The first game of the playoffs began in exciting fashion as the Indiana Pacers went to the United Center and led for 47 minutes before falling to the Bulls, 104-99.

Most Valuable Player-favorite Derrick Rose scored 39 points, but it was his clutch performance that gave the Bulls the victory.

Rose tied the game at 99-99 in spectacular fashion, after back-to-back great shots in the lane. Then Kyle Korver hit a three-pointer to give the Bulls their first lead of the game with about 48 seconds remaining, at 102-99.

Despite a losing regular-season record, the Pacers have under-rated players in Danny Granger, Roy Hibbert, Darren Collison, as well as some workhorse players who have a tendency to take advantage of their limited minutes.

Indiana led by as many as 12 in the third quarter, and appeared to be on their way to the Game One upset.

The fans at the United Center turned up the intensity with less than five minutes remaining. The Pacers stayed tough, though, but then Rose took over.

Indiana built a lead for the entire game thanks to very good three-point shooting, hitting 10-of-18 from beyond the arc.

Tyler Hansbrough was taken to the locker room before the end of the third quarter after taking an inadvertent elbow from Kurt Thomas. Cameras caught Hansbrough out of sorts and dizzy as the medical staff tried to put him in a wheelchair.

Hansbrough returned to the game, and kept shooting, and kept scoring. The former North Carolina Tar Heel finished with 22 points.

At one point in the fourth quarter, Hansbrough stripped Carlos Boozer, and took the ball all the way, and dunked it, while fouled.

Luol Deng added 18 points for the Bulls.

Basketball