Bulls-Hawks Four-Overtime Thriller Finishes as Third-Highest Scoring Game in NBA History
The Bulls rallied to outlast the Hawks 168–161 in four overtimes on Friday night. The game finished as the third-highest scoring game in NBA history at a combined 329 points.
The 1982 Bucks-Spurs game which finished with 337 points and the 1983 Pistons-Nuggets which finished with 370 are the only two games with more combined points.
The four-overtime thriller began locked at 124-all at the end of regulation. The score was still tied 140–140 at the end of the first overtime and then 147–147 after two. The two teams were locked at 155–155 after the third overtime period. Chicago finally pulled away in the fourth OT thanks to seven points from 7-footer Lauri Markkanen.
It marked the first time since Dec. 7, 2006 that a team has scored 150 points in a loss. It was also just the seventh game in NBA history during which each team scored at least 155 points.
Trae Young finished with 49 points, 16 assists and eight rebounds while the Bulls’ Zach LaVine dropped 47 with nine assists and nine rebounds.
Young's 49 points are the most to be scored by a rookie since the Bucks' Brandon Jennings had 55 in 2009.
The last time a Hawks and Bulls player posted 40 points in a game was when both Dominique Wilkins and Michael Jordan graced the court for their respective teams.
Atlanta fell to 21–41 with the loss as Chicago improved to 17–45.
