Bradley Beal, Wizards rise in OT for 2-0 lead on Bulls
CHICAGO – Labeling it a must-win game beforehand, D.J. Augustin helped the Chicago Bulls temporarily find their playoff swagger, providing much-needed offense in stale moments.
The only problem? Bradley Beal was doing the same thing for the Washington Wizards.
Beal's jumper over Joakim Noah, who received the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award before the game, fell short at the end of regulation. But the Bulls' offense went dry in overtime as Washington prevailed 101-99 in a Game 2 thriller to stunningly go ahead 2-0 in the Eastern Conference series.
The Bulls had a chance to force a second overtime with 2.4 seconds left, but guard Kirk Hinrich missed both free throws.
The Wizards backcourt took a backseat in Game 1, but in Beal (26 points) and John Wall (16 points) gave Washington its main offensive life in Game 2. Wall went scoreless in the second half after having a hot hand in the first and the second half belonged to Beal, who hit a momentum-shifting three-pointer with 2:47 left and a tear-drop with 1:23 remaining.
"He hit a lot of big shots for us," Wizards coach Randy Wittman said.
Nene, Game 1's top player, came up big in overtime and finished with 17 points and seven rebounds.
The Bulls started off sluggish in the first half, falling behind by 17 before Augustin sparked a comeback behind three consecutive three-pointers to help Chicago trail 56-49 at halftime.
The Bulls had the momentum for much of the second half. Augustin, who finished with 25 points off the bench, continued his crafty play and a mix of second-chance points and clutch shooting helped recharge Chicago's offense. Taj Gibson also provided a boost off the bench with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Noah added 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Tempers flared in this one. Hinrich and Beal were whistled for technical fouls after a mini scuffle in the second quarter. And later Noah and Trevor Ariza had to be separated in a third-quarter scuffle that led to another double-technical.
The series goes back to Washington for Game 3 Friday with Chicago needing to make adjustments.
"During the regular season, you get different stretches where it's spread out," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "In the playoffs, you're on equal footing. ... It gives you more time to prepare."