Final
Rose returns, Bulls down Mavs
Apr 22, 2012 - 4:16 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Luol Deng finished with a game-high 22 points and Richard Hamilton added 19, as the Chicago Bulls welcomed back Derrick Rose with a 93-83 win over the Dallas Mavericks, putting themselves on the brink of clinching the top seed in the Eastern Conference.Coupled with the Heat's loss to Washington on Saturday, the Bulls hold a 2 1/2-game lead over Miami with two to play. Miami has three games remaining.
Chicago's cushion has dwindled over the past two months with Rose limited due to injuries, but the reigning MVP was in the lineup Saturday and totaled 11 points and eight assists. Rose missed the previous three games due to an injured foot.
"Taking everything into consideration, I thought [Rose] played a very controlled-type game," Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He was just trying to get a feel for being out there again. I think it was a good first step."
Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 17 points, while Rodrigue Beaubois and Vince Carter chipped in 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Dallas, in its penultimate regular season test, rested guards Jason Terry and Jason Kidd in the second game of a back-to-back. The Mavericks, who are tied with the Nuggets for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, finish the season at Atlanta on Thursday.
The Bulls, coming off an 11-point loss to Miami, held the Mavs to eight points in the opening quarter and scoring 21 themselves -- 10 coming from Hamilton.
The Mavs pulled within 44-38 at halftime and took their first lead, 56-55, on a Delonte West jumper with three minutes left in the third.
"The slow start didn't deter our enthusiasm. We kept coming, kept defending and rebounding," Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle said.
But Chicago responded with an 11-0 run to end the quarter, with Deng's three-pointer beating the buzzer for a 10-point lead.
The closest the visitors got in the fourth was 78-76 with 4 1/2 minutes to go, and the Bulls put the game away with a 12-3 flurry. Kyle Korver and Deng each hit from long range during the surge.
Game Notes
The Bulls swept the season series...Rose had missed 16 of the previous 19 games...Deng made four of Chicago's nine three-pointers...Carlos Boozer chipped in 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, whose center, Joakim Noah, pulled down a game-high 14 boards.
- DALLAS: 83
CHICAGO: 93
Final
Apr 21 10:30 PM - DALLAS: 56
CHICAGO: 66
End of 3rd
Apr 21 9:58 PM - DALLAS: 38
CHICAGO: 44
Halftime
Apr 21 9:09 PM - DALLAS: 8
CHICAGO: 21
End of 1st
Apr 21 8:35 PM - DALLAS: 0
CHICAGO: 0
1st Quarter - 12:00
Apr 21 8:11 PM
Related News
- Mavs Tuesday Donuts: 'Cause Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad Jun 16
- Shammgod On His Puma Shoe - And His '3 S's' Of Life Jun 15
- Monday Mavs Donuts: The NBA IS Still Returning... Right? Jun 15
- NBA & COVID-19: 'Death Has Never Been On The Table' - Mavs GM Donnie Nelson Jun 15
- 'Happy Places': Boban Describes Mavs Work In The Gym Jun 15
- Popovich Blasts NFL and Jerry Jones for 'Hypocritical' Trump Support Jun 15
- Luka Doncic 'Fat'? No - And NBA Won't Like Mavs Star When He's Angry Jun 13
- Happy 9th Mavs Champs Anniversary: ‘Oh My God, They’re Going To Win!’ Jun 12
- WATCH: Mavs Luka Doncic 'When I Used To Jump' Jun 12
- Whitt's End: 'Amazing' Is About To Happen For Mavs Jun 12
- Donuts: 1-on-1 With Justin Jackson - 'We're Ready For 'New Norm' Jun 11
- Luka Life in Quarantine: Slovenian Trainer With Mavs Details Jun 10