Murray, Rose lead Bulls past Pistons

[April 01, 2010]  AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Flip Murray scored 23 points, Derrick Rose added 19 points and nine assists, and the Chicago Bulls beat the hapless Detroit Pistons 110-103 on Sunday night.

The Pistons have lost eight straight and 15 of 17. The victory gave the Bulls, who are seven games under .500 against the rest of the NBA, their first season sweep of Detroit since the Michael Jordan-led team that won 72 games in 1995-96. They have now beaten the Pistons seven straight times.

Brad Miller added 17 points for Chicago, while Hakim Warrick scored 14 off the bench. Richard Hamilton led all scorers with 29 points, while Rodney Stuckey overcame a twisted ankle to add 20.

Detroit scored the game's first five points, but that was the highlight of the night for the free-falling Pistons. The Bulls put together a 31-11 run to take a 62-44 halftime lead.

A 32-point third quarter got the Pistons back within single digits, but they couldn't get enough stops in the fourth period to pose a serious threat.

NOTES: Detroit is 2-14 against the Central Division, with both wins coming against Milwaukee. Besides being swept by the Bulls for the first time in 14 years, they were swept by Indiana for the first time in franchise history. ... Murray, a former Piston, outscored former Bull Ben Gordon 23-3. Murray is making approximately one-sixth of Gordon's salary this season. ... Hamilton and Pistons coach John Kuester both picked up technicals for arguing calls. ... James Johnson returned for Chicago after missing the last game with a strained foot.

[Associated Press]

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