CHICAGO (AP) – Derrick Rose scored 22 points and the struggling Chicago Bulls beat the San Antonio Spurs 104-81 on Thursday night.
The Bulls came away with a much-needed win after dropping six of eight and handed the defending champions their most lopsided loss of the season.
The Central division leaders broke this one open in the third quarter, outscoring the Spurs 31-20, and snapped San Antonio’s four-game win streak.
Rose, who called out his team after Monday’s loss at Cleveland, backed it up by going hard to the rim and hitting 9 of 16 shots. He led six Bulls in double figures.
Pau Gasol added 12 points and 17 rebounds after being voted to his fifth All-Star game and first as a starter.
The Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard scored all of his team-leading 16 points in the first half.
JAZZ 101, BUCKS 99
MILWAUKEE (AP) – Gordon Hayward scored 13 of his game-high 24 points in the fourth quarter and the Utah Jazz held on for a 101-99 victory as the Bucks missed their last five shots in the closing minute.
The Jazz appeared to be in control after a 15-3 run, taking a 101-92 lead on two free throws by Hayward with 2:35 remaining. But the Bucks pulled within the final score on Jared Dudley’s 3-pointer from the top right with 1:29 left.
The Bucks had a final opportunity when an officials review awarded them the ball out of bounds under the basket with 7.1 seconds left. Brandon Knight missed a jumper with two seconds left and Zaza Pachulia missed the tip-in at the buzzer.
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