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Wade, Heat aim to bounce back in Game Two vs. Bulls

Apr 24, 2007 - 1:17 PM Miami at Chicago 8:00 pm EDT Eastern Conference first round Bulls lead series, 1-0

CHICAGO (Ticker) - Miami Heat coach Pat Riley knows the postseason is all about adjustments.

The defending champion Heat hope for a better result in Game Two of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Chicago Bulls.

In Saturday's series opener, Luol Deng collected 33 points and eight rebounds and Ben Gordon added 24 and a playoff career-high 11 assists for Chicago in a 96-91 victory.

"This game was really big, now we have a lead on them," Deng said. "When you lose Game One, you have to adjust. I think we can keep doing what we are doing because it is working."

In his third season, Deng was nearly unstoppable in Game One, using a variety of moves en route to shooting 14-of-22 from the field.

Miami's All-Star tandem of Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade both will look to raise their level of play. O'Neal scored 19 points before fouling out late in the fourth quarter, while Wade struggled to get his shot off against 6-7 rookie Thabo Sefolosha.

"Game One, we played like a regular game, not a playoff game," said Wade, who scored 21 points. "So we have to make adjustments and play a little tougher, a little harder."

Despite the victory, Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich struggled to even stay on the floor, getting three early fouls before halftime and a fourth in the third. He was fined for throwing his mouthpiece into the stands.

The series shifts to Miami for Game Three on Friday.

The Heat beat the Bulls, 4-2, in the first round of the playoffs last April.