CHICAGO _ The Bulls won back-to-back games for the first time this season with their 106-99 victory over the Grizzlies on Wednesday night. Naturally, they didn't make it easy on themselves.
The Bulls led by as many as 22 points in the first half, but by late in the fourth quarter they had let their lead dwindle to 88-87.
The Grizzlies started the fourth with a 23-10 run, but Zach LaVine stopped the bleeding with a 3-pointer with 4 minutes, 13 seasons left and followed with a jumper. Three-pointers by Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen were enough to stave off the persistent Grizzlies.
LaVine led the Bulls with 25 points, and Tomas Satoransky had 11 points to go with eight assists. Wendell Carter Jr. posted his 12th double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Five Bulls scored in double figures.
The Grizzlies' Jonas Valanciunas led all scorers with 28, and he had 11 rebounds.
The Bulls jumped to a 7-0 lead, opening with a Markkanen 3-pointer, and the starters quickly built the lead to 11 points.
There was some sloppy play late in the first, however, with both teams' second units on the floor.
The Bulls' Ryan Arcidiacono shorted a shot, Coby White's driving layup attempt caught the front iron, and Arcidiacono threw the ball to the Grizzlies' De'Anthony Melton while saving a high pass from going out of bounds. A couple of Grayson Allen shots ended up out of bounds, and one Grizzlies pass ended up in the hands of Bulls coach Jim Boylen.
United Center public address announcer Nick Mitrovich even called out the score to signal the end of the quarter 1{ seconds prematurely.
Good thing for the Bulls there was still time left _ Arcidiacono sank a 3 to put the Bulls up 27-20.
The Bulls padded their lead to 22 in the second quarter, with the reserves making some big plays. Thaddeus Young had a block. Denzel Valentine no-looked to White in the corner for a 3. Young added two more points to give the Bulls a 40-24 lead.
Then Carter went on a tear in the post, backing down Jaren Jackson Jr. on one shot, drawing a foul by Solomon Hill after Markkanen's baseline dish, and scoring seven of 10 Bulls points as they took a 50-28 lead.
Valanciunas led a modest rally to bring the Grizzlies within 50-35 at halftime.
Right on cue, the Bulls went into a malaise in the third quarter, missing four shots, committing two turnovers and allowing the Grizzlies to go on an 8-2 run, prompting Boylen to call timeout three minutes into the period.
The Bulls built the lead back to 11 off of Markkanen's 3-pointer, dunks from LaVine and Carter and six free throws.
Early in the fourth, the Bulls again went cold as the lead dwindled to eight, but a pair of blocks by Carter and a Young steal stunted several potential Grizzlies runs.
The Bulls won the battle of the boards 50-46 and shot better from behind the 3-point arc, 39.4% to 23.3%.
