Chicago Bulls players Luol Deng (left) and Ben Gordon were instrumental in their team's Game Three victory over defending champions the Miami Heat on Friday night in Miami. - ReutersMIAMI (AP):
BEN GORDON scored 27 points and Luol Deng had 24 points and 11 rebounds for Chicago, who beat Miami 104-96 on Friday night to take a 3-0 lead over the defending NBA champions in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
The Bulls, who took control with a 15-2 fourth-quarter run, can close out the series in Miami this afternoon. No NBA team has ever overcome an 0-3 deficit.
The Heat trailed by nine points with 2:33 left and got within 99-96 on a jumper by Dwyane Wade with 1:25 left, but got no closer. They led by 12 points in the third quarter, but misfired on 19 of their 35 free-throw attempts and were outscored 32-17 over the final 11 1/2 minutes.
Wade scored 28 points and Shaquille O'Neal added 23 points and 13 rebounds for Miami. Wade was 4-for-10 from the foul line and O'Neal was three-for-12.
Chicago outrebounded Miami by a wide margin (44-33) for the third straight game, and made 29 of 37 free throws.
Warriors 109, Mavericks 91
At Oakland, California, Jason Richardson had 30 points and eight rebounds and Baron Davis added 24 points as Golden State took a 2-1 lead over Dallas in their first-round playoff series.
The Bay-Area's first NBA playoff game since May 4, 1994, attracted 20,629 fans, the biggest crowd in Warriors history. They chanted "Overrated!" at the flustered Mavs and Dirk Nowitzki, who had 20 points and 12 rebounds in another poor performance.
Game Four is tonight in Oakland.
Stephen Jackson scored 16 points and Monta Ellis had 14 for the Warriors, who beat the Mavs for the seventh time in their last eight meetings overall, including a three-game regular-season sweep.
The Warriors led throughout the final 44 minutes, taking a 22-point lead in the third quarter.
Nets 102, Raptors 89
At East Rutherford, New Jersey, Jason Kidd had a play-off career-high 19 assists in his 10th postseason triple-double, and Vince Carter scored 37 points for New Jersey, who took a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
One day after missing practice because of a bruised left knee, Kidd was back in the starting lineup and added 16 points and 16 rebounds. He had 14 assists by halftime and easily passed his previous best of 16, set when he was playing for Phoenix. He also had the previous New Jersey record of 15.
Kidd snapped a tie with Wilt Chamberlain and moved into one with Larry Bird for second on the career postseason triple-doubles list. He is still 20 behind Magic Johnson, the career leader.
The Nets, who never trailed and led by as many as 21 points, host Game Four tonight.
T.J. Ford scored 27 points for the Raptors, who haven't won a postseason road game since beating Philadelphia on May 6, 2001, in Game One of the Eastern Conference semi-finals. All-Star forward Chris Bosh was limited to 11 points on three-of-10 shooting.
