Wizards outlast Bulls

Washington wins first series since '82

May 07, 2005|Associated Press

Yes, Washington, basketball life does exist beyond the first round of the playoffs. For the first time since 1982, the franchise is headed there.

Confetti flooded the MCI Center floor last night as the host Wizards broke a 23-year drought without winning a playoff series by defeating the Chicago Bulls, 94-91, behind 19 points from each of their Big Three -- Antawn Jamison, Larry Hughes, and Gilbert Arenas -- and a fluke turnover that led to the go-ahead basket.

With 36 seconds remaining and the scored tied at 91 -- where it had been since Jamison's jumper with 2:08 remaining -- the Bulls called timeout. But Chris Duhon turned his back just as Kirk Hinrich threw him an inbounds pass, and the ball bounced off Duhon's back and was scooped up by Jared Jeffries, who raced downcourt for a dunk with 33 seconds remaining.

The Bulls had two more possessions, but Jannero Pargo missed badly with a jumper, and, after Washington's Juan Dixon made one of two free throws, Andres Nocioni missed a 3-pointer. Tyson Chandler rebounded but shot an ill-advised 2-point attempt with his team needing a 3 to tie.

Arenas rebounded and tossed the ball into the crowd, the final 2 seconds ticking off the clock as the ball was airborne.

Jamison, Hughes, and Arenas scored 19 apiece as the Wizards won series 4-2, taking the final four games to advance for the first time since the Bullets' 2-0 sweep of New Jersey in 1982, back when the first round was best-of-three.

This was the ninth time in NBA history that a team recovered from an 0-2 deficit to advance.

The Wizards aren't getting much of a break to enjoy their success. They open at top-seeded Miami tomorrow in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Nocioni and Hinrich scored 22 points apiece for the Bulls, who led for nearly the entire second half but failed to score in the final 2:53 after Chandler made a layup to put Chicago ahead, 91-87.