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Wallace carries Bulls past Kings

Jan 6, 2008 - 7:00 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Ben Wallace came up big on both ends of the court as the Chicago Bulls posted a 94-93 victory over the shorthanded Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.

Andres Nocioni scored 26 points and Tyrus Thomas chipped in 14 off the bench for the Bulls, who had dropped 16 of the last 17 meetings against Sacramento.

Chicago interim coach Jim Boylan inserted Nocioni into the starting lineup in place of Luol Deng, who was sidelined with tendinitis in his Achilles tendon.

"Nocioni was hot for us early and got us off to a good start," Boylan said. "I noticed that Andres was rebounding well. If you watch his game, usually if he is rebounding well, he is into the flow of the game."

In the fourth quarter, Brad Miller hit a 22-footer and Beno Udrih added a jumper of his own to help the Kings grab a 91-88 advantage with 2:05 remaining.

Ben Gordon poured in five straight points - including a 3-pointer with 1:16 left, giving Chicago a slim 93-91 edge. But Miller hit two from the line to tie things up 14 seconds later.

"We gave ourself a chance to win down the stretch," Kings coach Reggie Theus said. "It's tough to overcome 18 offensive rebounds from them, and 18 turnovers from us."

Wallace, who's just a 41 percent career free-throw shooter, hit the first of two foul shots with three seconds to go as the Bulls grabbed a one-point lead. It was Wallace's only point of the game.

"I already had four practice shots," Wallace said. "I played the laws of physics, eventually one will go in. Every win for us now is big considering the hole we have dug for ourselves."

The Kings had a chance win it, but Wallace blocked Miller's final attempt at the horn to give Chicago its first win in the series at home since February 15, 2005.

Replays showed that Miller was clearly fouled on the play.

"I thought I was fouled," Miller said. "The league should watch the replay and tell me about it."

Miller finished with 22 points and 13 boards and Dahntay Jones added 16 and eight for Sacramento, which fell to just 4-12 on the road on the season - tied for second worst in the Western Conference.

"Down the stretch you have to make plays," Theus said. "It's tough to survive, when you turn the ball over three times in the last minute of a game."