NBA: Hornets double up Bulls in fourth quarter en route to win
Terry Rozier scored 28 points and LaMelo Ball, who hadn’t played for more than a week, scored 5 of his 15 points in the crucial late game when the Charlotte Hornets beat the visitors to the Chicago Bulls with score 111-96 on Thursday night.
Rozier sank four of Charlotte’s seven 3-pointers and helped the Hornets – who beat the Bulls 34-17 in the fourth inning – past two skates. Mason Plumlee scored 21 points, aided by a 9 to 9 shot from the field and won 12 rebounds, Gordon Hayward had 17 and substitute Mark Williams added 10 on a 5 to 5 shot.
With efficient dribbles from Plumlee and Williams, those made up for the Hornets’ 7 to 32 shot on 3 pointers. Chicago only shot 4 to 25 from a distance of 3 points.
Terry Rozier leads the way @hornets with 28 PTS, 5 REB and 4 STL in tonight’s win pic.twitter.com/0yTHKW1ebi
– NBA (@NBA) January 27, 2023
DeMar DeRozan’s 28 points led the Bulls, who have lost consecutive games after a three-game winning streak. Zach LaVine has 18 points and 9 rebounds, Patrick Williams has 15 points at home, Nikola Vucevic (9 rebounds) and Ayo Dosunmu each have 12 points.
Ball has returned from another injury that had caused him to miss the previous three games. He made 11 rebounds and made eight assists in the team’s highest 37 minutes.
Hayward, who was sidelined Tuesday night in Phoenix, finished with the highest total in more than a month.
Seven of Charlotte’s first 13 points in the fourth quarter came from free throws. The Hornets finished 26 to 31 from the foul line.
The Hornets led 89-88 when Ball took a free throw to start the score 8-0 for the Hornets. That rally included Ball’s 3-point basket.
Rozier’s 3-point shot for a 100-90 lead came before a pair of LaVine baskets, but Rozier scored on a jump before two Plumlee baskets gave the Hornets a comfortable advantage.
Chicago took a 71-61 lead with less than six minutes to play in the third half, but the Hornets went on to take a 12-0 lead.
The Bulls took a 55-47 lead after halftime despite only shooting 4/15 shots in 3 seconds.
Charlotte finished with a 52-43 rebound advantage.
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