Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade (right) wipes his face next to Heat head coach Pat Riley during their NBA game against the Chicago Bulls yesterday - reuters

miami (reuters)

The Chicago Bulls beat the Miami Heat 92-79 yesterday to win their first round NBA playoff series 4-0.

The 2005-06 champions left the floor despondent yesterday after the young and energetic Bulls outplayed them in all four games to sweep the series.

Chicago had won the previous three games 96-91, 107-89 and 104-96.

Guard Ben Gordon scored a team-high 24 points to lead the Bulls. Gordon was supported by Luol Deng with 22 points.

Dwayne Wade led Miami with 24 points and Shaquille O'Neal had 16.

The Phoenix Suns, led by centre Amare Stoudemire with 27 points, beat the Los Angeles Lakers 113-100 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven series.

Shawn Marion added 22 points and all-star guard Steve Nash 17 along with 23 assists as the Suns regained the upper hand in the Western Conference contest.

Phoenix, who won the first two games of the series at home, led 33-28 after the first quarter and 58-51 at the half before tightening their grip with their trademark fast-running game.

Stoudemire, who ended the match with 21 rebounds, executed a perfect jumper shortly before the buzzer to put the Suns 85-71 ahead going into the fourth.

With Nash orchestrating play, Phoenix dominated the final exchanges and a hooked shot by Marion lifted the Suns' total to 113.

Inspirational guard Kobe Bryant contributed 31 points and nine assists for the Lakers, who had clawed their way back into the series by winning Game Three 95-89 at home on Thursday.

Game Five takes place in Phoenix on Wednesday night.