Curry leads Warriors to 99-91 win over Bulls

[December 27, 2011]  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Stephen Curry had 21 points and 10 assists, Monta Ellis scored 26 points and the Golden State Warriors beat the Chicago Bulls 99-91 on Monday, giving rookie coach Mark Jackson his first victory at any level.

David Lee added 22 points and seven rebounds and Dominic McGuire made three free throws in the final 47 seconds to seal the win for Golden State.

Luol Deng, whose block of Kobe Bryant as time expired sealed Chicago's season-opening 88-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who trailed by as much as 19 before making a late surge to get within 96-91 with 36.3 seconds remaining.

Derrick Rose had an off night shooting and finished with 13 points for Chicago.

Rose went 4 of 17 from the floor and missed badly on a pair of 3-pointers in the final moments, including an airball with 25.9 seconds left.

It was similar to a year ago when the Warriors, playing at home, held Rose to a quiet 14 points and 10 assists and beat the Bulls 101-90.

Ellis drew the assignment against Rose in that game. This time it was almost exclusively Curry, who followed Rose closely throughout the night and prevented the league's reigning MVP from getting settled in.

A day after making series of late-game breakdowns against Chris Paul and the Clippers in a 105-86 loss, the Warriors built a double-digit lead in the first quarter then had to hold off the Bulls.

Chicago, which is in the midst of a season-opening four-game road trip, has lost nine of its last 10 games in Oakland.

Ellis, held to 15 in the season-opening loss to the Clippers, got the Warriors going with 13 points in the first quarter but it was Curry who provided the biggest lift.

He scored 12 straight points and drove past three Chicago defenders in the key to cap a 16-5 run and give Golden State a 46-27 lead. Curry also shadowed Rose and helped hold him to seven points in the first half.

Rose, who hit the game-winner in the Bulls 88-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, took only three shots in the first quarter when Chicago committed eight turnovers.

The Warriors increased their lead to 17 after three before the Bulls made their late push to get within 93-85 with 1:44 left.

Kyle Korver made a pair of 3-pointers in a 14-second span to pull Chicago within 96-91 but the Bulls couldn't get closer than that.

NOTES: Chicago's 14 first-half turnovers equaled their total from the previous night. ... It was the first time in 10 years the Warriors have opened the season with games on consecutive nights. Golden State also plays its next two at Oracle Arena. ... The sellout crowd included New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who grew up 30 miles north of Oakland, Raiders owner Mark Davis and San Francisco 49ers running back Anthony Dixon.

[Associated Press]

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