Derrick Rose In Prime Form With 31 Points Against Blazers
CHICAGO (AP) -- Derrick Rose scored a season-high 31 points, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Portland Trail Blazers 115-106 on Friday night.
Rose, who tore the meniscus in his right knee against the Blazers last season, went past his previous high of 24 points and scored over 30 for the first time since March 12, 2012. He was 14 of 24 from the floor for the Bulls, who have won three of four and improved to 4-5 at the United Center.
Chicago broke a seven-game losing streak to Portland.
Pau Gasol had 13 points and 10 rebounds for his eighth straight double-double and 14th of the season. Rookie Nikola Mirotic had 15 points and nine rebounds, and Aaron Brooks scored 17 points for the Bulls, whose bench outscored Portland's 40-15.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 21 of his 35 points in the first quarter, his 10 field goals in the period matching a team record set by Darius Miles in 2005. But he was held to two points in the final quarter.
Damian Lillard also had 35, making seven 3-pointers and scoring 18 in the fourth for the Blazers, who have lost back-to-back games and dropped their first against an Eastern Conference team. Wesley Matthews had 10 and made the 717th 3-pointer of his career, putting him into a tie with Damon Stoudamire for second in franchise history.
Portland had won seven straight overall before losing 90-82 in Minnesota. The Blazers were held to their fewest points of the season and had their worst shooting night (.388) in that one, but went 43 of 88 from the field in Chicago.
The Bulls were without center Joakim Noah and forward Doug McDermott. Noah sat his second straight game with a sprained right ankle, and McDermott was absent for the fifth consecutive time due to a right knee problem that will require arthroscopic surgery Saturday.
But despite Noah's absence and Aldridge's explosive first half, the Bulls led 59-51 at halftime.
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