Vucevic's double-double helps Bulls rally past Spurs
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 16 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls overcame a career-high 30 points from Tre Jones to rally for a 122-116 victory Saturday over the San Antonio Spurs, who sat Victor Wembanyama.
Ayo Dosunmu added 21 points and DeMar DeRozan had 20 for Chicago.
Keldon Johnson had 26 points as San Antonio's two-game winning streak ended. Jones added nine rebounds and four assists.
Wembanyama did not play the second game of a back-to-back. The Spurs continue to proceed cautiously with the No. 1 pick following a sprained ankle he sustained Dec. 23 in Dallas. San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said Wembanyama should be re-evaluated within two weeks, but he will not play both games of a back-to-back Jan. 19 in Charlotte and Jan. 20 in Washington.
Devin Vassell, the Spurs’ second-leading scorer, struggled offensively as Wembanyama watched in a turtleneck from the bench. Vassell finished with five points on 1-for-13 shooting.
Jones stepped up with four 3-pointers, all in the first half. Jones, who entered 16 for 68 on 3-pointers this season, finished 4 for 6 on 3s.
San Antonio went on an 12-0 run punctuated by Blake Wesley’s one-handed slam that cut Chicago’s lead to 90-88 with two minutes remaining in the third quarter. Johnson hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute of the third to tie the game at 94.
Chicago closed the first quarter on a 16-5 run in taking a 13-point lead. San Antonio is 2-26 this season when trailing by double digits.
It was a rare third meeting in the regular season between the Bulls of the Eastern Conference and Spurs of the West, but one necessitated by the inaugural In-Season Tournament.
UP NEXT
Bulls: At Houston on Saturday.
Spurs: At Cleveland on Sunday.