Raging Bulls

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Lauri Markkanen scored a team-high 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Chicago Bulls overcame a historic triple-double from Luka Doncic to beat the Dallas Mavericks, 117-101, on Sunday.

Garrett Temple scored 17 of his 21 points in the first half as the Bulls snapped a four-game losing streak.

The Bulls shot 50 percent in the first half and led by 19 points at one stage, en route to a 67-52 lead heading into the third quarter.

Slovenian sensation Doncic finished with 36 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists to record his 29th career triple-double to pass Michael Jordan and move into 15th spot on the all-time list.
A frustrated Doncic said the blame for the loss rested squarely on his shoulders because he played selfishly.

“The second half, I played terrible,” Doncic said.

“That’s on me, that game. I was being selfish a little bit because I had 30 points in the first half.”

“That wasn’t me in the second half. I’ve got to do way better in the second half. That’s just on me.”

Doncic shot 11-of-18 in the first half while finishing with six three-pointers.

He became only the fourth player in National Basketball Association history to record at least 35 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a game and the youngest to do so. Oscar Robertson did it five times.

The Bulls had six players in double-figure scoring as their bench outscored the Mavericks reserves, 61-22. Chicago’s ball movement was outstanding and their defense compiled a season-high 14 steals.

This was Markkanen’s second game back after missing seven because of Covid-19 protocols.

“I was a little short on my shot and trying to get my legs back,” he said.

“Conditioning-wise, I feel pretty good.”

Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points and eight rebounds for Dallas in his third game back since recovering from offseason surgery on his right knee.

Elsewhere, the New York Knicks snapped their five-game NBA losing streak in emphatic style, holding the host Celtics to a season-low total in a 105-75 blowout win.

Julius Randle scored 20 points and pulled down 12 rebounds and RJ Barrett added 19 points and 11 boards for the Knicks, who spoiled the season debut of Celtics All-Star guard Kemba Walker, absent from the first 11 games with a left-knee injury.

Walker departed in the third quarter with an apparent rib injury, but said he was happy to be back.

“It felt really good to be out there,” Walker said.