Final: Heat 96, Bulls 85. The Sixers couldn't do it, the Celtics couldn't do it, and so far, the Bulls haven't found a way, either. The Heat just can't be beaten at American Airlines Arena.
Miami wins its first home contest of the Eastern Conference finals, getting 34 points from Chris Bosh to lead the way. LeBron James adds a near triple-double — 22 points, 10 assists and six rebounds.
Carlos Boozer gives the Bulls a huge effort after a slow start, finishing with 26 points and 17 rebounds. But there's no stopping the Heat in this one.
The Heat go back to work Tuesday night, when they'll take on the Bulls in Game 4 at 8:30 p.m.
Fourth quarter, 41.1 seconds, Heat 96-85: LeBron James knocks down three big free throws.
That should just about do it.
The Heat will remain undefeated at home in this postseason, and they'll go up 2-1 on the Bulls in this playoff series.
Pretty impressive.
Fourth quarter, 2:48, Heat 89-80: LeBron gambles for a steal against Derrick Rose, and Luol Deng finds himself open in the post for a nice look. He buries it.
The Bulls are fighting for dear life. At the moment, they're looking somewhat respectable. Don't bury them yet.
They need to string together several more stops, right about now.
Fourth quarter, 5:07, Heat 87-74: Dwyane Wade just plowed into Kyle Korver in transition and drew an easy foul; LeBron did the same thing on the following possession. It's just too easy.
That's a 9-0 run for the Heat in the last minute and a half. If this game isn't over, it's at least mighty close.
Fourth quarter, 5:39, Heat 80-74: Udonis Haslem just drove to the basket and scored with ease. The Heat are up six again.
Carlos Boozer couldn't stop a third-grader right now. The Heat continue to take advantage.
Fourth quarter, 6:50, Heat 78-72: Chris Bosh just threw down a monster dunk and released a primal scream. He's rubbing this in the Bulls' faces.
Bosh now has 32 points on 13-of-18. He's going absolutely crazy.
The Bulls have no answer.
Fourth quarter, 9:52, Heat 72-66: Chris Bosh drops a right-handed jump hook over the double-team of Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer. It's money. Bosh now has 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting. He's been unstoppable.
He's also been doing a really weird tongue thing after he scores. Like Michael Jordan, only creepier.
Some things don't need to be televised.
End of third quarter, Heat 68-65: The Bulls take a big chunk out of the Heat lead at the end of the third quarter. Luol Deng knocks down a 3 with five seconds left, and he manages to steal the inbounds pass and nearly score again.
That's exactly what Chicago needed. They've finally got a member of the supporting cast stepping up.
Boozer has 21 points and Rose, 18, for Chicago. Deng's offering a little help now, with 12 of his own.
Can the Bulls steal this one in the fourth quarter?
Third quarter, 3:56, Heat 60-53: The Bulls double LeBron at the top of the key; LeBron quickly swings the ball into the post, and Dwyane Wade gets a nice close look. He scores.
That's a 10-2 run for the Heat, who look ready to pull away with this thing.
They need to respond with some offense. They've gotten very little from anyone but Rose and Boozer.
Third quarter, 5:39, Heat 56-53: Derrick Rose just left Mike Bibby wide, wide, wide open for a wing 3. Swish. The Heat are back in the lead.
This has been a pretty weak performance from Rose, who's made a few flashy plays but has also pulled a disappearing act defensively.
Third quarter, 7:19, Bulls 51-50: What in the world is Keith Bogans doing? The Bulls' two-guard shoves Dwyane Wade in the act of shooting, mouths off in his face, and has to be restrained.
He's lucky to avoid a technical foul. Wade will head to the line for his two shots, though, and the Heat have a chance to reclaim this lead.
Third quarter, 9:45, Heat 47-42: Chris Bosh started this game 0-for-3 from the field; he's since drained eight shots in a row. He can't be stopped.
Bosh now leads all scorers with 20 tonight.
LeBron James has been a non-factor for a good long while, and that's saying something.
Halftime, Heat 43-40: It's been a while since you've read these words: Your leading scorer at halftime is none other than Chris Bosh.
Bosh drops 16 before the break. He's picking, rolling, cutting, curling and all-out humiliating Carlos Boozer. Bosh is 6-for-9 from the floor; Booz is 4-for-10.
The Heat have gotten hardly anything from outside their Big Three. Only five Miami players have scored, total, with 34 points coming from Bosh, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.
If the Heat can win like this, more power to them. But it won't be easy.
Second quarter, 2:47, Heat 37-34: Udonis Haslem was a deciding factor in Game 2. The comeback kid carried the Heat offensively in the second half. In Game 3, he's done pretty much nothing.
Haslem is 0-for-2 from the field. In six minutes, he has one assist and absolutely nothing else.
They need for their bench energy guy to come to life.
Second quarter, 5:25, Heat 31-30: In a very odd development, we're starting to see both teams make multiple baskets in a row. I had forgotten that was allowed in basketball.
Carlos Boozer and Chris Bosh are trading buckets at a feverish pace. It's been several minutes since anyone's missed a single shot. These offenses are, all of a sudden, firing.
The Bulls are doing this with Noah, Deng and Rose off the floor. Their depth is outstanding, especially considering that their bench guys play hard on both ends.
Second quarter, 7:54, Heat 25-21: Boozer scores again, and the Bulls get a turnover followed by a foul from Mike Miller. This thing is starting to turn the Bulls' way.
The Heat are still struggling to find a rhythm with LeBron James off the floor. That's not easy.
Second quarter, 9:06, Heat 23-19: Carlos Boozer is finally on the board, scoring his first two points early in the second quarter. He was 0-for-5; he's now 1-for-6.
Boozer has been miserable early, getting three shots blocked early by Joel Anthony. The Bulls need to get him going. This is a start.
End of first quarter, Heat 18-15: After a pretty ugly offensive first quarter on both sides (the Heat are 6-for-17, and the Bulls way worse at 6-for-24), the Heat have snuck away with a three-point lead after one.
With two great defensive teams like this, a few quarters like this one are to be expected.
But sooner or later, the stars will turn it on. Dwyane Wade has only four points; Derrick Rose also has four. Carlos Boozer has zero.
First quarter, 1:52, Heat 17-13: Joel Anthony just nearly broke up a 3-on-1 fast break all by himself.
Luol Deng came right at Anthony with two guys trailing him. Anthony stuffed his attempted layup, but Deng recovered the loose ball and eventually put it back. Close call. A gimme bucket almost became a one-man stop.
Anthony has been huge in this first quarter. He's got three blocks and counting.
First quarter, 5:05, Bulls 10-9: We're starting to see flashes of the real Derrick Rose, it would appear.
With Joakim Noah on the bench (foul trouble), Rose is stepping up and leading the way. He gets to the rim and finishes, putting the Bulls up four.
They need their point guard's energy to carry them for a little while.
First quarter, 6:33, Bulls 7-6: What a backwards first quarter. Dwyane Wade can't finish at the rim, but Joel Anthony can?
Wade's 1-for-4 from the field now; Anthony's 1-for-1. The Heat are hanging tough, but their offense has been a little choppy so far.
First quarter, 8:54, 4-4: The Bulls are keeping the Heat quiet in their halfcourt offense. If the Heat don't get LeBron and Wade going in transition, they don't get anything.
Miami can't win this game by getting stagnant and settling for jumpers. No one beats the Bulls that way. The Heat have to work for it.
First quarter, 11:39, Heat 2-0: After a couple of brief delays, we're finally underway with Miami's first possession. LeBron James sucks the defense in, he kicks to an open Dwyane Wade on the wing, and Wade puts Miami on the board.
The Heat are off to a nice start.
8:30 p.m.: Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was asked in his pregame news conference what it's like trying to game-plan for Derrick Rose.
"It's like trying to contain a tornado," the coach responded. "He's unpredictable."
Yep, that sounds about right.
The Bulls are in enemy territory, and it's been nearly seven weeks since anyone but the Heat has won here in Miami. But if the Bulls are to steal one here, it'll be because Rose and his athleticism just can't be stopped.
We'll see. Tipoff is in just a moment.
7 p.m.: Still over an hour to game time, but the big news of the day so far is the furor over Derrick Rose's PED comments.
Rose said something a few weeks ago about steroids in the NBA, but it's unclear exactly what. Allegedly, he said the problem existed and was "huge." The other side contends that no, he merely said it hypothetically would be huge, if it were an issue.
Rose made a comment of some sort last month, and now the naysayers are digging up ancient history, trying to distract him.
Smart money says the Bulls' point guard is undistractable right now. He's locked in on this opportunity to put the Bulls up 2-1 in the East finals.
8 a.m.: The Miami Heat have yet to lose a postseason game on their home floor, and if they continue that trend, they're guaranteed to win a championship in 2011.
Then again, the Chicago Bulls might have something to say about that.
The Bulls got the best of the Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals a week ago, administering a 103-82 beatdown with flawless execution on both ends of the floor. Then the Heat got even on Wednesday, winning 85-75 behind 29 points from LeBron James and 24 from Dwyane Wade.
The series shifts to Miami on Sunday. The Heat have been unbeatable at their bayside home, American Airlines Arena, since April 6. If they can protect their floor again, they'll have a 2-1 series lead and the upper hand in the race to reach the Finals.
The Heat and Bulls tip off at 8:30 p.m. Sunday.