Blazers beat up on short-handed Bulls

[March 28, 2019]  Seth Curry scored a team-high 20 points to lead six Trail Blazers in double figures and boost visiting Portland to a fifth straight victory, a 118-98 rout of the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.

Continuing a strong run while stepping in for injured guard CJ McCollum, who didn't travel as he recovers from a left knee strain, Curry shot 8-for-11 from the floor as part of the Blazers' 51.8 percent (43-for-83) effort.

Al-Farouq Aminu notched 12 points and 11 rebounds for Portland. Rodney Hood scored 15 points, Enes Kanter and Zach Collins both chipped in 13, and Damian Lillard added 11 points and seven assists.

Portland (47-27) played its first game without injured center Jusuf Nurkic, who sustained a season-ending left leg injury late in a double-overtime victory against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. Kanter started in Nurkic's place.

The Blazers took a 59-41 lead into halftime, shooting 51.2 percent (21-for-41) in the first half compared to 37.5 percent (18-for-48) for Chicago. A comfortable cushion allowed Blazers coach Terry Stotts to spread minutes down the stretch.

Short-handed Chicago (21-55) lost for the third straight game and has dropped eight of its past 10. Already without forward Otto Porter Jr. (shoulder) and guards Zach LaVine (thigh) and Kris Dunn (back), the Bulls also were missing usual starter Lauri Markkanen, who experienced what the team called "extreme fatigue" during Chicago's Tuesday loss at Toronto, which he left after logging 16 minutes.

Markkanen will miss the rest of the season and remained in Toronto overnight for testing before returning to Chicago on Wednesday. Testing hasn't revealed any issues, but the Bulls' medical team recommends more testing for the next 10-14 days.

Blazers forward Jake Layman (10) dribbles the ball as Chicago Bulls guard Brandon Sampson (44) defends during the first half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

"The long-term health of our players is always our organization's top priority," said John Paxson, Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations. "We will continue to monitor Lauri's condition and work with our medical staff and doctors to provide him with everything he may need."

The Bulls' starting lineup included undrafted rookie Brandon Sampson, second-year players Shaquille Harrison and Antonio Blakeney and third-year man Wayne Selden flanking 11th-year veteran center Robin Lopez.

Harrison scored a game-high 21 points and added 10 rebounds. Selden had the team's other double-double, posting 11 points and 12 rebounds. Lopez (15 points), Cristiano Felicio (15), Ryan Arcidiacono (12) and Blakeney (10) also scored in double figures.

The Blazers, who clinched their sixth successive postseason berth on Monday, are set to continue their four-game road trip in Atlanta on Friday.

Chicago is idle until Saturday, when it hosts Toronto.

--Field Level Media

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