Bulls' record 3-pointer total sinks Pelicans

[February 11, 2021]  Zach LaVine scored a game-high 46 points, Coby White scored 30 and the Chicago Bulls set a franchise record with 25 3-pointers in a 129-116 win over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.

LaVine and White became the first teammates in league history to make at least eight 3-pointers during the same game. LaVine shot 17-for-25 overall and 9-for-14 from 3-point range while White shot 10-for-20 overall and 8-for-17 from beyond the arc.

The Bulls finished 25-for-47 (53.2 percent) from long distance in their record-setting performance.

Zion Williamson scored 29 points on 12-for-18 shooting to lead the Pelicans. Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball had 21 points apiece for New Orleans, whose four-game winning streak came to an end.

The Pelicans played on short rest after a 130-101 blowout win on their home court over the Houston Rockets one night earlier.

The Bulls opened the second half on a 19-2 run to transform an eight-point deficit into an 85-76 lead.

During the run, LaVine buried a 3-pointer to give the Bulls a 78-76 edge with just under nine minutes left in the third quarter. The shot tied him with Steve Kerr for sixth place in franchise history with 430 3-pointers, and he made one more before the game's end to move past Kerr.

Daniel Gafford scored on a tip-in, White drained a 3-pointer and Gafford had a dunk to finish the run.
 

Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) shoots the ball against New Orleans Pelicans center Willy Hernangomez (9), guard Kira Lewis Jr. (13) and guard JJ Redick (4) during the second quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans led 74-66 at the end of a frenzied first half. The Pelicans shot 60.5 percent (26 of 43) before the break, while the Bulls were not far behind at 58.5 percent (24 of 41).

LaVine had 27 points at halftime to lead all scorers. Ball paced the Pelicans with 19 points at intermission.

Chicago led by as many as 13 points when a 3-pointer by White made it 47-34 early in the second quarter. But New Orleans scored 40 points in the final 10:43 of the first half to grab an eight-point edge.

Three-point shooting fueled the Pelicans' surge in the second quarter. New Orleans shot 6 for 9 from beyond the arc during their scoring outburst, with Ball making 3 of 4 attempts.

--Field Level Media

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