Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Bulls Rally Past Spurs, Extend Winning Streak to 4 Games

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Tim Daniel | Last updated 12/9/23

A dominant third quarter kept the Chicago Bulls' winning streak alive on Friday against the San Antonio Spurs. Things didn't look great for the Bulls in the first quarter as the Spurs got off to a dominant start and finished the opening frame with a 33-24 lead. San Antonio employed a balanced scoring attack that gave the Bulls' defense fits.

In the second quarter, the Spurs got rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama more involved, and he put his stamp on the game. Wembanyama's alley-oop with 10 minutes remaining followed by a nice layup helped push the Spurs lead. Both teams trading baskets traded baskets in the quarter, but the Spurs remained in front with a double-digit at halftime.

Nikola Vucevic scored 14 points in the first half to keep the Bulls within striking distance. DeMar DeRozan only had five points at the break due to poor shooting but picked it up down the stretch against his former team.

The Bulls began their comeback in the third quarter thanks to solid defense and Coby White and Patrick Williams sinking big buckets. White extended a Bulls franchise record with his 10th straight game of making three or more three-pointers.

While the Bulls' offense came to life, Wembanyama kept the Spurs in the game with six points and six rebounds in the third quarter, eventually leading to a double-double of 21 points and 20 rebounds.

The Bulls held an 87-83 lead going into the final frame, which opened with a Wembanyama layup followed by DeRozan hitting a floater. A couple of lead changes ensued due to three-pointers from Doug McDermott and Torrey Craig, but the Bulls then pulled away. DeRozan poured in nine points in the fourth quarter, including the final basket with 1:12 remaining, to seal a 121-112 win for the Bulls.

What's On Tap Next?

The Bulls will look to extend their winning streak to five games when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. Tip-off is at 7 PM CT and the game will air on NBC Sports Chicago.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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