|
 Deng scored 21 points and the Bulls overcame a rough shooting
night to beat the Charlotte Bobcats 86-81 on Monday for their fifth
straight victory.
"As I told our guys, it got choppy, particularly in the second
quarter, and they do that to you. They're very good defensively,"
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "I thought in the second half we did
a better job of getting the ball to the second side, which you have
to do."
Carlos Boozer had 12 points and 17 rebounds for Chicago, which is on
its longest winning streak since taking eight in a row from Feb.
20-March 7, 2012. Jimmy Butler had 14 points and Derrick Rose
finished with 12.
Deng's 3-pointer with 27.1 seconds remaining gave the Bulls an 85-81
lead. Gerald Henderson then missed for the Bobcats, and Rose had a
free throw to help Chicago wrap it up.
The Bulls went 26 for 31 at the foul line, compared to 8 for 16 for
the Bobcats.
"We fought hard. Obviously, the difference in the game was the
difference in free throws," Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said. "You
come here and they're a great team, they're well prepared. You can't
get outscored by 18 at the free-throw line. That's the game in a
nutshell."
Rose, who hit a career-high six 3-pointers in the Bulls' 110-94 win
Saturday over Indiana, went 4 for 13 from the field. The Bulls shot
27 of 75 (36 percent) overall.
"We'll take it," said Rose, who played 31 minutes in his second game
back after missing Chicago's win at Toronto on Friday with a sore
right hamstring.
Butler missed part of the game with a right toe injury but came back
with 6:35 left in the fourth.
Charlotte was looking for its fourth consecutive road victory and
third in four games overall, but it was unable to take advantage of
the Bulls' poor shooting. Once again, the Bobcats struggled from the
floor despite a strong effort in the paint.
The Bobcats were shooting a league-worst 40.2 percent from the field
coming into the day, and they were 28th from 3-point range at 29.3
percent. On Monday, they shot 36.3 percent despite outscoring the
Bulls 38-28 in the paint.
"We played hard the whole game," said Henderson, who made two free
throws with 51.3 seconds left to cut the Bulls' lead to one. "We
came out a little sluggish. We played them hard. We just didn't come
up with the plays at the end of the game, defensively."
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Jeffery Taylor led Charlotte with a career-high
20 points and Henderson had 16 in a game that featured two of
the league's top defensive teams. Entering Monday, the Bulls
were third in opponents' scoring at 90.0 points per game, while
the Bobcats were fourth at 93.6.
"They're great defensively," Thibodeau said. "Steve's a hell of
a coach. He's doing an unbelievable job. I'm happy for him that
he's finally gotten an opportunity and the job that he's doing."
That defense helped Charlotte stay in the game without one of
its best scorers.
Bobcats center Al Jefferson missed his third consecutive game
with a bone bruise in his right ankle. Clifford said he hopes
Jefferson can play Wednesday against Brooklyn, but he will more
likely play Friday against Phoenix.
Jefferson, who signed a three-year, $40.5 million contract with
the Bobcats in July, has played in three of Charlotte's 11 games
and is averaging 15 points and 8.7 rebounds.
Without him, Charlotte had a chance to win in the final minutes
in Chicago, but couldn't find a way past the Bulls.
"It was a long summer. We haven't played in a while, all
together. I think we're starting to get a rhythm," Deng said.
"Our offense, it still can get a lot better."
NOTES: It was the Bulls' last home game before they host New
Orleans on Dec. 2. Their next six are away from Chicago as they
go on their annual circus trip. ... Clifford and Thibodeau were
on the New York Knicks' coaching staff from 2001-2003 and in
Houston from 2003-2007. ... Charlotte plays five of its next six
at home. ... Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel, former Houston Rockets
center Yao Ming, Bulls Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen and NBA
deputy commissioner Adam Silver were in attendance.
[Associated
Press; BRIAN SANDALOW]
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