Bulls 103, Rockets 100
HOUSTON -- Nikola Mirotic drilled a go-ahead 3-pointer inside the final three minutes and the Chicago Bulls rallied from a 14-point deficit to stun the Houston Rockets 103-100 on Thursday at Toyota Center.
Mirotic finished with a game-high 28 points. His corner 3 with 2:57 left gave the Bulls (38-37) the lead for good at 92-91 and preceded a dunk from Jimmy Butler (21 points) and another 3, this one from E'Twaun Moore that extended the lead to 97-91 with 1:30 remaining.
The Rockets (37-39) managed only six field goals in the fourth, two coming on desperation 3s inside the final 30 seconds. As their offense stagnated, the Bulls received surprising contributions from Cristiano Felicio and Justin Holiday early in the period. Butler and Mirotic were there when Chicago proved ready to take what Houston handed over.
James Harden played the entire second half and finished with 24 points and eight assists. His backcourt partner Patrick Beverley scored a career-high 22 points and added five rebounds and seven assists. Michael Beasley chipped in 22 points and 11 boards off the bench.
Pau Gasol finished with 12 points and 10 boards for his 500th career double-double.
What was a blistering start to a 13-4 lead deteriorated quickly for Houston, which followed by missing 10 consecutive shots to set the stage for the Bulls to find some footing. Butler and Gasol led the initial push but by the close of the first Mirotic had warmed to scalding levels.
Mirotic scored a modest seven points in the first quarter, including five at the line where his shooting stroke got going. In the second, he began drilling 3-pointers, four during a mid-period tear that pushed Chicago to a 45-43 lead. When the Rockets lost Mirotic again as the half drew to a close, he sank a 21-footer with 17.1 seconds left to even things at 52.
Mirotic capped the half with 21 points. In the third quarter, it was Butler who shouldered the scoring load, posting 13 points in the period to lift Chicago from the depths after Beverley led the Rockets to a 14-point lead.
Beverley cashed in an assortment of baskets, with his shot clock-beating 3 at the 5:31 mark lifting Houston to a 71-57 lead.
NOTES: Bulls F Taj Gibson was sidelined with a rib fracture suffered against Orlando on March 26. He played the following game against Atlanta but departed early against Indiana on Tuesday night. The Bulls were noncommittal on how long he might be sidelined. ... Rockets F K.J. McDaniels might have landed a spot in rotation thanks in part to his improving defense. He entered Thursday having played 13 and 16 minutes in the last two games, just the second time this season he logged double-digit minutes in consecutive games. ... Bulls G Derrick Rose showed improvement in his left elbow during a shootaround on Thursday morning. Rose suffered a hyperextension in the game against the Pacers and labored while using his left hand.