FINAL FROM THE UNITED CENTER:
Bulls 115, Washington 106 (Bulls: 15-27, 8-14 at home)
LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: LaVine: 30 pts. Wizards: Beal: 23 pts.
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Markkanen and Young each with 8. Wizards: Mahinmi: 7
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Dunn and LaVine each with 7. Wizards: Smith: 5
STAT OF THE NIGHT: The Bulls scored 26 points off 17 Wizards turnovers.
INJURY UPDATE: Daniel Gafford sustained a dislocation of his right thumb with a laceration during the first quarter, X-rays were negative and the initial prognosis is that Gafford will be sidelined for 2-4 weeks.
Coach Boylen said Chandler Hutchison re-injured his same shoulder and will be re-evaluated today.
RECAP: The Bulls outscored the Wizards 30-20 in the third quarter as they drained six three-point field goals in the period, led by Zach LaVine who extended his 25+ per game points streak to five games, a career-high. LaVine was brilliant with a 30-7-7 game and is playing like an All-Star. He went 6-11 from three-point range as the Bulls shot 37% behind the arc. LaVine was one of seven double-figure scorers for the Bulls. With Daniel Gafford leaving nearly 90 seconds into the game, Head Coach Jim Boylen called upon Luke Kornet who scored 10 pts playing a game-high 35 minutes. Get used to some different looks and rotations now that Wendell Carter Jr and Gafford are sidelined for the next two-four weeks.
Tomas Satoransky had a terrific night against his former team with 18 points and five assists. Thaddeus Young played another strong game scoring 18 points and eight rebounds off the bench in 21 minutes.
Kris Dunn was a +22 as he dished out a team-high seven assists.
UP NEXT: At Philadelphia Friday night.
IN THE LOCKER ROOM: "I've been blessed to coach a lot of All-Stars, and I think he should be in the game. He's an All-Star caliber player, he's an All-Star-caliber person." Coach Boylen on Zach LaVine.
24 SECONDS NBA NEWS AND NOTES:
"Game of the Night" Orlando 119, Los Angeles Lakers 118: The Magic snapped the Lakers nine-game win streak. Markelle Fultz dropped his second career triple-double on LeBron and company with a 21-11-10 game. The Magic became the first sub.500 team to beat the Lakers this season. Anthony Davis missed his fourth straight game with a back injury. LA now leaves for five straight on the road.
Miami 106, San Antonio 100: Chicago's very own Kendrick Nunn scored 33 points as the Heat improved to 18-1 at home.
Toronto 130, OKC 121: The Thunder trailed by as many as 30.
Denver 100, Charlotte 86: The Nuggets' Michael Porter Jr has entered Rookie of the Year discussion as he tallied 19 points. Jamal Murray suffered an ankle injury and we will learn more today on his status.
Indiana 104, Minnesota 99: The T-Wolves lost their third straight and dropped to 15-25.
Detroit 116, Boston 103: Seku Doumbouya scored a season-high 24 points as the Pistons snapped a three-game losing streak winning in Boston. The Celtics played without Jayson Tatum sidelined with right knee soreness. The Pistons were without three starters.
Portland 117, Houston 104: All five Blazers starters played at least 32 minutes as the Portland won on the road, led by the 25 points of Damian Lillard. The Rockets lost their second game in as many nights; three of the last four.
Philadelphia 117, Brooklyn 106: Tobias Harris went off, scoring 34 points as the 76ers held the Nets to 16 fourth-quarter points. The Nets have lost nine of their last 11 games. DeAndre Jordan will get his dislocated right middle finger re-evaluated today. Kyrie Irving told reporters after the game the Nets need "more pieces to be at the next level. "
Dallas 127, Sacramento 123: Luka Doncic filled up the stat sheet with another monster game: 27 points, 15 rebounds, and 17 assists. His 12th triple-double of the season. Are you serious? Yes we are. That stat line has happened just three times in NBA history, sports fans.
Zion Williamson will make his NBA debut on January 22nd when his Pelicans host the Spurs.
Atlanta's Chandler Parsons was involved in an automobile accident and sustained a concussion and whiplash.
Golden State signed Damion Lee to a multi-year contract.
Thanks for reading CCI. Reach out: cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter @ctsbulls
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