Bulls vs. Nets Game 7, NBA Playoffs 2013: Noah sparks battered Bulls past Nets 99-93
Belinelli’s 24 points and Noah’s 24 and 14 sparked the Bulls to an upset victory in Brooklyn. Chicago now heads to Miami to take on the defending champion Heat.
Even without Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng, Chicago raced out to an early lead and held off a late Brooklyn charge. Noah was at the center of everything with 24 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks.
The Bulls, who got out to a 61-44 halftime lead, were ahead almost the entire game. The Nets came out firing in the second half, with the oft-maligned duo of Gerald Wallace and Reggie Evans making key hustle plays, but the deficit was just too much for them to overcome.
While Brooklyn got the game within single digits in the fourth quarter, Chicago had an answer anytime their lead looked in jeopardy. Along with Noah, Chicago got a huge game from Marco Bellinelli, who had 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including several timely baskets in the fourth quarter.
Deron Williams and Brook Lopez combined for 45 points, but Joe Johnson, who has been struggling with injuries, had only 6 points on 2-14 shooting.
The Bulls now move on to play the defending champion Miami Heat Monday at the American Airlines Arena. It's unclear if Deng, Hinrich or even Derrick Rose will be available for the start of the series.
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