Luol Deng registered a career-high 40 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to 110-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.
Deng led the way with 16 points in the first quarter to give his team a 32-21 advantage and the Bulls (2-1) kicked on from there to pick up a second straight win.
Point-guard Derrick Rose, who had carried the team with 67 points over the first two games, chipped in with 16 points and 13 assists as Chicago blazed to 60 percent shooting from the field.
“Derrick was terrific,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. “He got a fast pace to the game. He got us easy opportunities. He’s reading what’s happening. They trapped him more and he made the right play.”
LaMarcus Aldridge scored a team-high 33 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Blazers (3-1), who suffered their first defeat of the new season.
Portland was looking for its first 4-0 start to the season since the 1999-2000 campaign but were never in contention to match that feat thanks to the hot-shooting Deng.
The Chicago forward made 14 of 19 shots from the field to eclipse his previous career high of 38 points, also scored against the Blazers in 2007.
Portland pulled within 56-47 at halftime but could get no closer in the second half. Leading scorer Brandon Roy struggled to 17 points on just 4-for-12 shooting.
Chicago center Joakim Noah, off to a strong start after signing a new contract with the team in the off-season, recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds in the win.
SPURS 97, CLIPPERS 88
In Los Angeles, San Antonio beat Los Angeles for the 17th straight time, dropping the Clippers to a 0-4 record.
Tony Parker had 19 points and nine assists for the Spurs, while Richard Jefferson scored 18 points.
San Antonio’s reserves outscored their Clippers counterparts 25-0 before Al-Farouq Aminu got the first points by the Los Angeles bench in the fourth quarter.
Eric Gordon had 23 points and a career-high 11 assists for the Clippers, who have won only one of their past 26 against the Spurs.
KINGS 111, RAPTORS 108
In Sacramento, the hosts rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat Toronto.
The Kings have won their past five home openers.
Tyreke Evans scored 23 points and Beno Udrih added 17 for Sacramento.
Andrea Bargnani scored 28 points to lead the Raptors.
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