"Scottie Pippen was one of Carlos Boozer's toughest critics as the Hall of Famer watched Boozer struggle through a first-round series against the Pacers.

As the Bulls wrapped up a spot in the Eastern Conference finals Thursday thanks largely to Boozer's game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds, Pippen jumped back on the Boozer bandwagon.

"He played well,'' Pippen said after the Bulls' 93-73 win over the Hawks. "That's what he's going to have to continue to do for this team to have success.

"We're only as good as him and Derrick (Rose) make us.''

Boozer smoothly knocked down jump shots and worked the pick-and-roll to perfection with Rose as he hit on 10 of his 16 shots.

"It was huge,'' Rose said of Boozer's play. "He made simple plays where if they were off of him, shoot the ball. We always tell him that. His confidence is right there. But tonight, I think, raised his confidence up a little bit more, and I think it's going to help us for the next series.''

Of course, the MVP Rose has carried the Bulls often this season, particularly when Boozer and Joakim Noah missed time with injuries. But Boozer was signed to a five-year, $75 million deal in the offseason because most believed he would be that consistent second-scoring option behind Rose — a 20-point, 10-rebound guy every night.

Such hasn't been the case in the playoffs, as Boozer struggled to play with two torn ligaments in his right big toe. Criticism started to mount as did cries for Taj Gibson to take over the starting role.

"A guy is hurt and people are so quick to hate on him,'' Joakim Noah said of Boozer. "... To have a game the way he played today, I'm sure it's going to shut up a lot of the critics.''"