseline jumper at the buzzer.
Luol Deng started the extra period with a jumper. Taj Gibson dunked on Ronny Turiaf for a three-point play and scored on a neat spin move after Wade hit a free throw, making it 91-85, sending the Bulls to a dramatic win on a night when their superstar had perhaps his worst game as a pro.
“I’m not worried about my stats or anything,” Rose said. “Can I make up excuses? Yeah. But you know me, I’m not going to use no excuse. My shots weren’t falling. Shots I normally hit, I wasn’t hitting. My teammates had my back. I’m happy I have them on my team.”
Rose hit just 1 of 13 shots and sat out the extra period, a brutal night for the reigning MVP. Then again, he hasn’t played much lately, so this wasn’t a total shocker.
He returned from a 12-game absence due to a groin injury for Sunday’s overtime loss at New York, only to sprain his right ankle. He did not play Tuesday, when the Bulls beat the Knicks at home, and he’s missed 23 games total this season.
“He’s going to be a little rusty,” Korver said. “I don’t care who you are, you’re going to be a little rusty.”
But even with Rose struggling, the Bulls managed to pull this game out.
Deng scored 16 points. Boozer grabbed 11 rebounds and passed to Watson for that tying 3. Korver came up big again, hitting 5 of 6 from beyond the arc after scoring 14 on Tuesday.
He let out a big smile after hitting one in the extra period and helped send the game into overtime with eight points in the fourth quarter.
Wade, however, kept Miami in it.
He scored on a drive and a jumper to make it a one-point game, and Bosh came up with a key rebound off a miss by Wade, passing to James for the 3 that made it 83-81. But things unraveled for the Heat, particularly when Watson hit the 3 to force OT.
“I looked up and saw CJ wide open when Boozer caught it,” Wade said. “I didn’t know what was going on. I tried to get over there and make a play on it. He still made a tough shot. That play hurt. We never recovered back from that shot.”
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