Playoff Box Score: Bulls Come From Behind To Win Again

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Apr 19, 2011 3:00PM

For an eighth seed, the Indiana Pacers sure have a lot of fight. For the second time in as many games, the Bulls found themselves playing from behind for much of the game before eking out a close win in the game's final minutes. The Bulls downed the Pacers 96-90 last night, despite poor shooting and incredibly sloppy ball handling.

From the opening tipoff, the Bulls had trouble holding onto the ball and making passes, turning the ball over a season-high 21 times. Combined with 39 percent shooting, the Bulls allowed the Pacers to maintain a slight edge for much of the game, despite out-rebounding Indiana 57-33. Carlos Boozer bounced back from his sub-par game one to grab 16 boards while scoring 17 points. Joakim Noah added 10 rebounds. Even Derrick Rose pounded the boards, grabbing eight rebounds to go with six assists and 36 points. While Danny Granger scored 19 for the Pacers, game one surprise Tyler Hansbrough was limited to just six points on Monday night.

While the Bulls held a four point lead during the first quarter, they were down one at the end of the first and down by three at the half, as Indiana took a 47-44 advantage into the locker room. The Bulls made a run early in the second half and maintained a lead for much of the third quarter behind Rose's nine points. But he also committed five turnovers, which kept the Bulls from blowing the game wide open. Indian fought back and
tied the game at 67 apiece on T.J. Ford's half court shot to end the third. The teams traded leads through the first half of the final period, before the Bulls regained the lead for good on a Derrick Rose and-one with about five minutes left to play. But the Pacers didn't back down, and got to within two points in the game's final minute.

With the victory, the Bulls take a 2-0 lead in the best of seven series, which shifts to Indiana for game three on Thursday night (6:00 p.m. CSN & NBA-TV | ESPN 1000 AM).