Rose hits key 3-pointer in OT win
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Derrick Rose scored 24 points, including a tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons for the 15th straight time, 100-94 in overtime Sunday night.
Rodney Stuckey scored 32 points for the Pistons, but he missed two crucial free throws late in the fourth quarter. Rose’s 3-pointer with 6.4 seconds remaining tied the game at 86 and sent it to the extra session.
Joakim Noah had 20 points and 17 rebounds for the Bulls, who are 3 1/2 games ahead of Miami in the race for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Chicago is an NBA-best 46-14. Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City is two games behind.
Chicago trailed by three in the final minute of the fourth quarter when Carlos Boozer made a shot from the baseline to pull to 84-83 with 56.4 seconds remaining. Tayshaun Prince missed on a drive at the other end, but Boozer couldn’t convert inside.
Stuckey made one of two free throws with 16.1 seconds remaining, and Chicago called a timeout to set up a play, but Luol Deng was called for a five-second violation before inbounding. Stuckey again could make only one of two free throws with 14.2 seconds left, and Rose was able to work his way free for a 3 from near the top of the key to tie it.
Stuckey’s shot from near the free throw line missed, and the game went to overtime.
Chicago led by one when Kyle Korver made an open 3 from the right wing to make it 95-91. Greg Monroe missed a layup at the other end, and the Bulls held on.
Rose has been bothered by an injured right ankle, and he shot 1 of 13 in Thursday’s overtime win over Miami. He was aggressive early against the Pistons, driving smoothly to the basket for a layup to open the scoring and then sinking a perimeter jumper moments later.
Rose and Joakim Noah scored 12 points apiece for Chicago in the first half, but the Pistons received an unexpected lift from Charlie Villanueva.
After playing only 40 minutes previously during an injury-plagued season, Villanueva came off the bench to score 11 points in the first half, giving Detroit a much-needed boost against Chicago’s tough defense.
The Bulls still led 49-41 at halftime and took a 60-46 advantage on a 3-pointer by former Detroit star Richard Hamilton. Then it was the Pistons’ turn to clamp down. Detroit held Chicago to only four points the rest of the quarter and took a 66-64 lead into the fourth after a basket by Monroe inside.
Villanueva opened the fourth with a layup and Damien Wilkins added a dunk to give the Pistons a six-point lead, but Chicago got some momentum back when Villanueva was whistled for a flagrant foul after he appeared to catch Rose in the face when the star point guard tried to finish a fast break.
Villanueva was also called for a technical foul, and the Bulls eventually took a 77-76 lead on a free throw by C.J. Watson.