NBA: DeMar DeRozan scores 49, powers Bulls to 2OT win over Timberwolves
FILE–DeMar DeRozan #11 of the Chicago Bulls. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images/AFP
DeMar DeRozan scored a season-high 49 points to go with 14 rebounds and Zach LaVine added 39 points as the host Chicago Bulls defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 139-131 in double overtime on Friday night.
DeRozan and LaVine combined for 63 of their points after halftime, helping the Bulls win for the third time in four games. The duo finished 30-for-50 from the field.
Mike Conley sank eight 3-pointers while leading Minnesota with 28 points. Jaden McDaniels followed with a career-high 25 points.
Minnesota, which lost Anthony Edwards to injury early in the game, produced six double-figure scorers, but it wasn’t enough to stave off the team’s fourth loss in five games.
Nikola Vucevic had 21 points and 11 rebounds for Chicago (32-37).
Deebo getting buckets in double OT 🪣@DeMar_DeRozan | @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/T6crewsCnu
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 18, 2023
The Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert amassed 21 points, 19 rebounds and five blocked shots before fouling out. Kyle Anderson had a triple-double of 11 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
Naz Reid (14 points) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (12) rounded out a balanced attack for Minnesota (35-36).
Minnesota led by as many as 13 points in the first half and by 10 in the fourth quarter, but the advantage was whittled to one when Coby White capped a 10-1 Chicago run with a trey. The shot bought the Bulls within 96-95 with 7:44 to go.
Chicago took a 109-108 lead on LaVine’s pullup jumper with 2:25 left.
The Timberwolves went ahead 113-111 on a Gobert dunk with 1:28 to go, but DeRozan tied the game on a layup with 20.8 seconds left. Minnesota committed a turnover on its final possession of regulation, sending the game to overtime.
Edwards helped Minnesota to a fast start, scoring eight points in eight minutes on 3-of-4 shooting from the floor. He left the game with about four minutes left in the first quarter, however, after sustaining a right ankle sprain as he came the ground after making a pass under pressure.
Edwards grabbed his right ankle as he went to the floor, and he needed assistance as he went to the locker room, struggling to put weight on his foot.
The Bulls secured a split of the season series, avenging a 150-126 road loss on Dec. 18.
