CHICAGO – The Bulls got Derrick Rose back on Monday.
They only really needed the reigning league MVP for nine first-quarter minutes. It took that long for the Bulls to build a double-digit lead. The advantage would grow to as many as 21 points en route to the Bulls’ 90-79 victory over the Hawks at the United Center.
Despite a fourth-quarter charge, the Hawks lost for the seventh time in the past 10 games. The seven losses, all in February after a 13-5 January, have come by an average of 14 points.
The Hawks (19-13) fell to 1-3 on their five-game road trip. They slipped to sixth in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind the idle Pacers, and third in the Southeast Division behind the Heat and Magic.
Rose, who missed five games with back spasms, scored nine of his game-high 23 points in the first quarter. The Bulls (26-8) led 35-17 after the first 12 minutes. The 35 points were the highest allowed in the opening quarter by the Hawks this season, eclipsing the 33 points the same Bulls scored to start the Jan. 7 contest.
“This game tonight was decided in the first quarter,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “We gave up 35 points in the first quarter and from that point on I felt we played much better. When you step out on the court, I don’t care who you play, you have to be prepared. Games are won and lost, sometimes in the first quarter, sometimes at the end of the game, but you have to be prepared to play for four quarters.”
The Bulls lead was 21 by midway through the second quarter. The Hawks trailed 55-37 at the half and only a Willie Green jumper in the final seconds prevented them from tying the season-low 35 first-half points scored against the Pistons on Jan. 27.
The Bulls held a 13-1 offensive rebound advantage and a 30-13 overall rebound edge after the first half.
“I don’t know, man,” Josh Smith said of the Hawk’s lack of motivation. “We are all in this foxhole together. Nobody is to blame but everybody. We all have to put ourselves in one foxhole and we have to figure it out together.”
The Bulls kept their lead around the 20-point mark until midway through the third quarter when the Hawks made a late charge. Led in large part by Jannero Pargo, the Hawks used a 23-8 run into the fourth quarter to pull within six points, 78-72, on a Tracy McGrady 3-pointer. McGrady had a chance to trim the lead but he missed both free-throw attempts after being fouled. The Hawks would get as close as five points at 80-75 on a McGrady basket with 5:07 remaining. However, they scored just four points the remainder of the game.
“Our guys came out in the second half and played harder,” Drew said. “Going into halftime I was very disappointed. I just didn’t think we were playing very inspired basketball. We had a discussion at halftime about that. I just couldn’t put my finger on it. When you are playing a team like Chicago, ESPN game and there is no motivation there. If you can’t get inspired to play a game like that something is wrong with you.”
Pargo had a team-high 19 points, including five 3-pointers, for the Hawks. Smith finished with 17 points on 7-of-21 shooting. Joe Johnson, who left in the third quarter with an injured left knee, had 12 points.
“I’m in a position to do whatever it takes to help my team win,” said Pargo, who had season-highs in points and minutes in his hometown. “If it’s hitting shots, that’s good too but it could also be playing solid defense, by moving the ball around.”
Rose finished with a game-high 23 points. The Bulls also got double-figures from Carlos Boozer (16), Ronnie Brewer (13), Luol Deng (10) and John Lucas (10).
“Getting down 18, 20 points and trying to come back, it’s going to be a long night,” Green said. “It’s tough to win like that in the NBA.”
The Hawks’ road trip ends Wednesday against the Knicks. They host the Magic the following night in the second of a road-home back-to-back.
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