Pistons Outlast Bulls, 147-144, In 4OT Thriller
ANDREW SELIGMAN, AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO (AP) — Andre Drummond had 33 points and 21 rebounds, Reggie Jackson scored 31 points and the Detroit Pistons outlasted the Chicago Bulls 147-144 in four overtimes on Friday night.
The Pistons scored the first seven points of the fourth OT and hung on after things got real tense in the final seconds.
Chicago's Jimmy Butler, who scored a career-high 43 points, nailed an off-balance 3-pointer to cut it to 145-144 with 4.7 seconds left.
The Bulls immediately fouled Jackson, who made both free throws to make it a three-point game.
Butler then missed a 3 as time expired, bringing a wild game to a finish.
Derrick Rose scored a season-high 34 for Chicago. Pau Gasol added 30 points and 15 rebounds, but the Bulls couldn't pull this one out after tying a season high with four straight wins.
In a back-and-forth game that saw both teams miss chances to win, the Pistons finally went ahead for good with that surge to start the fourth OT.
Drummond started it with a follow dunk. Jackson then drove for a layup and converted a three-point play after getting fouled on a floater to make it 134-127 with 3:37 left, and the Pistons maintained the lead the rest of the way.
Chicago's only other four-overtime game was a win at Portland on March 16, 1984. There was no record of the Pistons playing a four-overtime game in Detroit's media guide.
This one went to overtime after Rose missed a pull-up jumper over Jackson. And it went to a second OT after Jackson's floater from the elbow with Rose all over him hit the rim.
The Bulls appeared to be in good shape in the second OT when Butler nailed a fadeaway jumper to make it 123-120 with just under a minute remaining. But Kentavious Caldwell-Pope buried a 3 in front of the Chicago bench to tie it at 123-all with 36 seconds left.
Butler had a drive along the right side blocked by Morris and missed after grabbing the loose ball. Jackson then missed a shot for Detroit, sending it to a third OT.
The game went to a fourth OT tied at 127-all after Gasol missed a corner 3 and Jackson missed a 21-footer after racing the other way.
TIP-INS
Pistons: Drummond has grabbed at least 20 rebounds in six of his past seven games against Chicago.
Bulls: Coach Fred Hoiberg is "optimistic" F Mike Dunleavy Jr. will play this season. He also understands skepticism that the veteran sharpshooter will suit up. "It's fair to question that, talk about it," Hoiberg said. Dunleavy is away from the team working with a specialist as he recovers from a back injury. The veteran sharpshooter was expected to be out eight to 10 weeks after having surgery in late September
UP NEXT:
Pistons: Visit Miami on Tuesday.
Bulls: Visit New York on Saturday.
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