From AP
While there are plenty of reasons why the Washington Wizards are headed to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 23 years, let there be no mistake: Gilbert Arenas is the man who led them there. Arenas shot just 6-of-24 Friday night but raced downcourt and blocked Kirk Hinrich's fast-break layup with 2:41 to play, igniting a game-ending 7-0 run in the Wizards' series-clinching 94-91 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
This was the ninth time in NBA history that a team recovered from an 0-2 deficit to advance, but the Wizards aren't getting much of a break to enjoy their success. They open at top-seeded Miami on Sunday in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Larry Hughes scored 21 points for the Wizards, and Arenas and Antan Jamison each had 19, but it was three defensive plays that made the difference. The Bulls were leading by four when Hinrich stole the ball from Hughes and went downcourt for the layup. Arenas came from behind and make the block, reversing the tide of the game.
``I could have easily just fouled him, but I thought I could go for the block and I did,'' Arenas said. ``It stopped them from going up six. It was a great turnaround.'' Hughes then made a layup to cut the lead to two, and Jamison poked the ball away from Hinrich and hit a jumper at the other end to tie the game at 91 with 2:08 to play.
Then came a bizarre finish. With 36 seconds remaining, the Bulls called timeout to set up a play. But Chris Duhon turned his back just as Hinrich threw the inbounds pass, and the ball bounced off Duhon's back and was scooped up by Jared Jefferies, who raced downcourt for a dunk with 33 seconds remaining.
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