NBA: Bulls use balanced effort to turn back Hawks

FILE – DeMar DeRozan #11 of the Chicago Bulls looks on during the first half of the game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on January 09, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images/AFP

DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points, Zach LaVine added 20 and Nikola Vucevic posted a double-double of 14 points and 17 rebounds as the host Chicago Bulls defeated the Atlanta Hawks 111-100 on Monday night.

Chicago stretched its winning streak to three games, matching a season high, while sending the Hawks to their second straight defeat.

The Bulls led by as many as 13 points and overcame their lowest-scoring first quarter of the season, 17 points. Patrick Williams had a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Alex Caruso (12 points) and Coby White (10) also finished in double figures for the Bulls.

Trae Young paced Atlanta with 21 points and 13 assists, joining Clint Capela (16 points, 12 rebounds) with a double-double.

Dejounte Murray (20 points) followed for the Hawks, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, John Collins, and AJ Griffin chipped in 11 points apiece.

Chicago missed five straight shots during one stretch in the third quarter, watching a double-digit lead dwindle to a single point. White appeared to deliver a shot clock-beating dunk late in the quarter, but the play later was overturned on video review, and Atlanta took the lead following the adjustment.

After the teams ended the third quarter tied at 78, the Bulls started the fourth on an 11-3 run to retake control.

DeRozan and Caruso had three steals apiece for Chicago. Capela blocked two shots for Atlanta.

Vucevic has recorded 27 double-doubles this season while accomplishing the feat in 11 consecutive games.

The Bulls led 57-48 at halftime behind a balanced attack led by LaVine (12 points) and DeRozan (11) alongside consistent rebounding from Vucevic, who grabbed 12 first-half boards.

Atlanta shot 44.7 percent in the first half but struggled from distance, shooting 4-of-16. The Hawks committed 13 turnovers before the break but stayed afloat behind Murray (15 points) and Capela (10). Capela also snagged 10 rebounds in the first half.

DeRozan played in his 1,000th career game, while Chicago’s Billy Donovan coached his 200th game for the Bulls and the 600th of his NBA coaching career.

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