Butler helps Bulls pull away from Knicks

CHICAGO >> Jimmy Butler scored 23 points, Nikola Mirotic had 17 points and seven assists in one of his best games of the season, and the Chicago Bulls beat the New York Knicks 10881 on Friday night.

Pau Gasol added 17 points and eight rebounds as Chicago won for the fourth time in five games while avenging a blowout loss at New York on Dec. 19. Rookie reserve Bobby Portis had 16 points and 10 rebounds in his third consecutive game scoring in double figures.

The Bulls blew a 17-point lead before pulling away from the Knicks in the fourth quarter. Portis made two free throws, Mirotic connected from deep and Butler had a driving layup to close out a 20-6 run that made it 9779 with 4:48 left. HEAT 106, MAVERICKS 82 >> Hassan Whiteside had 25 points and 19 rebounds, Gerald Green added 19 points off the bench and Miami rolled past Dallas to snap a two-game slide.

Chris Bosh scored 16 and Goran Dragic had 15 points and seven assists for the Heat.

Miami adjusted its starting lineup shortly before tip-off when Dwyane Wade was stricken by flulike symptoms. Wade got some intravenous fluids and checked in early in the second quarter, just his 10th time playing off the bench in his 13-year career. He finished with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

Whiteside made 12 of

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16 shots, and the Heat enjoyed their biggest victory margin of the season. RAPTORS 104, HORNETS 94 >> DeMar DeRozan had 23 points and Kyle Lowry added 18 points and 11 assists as Toronto rallied to beat Charlotte.

It was the fourth double-double of the season for Lowry, who helped the Raptors come back from a seven-point deficit entering the fourth quarter and avenge a 109-99 loss in Charlotte last month.

DeMarre Carroll and Patrick Patterson both added 14 points for Toronto.

Kemba Walker had points for the Hornets. WIZARDS 103, MAGIC 91 >> John Wall scored 24 points with 13 assists, Otto Porter had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Washington extended its dominance of Orlando.

The Wizards won their 11th straight game over the improving Magic, who entered with a 13-5 record since Nov. 25, best in the Eastern Conference.

Wall had 12 points in the fourth quarter and Kris Humphries scored 11, all in the final period. Humphries’ jumper with 7:38 to play started the Wizards on a 15-3 run that gave them a 93-81 lead with 3:51 left.

Victor Oladipo led with 20 points.

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