Miami progress to Conference Finals after 4-1 series win.
The Miami Heat sealed their place in the Eastern Conference Finals after a 94-91 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night ensured they win the series 4-1.
LeBron James scored 23 points while Dwyane Wade made a big impact in the closing stages as he finished the game with 18 points to clinch victory and advance to what will be their third consecutive trip to the Conference Finals.
Having blown an early 18-point lead and then trailed by 11 in the second-half, Miami were able to close out the game despite a typically battling performance from Chicago.
Carlos Boozer led the way for the Bulls with 26 points and 14 rebounds, and despite the disappointment of seeing their season come to an end coach Tom Thibodeau praised his players.
“It is sort of the story of the season. I told these guys this yesterday. Obviously, we’re disappointed in losing the series, but I was never disappointed in the team. I thought our team fought hard all year long,” he told the media after the game.
The Bulls were without star point guard Derrick Rose all season long following his torn ACL in the post season last year, while Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng missed the entire series against the Heat through injury and illness respectively.
Chicago will look to come back strong next season with a healthy roster, while the Heat remain on course to secure back-to-back to championships.
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