The Chicago Bulls beat the Brooklyn Nets, 99-93 in a do-or-die game seven at the Barclays center Friday night. The Bulls became one of the few teams in NBA history to win a game seven on the road.
Center Joakim Noah promised a game seven victory after a loss in the sixth game—and he delivered. "We're a team of fighters," he said after Thursday’s loss according to ESPNChicago.com. "We keep getting punched in the face but we fight back. I'm proud of this team, and we're going to go into a hostile environment in Brooklyn and we're going to win." The Bulls had taken a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. However, the Nets came back and tied the series at 3-3 to force the deciding game.
Noah had 24 points, 14 rebounds, and six blocks. Marco Belinelli added 24 points, six rebounds and two assists.
After the game, Bulls Coach Tom Thibodeau was impressed with his team, especially the effort by Noah
"He's in unbelievable shape and he can make plays that very few can," he said according the Twitter account of the Chicago Bulls.
Thibodeau also commented on the effort by Belinelli.
"He plays to win and his defense has come a long way from the beginning of the season," said Thibodeau.
The Bulls took a commanding lead heading at the end of the first half 61-44, according to ESPN.com. The Nets would come out of the half and outscore the Bulls 31-21 cutting the lead to a score of 82-75 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Nets got the deficit down to five, 95-90, with a little over a minute left in the game. However, clutch free throws by Marco Belinelli gave the Bulls the win.
"We didn't want to go out like this. We competed, we got better this season & we achieved a lot of our goals, but not all of them,” said Nets center Brook Lopez following the loss according to the Twitter account of the Brooklyn Nets.
Lopez had 21 points and eight rebounds in the defeat. Point Guard Deron Williams had 24 points and seven assists.
"It's a long journey from not just December, but October. From where we were last year, infinitely, but we didn't get farther,” said Coach P.J. Carlesimo.
Tom Thibodeau is happy for the hard-fought win but he is very aware who his next opponents will be.
"We know how good Miami is... We're going to have to be at our very best right from the start," he said.
The Bulls’ first game against the defending champion Miami Heat is on Monday night at 7 pm.
