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Bulls beat the Pistons, again

Apr 2, 2011 - 6:34 AM Auburn Hills, MI (Sports Network) - Derrick Rose posted 27 points and seven assists to lead the Chicago Bulls to another win over the Detroit Pistons, 101-96.

Carlos Boozer added 22 points, eight rebounds and seven helpers for the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls, who have won 11 straight over its Central Division rival.

Chicago holds a 2 1/2-game lead over Miami and a three-game cushion over Boston for the top spot in the conference.

"Each day we're trying to get better. We're not worried about other teams in our conference," Boozer said. "We want to get as sharp as we can before the playoffs."

Richard Hamilton dropped in 30 points for the Pistons, but it wasn't enough in the club's fifth loss in six games. Detroit was also officially eliminated from the playoff race at 26-49.

The Bulls shot a scorching 64 percent in the opening 24 minutes en route to a 58-47 halftime lead.

During the intermission, Dennis Rodman's No. 10 jersey was retired in the rafters at the Palace of Auburn Hills, and the buzz in the crowd spurred the hosts in the opening stages of the third.

But even though the Pistons scored 10 of the first 12 points of the quarter to pull within three on Will Bynum's jumper, they never got over the hump.

Detroit trailed 80-72 heading to the fourth and closed to 93-89 on two Hamilton free throws with 1:29 remaining.

Kurt Thomas, after getting whistled for a questionable foul against Hamilton, came up with a big offensive rebound off a Kyle Korver missed three and sank a baseline jumper with under a minute to play, and the Bulls held on from there for their second straight win.

"I wish we could have won for the guys that were here to tonight," said Pistons head coach John Kuesters, referring to Joe Dumars, Isiah Thomas and other teammates of Rodman present for the ceremony.

Rose finished off a 13-point first quarter with eight in the final 47 seconds, as his buzzer-beating three-pointer pushed the Bulls' lead to 31-21.

Game Notes

Rodman spent the first seven years of his 14-year career in Detroit and also had a three-year stint with the Bulls. The two-time All-Star won the Defensive Player of the Year twice, led the league in rebounding four times and owns two championship rings with the Pistons and three with the Bulls...Bulls center Joakim Noah missed a second straight game with a right ankle sprain...Luol Deng chipped in 15 points for Chicago, which scored 27 points off 20 turnovers...Tayshaun Prince totaled 17 points and six assists for Detroit.