DeMar DeRozan gave Chicago the lead on a three-point play with 26 seconds remaining, Nikola Vucevic capped a 33-point performance with two clinching free throws 20 seconds later and the Bulls remained unbeaten on their Western trip with a 125-122 victory over the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco on Thursday night.
In a tight battle between teams that had won the night before, the Bulls benefitted down the stretch when Stephen Curry left the game for good with 3:51 remaining after turning his ankle. Draymond Green then fouled out on a moving screen with 58 seconds to go and the score tied at 116.
After Green’s turnover, DeRozan gave the Bulls a two-point lead with a short jumper at the 43.1-second mark. Klay Thompson drilled a go-ahead 3-pointer for the Warriors with 39.1 seconds remaining, setting up DeRozan’s game-winner.
DeRozan, who also finished with 33 points, drew a foul from Jonathan Kuminga as he was making a 17-footer, then followed by making the free throw.
Golden State had its chances later, first on a potential game-tying Brandin Podziemski layup that rolled off the rim.
After Vucevic made his two foul shots to make it a four-point game, Chris Paul kept Golden State alive with a 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds left.
This time, DeRozan stepped to the line and dropped in a pair of free throws, relegating the Warriors, who were out of timeouts, to Lester Quinones’ desperation 54-footer, which was off the mark.
DeRozan and Vucevic each made three 3-pointers for the Bulls, who enjoyed a surprising 48-33 advantage over the Warriors from beyond the arc.
Vucevic also tallied a game-high 11 rebounds. Coby White complemented 20 points with a team-high seven assists for Chicago, which had already won at Sacramento and Utah on its four-game trip. Ayo Dosunmu had 14 points and Jevon Carter 10.
Green fouled out having already completed a triple-double with 11 points, a game-high 12 assists and 10 rebounds for Golden State, which was seeking a fifth win in its last six games.
Kuminga had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors. Thompson finished with a team-high 25 points, Curry and Paul had 15 apiece, Podziemski chipped in 11 and Moses Moody scored 10.
Curry, whose injury occurred on a drive through the lane, shot just 3-for-12 on 3-pointers. Thompson hit 5-for-12 to account for the majority of his scoring.
–Field Level Media
