Heat scorch Bulls 115-78

May 10, 2013 Sports

MIAMI (AP) – For the first time in these playoffs, the Miami Heat were facing some real adversity. They responded with a technical knockout.
After nine technical fouls, two ejections and a whole lot of extracurricular pushing and shoving, the end results were as follows: The biggest postseason win in Heat history, the biggest postseason loss in Chicago Bulls history, and tons of fresh venom pulsing through the veins of this now-tied Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) shoots against Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer (5)

Miami won 115-78, a stunning outcome for a game that was basically back-and-forth for much of the first half. That is, until the Heat started embarrassing the Bulls, and the Bulls started embarrassing themselves for good measure.
‘’No matter if you win by 20, 30, or one point, it’s a 1-1 series,’’ Heat star LeBron James said. ‘’They came in and did their job. They got one on our floor and took home court. So, we’ve got to try to go Chicago and get it back.’’
Game 3 is Friday (today) in Chicago, where the Heat will have to win at least one game if they’re going to win the series.
Ray Allen scored 21 points in only 19 minutes, James finished with 19 points and nine assists, and the Heat led by as many as 46 points. Sure, the Heat have lost home-court advantage when they dropped Game 1. But this domination made the reigning NBA champions look like the clear-cut team to beat in this title race once again.
Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson were ejected in the fourth quarter for Chicago, and the league will almost certainly review some of the things said and done in a game that was close for the first 20 minutes. The Bulls were called for six player technical’s, the most by any team in a playoff game since Boston had that many against Indiana in 2005.
Bulls forward Carlos Boozer, who scored only eight points, said he didn’t fault his teammates for speaking their minds – although cameras suggested that Gibson’s language was more than a little colorful.
The Heat had three technicals assessed, a season-high for them. Norris Cole scored 18 points for Miami, which got 15 from Dwyane Wade and 13 from Chris Bosh. The Heat led 42-38 with 3:42 left in the first half, before going on an absurd 62-20 run. Yes, 62-20.
It was that one-sided. Miami shot 60 percent to Chicago’s 36, outrebounded the Bulls 41-28, and enjoyed huge edges in points off turnovers (28-7) and fast-break points (20-2).
The only stat that Chicago dominated: Technicals, where the Bulls outpaced Miami 6-3. Marco Belinelli scored 13 for the Bulls, who got 12 from Noah and 11 from Robinson.