Heat beat Bulls to reach Eastern Conference final as Grizzlies also strike down Thunder

Miami Heat 94, 91 Chicago Bulls

                

Miami will face the winners of the series between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. Indiana currently lead 3-1.

The Heat put up 10 unanswered points to start the game and at one stage led by 18 in the first quarter but once again the Bulls fought back. Miami's sharp movement of the ball fell away dramatically, as did their shooting, as Chicago, led by the livewire Nate Robinson and the powerhouse, Carlos Boozer roared back.

Chicago led 53-47 at the half and went into the fourth quarter with a 77-69 advantage but Miami got their second wind when it mattered.

A three-pointer from Shane Battier and a Chris Anderson dunk helped Miami close the gap before Norris Cole's left-handed dunk put the Heat back in the lead with 6:40 left on the clock.

Still the Bulls kept on scrapping and it was not until Jimmy Butler's hopeful three point attempt in the final moments was off-target that Miami could finally celebrate.

League MVP LeBron James finished as Miami's top scorer with 23 points with Dwyane Wade providing 18.

Boozer ended with 26 points and 14 rebounds as the depleted Bulls, without their star Derrick Rose throughout the season, finally bowed out.


Oklahoma City Thunder 84, 88 Memphis Grizzlies

                  

Memphis, who will face the winner of San Antonio and Golden State in the conference final, almost blew a 12-point lead with three minutes left but hung on to win the series 4-1 and bring an end to the postseason for last season's conference champions.

Zach Randolph had 28 points and 14 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who lost the opener before winning four straight in a series in which all five games were decided by six points or less.

In Game Five on Wednesday, hosts Oklahoma City trailed 80-68 with three minutes to go but clawed their way back and had a chance to tie the game but Kevin Durant missed a jump shot in the last seconds to seal the Thunder's fate.

Durant finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists but made just five of 21 from the field.

Serge Ibaka added 17 for top seeds Oklahoma City, who lost All Star Russell Westbrook earlier in the playoffs.

Mike Conley had 13 points and 11 assists while Marc Gasol got 10 and three blocks for the Grizzlies.