In the first half, it looked to be an easy night in Chicago as the Pistons started their five-game road trip.
The start was better than the finish.
The Pistons built a 25-point lead near the end of the second quarter and watched it evaporate in the second half, as the Bulls rallied and grabbed a 105-102 victory on Wednesday night at United Center.
Jerami Grant had a spectacular game, with a career-high 43 points, including 19 in the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth duel with the Bulls’ Zach LaVine, who finished with 37 points.
The loss ends the Pistons’ first win streak of the season, in a game that was moved up from the second half of the season, after the Bulls and Pistons both had games postponed Wednesday.
In the second quarter, the Pistons had a 14-0 run, with five points each from Saddiq Bey and Dennis Smith Jr. and led, 47-27. They had their biggest margin, 59-34, with 2:39 left in the first half after a 3-pointer by Grant and a basket by Plumlee.
The game turned around in the third quarter, where the Pistons had an 18-point lead out of halftime after a 6-0 run to finish the second quarter. The Bulls continued that for a 29-6 run to trim the lead to 67-66 at the 2:49 mark.
LaVine carried the Bulls (12-15) with 15 points during the spurt, but Grant helped stabilize the Pistons with four points in the final stretch of the period, and the Pistons held on to a 73-70 lead entering the fourth. It ended up being a 27-12 scoring margin for the Bulls.
The Bulls had another big run and took the lead for good, with a basket by Garrett Temple for a 74-73 advantage. Wendell Carter Jr. (17 points) hit a jumper and Patrick Williams (15 points).
The Pistons rallied behind Grant in the fourth quarter and got within 87-86 with 4:04 remaining. They had a final shot at tying the game, but Delon Wright’s 3-point attempt missed and the Bulls held on for their second straight win.
