Pistons 147, Bulls 144 (4 OT)
CHICAGO -- Center Andre Drummond scored 33 points and pulled down 21 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons outlasted the Chicago Bulls for a 147-144 win in quadruple overtime on Friday night.
Guard Reggie Jackson scored 31 points, including 13 in the fourth overtime session, and dished out 13 assists. Forward Marcus Morris added 20 points and seven rebounds. Detroit (16-12) earned its fourth win in the past five games.
Guard Jimmy Butler scored a career-high 43 points in 56 minutes to lead the Bulls. Guard Derrick Rose scored a season-high 34 points. Forward Pau Gasol scored a season-high 30 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for Chicago (15-9).
The Bulls matched a franchise record by playing in four overtimes. The team previously went to quadruple overtime on March 16, 1984.
Jackson's running layup with 54.9 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime gave Detroit a 145-139 lead. The Bulls closed the gap to one point before the Pistons closed out the game.
Fatigue set in during the third overtime. Both teams managed four points apiece, prompting the fourth overtime with the score even at 127.
Chicago led 121-117 in double overtime before the Pistons went on a 6-2 run to force the third overtime session. Morris and guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope each made 3-pointers in the final 1:18 of double overtime to prolong the game.
Detroit led 116-114 in the final seconds of overtime. Gasol tied the score at 116 with a layup with 3.9 seconds remaining. Jackson missed a jump shot at the buzzer to prompt double overtime.
The score was even at 105 at the end of the fourth quarter. Rose had an opportunity to win the game at the buzzer, but his jump shot clanked off the rim.
The Bulls made their first 20 free-throw attempts and finished 39 of 44 (88.6 percent). The Pistons shot 27 of 46 (58.7 percent) from the free-throw line.
Chicago entered the fourth quarter with a 77-74 advantage. Rose scored 11 points during the third quarter, including a 3-pointer that capped an 8-0 run to put the Bulls ahead 69-62.
Drummond blocked a shot by Rose in the final moments of the second quarter to preserve a 55-52 halftime lead for the Pistons. A turnaround hook shot by Drummond gave Detroit an eight-point lead with 5:27 remaining in the first half. The Bulls responded with a 13-6 run that included a slam dunk and a layup by forward Taj Gibson to cut the deficit to one.
Detroit led 30-27 after the first quarter.
NOTES: Pistons G Brandon Jennings (left Achilles tendon) and G Jodie Meeks (right foot) remained out because of injuries. ... Bulls F Taj Gibson started his sixth consecutive game. ... Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy praised rookie F Stanley Johnson for his energy off the bench. "We love his competitiveness," Van Gundy said. "He backs down from no one." ... Bulls F Mike Dunleavy missed his 24th consecutive game as he continues to recover from back surgery in September. Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg said he expects Dunleavy to return this season. "Once we get him back out there running and doing basketball activity, we should have a much better idea about when he'll be back," Hoiberg said.