Gordon lifts Bulls past slumping Heat

Gordon ended with 34 points, six rebounds and seven assists to lead the Bulls, who have won three straight and six of eight. Kirk Hinrich added 26 points and played solid defense on the Heat’s Dwyane Wade down the stretch, as Chicago has won all three meetings against Miami this season and four in a row dating back to last year.

Wade finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the defending champion Heat, who have dropped three in a row. James Posey added 17 points and eight boards, but tossed up a costly air ball on a three-point attempt late in the fourth quarter, as Miami has dropped five of its last six overall.

Miami played without center Shaquille O’Neal, whose surgically repaired knee is not healthy enough to play on consecutive days. O’Neal had 11 points in Friday night’s 116-96 setback in New York.

Trailing for most of the contest, the Heat rallied to tie the game at 86-86 on a Wade turnaround with 4:47 left. Chicago responded to go ahead 89-86 after an Andres Nocioni jumper and a Gordon free throw. But the Heat again tied the game. Wade hit a free throw with 3:13 on the clock and Antoine Walker drained a baby hook with 2:12 remaining for an 89-89 game.

Gordon, though, gave the Bulls the lead with a jumper with two minutes to play. The next time down the floor, Posey chucked up a three that didn’t hit anything and went directly out of bounds to give the ball back to Chicago with 1:45 left.

P.J. Brown hit a pair of free throws 11 seconds later to extend the Bulls’ lead to four points.

Still ahead four, 95-91, Jason Kapono missed a long jumper with 52 seconds left. Thirty seconds later, Wade missed a three, Hinrich got the board and was fouled. He hit both free throws, extending the lead to 97-91 and Chicago came away with the win.

Chicago’s Ben Wallace left the game with five minutes left after Udonis Haslem fell into his left knee. He needed to be assisted off the court without putting any weight on his injured leg.

Nocioni had 19 points for Chicago, which led for nearly entire contest, taking a 27-13 lead after one quarter and 54-46 cushion into halftime. The Bulls continued to lead, 77-67, going into the fourth.

Game Notes

These two teams play one more time, on March 7 in Miami...Chicago now starts a seven-game road trip...The Heat ended a three-game road trip...Miami fell to 9-15 on the road...Chicago improved to 20-6 at home...Chicago’s Luol Deng had 12 points and 14 boards...Wallace ended with one point and 15 boards.