Bulls pounded NBA-worst Wizards ending 7-game skid in first game since front-office shake-up
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rob Dillingham scored a career-high 26 points and the Chicago Bulls ended a seven-game skid, pounding the NBA-worst Washington Wizards 129-98 on Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game set. In the first game since they fired their top two basketball executives, the Bulls were in firm control by the end of the first quarter, leading 38-18 against a Washington team that’s seeking to maximize its odds of landing a top draft pick. Chicago extended its lead to 66-37 by halftime and 100-63 by the end of the third against a Wizards team that appeared disinterested on defense.
Patrick Williams added a season-high 20 points and Tre Jones had 20 points and nine assists for the Bulls, who play at Washington again on Thursday night. TIMBERWOLVES 124, PACERS 104 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ayo Dosunmu scored 24 points and Julius Randle and Bones Hyland each added 19 as Minnesota picked up a critical victory over Indiana. Hyland also had seven assists and Rudy Gobert finished with 12 rebounds.
Minnesota is on the cusp of clinching a top six seed and avoiding the Western Conference’s play-in tournament. It could happen later Tuesday — if Houston beats Phoenix. For the Timberwolves, it was a much-needed turnaround.
They snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the second time in six games as they try to build postseason momentum. The Timberwolves also won despite the absences of All-Star guard Anthony Edwards and Jayden McDaniels. Edwards has missed nine of Minnesota’s last 11 games with a bad right knee, this time on the front end of a back-to-back and against a Pacers squad missing a large group of injured players.
McDaniels missed his sixth straight game with an injured left knee. Ethan Thompson scored 17 points to lead Indiana, and Obi Toppin and Jalen Slawson each had 14 points. The league’s second-worst team lost its third straight and fell to 4-22 in its last 26 games.
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