Chicago Bulls

CHICAGO - The 76ers got a glimpse of what they had hoped to get out of their center position this season, only the person who produced the monster game at the United Center on Thursday night played for the Chicago Bulls. The Sixers were victimized by a mammoth triple-double from Chicago center Joakim Noah, who single-handedly wreaked havoc with 23 points, 21 rebounds and 11 blocks to lead the Bulls to a 93-82 victory over the Sixers at the United Center. The loss extended the Sixers' season-high losing streak to seven games, and it reduced their ever-shrinking playoff hopes even more.

The question and the hype have dogged the Chicago Bulls all season. Could they become the first team in the NBA to win 70 games? The answer apparently is yes, and it could come tonight in Milwaukee. The Bulls can't wait. The 70-victory mark should be a virtual lock. Chicago already has beaten the Bucks three times this season. And of its other three remaining opponents - Detroit, Indiana and Washington - only the Pacers have beaten the Bulls. In other words, it will happen.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 28 points, Damian Lillard added 24, and the Portland Trail Blazers completed a season sweep of the Bulls with a 99-89 victory on Thursday night in Chicago. Portland improved to 10-25 on the road to take the season series with the Bulls for the first time since the 2008-09 season. The Blazers beat Chicago, 102-94, on Nov. 18 in their other meeting this season. Rose still unsure Chicago Bulls superstar Derrick Rose still isn't sure when he'll come back from his knee injury.

Nate Robinson scored a season-high 35 points for the Chicago Bulls, who stopped another lengthy winning streak by rallying to beat visiting New York, 118-111, in overtime Thursday and end the Knicks' 13-game run. Jimmy Butler added 22 points for the Bulls, who ended Miami's 27-game streak - the second-longest in NBA history - on March 27. Robinson scored eight points in overtime.   Wade back Friday Dwyane Wade plans to return to the Miami Heat lineup Friday, after missing six consecutive games because of right knee soreness.

NATE ROBINSON scored a season-high 35 points and the Chicago Bulls stopped another lengthy winning streak, rallying to beat New York, 118-111, in overtime Thursday and end the Knicks' 13-game run. Robinson came up big down the stretch, scoring eight points in the extra period. Jimmy Butler added 22 points, Luol Deng scored 16, and the Bulls busted a long streak for the second time in about a 2-week span, ending the Miami Heat's 27-game run - the second-longest in NBA history - on March 27. Carmelo Anthony made two free throws with 14 seconds left to tie the game and force overtime, but things unraveled for the Knicks in the extra session, when they were outscored, 13-6.

Nate Robinson scored 27 points, Jimmy Butler added 21 points and 14 rebounds while playing every second for the third consecutive game, and the Chicago Bulls stunned the host Miami Heat, 93-86, on Monday night to take Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Trailing by 86-83 with two minutes to go, the Bulls scored the final 10 points of the game to beat the Heat. Joakim Noah added 13 points and Taj Gibson had 12 for Chicago, which snapped a 27-game Miami winning streak during the regular season and handed the Heat their first loss in their last 13 games in this one. Marco Bellinelli scored 10 points for the Bulls after being fined $15,000 by the NBA for making an obscene gesture in the fourth quarter of Saturday night's win at Brooklyn.

SO MUCH FOR that notion of the Miami Heat being in trouble. Sure, they've lost homecourt advantage in these Eastern Conference semifinals. But an absolute domination of the visiting Chicago Bulls last night made the reigning NBA champions look like the clear-cut team to beat in this title race once again. "We're still in the hole," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whose team will need to win at least one game in Chicago if it's going to prevail in this series. But given how one-sided last night's game was, that wouldn't seem like too tall a challenge.

CHICAGO - By early Wednesday, the morning after his longest and most interesting postgame news conference of the season, 76ers coach Doug Collins had received multiple text messages and voice mails regarding what he said. "I was trending," Collins said before Thursday's game against the Chicago Bulls, prompting laughter from several reporters. "Viral, trending. " The news conference, which went about 11 minutes, received national coverage. Some of ESPN's talking heads debated whether Collins had thrown the Sixers under the bus after Tuesday's disappointing 98-84 loss at home to Orlando.

Marco Belinelli made a game-winning jumper with 3.1 seconds left as the Chicago Bulls extended their Friday night road show by beating the Celtics, 100-99 in overtime, in Boston. Carlos Boozer had 19 points and 20 rebounds, and Joakim Noah added 14 points and 13 boards as the Bulls won their 14th straight road game on a Friday. Elsewhere: Kemba Walker had 25 points and eight rebounds for the Charlotte Bobcats, who snapped a five-game skid with a 106-100 win over the Magic in Orlando.

CARLOS BOOZER had 13 points and 12 rebounds, Joakim Noah gutted his way through a foot injury to make three fourth-quarter baskets, and the visiting Chicago Bulls beat the Brooklyn Nets, 90-82, on Monday night to even their first-round series at one game apiece. Luol Deng bounced back from a poor opener with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who became the first team to win a road game this postseason. Chicago held the Nets to two baskets in the third quarter to build a big enough lead to hold off a charge in the fourth.

KNOWING HIS team needed him at his best, Dwyane Wade retreated to the Miami Heat locker room after the third quarter for some quick treatment on his aching right knee. When he came back, he was good as new. And now he can rest until the Eastern Conference finals. LeBron James scored 23 points, Wade added 18 and had a brilliant 45-second sequence that proved crucial, and the Heat clawed back from an 11-point second-half deficit to beat the Chicago Bulls, 94-91, last night and close out their second-round series in five games.

SO MUCH FOR that notion of the Miami Heat being in trouble. Sure, they've lost homecourt advantage in these Eastern Conference semifinals. But an absolute domination of the visiting Chicago Bulls last night made the reigning NBA champions look like the clear-cut team to beat in this title race once again. "We're still in the hole," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whose team will need to win at least one game in Chicago if it's going to prevail in this series. But given how one-sided last night's game was, that wouldn't seem like too tall a challenge.

Nate Robinson scored 27 points, Jimmy Butler added 21 points and 14 rebounds while playing every second for the third consecutive game, and the Chicago Bulls stunned the host Miami Heat, 93-86, on Monday night to take Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Trailing by 86-83 with two minutes to go, the Bulls scored the final 10 points of the game to beat the Heat. Joakim Noah added 13 points and Taj Gibson had 12 for Chicago, which snapped a 27-game Miami winning streak during the regular season and handed the Heat their first loss in their last 13 games in this one. Marco Bellinelli scored 10 points for the Bulls after being fined $15,000 by the NBA for making an obscene gesture in the fourth quarter of Saturday night's win at Brooklyn.

DERON WILLIAMS, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson each scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets again avoided elimination, beating the short-handed Chicago Bulls, 95-92, last night to tie their first-round series at three. The series goes back to Brooklyn for Game 7 tomorrow, with the winner getting defending champion Miami in the second round. "We just believed," Johnson said. "We believed in one another. In practice [Wednesday], we went over a lot. More so than anything, it was about who wanted it badder.

CARLOS BOOZER had 13 points and 12 rebounds, Joakim Noah gutted his way through a foot injury to make three fourth-quarter baskets, and the visiting Chicago Bulls beat the Brooklyn Nets, 90-82, on Monday night to even their first-round series at one game apiece. Luol Deng bounced back from a poor opener with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who became the first team to win a road game this postseason. Chicago held the Nets to two baskets in the third quarter to build a big enough lead to hold off a charge in the fourth.

Carlos Boozer had 13 points and 12 rebounds, Joakim Noah gutted his way through a foot injury to make three fourth-quarter baskets, and the Chicago Bulls beat the host Brooklyn Nets, 90-82, Monday night to even their first-round series at one game apiece. Luol Deng bounced back from a poor opener with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who became the first team to win a road game this postseason. Chicago held the Nets to two baskets in the third quarter to build a big-enough lead to hold off a charge in the fourth.

Nate Robinson scored a season-high 35 points for the Chicago Bulls, who stopped another lengthy winning streak by rallying to beat visiting New York, 118-111, in overtime Thursday and end the Knicks' 13-game run. Jimmy Butler added 22 points for the Bulls, who ended Miami's 27-game streak - the second-longest in NBA history - on March 27. Robinson scored eight points in overtime.   Wade back Friday Dwyane Wade plans to return to the Miami Heat lineup Friday, after missing six consecutive games because of right knee soreness.

NATE ROBINSON scored a season-high 35 points and the Chicago Bulls stopped another lengthy winning streak, rallying to beat New York, 118-111, in overtime Thursday and end the Knicks' 13-game run. Robinson came up big down the stretch, scoring eight points in the extra period. Jimmy Butler added 22 points, Luol Deng scored 16, and the Bulls busted a long streak for the second time in about a 2-week span, ending the Miami Heat's 27-game run - the second-longest in NBA history - on March 27. Carmelo Anthony made two free throws with 14 seconds left to tie the game and force overtime, but things unraveled for the Knicks in the extra session, when they were outscored, 13-6.

CARLOS BOOZER had 29 points and 18 rebounds, Nate Robinson made the go-ahead basket with 22 seconds left, and the visiting Chicago Bulls overcame a 16-point deficit to beat the Brooklyn Nets, 92-90, on Thursday night. Jimmy Butler had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Luol Deng scored 18 points, and Robinson finished with 12 as the Bulls shook off the absences of five key players to keep Indiana from clinching the Central Division title they've won the last 2 years. Deron Williams had 30 points and 10 assists for the Nets, who had a disappointing return home from an eight-game road trip.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 28 points, Damian Lillard added 24, and the Portland Trail Blazers completed a season sweep of the Bulls with a 99-89 victory on Thursday night in Chicago. Portland improved to 10-25 on the road to take the season series with the Bulls for the first time since the 2008-09 season. The Blazers beat Chicago, 102-94, on Nov. 18 in their other meeting this season. Rose still unsure Chicago Bulls superstar Derrick Rose still isn't sure when he'll come back from his knee injury.