LDN - Sports

McDermott helps Bulls sink Grizzlies

[January 16, 2017] MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Doug McDermott scored 31 points -- including two free throws with 6.6 seconds left -- and the Chicago Bulls survived a late rally by the Memphis Grizzlies to earn a 108-104 victory Sunday night at the FedExForum.

McDermott, who was averaging 9.7 points entering the game, had struggled in his past four outings by going 7-of-31 shooting with only 21 points. At the half, he recorded 22 points and the Bulls had a 52-46 lead.

With Dwyane Wade sitting out the game to rest, McDermott picked up the scoring slack. He finished 9-of-16 shooting with six rebounds and was 10-of-11 from the free throw line.

Taj Gibson added 18 points and Jimmy Butler scored 16, including back-to-back jumpers in the final minutes.

Mike Conley led the Grizzlies with 28 points and eight assists, while Marc Gasol added 24 points and 11 rebounds. Zach Randolph came off the bench to score 15 points and grab a game-high 16 rebounds.

After a poor-shooting first quarter (27 percent), the Bulls finished shooting 51.3 percent. Chicago had 48 points in the paint.

Trailing by six at the half, the Grizzlies quickly trimmed the deficit in the opening minutes of the third quarter. JaMychal Green dropped in a 3-pointer and Conley followed with a pair of free throws to make it a one-point game (52-51).

But Chicago was able to maintain a lead for most of the third quarter, falling behind briefly after a flurry of Memphis 3-pointers (two by Vince Carter, one by Conley) on successive possessions to take a 70-69 lead with 3:24 to go. The Bulls closed the quarter with a 78-77 lead.

The Grizzlies led by seven (28-21) early in the second quarter after a Green 3-pointer. But the lead didn't hold as McDermott continued a scoring tear that produced 20 second-quarter points.

During a seven-minute stretch from the closing minute of the first quarter to the 5:28 mark of the second, McDermott scored 22 of the Bulls' 26 points to give Chicago a 38-36 lead. Included in his run were three 3-pointers and a four-point play. He made seven of his 10 field goal tries in the opening half and was perfect on his five free throw attempts.

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Bulls forward Doug McDermott (11) handles the ball against Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (50) during the second half at FedExForum. Chicago Bulls defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 108-104. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

Powered by McDermott, the Bulls built eight-point leads (at 44-36 and 48-40) late in the second quarter and led 52-46 at the half.

Chicago rebounded from shooting 27.3 percent in the first quarter to shoot 47.6 percent in the half. The Bulls scored 24, or nearly half, of their points in the paint.

Memphis shot 41.3 percent in the opening half and was led by Gasol's 16 points. The Grizzlies had back-to-back 3-pointers from Gasol and Conley in the closing minute of the half, but the Bulls got a runner from Taj Gibson at the buzzer for their six-point lead at the break.

NOTES: The Grizzlies historically have played on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday since moving to Memphis, but played a day earlier this season. Memphis wore MLK50 Pride uniforms. ... Bulls G Dwyane Wade, who is averaging 18.9 points, did not play in the game. He sat out to rest, the fifth game he has missed this season. Also sitting out was F Nikola Mirotic with an illness. Mirotic is averaging 9.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. ... Grizzlies reserve G Troy Daniels has moved into the rotation because of his consistent shooting. He entered the game having made 13 of his past 30 3-point attempts. He is averaging 10.1 points and 19.8 minutes in 31 games. ... The Bulls rank first in the NBA in offensive rebounds with an average of 13.8 per game, which has led to a league-leading average of 16.4 second-chance points. In Saturday's 107-99 win over New Orleans, the Bulls had 21 offensive boards and 21 second-chance points.

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