Wizards 117, Bulls 96

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[March 17, 2016]  WASHINGTON -- John Wall recorded his third triple-double of the season with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists as the Washington Wizards defeated the Chicago Bulls 117-96 Wednesday night.

Doug McDermott scored 20 points for the Bulls (33-33) and Derrick Rose had 16 in his return after missing the previous two games with a left abductor strain.

Chicago, which was percentage points ahead of the Detroit Pistons for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference entering Wednesday, has lost three of four.

The Wizards (32-35) won their second straight, with both victories coming after disastrous 0-3 road trip and against teams directly ahead of them in the standings. Washington routed Detroit Monday 121-84.

The win moved Washington 1 1/2 games behind Chicago and clinched the season series 2-1, meaning it owns any potential playoff tiebreakers.

The Pistons hosted the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday.

Bradley Beal had 20 points and Garrett Temple scored all of his 15 points in the first half for the Wizards, who sank 13 of 21 3-pointers.

Washington closed the first half with a 21-10 spurt for a 63-52 lead as Temple made all five of his 3-point attempts.

Wall struggled with turnovers early in the third quarter as Chicago continued jumping passing lanes. The All-Star got the last laugh in the period, scoring 10 of Washington's last 12 points for a 92-74 lead. Wall finished with eight turnovers, but the Wizards outscored the Bulls by 38 points with him on the court.

The margin never dipped below 12 points in the fourth quarter.

Jimmy Butler scored 17 points for the Bulls. Chicago shot 40.2 percent from the field and 6 of 20 from beyond the arc.

Mike Dunleavy (stomach virus) started after sitting out Monday's 109-107 win at the Toronto Raptors, but he went scoreless in 17 minutes. Chicago remains without forward Pau Gasol (knee).

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McDermott hit three 3-pointers Wednesday after sinking four 3-pointers and 9 of 11 shots overall for 29 points against Toronto.

Members of Washington's starting five each scored in double figures. Otto Porter had 14, Nene 12 and Markieff Morris 11.

Marcin Gortat did not start because of lower back pain. Washington's center entered in the second quarter and started the second half, finishing with nine points.

Washington led by 14 points in the first quarter, but Rose and McDermott fueled an early second-quarter surge that put Chicago up before collapsing over the final 5:24 of the period.

The Wizards have won eight of nine at home.

NOTES: Bulls F Pau Gasol (left knee swelling) is expected to miss his third straight game on Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets, coach Fred Hoiberg said. ... Wizards G Alan Anderson was not active after suffering a left ankle injury in Monday's win over the Detroit Pistons. Anderson missed the first 55 games of the season after undergoing left ankle surgery. ...Both starting backcourts -- Washington's John Wall and Bradley Beal, Chicago's Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler -- played at the same time for the first time in four meetings dating to Jan. 15, 2015. ... Chicago's matchup with Brooklyn starts a four-game homestand. ...Washington plays at Philadelphia Thursday.

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