OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jimmy Butler scored 23 points, and Pau Gasol had 21 points and 13 rebounds in the Chicago Bulls' 105-96 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.
Derrick Rose added 19 points, and Taj Gibson had 13 points and 10 rebounds to help the Bulls snap a three-game losing streak.
Kevin Durant had 29 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Oklahoma City, and Russell Westbrook added 26 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. The Thunder had won three straight and nine of 10.
The Bulls led by 18 at the end of the third quarter. Oklahoma City changed things up and played Anthony Morrow and Enes Kanter with Durant, Westbrook and Serge Ibaka for most of the fourth quarter. The unit played well, but the Thunder got no closer than six.
Oklahoma City shot 38.5 percent from the field, its third-worst showing of the season.
Chicago led 51-37 with 4:58 left in the first half, but the Thunder cut it to 54-52 at halftime. Durant scored 19 points in the half, and Westbrook had 12 points and five assists. All five assists were in the second quarter.
Gasol and Butler each had 11 points in the first half for the Bulls.
Chicago scored the first eight points of the second half to go up 62-52 and force the Thunder to call a timeout. The Bulls led 86-68 at the end of the third quarter.
A pair of 3-pointers by Morrow cut Chicago's lead to 97-89 with just under 5 minutes to play, but the Bulls hung on.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Ran out to an 11-0 lead. ... C Joakim Noah sat out with a left shoulder sprain. ... Beat the Thunder 104-98 at United Center on Nov. 5. ... Butler hit a 35-foot 3-pointer at the end of the first quarter. ... Rose fouled out.
Thunder: Missed their first five shots. ... C Steven Adams picked up two fouls in the first 2 minutes. Kanter entered the game and had six points and seven rebounds in the first quarter. He finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds. ... Had just one assist in the first quarter. ... ... Morrow made three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Bulls: At Dallas on Saturday night.
Thunder: Host Denver on Sunday night.