Coby White and Nikola Vucevic each scored 31 points and Josh Giddey notched his sixth triple-double of the season as the Chicago Bulls beat the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 118-113 on Friday night.
Giddey racked up 15 points, a career-best 19 rebounds and 12 assists as Chicago (35-42) tied the Miami Heat for ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Deni Avdija posted 37 points and 11 rebounds, Dalano Banton contributed 21 points, Shaedon Sharpe added 17 points, and Donovan Clingan pulled down 18 boards for the Blazers (34-44).
Portland entered the game severely underhanded, with Toumani Camara (left ankle) and Duop Reath (right knee) joining Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton and Scoot Henderson on a lengthy injury list.
The Trail Blazers managed to slice a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to two points before the Bulls recovered as White iced the victory from the free-throw line.
The Bulls fed Vucevic in the paint to open a 26-20 lead, before Portland fought back to hold sway 33-30 at the end of the first break.
Portland manufactured several second looks throughout the first two quarters as Chicago coughed up 10 first-half turnovers and allowed the Trail Blazers to reel in 10 offensive boards.
Portland had 19 more field-goal attempts for the half than the Bulls, but the Blazers’ wayward shooting — 24 of 61 from the floor, 6 of 24 3-pointers — meant their cushion was only 54-52 at intermission.
The lead changed hands 11 times in the third frame — and 18 for the game — before the Bulls pulled away for the first time as Portland continued to misfire offensively, shooting 9 of 27 for the quarter.
Giddey had 10 points, eight boards and four assists for the period, which Chicago dominated 40-29 to lead 92-83 entering the fourth.
White hit his third trey to increase the Bulls’ buffer to 109-93 with 7:03 remaining in the fourth, but the score was canceled when replays confirmed his foot was out of bounds.
Portland pounced on that stroke of fortune and, with a 15-2 burst capped by a Banton 3-pointer, slashed Chicago’s advantage to 108-106.
–Field Level Media
