Depleted Bulls oust Nets

NEW YORK—Joakim Noah had 24 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots to lead the injury-ravaged Bulls over the host Nets in Game 7 to clinch their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Marco Belinelli also scored 24 Deron Williams scored 24 points, points and Carlos Boozer added 17 as Brook Lopez added 21 and Gerald fifth-seeded Chicago advances to face Wallace tallied 19 for the fourth-seedthe top-seeded Miami Heat in the ed Nets. Brooklyn won back-to-back conference semifinals, which begin games to force a Game Seven, but Monday in Miami. never led in the finale.

Bulls forward Luol Deng missed his The Nets trailed by 10 points with second straight game because of ill7:07 remaining and were able to pull ness and was hospitalized in Chicago within 97-93 on a three-pointer by and point guard Kirk Hinrich (calf) Williams with 26.6 seconds left. missed his third consecutive contest. Belinelli hit two free throws to push the margin to six but Williams and Joe Johnson missed three-pointers on Brooklyn’s next possession as Chicago sealed its improbable victory.

Noah had 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the first half as the Bulls took a surprising 61-44 halftime lead.

Brooklyn rebounded to pull within four midway through the third quarter, before Chicago took an 82-75 advantage into the final stanza.

Drew still Hawks coach

Meanwhile, a day after the Atlanta Hawks were bounced from the playoffs, Larry Drew remained their coach.

Whether he sticks around much longer is the most pressing issue for a team that expects a radical transformation this summer.

General manager Danny Ferry said it was too soon to make a call on the future of a coach he inherited.

Ferry said the disappointment of a six-game loss to the Indiana Pacers needed to wear off a bit before he decides whether Drew should get another contract.