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Rose's career-high 42 carries Bulls over Spurs

Feb 18, 2011 - 6:13 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Derrick Rose finished with a career-high 42 points and eight assists as Chicago topped San Antonio, 109-99, at United Center.

"He has been big all year," Luol Deng said of Rose. "He has been able to carry us... when he is playing like that we just want to do our part."

Deng posted 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Carlos Boozer scored 15 as the Bulls improved to 38-16 entering the All-Star break. Chicago has won four straight overall and 15 of their last 16 at home.

"It was a game where we had to win," Rose said. "We played hard the entire night."

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 26 points. Manu Ginobili and Gary Neal both added 16 and Tim Duncan, who before the game was named a Western Conference starter for the All-Star game, scored 14 points with nine rebounds in the loss.

Duncan was named a starter in place of Yao Ming, who will miss the game with a season-ending foot injury.

Rose paced the Bulls with 11 points in the first quarter, and Chicago held a 30-25 lead at the end of one. The Chicago guard continued his pace in the second as he added 10 more on 3-of-4 from the field, and the Bulls widened their lead to 58-51 at the break.

The Spurs cut their deficit to as low as two, 73-71, on a Parker three-point conversion with 4:49 remaining in the third. However, the Bulls ended the quarter on a 10-4 run to run their advantage to 83-75 entering the final stanza.

After a Neal three-pointer opened up the fourth quarter scoring, Ronnie Brewer added a dunk on the far end to begin an 11-2 Chicago run to put the game away. The Bulls' lead remained around 10 throughout the duration.

"Overall I think (the Bulls) were sharper and played more physical," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Sometimes things don't bounce your way."

Game Notes

Richard Jefferson scored 12 points and both DeJuan Blair and George Hill added six in the loss...Popovich, Ginobili, Blair and Neal will join Duncan at the All-Star weekend with Blair and Neal participating in the Rookie/Sophomore Challenge...Chicago held a 41-29 rebounding advantage...Brewer scored nine points in a reserve role for Chicago...Taj Gibson will join Rose as Chicago's All-Star representatives with Gibson competing in the Rookie/Sophomore Challenge...Kurt Thomas grabbed a team-high nine rebounds for the Bulls.