© Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bulls secure their fourth win in five games by beating the San Antonio Spurs
The Chicago Bulls needed a strong endgame kick to escape the San Antonio Spurs, 129-118, on Saturday night. Nikola Vucevic finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds and hit a crucial three-pointer in the dying seconds that sealed the Bulls’ fourth win in five games.
Chicago improved to 19-22 in the season as it bounced back from a 131-140 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.
Strong first-half showing
The Spurs played without Victor Wembanyama (rest), and the Bulls pounced on the top rookie’s absence by posting leads of as many as 18 points in the first half. Chicago closed the first half with a 63-55 lead, but San Antonio charged back and forced a 94-all standoff at the end of the first quarter.
In their loss to the Warriors the other night, the Bulls squandered a 13-point halftime deficit, and for a while against the Spurs, they looked headed to another disappointing loss after they found themselves down by eight, 98-106, in the final 8:49.
Tight endgame duel
Chicago used a 12-5 run to creep back into the game as they moved within 110-111 with 5:36 left. Zach LaVine then hit three free throws, allowing the Bulls to retake the lead, 113-111. A layup by Tre Jones tied the contest at 113-all, but Chicago scored four unanswered points to get the result up to 117-113 with 1:26 left on the clock.
Keldon Johnson scored on a layup then Devin Vasell made a split free throw that cut the Bulls’ lead to just one, 117-116. Vucevic then delivered the game’s biggest shot, knocking down a three-pointer as the Bulls restored a 120-116 lead with only 31.7 ticks left.
Ayo Dosunmo added 21 points for Chicago, while DeMar DeRozan contributed 20 points. Vucevic and DeRozan’s fellow starters, Coby White, Alex Caruso, and Lavine, also scored in double figures and combined for 36 points.
Jones finished with a career-high 30 points, but the Spurs still crashed to their 31st loss with only seven wins to show so far. Johnson added 26 points, while Malaki Branham had 14 for San Antonio.
