Rose puts limping Bulls back on road

CHICAGO – Derrick Rose drove hard to the rim. The defense was at its stifling, suffocating best.

More than anything, the swagger was back and so were the Bulls.

Rose scored 22 points and struggling Chicago beat the San Antonio Spurs, 104-81, on Thursday night.

The Bulls came away with a much-needed win after dropping six of eight and handed the defending champions their most lopsided loss of the season.

The Central division leaders broke this one open in the third quarter, outscoring the Spurs 31-20, and snapped San Antonio’s four-game win streak.

“It shows what we’re capable of doing,” All-Star Pau Gasol said.

Rose, who called out his team after Monday’s loss at Cleveland, led six Bulls in double figures.

He was aggressive going to the rim, hitting 9 of 16 shots. Rose played just 45 seconds in the fourth quarter because of some stiffness and the lopsided score, but he expects to suit up at Dallas on Friday.

Gasol added 12 points and 17 rebounds after being voted to his fifth All-Star game and first as a starter.

Elsewhere, Utah edged Milwaukee, 101-99; Boston nipped Portland, 90-89; and the Los Angeles Lakers clobbered the Brooklyn Nets, 123-84.

Jimmy Butler scored 17 on just nine shots. Taj Gibson added 15 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Aaron Brooks scored 15, and the Bulls snapped a three-game home losing streak.

After giving up at least 102 points in six of the previous eight games, Chicago held San Antonio to 37 percent shooting. The Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard scored all of his team-leading 16 points in the first half.

“We just played embarrassing basketball,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “I want my money back.”

Rose had it going right from the start with 15 points the first half, and Chicago headed to the locker room with a 46-40 lead that was about to get much bigger. (AP)