With No Rose, No Butler, Short-Handed Bulls Beat Wizards
CHICAGO (AP) — Nikola Mirotic scored 23 points to lead the short-handed Chicago Bulls to a 97-92 win Tuesday over the Washington Wizards.
The Bulls were without former MVP Derrick Rose (right knee), all-star Jimmy Butler (left elbow), and trusted reserve Taj Gibson (left ankle) but still managed to improve to 4-2 on their season-high seven-game homestand.
Along with Mirotic, Aaron Brooks had 22 points while Pau Gasol had 20 and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who had five players in double figures. Joakim Noah added 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Kirk Hinrich appeared in his 696th game with the Bulls, tying Jerry Sloan for third in franchise history.
Because of the injuries, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau had to improvise once again.
Chicago's starting lineup of Brooks, Tony Snell, Mike Dunleavy, Gasol and Noah was the 20th it has used this season. That's the most since 2007-08, when the Bulls also used 20.
Washington was led by John Wall's 21 points and 11 assists. His 3-pointer to beat the third-quarter buzzer cut Washington's deficit to seven at 74-67, and an Otto Porter floater with 1:49 left in the game cut the Chicago lead to three. Bradley Beal then had a chance to tie the game with an open 3-pointer, but his shot rimmed out with 55.9 remaining.
Mirotic then hit one of two free throws before Porter split a pair from the line, cutting the Chicago lead to three with 29 seconds left. Gasol rebounded a missed Snell jumper and was fouled, hitting two shots to give Chicago the final score with 8.5 seconds left. It was Washington's eighth consecutive loss on the road.
The Wizards were coming off a 99-95 win Saturday against Detroit that snapped a six-game losing streak but still lost for the seventh time in eight. Paul Pierce had 16 and Marcin Gortat added 12 and 12 rebounds. It didn't help the Wizards win their sixth straight game in Chicago, including the postseason.
Nene, who on Monday said he hates the Bulls, was held to no points and six rebounds and fouled out with 5:28 left, much to the delight of Chicago fans. That animosity had only intensified with 8:13 left in the fourth when he was called for a flagrant foul on Noah as the Bulls center was driving to the basket. Pierce was also called for a technical during the sequence.
Beal, playing his second straight after missing three weeks due to a right leg injury, had 13 on 6 of 18 shooting.
TIP-INS
Wizards: Forward Kris Humphries missed his third consecutive game with a strained left groin. Humphries, who was listed as questionable, is averaging 8.1 points in 56 games. ... Beal played 35 minutes. He played 33 minutes Saturday in his first game back since Feb. 5.
Bulls: Butler told reporters at Tuesday's shootaround that he and Rose both want to be back before the end of the regular season. "I think we're both going to be back ASAP, as soon as possible, but I think we both have to be smart about it," Butler said. ... Thibodeau, asked about the Wizards' Nene saying he hates the Bulls, said he had no reaction. "It's all chatter," he said.
UP NEXT:
Wizards: At home against Miami on Friday
Bulls: At home against Oklahoma City on Thursday.
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