Bulls bring Warriors to their knees
Los Angeles, March 3: Golden State, adjusting to life without injured Kevin Durant, fell to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, just the second time in nearly two years the Warriors have suffered back-to-back NBA regular-season defeats.
Jimmy Butler scored 22 points to lead four Bulls players in double-figures in the 9487 triumph.
The Warriors had fallen 112108 to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday when Durant limped out of the game in the first quarter with what was later diagnosed as a left knee ligament sprain and bone bruise.
The former NBA Most Valuable Player will be sidelined indefinitely, although the Warriors, who have already secured a playoff berth, have not ruled out a return before the end of the regular season.
Curry led the Warriors with 23 points, but he and “Splash Brother” team-mate Klay Thompson combined to make just three of 22 three-point attempts.
Veteran Dwyane Wade scored 12 points for Chicago, putting the Bulls up 88-85 with 2:16 remaining.
Elsewhere, Damian Lillard scored 33 points as the Portland Trail Blazers used a 16-0 surge late in the game to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 114109 at Moda Center.
Lillard led a half dozen Blazers in double figures as the Portland improved to 2535 on the season and won for only the third time in 10 games. Jusuf Nurkic tallied 18 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for the Blazers.
Russell Westbrook scored 45 points for Oklahoma City but made only 12 of 36 shots from the field. He added eight rebounds and four assists.