Blazers topple Bulls 100-89

[March 17, 2012]  CHICAGO (AP) -- LaMarcus Aldridge scored 21 points and Wesley Matthews added 18 and the revamped Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Chicago Bulls 100-89 on Friday.

After an emotional victory against the Heat without Derrick Rose on Wednesday, the Bulls were unable to win a second straight game with the reigning MVP sitting on the bench with a strained groin.

One day after trading starters Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby then firing head coach Nate McMillan, the Blazers hung with the Bulls through three quarters then pulled away in the fourth quarter.

Jamal Crawford hit a buzzer-beating 3 to get the Blazers within 79-78 at the end of the third quarter. Then Crawford tied the game on a free throw after a technical foul.

Matthews extended the lead with a 3 to make it 84-79. Aldridge had back-to-baskets and Matthews made a 3 to put the Blazers up 96-87 with 3:01 left.

Kaleb Canales, who took over on an interim basis for McMillan won in his debut. He is the youngest coach in the NBA at age 34.

The Bulls shot 3 for 23 in the fourth quarter.

Portland bounced back after a 42-point loss to the Knicks on Wednesday.

Raymond Felton added 16 points and Nicolas Batum finished with 15 for Portland. Matthews scored nine points in the fourth quarter while the Bulls finished with 10 points.

Carlos Boozer finished with 22 points and 14 rebounds and Luol Deng added 19 points.

Rose has missed 12 games this season.

Late in the fourth quarter, Boozer and Joel Przybilla were issued techincals after going for a loose ball.

The Bulls led 53-50 at the half.

NOTES: Blazers guard Jonny Flynn, F Mehmet Okur, F Shawne Williams and C Hasheem Thabeet, all acquired in trades on Thursday, did not play.

[Associated Press]

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