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CHICAGO -- Playoff appearances were rare enough for the Washington Wizards let alone series victories. Never mind all that now. John Wall finished with 24 points, Nene scored 20, and the Wizards beat the Chicago Bulls 75-69 on Tuesday night to clinch their first-round series in five games. Bradley Beal scored 17 points, and the fifth-seeded Wizards advanced in the post-season for just the third time since the 1970s. They will meet Indiana or Atlanta in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Hawks lead the series 3-2. Its a huge step for a franchise that hadnt been to the post-season since 2008, but with Wall and Beal leading the way, they won 44 games during the regular season. "It just shows our continued growth," Beal said. "We played great basketball in this series and we can only continue to get better and better." As for the Bulls? "It is real disappointing," Taj Gibson said. "We put so much work into the season, came out of countless holes." The Wizards turned a halftime tie into a nine-point lead heading into the fourth quarter and hung on down the stretch. Chicagos comeback chances took a big hit early in the final quarter when Gibson crumbled to the court clutching his left ankle after he tried to block a layup by Wall with the Wizards up by six points. He had to be helped off the court and did not return. The Bulls got within three points in the closing minutes but couldnt grab rebounds when they needed them, particularly after D.J. Augustin hit two free throws to make it 72-69 with 2:18 left. The Wizards grabbed three offensive rebounds while whittling more than a minute off the clock before Beal threw the ball away with a minute left in the game. Carlos Boozer missed on a drive, but the Bulls couldnt convert after a shot-clock violation by Washington with 22.4 seconds left. Chicagos Jimmy Butler missed on a layup off the inbounds, and the Wizards caught a break after Andre Miller missed two free throws. Nene tracked down the loose ball and Beal hit the first free throw to make it 73-69 with 14.6 seconds left before missing the second. But Nene got another rebound, and that led to two free throws by Wall with 7.8 seconds remaining. Nene was back to wreaking havoc after serving a one-game suspension for grabbing Butlers head, whether he was knocking down jumpers or scoring inside. He hit 10 of 17 shots and grabbed seven rebounds. Wall also had seven boards and hit 9 of 11 free throws. Marcin Gortat grabbed 13 rebounds, and the Wizards did something they have rarely done the past three-and-a-half decades -- they moved on. The playoffs have mostly been one-and-done affairs for them -- with a few exceptions -- since they lost to Seattle in the 1979 Finals. They knocked off New Jersey 2-0 in the first round in 1982 and took out Chicago in six games in 2005. In this series, they showed a resolve and killer instinct that wasnt always there in the regular season. "The main thing is to focus in and know what this team is capable of," Wall said. "I just give a lot of credit to my teammates and the coaching staff and the great game plan and making adjustments and committing ourselves to play on every given night." For the Bulls, a season that unfolded in ways they never envisioned is finally over. They expected to challenge Miami for supremacy in the Eastern Conference with Derrick Rose back after sitting out last season, only to lose their star to another season-ending knee injury. As if that wasnt enough, they traded away one of their top remaining players in Luol Deng yet somehow squeezed out 48 victories. No team in the East won more games after New Years Eve, either, but slow starts and poor shooting plagued them in this series. Butler and Kirk Hinrich scored 16 points each and Gibson had 12 for the Bulls. Joakim Noah, whose left knee has bothering him the past few months, added 18 rebounds and seven assists. Boozer, a candidate to be amnestied, added 10 points and nine rebounds in what might have been his final appearance for Chicago. The Wizards outscored the Bulls 20-11 in the third quarter to turn a 41-41 halftime tie into a 61-52 lead going into the fourth. "I am proud of this team," Noah said. "I am proud of the way we competed all year. We dealt with a lot. Whenever a season is over it is always tough." NOTES: The Wizards outrebounded the Bulls 49-43 overall and 15-8 in the fourth quarter. ... Nene declined comment about his suspension at the Wizards shootaround, saying, "I dont want to talk about that." ... Gibson on his injury: "Real painful. I got to see what they (the medical staff) say tomorrow." .com) - The New York Rangers hope to punch their ticket to the second round when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday for a Game 6 battle at Wells Fargo Center. . -- Jake Paterson made 39 saves as the Saginaw Spirit halted the Guelph Storms seven-game win streak with a 6-3 victory on Sunday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.brownsauthenticproshop.com/Customized/. -- Officials have approved a deal to build a new $672 million stadium for the Atlanta Braves away from the downtown Atlanta area that has traditionally been its home. . JOHNS, N. . Louis still looking for a way out of Tampa Bay, the 38-year-old NHL veteran isnt showing his cards. NEW YORK -- Initially, New York Rangers coach Alain Vigneault wasnt pleased with Derek Stepan and his linemates. By the end of the night, Vigneaults assessment of his top line had changed dramatically. Derek Stepan scored his first three goals of the season, and Carl Hagelin added his first two as the Rangers had their best offensive output of the season Saturday night in a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. "It didnt start the way I wanted, not just the game but (Stepans) line. Their first three shifts were totally in our end," Vigneault said. "I mustve sat that line out eight, nine minutes of the first period." The trio of Stepan, Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider finished with three goals and six assists, and a combined rating of plus-7. "I like the way they responded," Vigneault said. "Challenged them, and they responded the right way. They went out onto the ice and had some solid puck possession shifts. "That line ended up being real good for us at the end of the night after having a so-so start." Henrik Lundqvist made 27 saves and grabbed first star honours for New York (6-7), which is on a season-high, three-game winning streak. Hagelin scored the Rangers first two goals of the game, and Stepan netted the final three. Andrej Sekera scored a power-play goal with 37 seconds left in the second period to provide the only offence for the Hurricanes. Justin Peters, subbing for Carolinas top two goalies who are injured, made 33 saves in the loss and fell to 0-5. "Weve been chasing the game lately, and were not getting the timely saves," Carolina coach Kirk Muller said. Hagelin opened the scoring 8:46 into the game. Brad Richards sprung Hagelin and Benoit Pouliot with a clearing pass. Hagelin cut to the slot before beating Peters with a backhander. "Hags speed definitely helps us," Vigneault said. "When he scored the way he did tonight and backing down their defence the way he can does, its so important to a team having success and winning games." Before Hagelins goal, the Hurricanes had outshot the Rangers 6-2. New York finished the game with a 38-28 edge. Hagelin increased New Yorks lead to 2-0 at 8:16 of the second period. As the Rangers finished killing Hagelins hooking penalty, Taylor Pyatt fired a clearing pass from the defensive zone that ricocheted off of Peters pads to the corner. Hagelin corralled the loose puck, then cut toward the net before slipping his second goal of the game through Peters legs. "I was going on the forecheck," Hageelin said.dddddddddddd "It wasnt like I (thought) it was going to bounce off him and go in the corner. Soon as I saw the puck go in the corner I knew he wasnt going to go there, so I decided to take it to the net." Stepan pushed the advantage to 3-0 with a power-play goal at 15:54 of the second. Stepan found a rebound of Ryan McDonaghs point shot through a maze of players before beating Peters with a high shot. New York, which went 1-for-4 on the advantage, has scored power-play goals in three straight games. The Rangers are 4-for-11 on the power play in that stretch. "Goals on the power play, thats going to help a power play," Stepan said. "Weve certainly simplified things. Our power-play goal was a play out of the corner. Mac takes a slapper, and a mad scramble in front. If you look around the league, thats how the power-play goals are being scored." Outside of Sekeras goal, not much went right for the Hurricanes (4-7-3), who have lost five straight. "We were a fragile team (after) giving up the first goal," Muller said. "It seems to be a pattern. It pushes you back on your heels a bit after that first goal." Sekera scored with a seemingly harmless shot that hit Rangers defenceman Anton Stralman and found its way past Lundqvist. Stepan scored his second of the game 9:09 into the third to complete a strong forechecking sequence by his line. Kreiders hit on Tuomo Ruutu in the offensive zone forced a turnover, which Zuccarello corralled behind the net before feeding Stepan. Stepan completed his hat trick at 14:37 when his attempted pass to Kreider hit Sekera and deflected in off the goal post. It was Stepans first three-goal game since Oct. 9, 2010, against Buffalo, where he made his NHL debut. "My two linemates have created pretty good looks for me, and I wasnt able to find the back of the net," Stepan said. "Tonight they continued to do it, and I was fortunate enough to find the net a couple times, so thats good." NOTES: New York is 63-48-7-2 against the Hurricanes. ... Carolina activated D Brett Bellemore from the injured list. Bellemore had missed three games with a lower-body injury. ... Vigneault said he had "mixed emotions and mixed feelings," about Manny Malhotras return to the NHL. The veteran centre signed a one-year deal with Carolina on Thursday. Vigneault was Malhotras coach with Vancouver when Malhotra was struck near the left eye in a 2011 game. ... Rangers LW Rick Nash missed his 10th straight game with a head injury. There is no timetable for his return. ' ' '