CHICAGO — One more overtime thriller has the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics headed for a Game 7. Seems only fitting for this series.

Derrick Rose scored 28 points and blocked Rajon Rondo's potential game-winner, John Salmons scored 35, and the Bulls beat the defending champions, 128-127, in triple overtime last night to even the first-round series.

Ray Allen scored a career playoff-high 51 points for the Celtics, but it's back to Boston for Game 7 tomorrow night after another instant classic in a series that had already seen its share of drama.

Three of the first five games went to overtime, including a Game 4 that went two extra periods. Another came down to the wire in regulation, but this easily trumped them all.

Rondo penetrated and pulled up on the left block with 8 seconds left and turned, only to be rejected by Rose. The rookie of the year then missed two free throws with 3.2 seconds remaining, before Rondo launched a harmless heave from beyond midcourt.

That ended the game. The series, however, continues.

"This series is a lot of fun for the fans, the people of Chicago, the people of Boston," said Joakim Noah of the Bulls, who made the go-ahead three-point play after a steal. "It's a lot of fun for us, too, playing in environments like this on the big stage. It's special to be part of this, and I know that it's a series people will be talking about for a long time."

Rose added: "It's crazy, but you got to love it."

Tied at 123 in the third overtime, Noah stole a pass by Paul Pierce and broke upcourt for a dunk, got fouled by Pierce and hit the free throw with 35.5 seconds remaining. Eddie House quickly answered with a corner jumper, his feet on the 3-point arc, to pull the Celtics within 126-125, but Brad Miller hit two free throws to get the lead back up to three with 28 seconds left.

The Celtics weren't finished, though.

Rondo put back his own miss to make it a one-point game, and then he got a break when Kirk Hinrich missed a layup with Rondo's hand in the cylinder — which would have been goaltending.

BOSTON 26 31 19 25 8 9 9—127

CHICAGO 37 22 24 18 8 9 10—128

BOSTON-Pierce 5-13 11-12 22, Davis 10-18 3-5 23, Perkins 5-8 2-2 12, Rondo 4-17 0-2 8, R.Allen 18-32 6-7 51, Scalabrine 2-6 2-2 7, Moore 0-1 0-0 0, Marbury 0-3 0-0 0, T.Allen 1-4 0-0 2, House 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 46-106 24-30 127.

CHICAGO-Salmons 13-22 4-4 35, Ty.Thomas 4-9 1-2 9, Noah 4-9 1-1 9, Rose 12-25 4-6 28, Gordon 4-14 3-4 12, Miller 8-9 5-5 23, Hinrich 4-11 2-4 11, Gray 0-0 0-0 0, Hunter 0-0 1-2 1, Johnson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 49-99 21-28 128.

3-Point Goals—Boston 11-31 (R.Allen 9-18, Scalabrine 1-3, Pierce 1-5, Marbury 0-1, House 0-2, Rondo 0-2), Chicago 9-17 (Salmons 5-9, Miller 2-2, Gordon 1-2, Hinrich 1-4). Fouled Out—Pierce, Davis, Perkins, Gordon. Rebounds—Boston 63 (Perkins 13), Chicago 60 (Noah 15). Assists—Boston 29 (Rondo 19), Chicago 27 (Rose, Hinrich 7). Total Fouls—Boston 29, Chicago 30. Technicals—Boston defensive three second, Gordon, Hinrich, Miller, Chicago defensive three second. Flagrant Fouls—Rondo. A—23,430 (21,711).