CHICAGO — Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler outdid the Oklahoma City Thunder’s dynamic duo of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-98 win Thursday night at the United Center.
Guards Rose (29 points) and Butler (26 points) combined for 55 of the Bulls’ points, with Rose scoring 10 of Chicago’s final 12 points to seal the victory late in the fourth quarter.
Durant, a forward, led all scorers with 33 points and Westbrook, a guard, had 20 points and 10 assists for the Thunder (3-3), who have lost three straight games after winning their first three to start the season.
Trailing 90-84 with 6:04 left in the fourth, Westbrook and Durant combined to score six straight points to tie it 90-90, setting up an exciting finish. Oklahoma City pulled even with Chicago three times, but never managed to take a lead down the stretch.
Rose was the biggest reason, burying four jump shots and hitting a pair of free throws in the final 3:35 of the game.
Forward Pau Gasol finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while guard Aaron Brooks and forward Taj Gibson each scored nine points for the Bulls (4-2), who sought redemption for an embarrassing performance in their previous game — a 130-105 road loss on Tuesday against the Charlotte Hornets.
The Bulls led 57-50 at the half thanks to a big second-quarter effort.
They erased a three-point deficit in the first 4:39 of the second with an impressive 15-4 run sparked by a balanced attack. Brooks and Gibson each contributed five points. Butler and Rose did the rest.
Chicago’s starting guard tandem also finished the quarter strong. Butler and Rose scored the Bulls’ final 17 points, with Butler contributing 11 of those to finish the half with 21 points. Rose had 11 points at the break.
Butler shot 6 of 10 from the field in the first half, including 3 of 4 on 3-pointers. Durant (12 points), forward Serge Ibaka (11 points) and Westbrook (14 points) led Oklahoma City in the first two quarters.
The Thunder led 28-25 after the first quarter, led by the hot shooting of Ibaka and Westbrook. Ibaka had eight points in the frame on 4-of-4 shooting, while Westbrook led all scorers in the quarter with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting.
Oklahoma City shot a blistering 52.2 percent from the field in the first quarter (12 of 23), but Chicago stayed close thanks to Butler (seven points), Gasol (six points) and guard Tony Snell (five points). Snell came off the bench after forward Doug McDermott took his spot in the Bull’s starting lineup.
NOTES: Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg hinted that a change might happen with his starting lineup, and it was a big surprise. Second-year F Doug McDermott got his first career start by replacing G/F Tony Snell. … The Bulls played without F Mike Dunleavy (back) and guard Kirk Hinrich (toe). Hinrich got an injection in his injured toe and might miss the next game Saturday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. … Thunder coach Billy Donovan had high praise for Bulls C/F Joakim Noah, who helped him win two NCAA national championships at Florida. “I love the guy,” Donovan said. “I think a lot of people see the floppy hair, the chest bumping and the passion, but I don’t think people, a lot of times, really get a chance to see him in a locker room. He’s one of the greatest teammates I’ve ever had a chance to coach.”