FILE – Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images/AFP
Zach LaVine’s game-high 27 points led six Chicago Bulls in double figures Friday night as they stretched their winning streak to nine games with a 130-122 defeat of the visiting Washington Wizards.
Coby White came off the bench to can 21, while Lonzo Ball and Ayo Dosunmu each added 18 points. Nikola Vucevic stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, and DeMar DeRozan contributed 15 points and eight assists.
All five starters scored in double figures for Washington, led by Bradley Beal’s 26 points. Kyle Kuzma added a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Spencer Dinwiddie chipped in 18 points. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Daniel Gafford each bagged 14 points.
TWO HANDS FOR SAFETY @ZachLaVine@NBCSChicago | #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/9pJVEvuk5o
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 8, 2022
The difference in a game where both teams canned better than 50 percent of their shots was the 3-point line. While the Bulls drilled 15 of 33 from distance, the Wizards were only 7 of 24, a 24-point divide that was too great to overcome.
The final margin was somewhat flattering to Washington. Chicago led by as many as 19 on Dosunmu’s steal and dunk with 3:43 left in the game before the Wizards rattled off the game’s final 11 points.
Beal got Washington off to an 18-16 lead less than six minutes into the game with a finger roll, giving him 10 quick points. But Chicago responded as White supplied eight points in about four minutes, giving it a 37-32 cushion after a quarter.
The second quarter was also defense-optional, the Bulls quickly expanding the margin to 12 on a 3-pointer by Dosunmu less than 90 seconds in. The Wizards fought back within 50-49 but got no closer as White drained a 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds left for a 73-66 advantage at halftime.
Washington grabbed an 81-80 edge with 7:35 left in the third quarter when Beal nailed a pair of free throws. But Chicago answered back with consecutive 3-pointers by Ball that sparked a run that White capped with a pair of treys that helped make it 107-95 going to the fourth period.