DeMar DeRozan scored 11 of his game-high 29 points in the fourth quarter and Zach LaVine added 27 points to help the host Chicago Bulls defeat the Washington Wizards 102-82 on Sunday afternoon for its second straight victory.
Washington has lost two straight, as its lead over Chicago for the final spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament shrank to a half-game.
Coby White scored 17 points for the Bulls, who led by as many as 21 points. Nikola Vucevic added 16 points and 13 rebounds for his 39th double-double of the season, third-most in the NBA.
Long-range shooting doomed both teams. The Bulls shot 8-for-30 (26.7 per cent) from 3-point land, while the Wizards was 6-for-28 (21.4 per cent).
Still, timely treys helped the Bulls close things out in the fourth quarter. White hit a trey to put the hosts ahead 84-72 with 8:11 to play before LaVine connected with 3:14 to go for a 16-point lead.
Chicago earned a split of the season series with Washington, with the home team winning each of the four matchups between the teams. The first three games were decided by nine combined points.
Bradley Beal had 18 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for Washington. Daniel Gafford had a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Delon Wright (14 points) and Kyle Kuzma (10) also scored in double figures.
Chicago has limited foes to 169 points in the past two games.
The Wizards was without two starters but started strong, leading by as many as six points in the first quarter.
Washington’s Kristaps Porzingis, the team’s top rebounder and second-leading scorer entering Sunday, sat out with a left knee injury, while Monte Morris was held out with low back soreness.
Chicago led 47-45 at halftime behind the effective one-two punch of LaVine (17 points) and DeRozan (15). Gafford and Wright had 10 points apiece for the Wizards.
Washington committed eight turnovers before the break.
The Bulls has won eight of its past 11 meetings with the Wizards.
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