Gibson leads Bulls to 103-83 win over Warriors
Taj Gibson scored 21 points, Carlos Boozer added 15 points and 13 rebounds, and the Bulls used a big third-quarter run to win for the seventh time in eight games, pounding the Golden State Warriors 103-83 Wednesday night.
Jimmy Butler scored 16 points after missing two games with bruised ribs, Mike Dunleavy Jr. added 15, and Joakim Noah grabbed 17 rebounds for the Bulls.
They also dominated on the glass 56-41, forced 16 turnovers and held All-Star Stephen Curry in check while bringing Golden State's four-game win streak to an emphatic end.
Jordan Crawford scored 16 points, but it was a rough night for the Warriors even though David Lee returned to the rotation.
He came off the bench to score 11 points in 20 minutes after being hospitalized with a stomach flu and missing two games. But Curry tied a season low with five points on 2-of-10 shooting and the Warriors never found a rhythm.
They trailed by 11 at the half and were within eight in the third quarter when things got out of hand.
Dunleavy blocked Andre Iguodala's layup with 7:33 left, and in a flash, the Bulls were on their way. Kirk Hinrich converted a three-point play, igniting a 14-2 run that sealed this one for Chicago.
Butler deflected a pass by Lee, leading to a layup for Boozer, and scored on a putback that made it 66-51 with 5:52 remaining. After Dunleavy hit a free throw, Boozer capped the run with three straight baskets - a 15-footer, a short jumper and a 13-foot bank shot - that bumped Chicago's lead to 73-53 with 3:20 to go in the quarter.
Butler was active early, scoring 13 points to help the Bulls build a 56-45 halftime lead.
Dunleavy was on target again with 11 points in the half after scoring 22 in Tuesday's win at Atlanta. He hit two 3-pointers, the second bouncing straight up off the rim and into the net with 27 seconds left in the second quarter to make it 54-45.
Hinrich added two free throws in the closing seconds after Curry missed a 3 to give the Bulls an 11-point lead at the break.
NOTES: Bulls star Derrick Rose has started running as he tries to work his way back from another season-ending knee injury, although coach Tom Thibodeau said a return to practice remains a long way off. "Nowhere close to practicing," Thibodeau said. "He's doing some running. He's off the treadmill. Still on it at some times, but his full weight now, and doing lateral slides and things like that. Nowhere near practicing or anything like that." He also reiterated that Rose will not return this season. ... Warriors coach Mark Jackson praised Thibodeau, who was an assistant to Jeff Van Gundy when Jackson played for the New York Knicks. "He was a guy you knew was going to be a very good coach," Jackson said. "Worked his tail off and was committed to his craft. I'm very happy for him."