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Bulls cruise past Warriors

Feb 27, 2014 - 4:39 AM Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Carlos Boozer registered a 15-point, 13- rebound double-double, as the Chicago Bulls breezed past the Golden State Warriors, 103-83, on Wednesday at United Center.

Taj Gibson tallied a team-high 21 points, while Jimmy Butler supplied 16 points in his return from a two-game absence due to bruised ribs. Mike Dunleavy donated 15 points for the Bulls, who have won two straight and seven of their last eight games.

"I felt great," Butler said of returning to game action. "Feels even better to get the win. After I started moving around a little bit, everything went back to normal."

Stephen Curry scored 34 points on 13-of-19 shooting in a 102-87 drubbing of the Bulls on Feb. 6, but managed just five points on 2-of-10 shooting from the floor in Wednesday's setback, which snapped Golden State's four-game win streak.

Jordan Crawford contributed 16 points, while David Lee, who had missed the Warriors' last two games with a stomach flu, added 11 points in the loss.

"My timing was a little off," Lee admitted. "I was definitely more winded and 20 minutes felt like 55 minutes. That is usually going to happen for the first game back."

Chicago shot a woeful 5-of-20 from the floor in the first quarter, but went 10-of-11 from the charity stripe to head into the second trailing by just three, 24-21.

The Bulls jumped in front for good early in the second, as Gibson scored six points in a 9-0 quarter-opening run to give the home team a six-point spread.

A Crawford floater with just under eight minutes left in the half had the Warriors within three, but Dunleavy and Tony Snell each converted a three- point play around a Joakim Noah jumper to push Chicago's spread to 40-29 with 6:31 on the clock.

The Bulls held the visitors at bay from there, never allowing Golden State to get closer than six before taking a 56-45 advantage into the break.

Boozer scored the final six points of a 14-2 burst late in the third to push Chicago's cushion to 20 and the Bulls carried an 80-59 spread into the fourth.

Golden State failed to muster a threat over the final 12 minutes.

Game Notes

Chicago improved to 17-10 at home, while Golden State dropped to 17-13 on the road this season ... Noah finished with eight points, 17 rebounds and seven assists ... Golden State shot 35.7 percent from the floor, including 5-of-21 from 3-point range ... The Bulls outrebounded the Warriors, 56-41.