Thomas helps Rose finish off Mavericks
Derrick Rose didn't have a reliable sidekick Thursday night, which allowed Dallas to focus its imposing defense on stopping one player.
Rose was guarded straight on by veteran guard Jason Kidd. If he managed to get to the rim, the Mavericks had 7-footers Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler, along with athletic forward Shawn Marion, waiting to bother his shots.
So with the Bulls clinging to a narrow lead in the fourth quarter, someone had to provide some help, and veteran center Kurt Thomas was an unlikely answer.
Thomas produced 6 points and 8 rebounds in the fourth quarter to help the Bulls hold off Dallas 82-77 at the United Center.
“I know those guys are taller than me, younger, more athletic than I am,” said the 38-year-old Thomas. “But I just try to use my knowledge of the game and try to use my position on the floor to somehow come out with a rebound.”
The Bulls (29-14) swept the season series against Dallas for the first time since 1996-97.
Rose hit just 9 of 28 shots from the field to finish with 26 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. He was the Bulls' only player to reach double-figure scoring.
Apparently, though, Rose's shot frequency was the least of coach Tom Thibodeau's concerns.
“He was mad that I wasn't shooting,” Rose said. “I took 8 shots in the first half and he just got mad for no reason, saying I wasn't being aggressive. I listened to him. My shots weren't falling tonight. It was just one of them nights.”
For clarification, was Thibodeau generally angry, or was he throwing chairs, fist through the blackboard angry?
“Not that mad, but yelling,” Rose added with a laugh. “I could hear it in his voice. I could tell he was mad.”
Sluggish doesn't begin to describe this game.
The final box score reported 2 fastbreak points scored in the entire 48 minutes, both by Dallas. The Mavs shot 35.6 percent from the field, only slightly lower than the Bulls.
The Mavericks (27-15) traveled to Chicago following a late Wednesday victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Bulls played for the third straight game without Carlos Boozer because of a sprained left ankle.
This was Nowitzki's fourth game back after missing nine with a knee injury. Dallas lost nine of 11 games before beating the Lakers.
The Bulls trailed 66-62 with 9:45 remaining, then delivered a quick 10-2 run and never again trailed.
Thomas started it with a putback basket, Rose added a flying reverse lay-in, then C.J. Watson beat the Dallas zone defense for a couple of 3-point baskets.
Thomas' jumper kept the Bulls' lead at 78-73 with 3:31 remaining. The Bulls came up short on their next three possessions while Nowitzki (19 points) scored 4 points to pull the Mavs within 1.
Dallas had a chance to take the lead, but Luol Deng's solid defense helped force Nowitzki to miss a turnaround jumper. On the next trip Rose drilled a 20-footer to stretch the lead to 80-77 with 55 seconds left.
The Mavericks threw the ball away, then Terry missed a 3-point attempt and Kyle Korver put the game away with a pair of free throws with 5.5 seconds on the clock.
“Derrick didn't have a great shooting night, but his will in the second half created scoring opportunities for us,” Thibodeau said. “Their size was a problem for us, but we found a way to win. I thought our rebounding (51-41 advantage) was great.”
Mike McGraw's game tracker
Bulls 82, Mavericks 77
<B>Ugly is beautiful: </B>Both teams shot less than 37 percent from the field and there were a grand total of 2 fastbreak points scored. But the Bulls' rugged victory gave them a series sweep against Dallas for the first time since 1996-97.
<B>Inefficient win:</B> Derrick Rose connected on just 9 of 28 shots but finished with 26 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. In the last five home games, Rose has averaged 31.6 points.
<B>Predictable style: </B>Dallas guard Jason Terry made this comparison after the game: “Derrick Rose is their team. I don't care who else they have on that roster. ... Anybody who takes 28 shots, it's the Jordan Rules. He's just going to keep hoisting them.”