Williams, Clippers arrive in win over Bulls

[January 26, 2019]  Lou Williams scored 31 points and sealed a triple-double in the closing seconds, while Tobias Harris added 29 points, as the visiting Los Angeles Clippers overcame the Chicago Bulls on Friday, as well as a pair of late-arriving team buses, to earn a 106-101 victory.

Williams recorded the second triple-double from a player off the bench this season and the first one off the bench with at least 30 points since Detlef Schrempf in 1992.

Two of the three Clippers buses took one hour, 30 minutes to arrive at the arena on the short ride through downtown during a bitterly cold Chicago night, with head coach Doc Rivers not making it until 45 minutes before tipoff.

The Clippers started fast, but quickly began to fade as the Bulls turned a 27-20 deficit after one quarter into a 56-52 lead at halftime.
 

Zach LaVine scored 29 points for the Bulls, who were just 6-for-23 (26 percent) from the field in the first quarter, before going 16-for-26 (61.5 percent) in the second quarter.

The Bulls led by as many as 12 points early in the third quarter and by 11 at 80-69 with three minutes remaining in the period before the Clippers went on an 11-0 run and trailed 82-80 heading into the fourth.

A Johnathan Motley dunk gave the Clippers an 89-87 lead with 8:38 remaining, their first lead since early in the second quarter. The Clippers took a 100-97 lead with 1:44 remaining on a four-point play from Williams, after he was fouled on a 3-pointer, and Los Angeles held on from there.

Clippers guard Lou Williams (23) dribbles the ball against Chicago Bulls forward Jabari Parker (2) during the second half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Williams added 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Clippers went 3-1 on a four-city cross-country road trip. Los Angeles pulled out the victory despite committing 16 turnovers during their fourth game in five days.

Bobby Portis had 18 points and 14 rebounds, while Jabari Parker added 15 points as the Bulls lost for the 12th time in their last 13 games. Lauri Markkanen had 13 points for the Bulls, while Chandler Hutchison added 12. Kris Dunn had 10 assists.

The Bulls fell to 6-19 under head coach Jim Boylen. They opened the season 5-19 before head coach Fred Hoiberg was fired.

--Field Level Media

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