Bulls alone in 5th place after win over Wizards
WASHINGTON (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 14 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, and the Chicago Bulls pulled away for a 107-94 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.
Nikola Vucevic scored 27 points for Chicago, which is trying to stay in the top six in the Eastern Conference and avoid the play-in round of the postseason. The Bulls (44-32) took a half-game lead over Toronto (43-32) for fifth place in the East, and they lead seventh-place Cleveland (42-33) by 1 1/2 games.
Chicago has played 12 of its last 15 on the road, but the Bulls now have only six games remaining in the regular season — and the next five are at home.
Rui Hachimura scored 21 points for the Wizards, who had their modest two-game winning streak snapped. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 20.
The Bulls rebounded from a loss to the New York Knicks the previous night, and they overcame a scoreless first half from Zach LaVine, who finished with 14 points. DeRozan was just 2 of 12 from the field in the half, but he went 10 of 15 in the second.
Chicago led 75-73 after three quarters, but the Bulls made their decisive run early in the fourth. DeRozan's breakaway dunk made it 90-80 — the first double-digit lead for either team — and Chicago comfortably closed the game out from there.
Vucevic scored 20 points in the first half, and the Bulls led 51-46 after two quarters.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Javonte Green scored nine points on 4-of-4 shooting. That included a one-handed dunk in the second quarter and an alley-oop moments later.
Wizards: Washington is without star Bradley Beal (left wrist), and Kyle Kuzma (right knee) wasn't available either. ... Kristaps Porzingis and Deni Avdija scored 14 points apiece.
UP NEXT
Bulls: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.
Wizards: Host Orlando on Wednesday night.