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Deng nearly perfect as Bulls down Mavericks

Oct 13, 2007 - 3:45 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Luol Deng scored 18 points in just 21 minutes, leading the Chicago Bulls to a 100-92 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in preseason action on Friday.

Rookie center Aaron Gray, one of Chicago's two second-round draft picks in June, added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who picked up their first win of the preseason after losing at Milwaukee on Wednesday.

Deng was 6-of-7 from the field and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line before sitting out the fourth quarter along with rest of the starters from both teams.

Ben Gordon, Joe Smith, Thabo Sefolosha and Adrian Griffin missed the game because of injuries for Chicago. Gordon sat out with a sprained left ankle, Smith with a swollen right knee, Sefolosha with a sore hamstring and Griffin due to a back injury.

Jason Terry and Erick Dampier did not dress for the Mavericks. Bulls first-round pick Joakim Noah received a nice ovation from the home crowd when he checked into the game in the first quarter. Noah, who was the ninth overall selection, scored 11 points in his United Center debut.

Josh Howard scored 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting for Dallas and Dirk Nowitzki finished with 11. Jose Juan Barea, who played in just 33 games with the Mavericks last season, added 17 points in 29 minutes.