NBA: Bulls rally past Jazz behind Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan
Zach LaVine #8 and DeMar DeRozan #11 of the Chicago Bulls celebrate after defeating the Utah Jazz at United Center on January 07, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP
Zach LaVine scored 36 points and DeMar DeRozan added 35 as the Chicago Bulls earned their third consecutive win by rallying past the visiting Utah Jazz for a 126-118 victory on Saturday night.
LaVine hit three of his six 3-pointers during a pivotal stretch during the fourth quarter when the Bulls surged ahead of the Jazz for good. Chicago outscored Utah 42-29 in the final quarter despite playing for the second night in a row.
Lauri Markkanen, who played the first four seasons of his NBA career with Chicago, scored 28 points for the Jazz. The All-Star candidate’s big game included a highlight-reel dunk over Chicago big man Nikola Vucevic.
Vucevic assisted the Bulls to the victory, though, with 15 points, 16 rebounds and four assists.
Rookie Ochai Agbaji played well for Utah, picking up 19 points off the bench. Jordan Clarkson contributed 18 points, and Jarred Vanderbilt totaled 15 points and 14 rebounds in the loss.
Utah went up 76-70 in the third with an 11-1 run and took an 89-84 lead into the fourth quarter.
Patrick Williams ignited a Chicago rally with two 3-pointers in the fourth. Coby White scored five points in the 11-2 surge, helping the Bulls take a lead, 103-101.
DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine showed out to lead the Bulls to victory in Chicago 🔥
DeMar: 35 PTS, 7 AST
LaVine: 36 PTS, 7 REB, 6 3PM pic.twitter.com/MPN6Y2GfW1— NBA (@NBA) January 8, 2023
LaVine continued the push with three treys in 77 seconds, and Vucevic gave Chicago a 10-point lead, 116-106, with a layup with 4:35 to go.
Clarkson fueled a 6-0 run to tighten the game back up, but the Bulls closed out the win after a bucket and two free throws in the final two minutes by DeRozan.
The Jazz fell behind 8-0 after missing their first seven shots and remained scoreless until Markkanen slammed in their first points more than four minutes into the contest.
That sparked a 10-3 Utah run. The Jazz later pulled ahead 46-40 in the second quarter with a 12-1 surge.
Chicago ended the first half strong, with LaVine putting the Bulls up by four at the break with three free throws with no time on the clock after being fouled while shooting beyond the arc.
