Local Sports

Bulls Roll Hornets

Former Illinois standout Ayo Dosunmu matched a season-high with 22 points, Coby White scored 20 points and the Chicago Bulls overcame shaky outings by DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine to beat the Charlotte Hornets 114-98 on Thursday night.

 

Dosunmu made 9 of 10 shots, and White hit three 3-pointers. Nikola Vucevic added 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Andre Drummond had 15 points and 11 rebounds in just under 15 minutes.

 

The Bulls used a big third quarter to turn a four-point halftime lead into an 85-70 advantage heading to the fourth.

 

They stayed in control the rest of the way and got some payback for a loss one week earlier in Charlotte even with DeRozan and LaVine not performing to their usual standards.

 

DeRozan finished with 15 points on 4-of-12 shooting, after getting his sixth All-Star selection and second in as many seasons with the Bulls. LaVine scored 10 points. But even with its two best players not scoring the way they normally do, Chicago had six players in double figures and made enough plays to beat the team with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference.

 

Terry Rozier scored 23 points for Charlotte. LaMelo Ball, coming off a triple-double Tuesday night in a loss at Milwaukee, added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists before getting ejected with 1:21 remaining. He was furious about a non-call after LaVine blocked his layup and picked up two separate technical fouls. Mason Plumlee had 16 points and 11 rebounds.

 

The Bulls scored the first 10 points of the second half to bump a four-point lead to 63-49.

 

Dosunmu started the run and finished it with layups, and Vucevic and Patrick Williams made back-to-back 3-pointers.

 

Drummond became the first NBA player since Darryl Dawkins in 1978-79 to record at least 15 points and 11 rebounds while playing 15 minutes or less, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

 

The two-time All-Star signed with Chicago last summer to back up Vucevic. He's been in and out of the rotation and been used sparingly of late.

 

Bulls G Alex Caruso left the game with a sprained right foot. He scored seven points in seven minutes before exiting early in the second quarter.

 

The Bulls host Portland on Saturday night.

Townhall Top of the Hour News

Local Weather - Sponsored By:

CLINTON WEATHER

Local News

DeWittDN on Facebook