White scores season-high 31 as Bulls beat Pelicans 124-118

CHICAGO - Coby White scored a season-high 31 points, DeMar DeRozan added 24 points and 10 assists, and the Chicago Bulls beat the New Orleans Pelicans 124-118 on Saturday night.

DeRozan missed the previous game with a left ankle sprain but took charge of a Bulls team missing Zach LaVine, helping them turn around the game in the third quarter en route to their second straight victory. White helped Chicago put it away with an alley-oop to Patrick Williams for a six-point lead with 20 seconds left.

Torrey Craig and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 15 points off the bench for the Bulls, combining to hit four of the team’s 17 3-pointers. Williams added 14 points along with a pair of blocks.

Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans guards Coby White of the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center on December 2, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Troubled by a long history of injuries, Zion Williamson played on back-to-back nights for the first time all season, after resting for three previous opportunities this year. Williamson scored eight of his team-high 27 points in the final three minutes of the second quarter. The scoring flurry helped the Pelicans take a 61-53 lead to halftime, but the Bulls outscored the Pelicans 36-21 in the third quarter to erase the deficit.

Brandon Ingram scored 23 points for the Pelicans, who rested both CJ McCollum and Trey Murphy III while playing their second game in as many nights. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Pelicans ahead of their In-season Tournament quarterfinal in Sacramento on Monday.

The Pelicans held opponents to the lowest 3-point shooting percentage in the NBA last season and entered Saturday night once again as best in the league this year. Yet a Bulls team missing its most proven perimeter shooter in LaVine hit 17 of 40 3-point attempts, with White making a season-high eight 3-pointers.

Bulls guard Alex Caruso left the game shortly before halftime and did not return due to a left toe injury. Caruso has missed three games earlier this season due to his left toe. LaVine missed his second-straight game with right foot discomfort, and the team announced on Friday that the two-time All-Star is expected to miss another week of action.

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Pelicans: At Sacramento on Monday night for an in-season tournament quarterfinal

Bulls: Hosting the Hornets on Wednesday night.