Bulls light up Heat with 3-point barrage

[January 16, 2018]  The young Chicago Bulls are doing their best to disrupt the franchise's rebuilding plans.

Justin Holiday scored 25 points and Zach LaVine added 18 as the Bulls topped the red-hot Miami Heat 119-111 on Monday afternoon at the United Center.

Goran Dragic had 22 points and nine assists in a loss that snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Heat, who won at the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

Participating in only his second game of the season, LaVine is the latest player to add life to a Bulls squad that began the season 3-20 but has won 14 of its last 21.

LaVine, who played for the first time in 11 months on Saturday after tearing the ACL in his left knee with Timberwolves last season, made 7 of 12 shots and had five rebounds and five assists in 20 minutes. Chicago intends for now to limit the minutes of LaVine, the centerpiece of a draft-day trade that sent Jimmy Butler to Minnesota.

But even that playing time cap couldn't slow down the Bulls, who grabbed an 84-65 lead with 1:51 left in the third quarter on a Jerian Grant 18-footer and then held off Miami.

Lauri Markkanen hit a 3-pointer with 68 seconds left to seal the victory for Chicago, which entered Monday with the 12th-worst record in the Eastern Conference but is within striking distance of the eighth-seeded Bucks. Markkanen finished with 17 points and nine rebounds.

 

Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) saves the ball from going out of bounds against the Miami Heat during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Holiday made a career-high seven 3-point shots for Chicago and Niko Mirotic had 18 points and five rebounds off the bench.

The Heat had managed to stay hot despite the absence of guard Dion Waiters, the team's second-leading scorer who is expected to have season-ending ankle surgery. Waiters, who averages 14.3 points per game, missed his 10th straight contest.

But they couldn't keep pace with the Bulls, who made 16 of 39 3-point tries.

Kelly Olynyk had 21 points and eight assists off the bench for Miami and Wayne Ellington added 20 points.

--Field Level Media

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