Rose Has Season-High 34, Bulls Beat Bucks 107-100
CHICAGO (AP) — Derrick Rose scored a season-high 34 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 107-100 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.
Rose outdueled Milwaukee counterpart Brandon Jennings, hitting 14 of 24 from the floor and scoring 18 of his points in the second half.
Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds and Joakim Noah added 15 points and 16 rebounds as Chicago bounced back from its first home loss of the season against Indiana on Wednesday.
Jennings led Milwaukee with 25 points and seven rebounds. Rookie Jon Leuer scored all 19 of his points in the second half.
The Bucks played without center Andrew Bogut, who fractured his left ankle in a win at Houston on Wednesday. The Bucks are now 0-6 without Bogut this season.
Former Bull Drew Gooden started in place of Bogut and had 23 points, 15 rebounds and six assists.
The Bulls have won six straight against the Bucks.
After the Bulls pushed their lead to 14 in the fourth quarter, Milwaukee closed within six behind Leuer, who led a 16-8 run and scored 13 points in the period.
Rose hit a runner from the baseline with 2:44 left, extending the lead to eight, and the Bulls led by at least five the rest of the way.
Jennings entered the game on a hot streak, averaging 26 points over his previous five games. On Friday, he surpassed the 20-point mark for the sixth straight time, the longest streak of his career.
The reigning MVP was even one-upped by Jennings in the first quarter when the third-year player had 16 points in just over 10 minutes. Jennings hit three 3-pointers and six of eight shots overall in the period.
The Bulls led 51-50 at the break, mostly thanks to 13 offensive rebounds and 17 second-chance points in the first half.
Chicago started the second half on a 16-4 run and stretched its lead to as many as 13 points in the third quarter. Rose rarely looked to pass and scored 14 points in the period, giving him 30 entering the final 12 minutes.
NOTES: Milwaukee announced on Friday that Bogut is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks. . The Bulls played without two starters. Forward Luol Deng missed his third straight game with a sprained left wrist. Guard Richard Hamilton was a late scratch because of a bruised right thigh. Hamilton missed 10 games earlier this season with a sore left groin. . . The Bucks were seeking their first four-game road win streak since taking six straight away from home from Feb. 5 to Feb. 27, 2010. Milwaukee lost its first eight road games this season. . According to Stats, Inc., the Bulls have won 18 consecutive regular season games when Boozer has scored at least 14 points, the longest active streak in the NBA. . The Bulls don't play at home again until Feb. 14 because the United Center will be taken over by Disney on Ice. Chicago will play its next nine games on the road.
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