DeRozan scores 29 points, Bulls beat short-handed Hornets 111-100
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 06: DeMar DeRozan #11 of the Chicago Bulls dribbles the ball during the first half against Charlotte Hornets at the United Center on December 6, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Image
CHICAGO - DeMar DeRozan scored 29 points and the Chicago Bulls beat the short-handed Charlotte Hornets 111-100 on Wednesday for their third straight victory following a five-game skid.
Nikola Vucevic had 20 and 11 rebounds for the Bulls and and Coby White added 19 points.
Gordon Hayward scored 27 points for Charlotte, and Terry Rozier had 25. The Hornets have lost two straight and four of five.
Chicago took control in the first six minutes of the second half by holding the Hornets to just a pair of field goals. White capped a 19-4 run with a 3-pointer that gave the Bulls a 67-48 lead midway through the third. Charlotte never got closer than eight points the rest of the night.
Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (right ankle sprain) missed his fourth straight game and the team scratched starting center Mark Williams (back contusion) from the lineup hours before tipoff. Charlotte used just three players off the bench.
Chicago guard Zach LaVine missed his third straight game because of an injured right foot.
The Bulls pushed the lead into double-digits for the first time with a 16-3 run midway through the second quarter but Charlotte closed the half on a 15-3 spurt to trail 48-44 at intermission.
UP NEXT
Hornets: Host Toronto on Friday night.
Bulls: At San Antonio on Friday night.