<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MIAMI -- The arena was steadily emptying and growing eerily quiet late in the fourth quarter as Miami Heat players chased Ben Wallace to commit fouls, a last act of desperate men trying to hold off what really had seemed inevitable since the first game of this Eastern Conference opening-round series. So it was appropriate, even symbolic, that Wallace, the poorest free-throw shooter in NBA history, made all four of his free throws, the last two with about two minutes left, to give the Bulls an insurmountable 88-79 lead. Indeed, something special and magical seemed to be happening for the Bulls. "Don't make excuses for us," Shaquille O'Neal said after the Bulls had completed a 4-0 sweep to advance to the conference semifinals this weekend in Auburn Hills, Mich. "The Bulls play good, solid basketball, and they had our number. They did everything right, shot the ball, played better defense, got all the loose balls. You've got to give it to them." Enough to dream, perhaps?</div> more
At least the heat aren't making excuses about why they lost. There was no "Well D Wade wasn't healthy" mumbo jumbo.
