Zach LaVine returned to the lineup to score 18 points and sparked a late rally to help the visiting Chicago Bulls overcome a 17-point second-half deficit and defeat the Atlanta Hawks 125-113 on Saturday to end their four-game losing streak.
LaVine, who had missed the last three games with a right adductor strain, returned on restricted minutes and shot 7-for-12 from the floor with seven assists. He scored two baskets during a 7-0 run to stretch Chicago’s lead from one to eight points late in the fourth quarter.
Chicago outscored the Hawks 35-15 in the fourth quarter. The teams play again on Nov. 22 in Chicago.
The Bulls trailed 101-92 with 10:34 left but outscored the Hawks 12-0, taking their first lead of the game on Jalen Smith’s dunk at 8:04 and upping it to 104-101 on a runner by Patrick Williams with 7:35 left. Atlanta, already playing short-handed, ran out of gas on the second night of a back-to-back set.
The balanced Bulls had eight players score in double figures. Ayo Dosunmu had 19 points, Nikola Vucevic and Coby White each scored 18, Josh Giddey added 13 and Williams, Smith and Julian Phillips each scored 10. Vucevic added 12 rebounds.
The Hawks got 20 points each from Jalen Johnson and Clint Capela, who had nine rebounds. Zaccharie Risacher scored 17 and Trae Young had 14 points and 16 assists.
Atlanta led by 18 points after Keaton Wallace made a layup with 9:55 left in the first half to make it 44-26. The Bulls cut the lead in half by making three consecutive 3-pointers and got as close as eight points. Atlanta led 70-60 at halftime.
The Hawks led 77-60 with 10:08 left in the third, but the Bulls trimmed the margin to six points. Atlanta led 98-90 after three quarters.
Atlanta’s De’Andre Hunter, still nursing a sore knee, missed his ninth straight game to return home for the birth of his daughter.
