Bulls roll past Mavs 117-101 to end 4-game losing streak

Lauri Markkanen h 29 points and 10 rebounds, Garrett Temple scored 15 of his season-high 21 points in second quarter and Chicago Bulls ended a four-game losing streak with a 117-101 victory over Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.

Dallas star Luka Doncic passed Michael Jordan on career list with his 29th triple-double, finishing with 36 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists, including a behind--back pass to Willie Cauley-Stein for a dunk. Doncic is tied with Grant Hill for 15th place.

Slovenian sensation, who h 30 points at halftime, didn't get nearly eugh help with Mavericks missing five rotation players because of COVID-19 protocols and guard Tim Hardaway Jr. with a left groin strain.

“t having Hardaway hurts us,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “But we have or guys that can fill in and do job defensively and play a role within system.”

Doncic h his European sidekick in Kristaps Porzingis, who scored 20 points, after both missed a loss at Chicago this month. But 7-foot-3 Latvian was 0 of 7 from 3-point range as Dallas players t named Doncic shot 10% from deep (2 of 20).

Markkanen, in his second game back after missing seven games because of COVID-19 protocols, was 10 of 19 from field while recording season highs in points and rebounds.

“I was a little short on my shot and trying to get my legs back,” Markkanen said. “Conditioning-wise, I feel pretty good. re was a stretch in third quarter when I checked in and I felt like it was 20 seconds and I was gassed. Or than that little stretch, it was pretty good.”

Bulls, who lost all four games on ir skid by four points or fewer, took control with a 40-point second quarter and didn't let ir le get under nine points in second half.

Zach LaVine, who h 21 first-quarter points in earlier win over Dallas, didn't get his first bucket until third quarter while going 1 of 8 from field and making all eight free throws to finish with 10 points and 10 assists.

“I thought he me great decisions and he played a tremendous floor game,” coach Billy Dovan said. “He didn’t really force anything. re was a lot of things we did today where I thought re was some growth from last game.”

Dallas guard Jalen Brunson, who scored a season-high 31 points when Doncic was sidelined by a quriceps injury in Chicago, was listed as questionable on COVID-19 list and didn't play. Josh Richardson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell were out again. Carlisle said he expected Brunson to be available Monday against Toronto.

TIP-INS

Bulls: After setting a franchise record with consecutive games with at least seven 3-pointers, LaVine missed all five shots from long range. ... Bulls finished with six players in double figures. or was Wendell Carter Jr., who h 12 points, seven rebounds and five of Chicago's 14 steals.

Mavericks: During warmups for first two of two straight games on MLK Day weekend, players wore shirts that re on front, “w is time to make justice a reality for all.” back re, “hor KING.” ... Cauley-Stein and James Johnson were or double-figure scorers for Dallas with 10 points apiece.

HELP IN FOURTH

Bulls kept le in double digits throughout fourth quarter thanks in part to Otto Porter Jr., who h 12 of his 14 points in final period and finished with nine rebounds. Thdeus Young scored 15 points, with four in fourth.

GAMES PILING UP

If schedule holds, Mavericks are heed on ar three-game ro trip that will put m at 11 of ir first 15 games away from home. After that, it's ar back-to-back with a home game against Houston on Saturday. And that will be five games in seven days.

“Right w we’re entering most difficult stretch of schedule in Mavericks history,” Carlisle said.

UP NEXT

Bulls: Chicago visits Houston on Monday to finish its fourth back-to-back. Bulls have lost each of first three back ends.

Mavericks: Dallas travel to Raptors' temporary home in Tampa, Florida, on Monday in second back-to-back of season. Mavericks lost at Chicago in first game of ir or back-to-back before winning at Houston.

(Im Credit: AP)