The Chicago Bulls played there fourth game of a six game road trip and it was also a back to back game. You would think that the Bulls might be weary from the road trip, but they managed to score 118 points last night as they beat the Los Angeles Lakers by 8 points 118-110. It was the Bulls 4th win out of 5 games on this road trip and they have now won 5 of there last 6 games. The win improved the Bulls record to 9-5 while the loss knocks the Lakers back to .500 at 7-7.
The Bulls built the biggest lead of the 1st quarter when a Taj Gibson basket gave them a 7 point lead at 17-10. The Lakers worked there way back into the game with a 20-13 run and when Louis Williams hit a long 3-pointer at the end of the quarter the teams found themselves tied at 30 all.
In the 2nd quarter it was the Lakers who found a way to build a lead and when Jordan Clarkson made 2 of 3 free throws he gave the Lakers a 10 point lead at 44-34. Now it was the Bulls turn to work there way back into the game. It took a 28-15 run to give the Bulls a 60-59 lead. Julius Randle dunked to end the quarter and the Bulls went into halftime with a 1 point lead at 62-61.
The Lakers scored the first 7 points of the 3rd quarter to take a 68-62 lead. The Lakers held the lead midway through the quarter and when Nick Young made a 3 pointer with 6:13 left in the 3rd the Lakers lead was 7 points at 78-71. The Bulls turned right around and scored the next 11 points and took the lead at 82-78. The teams traded baskets the rest of the quarter, but the Bulls did add 1 point to there lead as the quarter ended 90-85 Chicago.
The Bulls built the lead to 12 points at 99-87 after a Bobby Portis lay up. With 4:24 left in the game Jimmy Butler scored to give the Bulls there biggest lead of the game at 111-96. The Lakers did cut the lead to 5 points at 115-110, but they didn’t score again. The Bulls hit 3 of 4 free throws to end the game and make the final score 118-110.
Jimmy Butler was the games high scorer with 40 points for the Bulls. Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic each scored 15 points and Mirotic also grabbed a game high 15 rebounds. Mirotic was moved into the Bulls starting line up so Dwayne Wade could be given the night off. Robin Lopez had a double-double scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Isaiah Canaan came off the Bulls bench to score 17 points. Rajon Rondo scored just 4 points in the game, but he did hand out a game high 12 assists.
The Lakers top two scorers came off the bench, Louis Williams scored 25 points. Williams helped his cause by hitting 5 of the 6 3-pointers he shot. Larry Nance Jr. scored 18 points while starters Nick Young (15 points) and Julius Randle (14 points) also reached double figures for the Lakers. D’Angelo Russell led the Lakers with 7 assists while Young, Nance Jr. and Tarik Black tied for the team lead in rebounds as they all grabbed 6 boards.
The Bulls have two games left on there current road trip. There next game is Tuesday night against the 5-8 Denver Nuggets. The Lakers also take the court again Tuesday night as they’ll try to get back above .500 when they host the 8-6 Oklahoma City Thunder.
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