Rose scores 32 points as Bulls beat Suns 115-104

[January 23, 2010]  PHOENIX (AP) -- Derrick Rose scored 32 points and the Chicago Bulls shot 51 percent to win their fifth road game of the season, handing the Phoenix Suns only their fifth home loss with a 115-104 victory on Friday night.

Rose made 15 of 21 shots, including a 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer and an emphatic, two-handed fast-break dunk that put Chicago ahead 99-91 with 6:12 to play. His off-balance 20-footer sealed the victory with 1:13 to play.

Luol Deng added 23 points, Joakim Noah had 15 and John Salmons and Kirk Hinrich 14 apiece for the Bulls, 5-15 on the road this season and losers in their first two stops on a season-long seven game road trip.

Amare Stoudemire scored 23 and Grant Hill 17 in the Suns' fifth loss in the last six games. Channing Frye scored 16, including 4 of 7 on 3-pointers. Steve Nash had a tough night, making 4 of 12 shots for eight points with seven assists and five turnovers.

Chicago, usually one of the worst shooting teams in the league, topped 50 percent (43 of 85) for only the sixth time this season. Phoenix shot 38.5 percent.

Down by 10 at halftime, the Suns rallied in the third quarter and were up 82-81 after Stoudemire's tip-in with 51 seconds to go. But Salmons made a 3-pointer, then Nash missed a driving layup in traffic.

That gave Chicago the final shot of the quarter. Rose took his only 3-point attempt of the night -- and made it -- at the buzzer to give the Bulls an 88-83 lead entering the fourth.

The teams went 3:15 without a field goal before Salmons made a 9-footer. He followed with 3-pointer that put Chicago up 97-91, then Rose added his spectacular dunk and the Bulls led 99-91 with 6:12 left.

Frye made consecutive 3s to cut the lead to 100-96 with 3:37 left. But Salmons responded with a 3-pointer, and Rose made one of two free throws to put Chicago ahead 103-96 3:08 from the finish.

Stoudemire's dunk narrowed the lead to 103-99 with 2:45 left, but Noah made two free throws, Deng sank a 19-footer, and Rose's 20-footer finished it off.

NOTES: Six players combined for 11 blocked shots for Chicago. ... The Suns have two All-Star starters (Stoudemire and Nash) for the second time in franchise history. Dan Majerle and Charles Barkley made it in 1995. ... Chicago's 64 points were three shy of its highest-scoring first half of the season. ... The Bulls entered the game averaging 94.5 points per game, fourth-lowest in the league. Phoenix led the NBA at 107.7 points per game. ... Vinny Del Negro -- a former Phoenix player, broadcaster and team executive -- is 3-0 against the Suns as the Bulls' coach.

[Associated Press; By BOB BAUM]

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