Jefferson unstoppable as Bulls lose in OT
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Bulls gave themselves a chance to win Sunday night, which was a big improvement from the first time they played Minnesota this season.
But they couldn't convert any of those chances and fell to the Timberwolves 109-108 in overtime. It was the Bulls' fifth straight defeat.
With the last shot of regulation, it appeared guard Derrick Rose waited for a screen that never came and ended up tossing a 20-foot jumper that was well off the mark.
Trailing by 1 late in overtime, Rose was cut off in the lane, couldn't find anyone open and shot a one-handed leaner that barely rolled off the rim. Aaron Gray and Luol Deng got their hands on tips, but those wouldn't fall and time expired.
"We didn't convert down the stretch," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "In regulation and then a couple of plays on overtime, we just couldn't get the ball in the basket."
In the final analysis, the Bulls simply couldn't slow down Minnesota center Al Jefferson, who scored 39 points while hitting 16 of 29 shots.
Jefferson scored most every important basket for the Timberwolves except for a driving bank shot by guard Randy Foye with 41.3 seconds remaining that turned out to be the final points of the game. Rookie forward Kevin Love added 19 points and 15 rebounds for the home team.
"It was a gritty win for us," Minnesota coach Kevin McHale said. "I don't think I'll watch the film; I think I'll just wonder all my life how we won and that will be the end of it."
After Foye's basket, Ben Gordon took a quick corner jumper that was off the mark. Minnesota's Mike Miller bricked a 3-point attempt with 13.1 seconds on the clock, setting up the final flurry.
Gordon led the Bulls with 23 points, while Deng had 22 and Rose 18. Center Joakim Noah finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 7 blocks. Gordon and Rose were feeling flu-like symptoms before the game, and Tyrus Thomas left the game briefly with a sprained ankle.
The Bulls couldn't hold a 95-88 lead with 3:54 left in the fourth quarter. Gordon and Andres Nocioni both hit 3-pointers early in overtime. But with the score tied at 105-105, the Bulls missed 3 shots and got the offensive rebound each time before Gordon finally threw the ball away.
Nocioni gave the Bulls (18-27) their final lead at 108-107 by hitting 1 of 2 free throws with 49.4 seconds remaining.