Bulls lose and given scare with Rose injury.
On a busy night of NBA action on Friday, the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers extended their winning streak to nine games as they move away at the top of the Western Conference.
Portland entertained the Chicago Bulls and secured a 98-95 win, with Wesley Matthews and Damian Lillard starring with 28 and 20 points respectively.
In contrast, it was a night to forget for the Bulls who also lost Derrick Rose to injury, with the point guard suffering a knee injury in the third quarter and leaving the arena on crutches.
Nevertheless, the Blazers remain at the top of the Western Conference with the Spurs who secured a 102-86 win over the Memphis Grizzlies with Tony Parker ending with a team-high of 20 points.
Gregg Popovich will be delighted with the chance to rest key players and use his entire roster, with Manu Ginobili and Marco Belinelli particularly shining off the bench.
Elsewhere, there was a thrilling overtime win for the Philadelphia 76ers who beat the Milwaukee Bucks 115-107 with Spencer Hawes adding 25 points including a late three to force the game beyond regulation.
There was another win for the Indiana Pacers who move to 11-1 for the season, with Paul George ending with a game-high 27 points.
However, it wasn’t such a successful night for the Brooklyn Nets who slipped into further trouble following their 111-81 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
While their opponents have started the season in impressive fashion and have the benefit of consistency in terms of players, Jason Kidd will continue to feel the pressure with the Bucks the only team in the East who are worse off than Brooklyn’s 3-9 record.
In the late game, the Los Angeles Lakers sealed a confidence-boosting win over the Golden State Warriors who lost Andre Iguodala to a hamstring injury.
With Kobe Bryant expected to return in the coming weeks, the Lakers have performed well in his absence and will hope that his comeback will spark them into securing a place in the post season.
NBA Results:
Phoenix Suns 98-91 Charlotte Bobcats
Milwaukee Bucks 107-115 Philadelphia 76ers
Washington Wizards 88-96 Toronto Raptors
Indiana Pacers 97-82 Boston Celtics
Atlanta Hawks 96-89 Detroit Pistons
San Antonio Spurs 102-86 Memphis Grizzlies
Brooklyn Nets 81-111 Minnesota Timberwolves
Cleveland Cavaliers 100-104 New Orleans Pelicans
Utah Jazz 93-103 Dallas Mavericks
Chicago Bulls 95-98 Portland Trail Blazers
Golden State Warriors 95-102 Los Angeles Lakers
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