Pistons Lose Cool, Bulls Take Advantage In 111-101 Win
NOAH TRISTER, AP Sports Writer
AUBURN HILLS (AP) — Pau Gasol had 31 points and 12 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls won again without Joakim Noah, 111-101 over the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
Noah dislocated his left shoulder Friday and likely will miss the rest of the season, but the Bulls have had success without him. They improved to 9-2 in 2015-16 when he doesn't play.
Ersan Ilyasova had 19 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit, which was outplayed after taking a 13-point lead in the first quarter. The Pistons also lost their cool, getting called for three technical fouls in the third. Detroit guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope received two of them and was ejected.
Derrick Rose had 20 points and Jimmy Butler added 16 for Chicago.
The Pistons had plenty to feel good about coming into the game. They beat defending champion Golden State by 18 on Saturday night, and they had won their first two matchups this season with Chicago, including a four-overtime affair in December.
Detroit shot 68 percent in the first quarter Monday and led 32-26, but the Bulls rallied and led 56-53 at halftime.
Chicago scored the first six points of the third, and although the Pistons erased that deficit later in the period, they showed constant frustration with the officials. Caldwell-Pope and Andre Drummond received technicals, and then Caldwell-Pope got another in the final seconds of the quarter and was ejected.
Gasol put the Bulls up by 10 in the fourth with a 3-pointer as the shot clock ran down. Later, with the score 98-91, Gasol appeared trapped beyond the arc with the shot clock running out, but he was fouled by Drummond while attempting a desperation shot, and the Chicago center made all three free throws.
Drummond had 13 points and 16 rebounds for the Pistons.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Chicago was outrebounded for the first time in 12 games, losing the battle of the boards 50-38.
Pistons: After that promising start, Detroit finished the game at only 44 percent from the field.
UP NEXT
Bulls: Host Golden State on Wednesday night.
Pistons: Play at Houston on Wednesday night.
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