Field Level Media
Feb 3, 2018
Tobias Harris scored 24 points on 10-for-19 shooting in his team debut, and the Los Angeles Clippers held off the Chicago Bulls for a 113-103 win on Saturday afternoon at the Staples Center.
Danilo Gallinari matched Harris' total with 24 points in his second game back from a muscle strain that forced him to miss 25 games. Lou Williams scored 21 points and distributed a team-high six assists off the bench.
Zach LaVine scored 21 points to lead the Bulls in his 10th game since returning from a knee injury. Paul Zipser contributed 16 points, and Bobby Portis posted a double-double off the bench with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Los Angeles earned its third victory in the past four games to climb one game above .500. The Clippers improved to 9-3 against the Bulls since the start of the 2011-12 campaign.
Chicago lost its sixth straight contest.
The game marked the Clippers debuts for Harris and guard Avery Bradley, who were acquired from the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 29 as part of a blockbuster trade that sent star forward Blake Griffin to the Motor City. Bradley finished with eight points and four assists in 32 minutes.
An 8-0 run in the fourth quarter helped the Clippers put the game out of reach. Williams hit a jump shot to punctuate the outburst and give Los Angeles a 100-85 lead with less than eight minutes remaining.
Los Angeles built a 57-52 halftime lead behind 13 points from Williams and 12 points apiece from Gallinari and Harris. A basket by Montrezl Harrell gave the Clippers a 43-28 advantage with 6:44 to go in the half, but the Bulls responded with a 24-14 run to cut the deficit to five points at the break.
Chicago remained without rookie sensation Lauri Markkanen for the second game in a row following the birth of his first child, a boy. Markkanen reportedly will rejoin the team for its next game Monday night in Sacramento.
Center Boban Marjanovic was also traded to the Clippers in the Griffin deal, but he did not enter the game Saturday. He appeared in 19 games, including one start, for the Pistons this season.
--Field Level Media