Bulls beat Nets in triple OT thriller, Hawks win

CHICAGO (AFP) –

Chicago Bulls‘ Nate Robinson sits on the court while playing the Brooklyn Nets on April 22, 2013. Robinson came off the Chicago bench Saturday to score 34 points and the Bulls rallied to stun the Nets 142-134 in triple overtime to seize command of their NBA playoff series.

Nate Robinson came off the Chicago bench to score 34 points and the Bulls rallied to stun the Brooklyn Nets 142-134 in triple overtime to seize command of their NBA playoff series.

The thriller matched the second-longest game in NBA playoff history, falling just short of Boston’s four-overtime triumph against Syracuse in 1953, and resulted in record playoff point totals for both clubs.

Chicago took a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference best-of-seven matchup and will try to finish off the Nets and advance to the second round with a triumph in game five at Brooklyn on Monday.

The Nets led 109-95 late in the fourth quarter before Robinson scored 12 points in a 14-0 run that equalized.

Robinson’s 23 points in the fourth quarter was one shy of Michael Jordan’s team playoff record for scoring in a quarter. Robinson connected on 14-of-23 shots from the field but fouled out in the second extra session.

Deron Williams of the Brooklyn Nets walks off court after a loss to the Chicago Bulls on April 25, 2013. Chicago have taken a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference best-of-seven matchup and will try to finish off the Nets and advance to the second round with a triumph in game five at Brooklyn on Monday.

“We got a stop, and got the ball to Nate. Then we got a stop, and got the ball to Nate. Then we got a stop, and got the ball to Nate,” Carlos Boozer said of Chicago’s formula for the win.

Boozer added 21 points for Chicago, which had 15 points and 13 rebounds from Joakim Noah despite a foot injury.

Deron Williams led Brooklyn with 32 points while Brook Lopez added 26 and Joe Johnson contributed 22.

“It’s tough, man,” Johnson said. “It’s definitely a heartbreaker … Honestly, this is definitely, definitely a game that we let get away. It’s disappointing … but the series is not over and we’ve got to keep working and trying to get better.”

Noah sank a jumper early in the third over-time to give Chicago a 129-127 lead but then fouled out.

After a Reggie Evans free throw for the Nets, Jimmy Butler made a layup for Chicago and Taj Gibson, who replaced Noah, added a baseline jumper to give the Bulls a 133-128 lead.

Williams scored for the Nets, but Britain’s Luol Deng answered with a long jumper for a 135-130 edge.

Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks drives past Paul George of the Indiana Pacers on April 27, 2013. The Hawks dominated defensively on their home floor en route to a 90-69 rout.

Lopez responded with two free throws for the Nets but Nazr Mohammed followed with an inside jumper to give Chicago a 137-132 lead.

After a Lopez layup, Boozer sank one of two free throws and Mohammed grabbed the rebound on the miss and scored to give Chicago a 140-134 advantage.

After Mohammed grabbed the rebound on a Johnson 3-point miss, the Bulls had finally secured an astonishing comeback victory that had seemed impossible in the final minutes of regulation.

Lopez hit the first 3-pointer of his NBA career to give the Nets an 84-76 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Brooklyn had a 109-95 lead with less than three minutes to play in the fourth, but Robinson scored the next 12 points and assisted on the layup by Boozer that lifted Chicago level with 55 seconds remaining.

Lopez sank two free throws to put the Nets on top 111-109 but Noah scored off a rebound to send the game into over-time.

In the first overtime, Robinson sank a one-handed jumper over Williams with two seconds left but Johnson equalized at 121-121 on a jumper at the buzzer.

In the second over-time, Robinson gave the Bulls a 125-123 edge midway into the period and Noah followed with a slam dunk to put Chicago ahead 127-123.

Johnson answered with a 3-point play for the Nets and after Robinson fouled out Lopez made a free throw to equalize and set up the third overtime.

There was no such drama in Saturday’s other Eastern Conference clash, as the Atlanta Hawks dominated defensively on their home floor en route to a 90-69 rout of the Indiana Pacers.

Al Horford scored a playoff career-high 26 points with 16 rebounds as Atlanta trimmed the deficit in the series to 2-1.

Josh Smith added 14 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Hawks, who host game four on Monday.