Field Level Media
Dec 15, 2018
Kris Dunn scored 24 points, and Lauri Markkanen added 23 as the Chicago Bulls recovered from a 21-point, second-quarter deficit to stun the host San Antonio Spurs 98-93 on Saturday night.
Ryan Arcidiacono tallied 12 points for Chicago, which won for just the second time in the past 12 games. Robin Lopez added 10 points for the Bulls, who limited San Antonio to 31 second-half points.
LaMarcus Aldridge recorded 29 points and 12 rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points for the Spurs, who had a four-game winning streak halted. Marco Belinelli scored 17 points, and Rudy Gay added 12.
The Bulls played without leading scorer Zach LaVine (23.8 average), who injured his left ankle in Thursday's game against the Orlando Magic.
San Antonio committed 15 turnovers and shot 43.8 percent from the field, including 7 of 21 from 3-point range. Chicago committed just seven turnovers and hit 43 percent of its shots, including 6 of 29 from behind the arc.
The Bulls rallied from a 19-point halftime deficit.
Bobby Portis hit a short bank shot to give Chicago a 92-91 lead with 1:39 remaining, and Dunn added a floater to make it a three-point margin with 38.8 seconds left.
DeRozan's layup pulled San Antonio within one with 30.2 seconds left, but Dunn swished an 18-footer to restore the lead to three with 8.3 seconds remaining.
Bryn Forbes badly missed a tying 3-point attempt with five seconds left, and Dunn finished off the upset with two free throws with three seconds remaining.
Gay's basket with 7:32 left in the third quarter gave the Spurs a 70-50 lead before the Bulls got back in the game with an 18-2 run.
Markkanen capped the burst with a 3-pointer to bring Chicago within 72-68 with 2:52 remaining.
It was again a four-point margin entering the fourth quarter before the Bulls missed their next eight shots. San Antonio rattled off the first seven points, with Belinelli knocking down his fifth 3-pointer to give the Spurs an 85-74 lead with 8:45 left.
Portis' jumper ended the Chicago drought with 7:23 left to start an 11-2 run. Markkanen's inside hoop culminated the spurt and brought the Bulls within 87-85 with 4:25 left.
Markkanen hit a 17-footer to knot the score at 90 with 2:13 remaining.
Aldridge had 21 points and seven rebounds in the first half as the Spurs held a 62-43 lead.
Aldridge hit two free throws with 7:21 left in the half to push the lead above 20 at 48-27.
--Field Level Media