Heat Overcome Slow Start To Beat Bulls, 100-93
CHICAGO (AP) — Goran Dragic scored 24 points and the Miami Heat followed the lowest-scoring first quarter in team history with their highest-scoring one of the season to beat the Chicago Bulls 100-93 on Sunday.
After scoring seven points in the first quarter, Miami had 38 in the second to take a 45-42 lead.
Wayne Ellington added 19 points, James Johnson had 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and Hassan Whiteside had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Jerian Grant led Chicago with 24 points. Denzel Valentine had 14 points and career highs of 13 rebounds and seven assists.
Ellington ignited the Heat after the 2-for-19 first-quarter from the field, scoring 10 points and hitting three 3-pointers as Miami shot 68.4 percent in the second quarter.
Tyler Johnson and Kelly OIynyk added 10 points apiece off the bench as four members of the Heat's second unit reached double figures.
Justin Holliday added 15 points for Chicago.
TIP-INS
Heat: Whiteside (knee) was in the starting lineup after missing Saturday's practice to receive treatment. ... F James Johnson had at least five rebounds and five assists in a game for the fifth time this season. ... Miami (10-9) exceeded the .500 mark for the first time since winning two of three to open the season.
Bulls: Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg said he's "hoping" G David Nwaba will return to practice on Monday. Nwaba (sprained right ankle) missed his ninth consecutive game. ... The home game was just Chicago's seventh of the season, tied with Toronto for fewest in the NBA. ... Grant scored 62 points in Chicago's past three games (38 past two). His single-game high was 13 prior to this stretch.
FROSTY FIRST QUARTER
The Heat shot 2-of-19 from the field in the first quarter but only trailed 13-7 because the Bulls managed to make just 4-of-24 shots, including 1-for-15 inside the 3-point arc.
The 20 combined points were the fewest in any quarter in Bulls history.
DESIGNATED SHOOTER
Ellington continued his hot 3-point shooting, going 5-of-8 behind the arc.
The veteran reserve made multiple 3-pointers in each of the Heat's past four games, going 20-for-35 in that stretch, and at least one in 11 straight. Ellington is shooting 44.2 percent for the season.
UP NEXT
Heat: At Cleveland on Tuesday night.
Bulls: Host Phoenix on Tuesday night.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.