Bulls level NBA series against Celtics

Derrick Rose scored 23 points while Ben Gordon and John Salmons sank clutch late baskets to spark Chicago past Boston 121-118 in double over-time Sunday to level their NBA playoff series.

Gordon had 22 points and Salmons added 20, including 9-for-9 from the free throw line, as the Bulls matched the defending NBA champions at two triumphs each in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 29 points while Ray Allen, who sank a dramatic 3-pointer late in regulation to force the first over-time, added 28 while Rajon Rondo contributed 25 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

For the third time in four games, the game went down to the final possession and this time the Bulls pulled out a thriller on their home-court.

Gordon sank a dramatic 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining in the first overtime to pull the Bulls level at 110-110. When Rondo missed a pull-up jumper at the buzzer, the game went into a second extra five-minute period.

Rose scored one basket and assisted Salmons on another to give Chicago a 114-110 lead. Glen Davis answered for Boston but Joakim Noah followed with a slam dunk and a free throw to boost the Bulls back on top 117-112.

Pierce responded with a 3-point play to trim Chicago's edge to 117-115 with 27.3 seconds remaining, but Salmons added two free throws to restore the Bulls' four-point bulge.

Pierce followed by sinking a tension-packed 3-pointer to lift the Celtics within 119-118 with 19.2 seconds to play.

But Salmons, who went 9-for-9 from the free throw line, added his last two to give Chicago the final margin then deflected an attempted game-tying 3-pointer from Pierce in the dying seconds.

Back-to-back baskets by Pierce and Allen gave Boston a 105-100 lead with 2:00 to play in the first overtime but Chicago rallied with six of the next eight points, three from Kirk Hinrich, to stay within reach.

Pierce and Gordon each went 1-of-2 from the line before Allen drained two from the line, leaving Boston ahead 110-107 and setting the stage for Gordon's equalizer, matching Allen's clutch hoop at the end of regulation.

Allen sank a 3-pointer with 9.8 seconds remaining to pull Boston level at 96-96 and send the game into overtime after Rose missed baseline lob in the dying seconds of regulation time.

Gordon's driving bank-shot basket gave Chicago a 95-93 lead with 31 seconds remaining in regulation.

Davis missed a reverse layup and Tyrus Thomas, who grabbed the rebound, was fouled and made a free throw for a 96-93 lead with 16.6 seconds to play, setting the stage for Allen's equalizer.

The Celtics ended the third quarter on a 12-0 run, Pierce having scored 11 points in the period to spark the run to a 70-65 edge entering the fourth.

Rose, who scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, hit a jumper with 2:00 remaining to give the Bulls a 91-90 lead. Allen equalized with a free throw and the teams traded free throws to the final seconds.