The Sports Xchange
Nov 11, 2017
Despite missing six players Friday, the San Antonio Spurs opened a 25-point lead in the first half against the Chicago Bulls, as the Spurs comfortably ended up with the 133-94 win in the AT&T Center.
Center Pau Gasol led the Spurs with 21 points.
Though San Antonio (8-5) led by 25 points, center Robin Lopez (17 points) helped the Bulls (2-9) bring the Spurs' lead down to 10 points in the second quarter, as the Bulls used a 20-5 run during a five-minute stretch.
Still, the Spurs were too much for Chicago overall, as San Antonio outscored Chicago 70-47 in the second half. The Spurs shot 18 of 27 from 3-point range in their win over the Bulls. The Spurs' largest lead peaked at 41 points.
The the Spurs had eight players score in double figures.
Along with Lopez, the Bulls were led by forward Bobby Portis' 17 points and guard Kris Dunn's 15 points.
The Spurs opened the game with a 22-6 lead in the first 6:14 of the game. Making his first career NBA start, guard Bryn Forbes (13 points) scored 10 points in the first half for the Spurs.
After scoring six points Friday in a loss to the Bucks, forward Rudy Gay scored 11 of his 15 points in the first half, with seven of those points coming in the opening quarter.
Lopez scored 12 points for the Bulls in the first half. Guard Denzel Valentine had an instant impact for the Bulls off the bench in the first half as he added nine points, three rebounds, and three assists. Forward Lauri Markkanen scored six points in the first half, but Markkanen did not return for the second half, as the team announced a left ankle sprain would keep him out for the remainder of the game.
NOTES: G Danny Green missed his first game of the season for the Spurs with tightness in his right hamstring. Green has been the Spurs' third leading scorer averaging 11.1 points per game. ... After scoring a season high 18 points Friday against the Bucks, G Manu Ginobili missed Saturday's game for rest. ... The Bulls have now lost three straight games to the Spurs in teams' series, and the Bulls fell to 33-54 all-time against the Spurs. ... After scoring 21 and 20 points in his first two games since returning from his 8-game suspension, F Bobby Portis finished with 17 points against the Spurs, bringing his season average to 19.3 points per game.