CHICAGO (AP) -- Kirk Hinrich turned up the aggression after a
slow first half.
Hinrich scored 23 of his 25 points after halftime and took a key
charge late in the game to help the Chicago Bulls rally for the
second time in less than a week to beat the Boston Celtics 100-94
on Saturday night.
"I just lost myself in the game, started playing with a real
aggressive mentality," Hinrich said.
With nine games left, the Bulls (33-40) trail Philadelphia
(33-38) by a game for the Eastern Conference's eighth and final
playoff spot. After hosting Indiana on Tuesday, Chicago has
back-to-back games against the 76ers -- at Philadelphia on Wednesday
and at the United Center on April 8. The Bulls and Sixers have
split the first two games.
The 10th-place Celtics (30-43) trail Chicago by three games and
are all but out of the playoff race.
"Even with the win, it would have still been tight," coach Doc
Rivers said. "Most likely, we're out of it."
After hitting just two free throws in the first half, Hinrich
scored 12 points during a third quarter in which the Bulls rallied
from an 11-point deficit to tie it at 74 going into the fourth.
Down 86-79 midway through the final period, the Bulls went on a
12-0 run during which Hinrich scored six points.
His fadeaway in the lane tied it at 86 with 4:55 remaining, and
-- after Andres Nocioni's block on Paul Pierce down low -- Hinrich
gave the Bulls their first lead of the game when he drove the lane
with 4:26 left. Luol Deng added a free throw and Hinrich scored
another basket to make it 91-86 with 3:55 remaining.
Pierce hit two free throws to end the run and made a layup to
get the Celtics within one with 2:33 left.
The Bulls led 94-92 with 1:15 to play when Hinrich drew a charge
on Boston's Tony Allen, erasing a tying layup.
"I tried to beat him to the spot, take the charge and luckily
enough, I got it. That was the only play I had," said Hinrich, who
had five fouls.
Rivers, who already had one technical foul, waved his arm in
disgust and argued with referee Sean Wright when Nocioni was at the
foul line 13 seconds later. Nocioni hit both free throws to make it
96-92.
Wally Szczerbiak said Allen clearly did not commit a charge.
"I don't want to get in trouble, but (Hinrich) was definitely
not there," said Szczerbiak, who led Boston with 28 points.
"Maybe his feet were planted, but he was leaning back. Anytime
you're not standing straight up, you're not taking the charge.
You're not entitled to that space. Tony just took the ball right to
the basket. It was a tough call."
Pierce's dunk with 34.5 seconds left made it a two-point game.
But Tyson Chandler kept the Bulls' possession alive after Hinrich
missed a jumper, and Deng hit two free throws to make it 98-94 with
16.5 seconds remaining.
Deng, Ben Gordon and Michael Sweetney each scored 14 points for
Chicago, which has won four of five.
The Bulls were 36-for-46 from the free-throw line, their season
high for conversions and attempts, while Boston hit 21 of 28 foul
shots.
Six days after rallying from 12 down early in the fourth quarter
to beat the Boston by four, the Bulls ended the third with a 12-1
run that erased an 11-point deficit and tied it at 74.
A year ago, the Bulls were winning 12 of 13 on their way to
their first playoff appearance since the 1998 championship. Not too
long ago, they seemed like a team headed back to the lottery. Now,
they're doing what they can to avoid it.
The Bulls had lost four in a row and six of eight before this
recent run.
"Six to 10 games ago, a lot of us didn't realize the position
we were in," Hinrich said.
Asked to clarify, Hinrich said, "I'd never been in a position
like that. ... I don't know how easy it is to pick up games or what
it's going to take."
Game notes
Rivers got called for a technical with 3:16 left in the
first quarter arguing a charge against Pierce. ... Celtics F Al
Jefferson missed his fifth straight game with a sprained right
ankle and did not travel with the team. He is expected to miss
Tuesday's game at Toronto and is doubtful for Wednesday's home game
against Washington. ... Hinrich got called for a technical early in
the fourth ... Bulls G Randy Livingston signed a second 10-day
contract with the Chicago Bulls on Saturday and made his second
appearance since joining the team on March 22. The 6-foot-4
Livingston averaged 15.5 points, 12.7 assists and 5.5 rebounds in
13 games with the Idaho Stampede of the CBA.