DeMar DeRozan scored 35 points and Zach LaVine chipped in 29 as the visiting Chicago Bulls defeated Los Angeles 100-90 Sunday, snapping the Clippers’ seven-game winning streak.
The first game of a Southern California back-to-back belonged to the Bulls’ homecoming guards.
DeRozan, a Los Angeles-area native, shot 12-of-16 from the floor and 10-of-11 from the free-throw line, while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing five assists. LaVine, who played college basketball at nearby UCLA, shot 6-of-13 from 3-point range and grabbed eight rebounds.
LaVine’s hanging jumper over two defenders with 51.8 seconds remaining ended any hope of a Clippers comeback.
Los Angeles played from behind most of the night, falling behind 30-17 through one quarter in the second game of a weekend back-to-back. The Clippers came in having extended their winning streak to seven games with a Saturday night rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Behind Paul George (27 points), Los Angeles fought back in the fourth quarter. George banked in a floater to give the Clippers a 78-77 lead, but DeRozan’s layup on the subsequent Chicago possession sparked a 9-0 Bulls run.
They led the rest of the way.
Lonzo Ball, another Southern California product, added 10 points with five rebounds, three assists and three steals for the Bulls.
Chicago also got three steals from Alex Caruso. The former Los Angeles Laker played a strong all-around game in his return to Staples Center, adding a team-high nine rebounds, five assists and seven points.
Javonte Green shot 4-of-6 off the bench to chip in nine points for the Bulls.
George recorded a double-double in the loss, grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds. Eric Bledsoe recorded 21 points, six rebounds and three assists for Los Angeles, and Reggie Jackson finished with 13 points.
–Field Level Media
