Rose sweet but Chicago win streak ends
INDIANAPOLIS— Derrick Rose matched a career high with 42 points, but the Chicago Bulls had an eight-game NBA win streak snapped Friday by Indiana, which outlasted the Bulls 115-108 in over-time.
Tyler Hansbrough scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds while Danny Granger added 19 points and Darren Collison contributed 17 for the Pacers, who improved to 30-39 to tighten their grip on the eighth and last playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
Rose had a stellar fourth quarter to enable Chicago to force Indiana into over-time, scoring 19 points in the last period, leveling the score with three free throws with 1.2 seconds to play and then blocking a shot to end regulation time.
“He carried them all season. He has my MVP vote,” Granger said of Rose. “I think he’s probably the most dominant player we’ve played against this year.”
The Bulls fell to 49-19, one-half game ahead of Boston to lead the Eastern Conference. If the season ended now, the Bulls would face the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs.
“That’s a team we could possibly see in the playoffs,” Rose said. “I can’t wait to play them again.”
The Pacers welcome the challenge, especially after fighting off the Bulls in the extra session after being forced into over-time.
“I’ve seen a lot of teams that would have come out in that overtime in a fog after that type of comeback by Chicago,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said.
“Our guys didn’t do that. They kept their composure, their poise and handled their business.”
Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau was upset, saying his team did not walk on the court ready to play.
“We’ve got to do a lot better,” he said. “This is a step backwards.”
Hansbrough scored to put Indiana ahead in over-time, then stole the ball from Rose to set up a Collison basket.
Granger followed with a 3-pointer and the Pacers dominated, Josh McRoberts sinking two free throws with 24 seconds to play to put Indiana ahead 113-108.
