Bulls Snap 3-Game Losing Streak By Trouncing Pelicans
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- After Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis hurt his right shoulder on a hard, awkward fall on an alley-oop dunk, Pau Gasol and the Chicago Bulls pulled away for a 107-72 victory over New Orleans on Saturday night.
Gasol had 20 points and 15 rebounds for Chicago, which snapped a three-game skid. Derrick Rose added 20 points for the Bulls, who went on a 40-11 run after Davis went out.
The dunk that drove Davis from the game was a two-handed jam of Tyreke Evans' lob. Davis' body swung like a pendulum as he held the rim, then the 6-foot-10, 240-pound forward fell horizontally as he lost his grip.
Davis stayed in the game briefly before taking himself out with the score tied at 35 and 4:16 left in the first half.
Tony Snell scored 19 points and Jimmy Butler 18 for Chicago.
Evans had 15 points for New Orleans, while Alexis Ajinca scored 10.
With Davis in the locker room, Chicago closed the first half on a 13-4 run that included two 18-foot jumpers by Gasol, Rose's 3 and Gibson's putback dunk that made it 48-39.
The Bulls then blew the game open by starting the third quarter on a 27-7 run that included 3s by Snell and Gasol.
Butler's dunk put Chicago ahead 75-46 with 3:56 left in the period. The Pelicans never got as close as 20 after that and trailed by as many as 36 points in the fourth quarter.
After missing shots often early, the Bulls wound up shooting 51.2 percent (43 of 84), including 10 of 22 from 3-point range. New Orleans shot only 37.2 percent (32 of 86) and was 4 of 17 from deep. Chicago also outrebounded New Orleans 45-38.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Small forward and shooting guard Mike Dunleavy missed his 18th straight game because of a Jan. 1 right ankle injury. The Bulls are 8-10 since he's been out of the lineup. ... Gasol was 9 of 14 shooting and Rose as 8 of 15.
Pelicans: Has now lost two straight at home, where the Pelicans are 17-8 overall. ... New Orleans attempted only seven free throws all game, hitting 4. ... Ryan Anderson, who came in averaging 15.1 points, made only one of 11 shots, missing all five from 3-point range.
UP NEXT
Bulls: visit Orlando on Sunday.
Pelicans: host Utah on Monday
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