NBA News Wire
Hornets 101, Bulls 91
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Guard Gerald Henderson scored 20 points to lead seven players in double figures and the Charlotte Hornets dominated the second half for a 101-91 win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.
The Hornets trailed 40-21 two minutes into the second quarter but roared back from there and eventually led by as many as 18 in the fourth quarter. They outscored Chicago 25-10 in the third quarter and 16-6 to open the fourth.
The Hornets (29-35) snapped a two-game losing streak. They held a 55-36 rebound edge, with 17 offensive rebounds and 27 second-chance points.
Guard Mo Williams scored 18 points, forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 13, forward Marvin Williams had 12 and centers Jason Maxiell and Bismack Biyombo and guard Kemba Walker all contributed 10. Biyombo also had 10 rebounds.
Both teams were missing key players.
The Bulls were without guard Jimmy Butler (wrist), forward Taj Gibson (ankle) and guard Derrick Rose (knee) because of injuries, but they got forward Joakim Noah back after a one-game absence.
The Hornets played without center Al Jefferson (knee) and forward Cody Zeller (shoulder).
Guard Aaron Brooks led the Bulls with 24 points. Center Pau Gasol scored 18, forward Tony Snell 17, forward Nikola Mirotic 15 and forward Doug McDermott 13.
Chicago (40-27) has lost four of its last five.
The Bulls hit their first six 3-pointers in the first quarter and were 11 of 13 from 3-point range at one point and finished 15 of 32 on 3-pointers. But they shot just 37.8 percent from the field.
Chicago led 35-19 after one quarter and 60-52 at halftime.
Charlotte led 77-70 after three quarters. Its biggest lead came at 95-77.
NOTES: The teams split the previous two games this season. The Bulls won 102-95 in Charlotte on Dec. 3, the Hornets won in Chicago 98-86 on Feb. 25. The teams will meet again in Chicago on March 23. … The Bulls were playing the second game on a three-game trip. It started with a 104-95 overtime win at Philadelphia on Wednesday and will end at Oklahoma City on Sunday afternoon. … Bulls F Pau Gasol had 27 points and 16 rebounds at Philadelphia, giving him an NBA-high 44 double-doubles this season. … Hornets C Bismack Biyombo was back in the starting lineup in place of injured C Al Jefferson. … The Hornets are 10-4 when Biyombo starts. … Bulls F Nikola Mirotic was averaging 20.1 points per game in his previous seven games. … The Hornets have had nine sellouts at Time Warner Cable Arena this season, which is two more than the previous two seasons combined. Charlotte ranks 16th in the NBA in attendance after finishing 25th last season. … The Hornets closed out a three-game homestand. They now head west for an eight-day trip, starting Monday at Utah. They’ll also play the Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento, Minnesota and Chicago.
