Ben Gordon scored 38 points and the Chicago Bulls gave the Toronto Raptors their only loss of the pre-season with a 108-97 exhibition victory on Friday night in the Windy City.
Andres Nocioni and Luol Deng scored 15 points and Kirk Hinrich added 14 for the Bulls (6-2).
Raptors centre Rasho Nesterovic, right, looks to pass while being guarded by Ben Wallace during the first quarter of Friday's pre-season game in Chicago.
(Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press)
Gordon's 38 points were a pre-season high for the Bulls. He was 12-for-12 from the free throw line, and finished the pre-season 34-for-38 from the line.
Toronto all-star forward Chris Bosh played after missing four of the last five games with soreness in his left ankle and heel. He missed his first four shots, went scoreless in the first quarter and played only four minutes in the second half, finishing with eight points.
Morris Peterson led the Raptors (7-1) with 20 points, but it wasn't enough for the Raptors to complete their first perfect pre-season in franchise history.
Chicago increased its lead to 101-93 on a Viktor Khryapas three-pointer with less than four minutes to play. Khryapas scored the Bulls' next four points with a fastbreak layup and a jumper to make it 105-93.
The Bulls posted a winning record in the pre-season for the first time since 1995-96. Chicago will open the regular season Tuesday at defending NBA champion Miami, which beat the Bulls in the first round of last season's playoffs.
Toronto opens the regular season Wednesday at New Jersey.
Gordon scored 19 points in the first quarter, making all eight of his free throws, and getting the rest with a mix of jumpers and drives.
He had four points in the second quarter, but added 10 in the third and five more in the fourth.
Related
More Basketball Headlines »
- Celtics legend Auerbach dies
- Red Auerbach, who coached the Boston Celtics to nine NBA championships and oversaw six more titles as an executive, died on Saturday in the Washington, D.C. area, the Celtics announced.
- Bulls deal Raptors 1st loss
- The Toronto Raptors suffered their first loss of the pre-season on Friday night, falling 108-97 to the Chicago Bulls to finish the exhibition schedule 6-1.
- Sonics' Swift done for season
- Seattle SuperSonics centre Robert Swift will miss the 2006-07 season with a torn ACL, while a suspension will keep forward Danny Fortson out of the season opener.
- Hawks' Williams out 2 months
- Atlanta Hawks swingman Marvin Williams broke a bone in his left hand during practice Thursday and will be out of action for up to eight weeks.
- Sonics cut Brown, Palacio
- Milt Palacio and Toronto native Denham Brown were placed on waivers Thursday by the Seattle SuperSonics.
More Sports Headlines »
- Man arrested in Berbick slaying
- A 20-year-old man was arrested Sunday in connection with the murder of former heavyweight and Canadian boxing champion Trevor Berbick.
- Canada golden at short track WC
- Canadian speed skaters continued their medal haul Sunday, winning two gold medals and a silver at the short track World Cup event in Jeonju, South Korea.
- Coyotes land Perreault
- Free-agent centre Yanic Perreault signed a one-year, $700,000 US contract with the Phoenix Coyotes on Sunday.
- Kilrea gets 1,100th junior win
- Junior hockey coaching legend Brian Kilrea reached another milestone Sunday, recording his 1,100th career victory as his Ottawa 67's defeated the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in OHL action.
- Nestor, Knowles win Swiss title
- Toronto's Daniel Nestor and partner Mark Knowles of the Bahamas won a hard-fought doubles title Sunday at the Swiss Indoors tennis event in Basel, Switzerland.
