Hawks 120, Bulls 105
ATLANTA - Al Horford made sure that the Chicago Bulls’ six-game winning streak came to an end.
The Atlanta center scored 33 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, handed out six assists and blocked four shots as the Hawks led all the way in a 120-105 victory over the Bulls on Saturday night.
Horford, who got Atlanta off to a fast start with 11 first-quarter points, made 15 of 21 shots and his point total was one shy of the career best for the eight-year veteran.
The Hawks (23-15) placed six players in double figures while shooting 52.1 percent and forced the Bulls (22-13) into 21 turnovers.
Guard Jimmy Butler scored 27 points and forward Nikola Mirotic had 24, but the Bulls showed little fire except for a third-quarter flurry.
With Butler scoring 14 points, the Bulls cut a 13-point halftime deficit down to 77-75 with four minutes left in the third quarter thanks in part to a 10-0 run.
The Hawks, though, got a rebound basket from forward Mike Scott at the third-quarter buzzer to go up 89-83 and then started the fourth quarter with a 13-2 run for a 102-85 lead.
Forward Paul Millsap had 18 points for the Hawks and Scott scored 14.
The Hawks made 10 of their first 13 shots, including three 3-pointers, and led 23-10 six minutes into the game.
The lead was 30-19 after the first quarter and the margin expanded to 41-24 two minutes into the second and to 49-30 three minutes later. The Hawks were up 64-51 at halftime.
Horford had 15 points at the half to lead four double-figure scorers for Hawks. Horford had 11 points in the first quarter and Scott scored all 10 of his first-half points in the second quarter.
The Hawks were 7 of 12 on 3-pointers in the first half and shot 56.3 percent overall, with 32 of their points coming in the paint thanks to 11 Bulls' turnovers and 18 assists.
Mirotic had 14 points in the first half for the Bulls, hitting three 3-pointers. Chicago was as close as it was only because 11-for-14 shooting from the foul line.
NOTES: C Joakim Noah, who didn't make the trip, missed his ninth straight game because of a left shoulder sprain, but could be back as early as the Bulls' next game in Chicago against Washington. "Hopefully we'll get him back on Monday," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "The biggest thing with him is getting through a live practice (on Sunday)." ... F/G Thabo Sefolosha sat out for the Hawks against the Bulls because of a sore right wrist. ... It was the first of four meetings between the Hawks and Bulls this season. The teams play next in Chicago on Feb. 10. ... The Hawks won two of the three games last season, snapping a six-game losing streak to the Bulls.