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Tuesday, Mar. 7 8:30pm ET
Floyd ejection helps inspire Bulls | |||||
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 GAME FLOW
CHICAGO (AP) -- If the Chicago Bulls play like this without him, coach Tim Floyd might want to think about getting kicked out more often. Elton Brand scored 31 points and the Bulls tied a franchise low with six turnovers Tuesday as they beat the Atlanta Hawks 89-82 in an ugly game featuring Floyd and Alan Henderson's ejections and six technical fouls.
"I've never seen that before. It was quite unique," said Randy Brown, who came up with a huge 3-pointer and two free throws in the last eight minutes. Chris Carr scored six points in the last six minutes, including two free throws with 44 seconds left to seal the game. The victory snapped an eight-game losing streak for the Bulls, who won despite shooting a dismal 36 percent. Atlanta lost its third straight despite six players in double digits. Henderson led the Hawks with 15 points before fouling out with 8:16 left. Dikembe Mutombo had 12 points and 21 rebounds. "Some of those weren't fouls," Henderson said. "I just can't comment any more on it. It was a frustrating night and it's been a frustrating season. What can I say?" Henderson's frustration got the best of him with his last foul. With the Hawks clinging to a one-point lead, he was called for his sixth foul on a pass into the post to Dickey Simpkins. He argued the call for about 20 seconds before his teammates guided him back to the bench. He continued muttering, and referee Ken Mauer hit him with his second technical. He'd picked up his first in the third quarter. "Anytime against a team in a critical point, a guy like that fouls out and then gets ejected, it's going to work to your advantage," Carr said. "It gives you a chance to put another point on the board and that's always going to work in your favor." It did. Fred Hoiberg made the technical foul shot, and Brown hit a rare 3-pointer to give the Bulls a 74-71 lead. Jason Terry scored for the Hawks on a layup, but the Bulls came right back with baskets from Carr and Brand, and two foul shots from Brown for the 80-73 lead with 3:30 left. Carr put the game away with a 9-foot jumper with 49 seconds left and the two free throws, giving Chicago an 86-79 lead. "We had the game pretty much in control and I still think we would have pulled it out, but it was a turning point," Brand said of Henderson's ejection. A game between the two worst teams in the Central Division doesn't have much meaning at this time of the year, but Atlanta and Chicago still managed to make it entertaining. It was part WWF, part NBA. Floyd got the drama going in the first quarter. On a Bulls possession with 2:55 left, Mutombo was trying to free his arms and instead wrapped them around Brown's neck and face. When no foul was called, Floyd started yelling and referee Tim Donaghy quickly gave him a technical. Floyd kept screaming, following Donaghy around the floor, so Donaghy ejected him -- the first ejection of the season for Floyd, who was a screamer and a coat thrower at Iowa State. "I hate to see a coach ejected," Atlanta coach Lenny Wilkens said. "We knew we weren't going to get any calls after that." Not only that, but it fired up the Bulls more. "We knew we had to refocus," Carr said. "Our head coach got kicked out going to bat for us, we knew we had to go to bat for him and make sure all that arguing was worthwhile." Atlanta's Lorenzen Wright picked up the next technical with 10:35 left in the second. Six minutes later, Bulls assistant Phil Johnson got one while sitting on the bench.
Game notes | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Atlanta Clubhouse Chicago Clubhouse RECAPS Indiana 90 Denver 89
Chicago 89
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