Johnson scores 34 as Hawks upset Bulls 103-95
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The Atlanta Hawks stared down Superman and they weren't blinking against the Bulls, either.
Joe Johnson scored 34 points and Atlanta beat top-seeded Chicago 103-95 on Monday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
As if the loss itself wasn't bad enough, the Bulls got a scare when Derrick Rose came up limping after he turned his left ankle at the end of the game. Their MVP - yes, MVP - stepped on Jamal Crawford's foot as he dribbled out the final seconds and was helped off by teammates and a trainer.
A person familiar with the situation confirmed reports on Monday night that Rose is the winner, making him the league's youngest MVP and only the second Bull, along with Michael Jordan, to win the award.
That announcement is expected on Tuesday, with the presentation at Game 2 on Wednesday. If the Bulls keep playing like this, that could be their final appearance at the United Center, particularly if Rose is limited.
"I should be OK," he said. "I'll probably get treatment right now, go home, get some more treatment and be ready to go for Wednesday."
The Hawks went on a 15-2 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters to turn a 69-65 deficit into an 80-71 lead with 10:27 remaining.
Johnson scored eight points during that stretch, and the Hawks hung on. Johnson was brilliant, hitting 12 of 18 shots and all five 3-point attempts.
"I just want to come out and be aggressive and make plays," Johnson said. "Collectively, as a team, we've been great in the postseason. We've approached every game with intensity."
Crawford scored 22 points and Jeff Teague added 10 while starting at the point for the injured Kirk Hinrich and wound up getting the game ball from coach Larry Drew.
"We're the team that nobody talks about," Crawford said.
Well, this is a good way to get them talking - shoot 51.3 percent against one of the league's stingiest defenses and take a series opener. As alarming as all that was for the Bulls, though, the sight of Rose limping off sent a real shiver through Chicago.
"It's tough when your best player is limping off the court with an injury that you know he's had before," center Joakim Noah said. "It's tough, but right now, we have a game on Wednesday in less than 48 hours."
