Bulls Beat Wizards 95-84 on Late Run

[December 20, 2007]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Ben Gordon scored 22 points and the Chicago Bulls had a 12-0 run in the final four minutes to beat Washington 95-84 on Wednesday night.  [Caption: Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon, right, defends Washington Wizards guard Nick Young during the second quarter of their NBA basketball game in Washington on Wednesday.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)]

Chicago's run came after Caron Butler's jump shot gave Washington its first lead of the second half, 80-79, with about four minutes to play. The Bulls then scored the game's next 12 points to secure the win. The loss ended Washington's four-game win streak.

Butler had his second triple-double of the season and career, with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. The last time any Wizard had multiple triple-doubles in a season was 2003-04, when Gilbert Arenas had three. Antawn Jamison scored 24 points for the Wizards.

Chicago was playing without center Ben Wallace, who missed his first game of the season with a sore left foot. Before the game, Wallace said the foot had been bothering him for a while.

"I've got bone spurs on the top of my foot," Wallace said. "It bothered me last night more than any other time."

Rookie Aaron Gray came off the bench to help fill in at center and finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds, the first time he'd broken the double-digit mark in either category.

Luol Deng had 20 points for the Bulls, and Tyrus Thomas scored 14.

The Wizards opened the game with an 8-0 run and took a 27-14 lead with about a minute and a half left in the first quarter. The Bulls took over at that point, outscoring the Wizards 31-13 the rest of the half. The Bulls capped the run by scoring the final 10 points of the half, taking a 45-40 halftime lead. Chicago was helped out by the Wizards' offense; Washington was 3-of-24 from the field in the second quarter.

The runs continued in the second half. Chicago opened the third quarter with a 10-2 run and the Wizards answered with a 13-2 run of their own. Things settled down for the rest of the quarter, with the teams generally trading baskets and the Bulls holding a 65-63 lead going into the final quarter.

Notes: Wallace said he had an MRI Wednesday that showed he does not have a stress fracture in the foot. Skiles expects Wallace to miss practice Thursday and is not sure how long he will be out. "Just got to play it by ear," Wallace said. ... With a handful of players sidelined by injury or illness, the Wizards have been forced to come up with ways to dress enough people for practice. "We've got more coaches than players. We had eight coaches out there the one day and six players," head coach Eddie Jordan said. Asked whether he got involved out on the floor at practice, the former NBA player said he didn't. "Only 'Hot Air' Jordan now. That's all I am," he said with a smile. ... Well-traveled guard Mike Wilks signed with the Wizards before the game but didn't play. Washington is his eighth NBA team since he entered the league with Atlanta in 2002-03. "My whole career has been a journey," Wilks said before the game. "Doing my best to stay ready for a phone call."

[Associated Press]

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