Lauri Markkanen, Zach LaVine help Bulls outlast Hawks in 4 overtimes

Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen (24) drives toward the basket as Atlanta Hawks forward Omari Spellman defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 1, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)

ATLANTA — Lauri Markkanen made three free throws to give Chicago the lead for good, Zach LaVine scored a career-high 47 points and the Bulls overcame Trae Young’s career-high 49 points to beat the Atlanta Hawks 168-161 in four overtimes Friday night.

Markkanen finished with 31 points with 17 rebounds. He snapped a 159-all tie by making the three free throws after he was fouled by Alex Len.

Young, the rookie who played almost 56 minutes, had his third straight game of setting or matching his career scoring high after back-to-back games with 36 points. He had 16 assists, eight rebounds and nine turnovers.

Young and DeAndre Bembry had turnovers in the final 30 seconds of the third overtime, preventing the Hawks from an opportunity to snap a 155-all tie.

Ryan Arcidiacono’s 3-pointer forced the third overtime.

The Bulls have won five of six.

LaVine’s 3-pointer gave Chicago a 139-138 lead with 1:31 remaining in the first overtime. Following Young’s errant pass for a turnover, Wayne Selden made one of two free throws to increase the lead to two points.

Young’s tiebreaking, step-back 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining in regulation forced the first overtime. The rookie’s last-second layup tied it at 140 to force the second overtime.

Chicago led 99-88 early in the fourth period before Atlanta rallied. Young’s steal and basket sparked a string of 11 straight points for a 121-116 lead.

The Bulls have the NBA’s youngest roster with an average age of 24.1 years. The Hawks made their own statement about youth by starting three rookies. Omari Spellman moved into the lineup as the third rookie, joining Young and Kevin Huerter.

Hawks forward John Collins, who scored 35 points in an overtime win over Minnesota on Wednesday night, was held out because of flu-like symptoms. Collins was told to rest at home as the team tried to protect other players from becoming ill.

Spellman started for Collins but didn’t return after he was helped to the locker room with a sprained left ankle late in the third quarter.

There was a delay with 8:49 remaining when Huerter had a hard fall under the Bulls’ basket and didn’t immediately return to his feet. Huerter walked off the court without assistance and returned to the game.

Otto Porter Jr. had 31 points and 10 rebounds for Chicago.

Len had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Dewayne Dedmon had 14 points and 12 rebounds.

TIP-INS

Bulls: LaVine narrowly missed a triple-double, finishing with nine rebounds and nine assists. … Markkanen had only four points while making only two of seven shots in the first half before finishing strong for his 11th straight game with at least 20 points and his career-best fifth straight double-double. He regrouped quickly with 11 third-quarter points.

Hawks: Young is the first Atlanta player to be named rookie of the month three times since Al Horford in 2007-08. Young won top rookie honors for the Eastern Conference in November, January and February. … F B.J. Johnson, who has played in 38 games with Lakeland of the G League, was signed to a 10-day contract but did not play.

UP NEXT

The Hawks visit the Bulls on Sunday to end the four-game season series. The Bulls have won two of the first three.