CHICAGO — Forward Mirza Teletovic grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a fade-away shot with 0.3 seconds remaining, leading the Phoenix Suns to a 103-101 comeback win against the Chicago Bulls on Monday night at the United Center.
Teletovic’s rebound was off an open 3-pointer taken by forward Jon Leuer from the corner with two seconds left, after the Suns (9-13) battled back from a 16-point deficit to tie the game.
Chicago led 77-61 starting the fourth quarter but coughed up the advantage. They were outscored 25-11 in the first seven minutes of the fourth and 42-24 overall in the frame, letting Phoenix cap a tough six-game road trip by ending a four-game losing streak.
The win evened the season series between the Suns and Bulls, who have lost their past two games, both on their home floor.
Guard Brandon Knight scored 21 points and Teletovic had 20 points to lead the Suns, who got double-figure scoring from six players. Phoenix guard Eric Bledsoe had 16 points and nine rebounds, center Alex Len finished with 15 points, Leuer added 12 points and eight rebounds, and rookie guard Devin Booker chipped in 14 points off the bench.
Center Pau Gasol had 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead Chicago (11-7). Guard Jimmy Butler had 19 points, forward Nikola Mirotic had 13 points, guard Tony Snell finished with 10 points, and guard Derrick Rose had 14 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Trailing 101-96 after a 3-pointer by Butler with 1:51 left in the fourth, the Suns scored the next five points. Booker drilled a 3-pointer, and Bledsoe followed with a steal and layup.
Rose had a chance to give the Bulls the lead with 28 seconds to play, but he missed a jumper, setting up the final possession for Phoenix.
The Bulls came into the game 3-3 in their previous six games and hadn’t reached 100 points in any of the six games. They also shot just 39.6 percent in that span.
The game was tied 51-51 at the half but changed in the third, when the Bulls started hot. Chicago on a 12-2 run in the first four minutes of the third to build a 63-53 lead, led by five points each from Gasol and Mirotic.
Chicago outscored Phoenix 26-10 in the frame, as the Suns shot just 20 percent, hitting four of 20 shots. Phoenix battled back in the fourth, pulling within 88-86 on a jumper by Bledsoe with 4:52 left to play to set up the exciting finish.
NOTES: Phoenix C Tyson Chandler didn’t play because of a right hamstring strain. Chandler still felt the injury while doing on-court work prior to the Suns’ 95-93 loss Sunday in Memphis. He has missed all six games of a road trip. “We’ve got to get him 100 percent,” Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. “If we have him get out there too early and he strains it more, and now he’s out another two to three weeks, that’s not going to help us out.” … Chicago played without F Mike Dunleavy, who hasn’t played this season while recovering from preseason back surgery. … Hornacek opted not to use F Markieff Morris in Memphis mainly because of matchups, but also because he’s struggling. “He does everything we ask,” Hornacek said. “He’s trying hard. I don’t know if he’s pressing a little bit, but shots that he made all last year, and all the clutch plays, he just hasn’t gotten it going yet. We’re still hopeful that he’ll do that.”