Chicago fends off Brooklyn in Game 7

NEW YORK — Joakim Noah had 24 points and 14 rebounds, and Marco Belinelli also scored 24 points as the Chicago Bulls beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-93 on Saturday night in Game 7 of their first-round series.

Carlos Boozer added 17 points as the Bulls shook off injuries to two starters and every run the Nets tried to make in the second half to win a Game 7 on the road for the first time in franchise history. They advanced to a second-round series against defending champion Miami that starts Monday night.

The Bulls opened a 17-point halftime lead with a rare offensive outburst and found a way to get big baskets every time the Nets pulled close to win the NBA’s only do-or-die game of the first round.

“I thought our guys, we took a big punch in Game 1 and we kept fighting back and that’s been the story of the season,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said.

Deron Williams had 24 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Nets. They were trying to become the ninth NBA team to win a series after trailing 3-1.

But they had a horrendous first-half defensive performance and Joe Johnson was bad all game on offense, finishing with six points on 2-of14 shooting.

With Luol Deng (illness) and Kirk Hinrich (bruised left calf) out again, the Bulls leaned on Noah, who could barely play when the Bulls were blown out here two weeks ago in Game 1 but logged 41 minutes and shot 12-of-17.

Noah, who grew up and played in high school here, helped the Bulls spoil the Nets’ first home Game 7 in franchise history at the end of their first season in Brooklyn.

Chicago improved to 1-6 in road Game 7s.

HAWKS: One day after the Hawks were bounced from the playoffs, Larry Drew remained their coach.

Whether he sticks around much longer is the most pressing issue. GM Danny Ferry said Saturday it was too soon to make a call on the future of a coach he inherited: “We’re going to take some time, give it some distance, give it some space from the season, from the playoffs, from the emotions of that.”