Bulls Set Pace For Indiana
(WSCR) - Despite Joakim Noak missing his second game in a row due to the flu, the Bulls dominated the Pacers. Luol Deng led the Bulls with 29 points and eight rebounds.
CHICAGO (AP) Luol Deng had 29 points and eight rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to 102-74 preseason victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.
Derrick Rose added 14 points and six assists for the Bulls (4-4) in their final preseason game before Wednesday night's opener at the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Indiana Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird watched the blowout from a few rows behind the bench.
Darren Collison and Roy Hibbert both had 14 point for Indiana (3-4), which played without Danny Granger and T.J. Ford.
The Pacers open the season at San Antonio on Wednesday.
Chicago scored 10 straight points to take a 25-13 lead. Deng scored four points in the span and had 15 points in the first quarter, going 10 for 10 from the line. Chicago closed the first half on a 13-4 run to take a 59-38 lead.
Deng finished the half with 17 points and Rose added 11.
It was the second straight game the Pacers were without Granger and Ford. Granger sprained his left ankle and Ford didn't play because of a strained right hamstring.
Bulls center Joakim Noah missed his second consecutive game with the flu. Kyle Korver played after missing Wednesday's game against Toronto with an ankle cyst. He scored seven points.
Updated October 22, 2010
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