Hinrich free throws lead Bulls into playoffs
(Reuters)Updated: 2007-03-30 14:37
CHICAGO - Kirk Hinrich sank two late free throws to secure a fourth straight victory for the Chicago Bulls, a 83-81 home triumph over the short-handed Detroit Pistons on Thursday.
 Detroit Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince (R) and Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich battle for the loose ball during the first quarter of their NBA game in Chicago, Illinois March 29, 2007. [Reuters] |
Hinrich missed his first of three free throws after being fouled by Detroit's Carlos Delfino on a three-point shot with two seconds remaining, but he made the next two to enable the Bulls to clinch their third straight playoff berth.
"It's a good spot to be in," Bulls coach Scott Skiles told reporters. "We can focus on what seed we're going to get rather than making it."
Regular Detroit starters Richard Hamilton and Chris Webber missed the game because through illness, but the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons almost pulled off the win.
They rallied from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to tie the score at 81-81 on Tayshaun Prince's field goal with nine seconds remaining.
Hinrich then put the Bulls out front before Prince, who had 26 points for Detroit, missed with the final shot of the contest as the buzzer sounded.
Ben Gordon scored 25 points for the Bulls with Ben Wallace, who previously played for the Pistons, grabbing 19 rebounds.
"I'm going to be doing the same thing in the playoffs that I'm doing now," Wallace told reporters.
"And when you talk about the Bulls, we should be mentioned as a team and not an individual. I'm glad to see the focus start to shift that way."
The victory was the 11th in 14 games for the Bulls, who trail the Pistons by three games in the conference race. They are a half-game behind second-place Cleveland.
*Jason Richardson scored 36 points, including eight three-pointers, and the Golden State Warriors surprised the Phoenix Suns 124-119 in Oakland, California. Richardson had 19 points in the Warriors's 45-point first period. Leandro Barbosa led six Phoenix players in double figures with 27 points.
*Tarance Kinsey's 20 points paced Memphis to its second straight West Coast win, a 96-92 road victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Zach Randolph had 43 points and 17 rebounds for Portland.
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