CHICAGO _ Derrick Rose won the battle. The Bulls won the war.
Rose lit up the United Center on Friday night with an array of dazzling moves. With fans howling and hollering "MVP!" "MVP!" he had 23 points and seven assists.
The Bulls survived a stressful fourth quarter in their 112-106 victory over the Pistons, snapping a three-game skid. Eight Bulls hit at least one 3-pointer. Lauri Markkanen scored 14 points in 25 minutes, wincing as he left the game with a possible injury to his side.
Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 26 points. Otto Porter Jr. came alive after entering the game averaging just 8.8 points on 31.8% shooting, raising concerns about a hip injury.
He looked fluid in the third quarter, hitting back-to-back 3s that gave his team a 14-point lead. Porter finished with 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting.
The Pistons took a 100-99 lead, their first since the game's first minute, on a layup by Tony Snell after Rose saved the ball from going out of bounds.
But LaVine came through with back-to-back 3s to put the Bulls ahead for good.
The Pistons' Andre Drummond had a huge night, finishing with 25 points and 24 rebounds.
The Bulls played without Chandler Hutchison, still bothered by a hamstring injury. The Pistons carried on without Blake Griffin, who is recovering from offseason knee surgery.
Rose is finally healthy and as explosive as ever. He entered the game midway through the first quarter and three minutes later blew past Kris Dunn, pump-faking and finishing with his left hand for a three-point play.
After he nailed the free throw, fans hollered "MVP!" "MVP!" _ reminiscent of his last visit. He had the United Center rocking in December during a 24-point, eight-assist night with the Timberwolves.
Rose used a screen to split LaVine and Luke Kornet for an easy throw-down. He scored or assisted on 14 of the Pistons' final 17 points of the first half.
But the Bulls made just enough plays down the stretch to improve to 2-4.
