BOSTON (AP) - Brad Miller spoke slowly with stitches that had just been sewn into the inside of his lip. He made it clear, though, that he disagreed with the call that followed a swat across his face.
It was "absolutely" a flagrant foul, the backup center said after the Bulls' 106-104 overtime loss to the Celtics on Tuesday night. That would have given Chicago the ball after he took two free throws. Instead, he missed both and a chance to tie the game with 2 seconds left.Boston, which overcame an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter, took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series going into Thursday night's sixth game in Chicago.
And the Bulls' overtime success finally ended. They won Game 1 in one overtime and Game 4 in two extra periods in the first series in NBA playoff history with three overtime games.
"The games are played (with) so little margin," said Joakim Noah, who had 11 points and 17 rebounds for Chicago. "We had our chances and that's what makes it tough, but we will be back. We have another chance so it's a learning experience for all of us."
With the game in Boston, Miller said he didn't expect the officials to call a flagrant foul when, he said, he took a "forearm shiver to the face" from Rajon Rondo as he drove for a layup that would have tied the game at 106.
"I didn't see it, but I felt it," Miller said, adding "There's still no excuse" to miss the first free throw.
He missed the second on purpose, hoping the Bulls would get the rebound. But he missed the rim and the Celtics got the ball.
Celtics center Kendrick Perkins jumped near the basket as Miller's shot fell short and dismissed claims that there was a flagrant foul.
"I feel like a few plays before there was a flagrant foul on them," Perkins said. "It wasn't a flagrant foul. I thought it was a good playoff foul."
Ben Gordon, who played with a strained left hamstring, led the Bulls with 26 points. Three came after he was fouled beyond the 3-point arc. He made all of them to tie the game at 104 with 27 seconds to go.
After Paul Pierce's jumper put Boston ahead with 3.4 seconds left, Chicago tried to inbound the ball to Gordon.
"Three guys went to Ben, and I understand why," said Miller, who had an open lane to the basket, but Rondo got him from behind.
The Celtics are more experienced - and won the NBA championship last year - and that may have played a role.
"We were up quite a few points and they just came right back within some minutes," rookie point guard Derrick Rose said. "So I think experience did kick in a little bit."
Miller is the most experienced Bulls player who plays significant minutes, but even he couldn't get a break on his painful drive to the basket.
"You have to go for the basketball and (Rondo) didn't come near the basketball," Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro said. "I agree that it is a playoff foul, but you still have to call it and I'm sure that will be addressed" by the league.
