Derrick Rose leads Chicago Bulls 99-96 win over the Memphis Grizzlies
Derrick Rose scored a game-high 24 points and made two free throws with over two minutes left in the fourth-quarter, to lead the red-hot Chicago Bulls to a hard-fought 99-96 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Bulls are now two games ahead of the Boston Celtics in top spot in the Eastern Conference standings. The victory extended Chicago’s home winning streak to 14 games and snapped the Grizzlies three-game winning run.
In addition to his 24-point spurt, Chicago point guard Rose also grabbed seven assists and as many rebounds in the victory.
Rose praised the efforts of his team-mates on the night. He said, "My team-mates came back and had my back tonight. My shot was not going for me tonight. There will always be nights like tonight. We are playing against a good team who is trying to make a
playoff push. We just have to come out with an edge and be more aggressive."
Luol Deng chipped in with 23 points and six rebounds while Carlos Boozer scored 12 points and nine boards for the Bulls.
Zach Randolph scored a team-high 16 points while Marc Gasol contributed 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for Memphis. Guard Tony Allen posted 13 points while the 23-year-old Mike Conley had 12 points in the defeat.
Match Analysis
The Grizzlies got off to a great start to take an early 11-4 lead. The Bulls, on the other hand, played sloppy basketball throughout the first quarter but only trailed by one point at the end of the quarter.
Memphis continued to play aggressively in the second quarter and extended their lead to 45-37 with three minutes to go in the quarter. However, the Bulls fought hard to make the score a respectable one, taking a 49-46 lead into the locker room.
Both teams kept playing with great focus and intensity in the third quarter. The Bulls once again managed to take a narrow 74-73 lead into the final stanza.
The fourth quarter was closely contested with four ties and no lead greater than three points for either side. However, Rose scored the last six points for the Bulls and made two free throws in the last minute to seal the win.
After the game, a relieved Deng praised his opponents and admitted that they provided them a stiff challenge on the court.
Deng said, "I felt like they outworked us. I just felt like we have more talent in this team. In addition, we made big plays at the end to win, but throughout the game, I just thought they played harder. They got to the loose balls first. They are a very
good team and they really outworked us. And we got to recognize that."
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