It’s like old times as Bulls oust Heat

Michael Jordan’s old Chicago jersey hangs over the Miami Heat’s home floor, a tribute to the six-time NBA champion.

Now, a new bunch of Bulls want a title of their own after ending the Heat’s reign atop the league with a four-game sweep.

Ben Gordon scored 24 points and Luol Deng had 22 to lead Chicago past Miami, 92-79, Sunday in Game 4 to clinch the first-round Eastern Conference series. The Bulls advanced in the postseason for the first time since Jordan’s last title in 1998.

Chicago, which meets Detroit next, became the first team to oust a defending champion in the first round since Phoenix did it to San Antonio in 2000.

“It’s an accomplishment,” Bulls Coach Scott Skiles said. “We’re in a funny position here. We want to enjoy it. It was great. We played well. We played hard all four games. We deserved to win -- but we want to keep playing.”

The Heat was impressed.

“We ran into more than a formidable opponent,” Heat Coach Pat Riley said. “They are a great team.... They deserved to win. There’s no doubt in my mind. They can go a long way.”

Dwyane Wade had 24 points and 10 assists for Miami. Shaquille O’Neal had 16 points and seven rebounds.

“They were the better team,” Wade said. “They won. We’re not into what they were doing last year, saying they should have won.... They beat us fair and square. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it.”

Miami, which didn’t trail until late in the third quarter, got within one point twice in the fourth, the last time when James Posey made a pair of free throws with 5:27 left.

Chicago then closed the game on a 14-2 run.

“They had our number, first game of the season,” O’Neal said of a 108-66 opening-night loss. “And they had our number the rest of the season. They just had our number.”

New Jersey 102, Toronto 81 -- The Nets took a 17-point first-quarter lead at East Rutherford, N.J., en route to their second-biggest playoff victory and a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.

Vince Carter scored 27 points, Richard Jefferson had 23 and Jason Kidd had 17 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds for New Jersey.

Andrea Bargnani scored 16 points for the Raptors, who led for all of 15 seconds in the two games at New Jersey.