The Sports Xchange
Nov 17, 2017
CHICAGO -- Justin Holiday scored 27 points, Kris Dunn had 22 and Lauri Markkanen hit a pair of free throws with 2.6 seconds remaining as the Chicago Bulls beat the Charlotte Hornets 123-120 on Friday.
The Bulls snapped a five-game losing streak when Markkanen hit the free throws with Chicago clinging to a one-point lead.
Denzel Valentine scored 18 points to go along with 16 from Markkanen. Jerian Grant and Bobby Portis each finished with 10 points for the Bulls (3-10).
Kemba Walker scored 47 points for Charlotte, which lost its sixth straight. Walker, who was 17-for-27 from the field, appeared to have a clear path to the basket for a go-ahead layup in the closing seconds, but was stopped before Markkanen collected the rebound and was fouled.
Marvin Williams scored 13 points for Charlotte (5-9), which also got 11 points from Dwight Howard and Frank Kaminsky. Jeremy Lamb finished with 10 points.
Holiday scored five straight points to give the Bulls a 117-111 with 1:51 remaining. But a Walker 3-point field goal and layup got the Hornets to within 121-120 with 32 seconds remaining.
Walker gave the Hornets a 92-83 lead with a pair of 3-pointers in the final 40 seconds of the third quarter. The Bulls got to within three points on a Holiday jumper only to see Walker respond give Charlotte some breathing room before Chicago rallied in the fourth quarter.
NOTES: Hornets G/F Nic Batum was limited to 27 minutes in his second game back from a torn ligament in his elbow. Coach Steve Clifford wants to keep Batum and F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist fresh as the Hornets will play six games over nine days. ... Bulls F Nikola Mirotic will not travel with the Bulls who begin a four-game road trip starting Sunday in Phoenix. Mirotic continues working out in Chicago as he recovers from facial fractures sustained in a fight with teammate Bobby Portis. ... G Zach LaVine (knee) hopes to begin practicing Tuesday in Los Angeles with the expectation to play by mid-December. LaVine tore the anterior cruciate ligament Feb. 3. ... F David Nwaba (ankle) participated in shootaround Friday and hopes to practice Saturday. Nwaba hopes to stick to that timetable but said Friday he's not sure how much he will be able to do due to continued soreness.