Goran Dragic leads Heat past Bulls
CHICAGO » Goran Dragic scored 24 points and the Miami Heat followed the lowest-scoring first quarter in team history with their highest-scoring one of the season to beat the Chicago Bulls 100-93 on Sunday.
After scoring seven points in the first quarter, Miami had 38 in the second to take a 45-42 lead.
Wayne Ellington added 19 points, James Johnson had 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and Hassan Whiteside had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Jerian Grant led Chicago with 24 points. Denzel Valentine had 14 points and career highs of 13 rebounds and seven assists.
Ellington ignited the Heat after the 2-for-19 firstquarter from the field, scoring 10 points and hitting three 3-pointers as Miami shot 68.4 percent in the second quarter. TIMBERWOLVES 119, SUNS 108 » Karl-Anthony Towns had 32 points and 12 rebounds and Minnesota beat Phoenix, taking advantage of high-scoring Suns guard Devin Booker’s absence.
The Suns announced shortly before the game that Booker — who scored 35 points in Phoenix’s home victory over Minnesota on Nov. 11 —would sit out because of an injured big right toe.
Jimmy Butler had 25 points for Minnesota. Mike James had a career-high 26 points for Phoenix. NETS 98, GRIZZLIES 88 » DeMarre Carroll scored a season-high 24 points, Trevor Booker added 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Brooklyn beat Memphis to snap a three-game losing streak.
Joe Harris added 13 points for the Nets. Marc Gasol and Tyreke Evans scored 18 points apiece for Memphis. The Grizzlies have lost eight straight.