Bulls beat Nets, snap 6-game skid

CHICAGO — Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Zach LaVine added 25 points and the Chicago Bulls beat the Brooklyn Nets 115-107 on Sunday to snap a six-game losing streak.

Tomas Satoransky had a season-high 19 points and 11 assists as Chicago won for the first time since acquiring Vucevic before the trade deadline.

“We understand it’s going to take some time, and we’ve had some guys out of the lineup,” said Vucevic, who has played five games with the Bulls.

“What I really like is it’s a motivated group of guys and they want to win. It’s all been positive. Hopefully, we can grow together and get some wins.”

Kyrie Irving had 24 points and 15 assists to lead short-handed Brooklyn, which played without James Harden and Kevin Durant. Jeff Green added 21 off the bench. The Nets had won five straight and 10 of 12.

“We couldn’t get as many stops as we needed,” Irving said. “In the second quarter, they created separation and we were playing catchup.

“You’ve got to give the Bulls credit. They came to play and they made shots.”

Brooklyn led by as many as nine points in the first quarter, but Chicago closed the gap to 28-25 and then posted a 32-18 advantage in the second for a 57-46 halftime lead. The Bulls closed the first half with a 16-5 run with Satoransky leading the way with nine points.

CELTICS 116, HORNETS 86

BOSTON — Jayson Tatum had 22 points and eight rebounds as the Celtics blew past the short-handed Hornets on Sunday.

Evan Fournier had four 3-pointers and 17 points. Robert Williams finished with 16 points and eight rebounds to help Boston post its second straight victory.

The Celtics trailed by nine in the first quarter before taking command in the third, outscoring the Hornets 40-27 for a 28point lead. Boston made 21 3-pointers.

Terry Rozier led Charlotte with 22 points and seven assists. Devonte’ Graham added 11 points. The 30-point loss is the Hornets’ worst of the season.

Charlotte was without three of its top scorers. LaMelo Ball (fractured right wrist) and Malik Monk (sprained right ankle) were joined by Gordon Hayward on the injured list Friday after he sprained his right foot in a win at Indiana.

The Hornets are 5-3 since Ball’s injury on March 20 but have lost two of their last three, with two games left on a six-game trip.

Hayward’s injury derailed his first chance to play against his former club Sunday after he declined a player option with the Celtics last offseason and was dealt to the Hornets, ending his disjointed three-year stint in Boston.