Bulls erase 15-point deficit, finish with 13-0 surge to beat Suns 124-117

Phoenix's fast start did not last

For a quarter, the Suns looked ready to run away with it. Phoenix trailed 24-23 with just under four minutes left in the first, then ripped off a 17-5 finish to seize a 40-29 lead. Dillon Brooks drove that burst with a sharp shooting night that started early, while Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin added late buckets and threes as the Bulls briefly lost the handle on the game.

The lead stretched to 48-33 in the second quarter when Oso Ighodaro finished three straight scores inside, but Chicago never let the margin harden. Caleb Wilson and Buddy Hield kept answering, Leonard Miller scored at the rim and from deep, and Norman Powell supplied the quickest jolt of all with two late threes. By halftime, what had threatened to become a rout was down to 64-62.

That reset the shape of the night. Phoenix still had the better opening punch and eventually finished with a slight edge on the glass, 38-35, but Chicago had already shown the formula it would need: move the ball, keep multiple scorers involved and turn the Suns' mistakes into points before the game tilted too far.

Williams flips the third quarter

The Suns tried to reclaim control immediately after the break. Brooks scored on a turnaround, a dunk and two free throws during an 8-0 opening run, and Jalen Green added a jumper as Phoenix pushed the score to 70-62. Later in the quarter, Brooks kept piling on from the line to make it 79-71, a reminder of how efficient he was all night in a 24-point outing on 7-of-9 shooting.

Chicago's response was steadier than spectacular, which suited the game. Josh Giddey hit a three, Matas Buzelis finished twice in close, Jalen Smith scored on a jumper and a dunk, and Tobe Awaka supplied second-chance muscle with a tip shot and free throws. When Buddy Hield and Patrick Williams connected from beyond the arc in the final minute of the quarter, the Bulls had turned an eight-point deficit into a one-point lead.

Williams' three with 30 seconds left put Chicago ahead 91-90, its first lead since the opening quarter, and Dailyn Swain's two free throws at the horn made it 93-90. The Bulls won the third 31-26, and the shift was built less on one dominant scorer than on the accumulation of useful possessions. Seven Chicago players eventually reached double figures, and that breadth kept Phoenix from keying on one name.

Our take

The fourth quarter stayed loose until the Bulls finally found a closing run. Pat Spencer's three tied the game at 106-106 with 5:25 left, and Jamaree Bouyea put Phoenix back in front at 108-106 on the next push. From there, Chicago produced the sequence that decided the night: Drew Peterson hit a three, Noa Essengue made two free throws, Brandon Boston Jr. scored inside, Awaka converted at the rim, Caleb Wilson added another basket and Miller finished a layup for a 119-108 lead with 1:09 remaining.

Phoenix still had one last nudge. Ryan Dunn scored with 24.5 seconds left, and Spencer buried a three with 4.3 seconds on the clock to trim the gap to four. Chicago had already done the hard part by then. Miller's alley-oop dunk from Swain at 13.4 seconds blunted the comeback bid, and Miller's layup plus free throw with 0.7 seconds left closed the scoring at 124-117.

This was not polished basketball. The Bulls committed 24 turnovers and gave up 30 points off them, which will temper any celebration inside a seven-point win. But Chicago survived the disorder better because it paired balance with efficiency: 30 assists on 42 made field goals, 50.6 per cent shooting overall and 28-of-32 at the free-throw line. Phoenix will look first at its own giveaways. The Suns handed over the ball 26 times, and those errors became 36 Chicago points. That undercut a strong first quarter, Brooks' excellent night and enough interior production to match the Bulls 52-52 in points in the paint. When the game tightened, Chicago's passing and late execution held up better than Phoenix's shot at control.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 11:43

   Norman Powell makes 27-foot three point jumper (Josh Giddey assists)

2. 1st Quarter · 11:23

   Jalen Green makes 24-foot three pointer (Dillon Brooks assists)

3. 1st Quarter · 10:58

   Matas Buzelis makes driving layup

4. 1st Quarter · 10:21

   Jalen Smith makes 27-foot three point jumper (Josh Giddey assists)

5. 1st Quarter · 10:02

   Jalen Smith makes dunk

6. 1st Quarter · 9:40

   Dillon Brooks makes 6-foot turnaround jump shot

7. 1st Quarter · 9:25

   Norman Powell makes free throw 1 of 3

8. 1st Quarter · 9:25

   Norman Powell makes free throw 2 of 3

9. 1st Quarter · 9:25

   Norman Powell makes free throw 3 of 3

10. 1st Quarter · 9:17

    Devin Booker makes 20-foot jumper (Dillon Brooks assists)

11. 1st Quarter · 9:02

    Matas Buzelis makes driving layup (Josh Giddey assists)

12. 1st Quarter · 8:33

    Matas Buzelis makes layup

13. 1st Quarter · 8:24

    Dillon Brooks makes 23-foot three point jumper (Miles Bridges assists)

14. 1st Quarter · 7:58

    Miles Bridges makes two point shot

15. 1st Quarter · 7:58

    Miles Bridges makes free throw 1 of 1

16. 1st Quarter · 7:45

    Jalen Smith makes free throw 2 of 2

17. 1st Quarter · 7:24

    Jalen Green makes 8-foot fade away jump shot

18. 1st Quarter · 6:57

    Oso Ighodaro makes alley oop dunk (Jalen Green assists)

19. 1st Quarter · 6:48

    Matas Buzelis makes free throw 1 of 2

20. 1st Quarter · 6:48

    Matas Buzelis makes free throw 2 of 2

21. 1st Quarter · 6:01

    Caleb Wilson makes 21-foot pullup jump shot

22. 1st Quarter · 5:52

    Dillon Brooks makes 25-foot three point jumper (Khaman Maluach assists)

23. 1st Quarter · 5:12

    Jalen Green makes free throw 2 of 2

24. 1st Quarter · 4:20

    Dillon Brooks makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jordan Goodwin assists)

25. 1st Quarter · 3:59

    Dailyn Swain makes 2-foot running dunk

26. 1st Quarter · 3:30

    Jordan Goodwin makes driving layup (Luke Kennard assists)

27. 1st Quarter · 2:58

    Collin Gillespie makes 28-foot three pointer

28. 1st Quarter · 2:58

    Khaman Maluach makes free throw 1 of 2

29. 1st Quarter · 2:30

    Jordan Goodwin makes 25-foot three point jumper (Collin Gillespie assists)

30. 1st Quarter · 1:37

    Collin Gillespie makes 26-foot three pointer

31. 1st Quarter · 1:09

    Khaman Maluach makes layup (Jordan Goodwin assists)

32. 1st Quarter · 58.0

    Jalen Smith makes 24-foot three point jumper (Isaac Okoro assists)

33. 1st Quarter · 32.3

    Collin Gillespie makes 14-foot two point shot

34. 1st Quarter · 17.3

    Josh Giddey makes free throw 1 of 2

35. 1st Quarter · 17.3

    Josh Giddey makes free throw 2 of 2

36. 2nd Quarter · 11:37

    Norman Powell makes free throw 1 of 3

37. 2nd Quarter · 11:37

    Norman Powell makes free throw 2 of 3

38. 2nd Quarter · 11:16

    Luke Kennard makes 2-foot layup (Oso Ighodaro assists)

39. 2nd Quarter · 10:30

    Caleb Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2

40. 2nd Quarter · 10:30

    Caleb Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2

41. 2nd Quarter · 10:16

    Oso Ighodaro makes alley oop dunk (Luke Kennard assists)

42. 2nd Quarter · 10:00

    Oso Ighodaro makes running layup (Luke Kennard assists)

43. 2nd Quarter · 9:30

    Oso Ighodaro makes 1-foot running dunk (Luke Kennard assists)

44. 2nd Quarter · 8:57

    Caleb Wilson makes running dunk (Buddy Hield assists)

45. 2nd Quarter · 8:18

    Luke Kennard makes driving layup

46. 2nd Quarter · 7:43

    Buddy Hield makes driving layup

47. 2nd Quarter · 7:43

    Buddy Hield makes free throw 1 of 1

48. 2nd Quarter · 7:23

    Caleb Wilson makes two point shot (Dailyn Swain assists)

49. 2nd Quarter · 7:23

    Caleb Wilson makes free throw 1 of 1

50. 2nd Quarter · 7:12

    Devin Booker makes 17-foot pullup jump shot (Oso Ighodaro assists)

51. 2nd Quarter · 6:22

    Jalen Green makes free throw 1 of 2

52. 2nd Quarter · 6:22

    Jalen Green makes free throw 2 of 2

53. 2nd Quarter · 6:06

    Isaac Okoro makes driving layup (Caleb Wilson assists)

54. 2nd Quarter · 5:59

    Devin Booker makes free throw 1 of 2

55. 2nd Quarter · 5:59

    Devin Booker makes free throw 2 of 2

56. 2nd Quarter · 5:29

    Dailyn Swain makes 1-foot running dunk (Leonard Miller assists)

57. 2nd Quarter · 5:01

    Rasheer Fleming makes two point shot

58. 2nd Quarter · 4:53

    Buddy Hield makes free throw 1 of 2

59. 2nd Quarter · 4:53

    Buddy Hield makes free throw 2 of 2

60. 2nd Quarter · 4:34

    Khaman Maluach makes free throw 1 of 2

61. 2nd Quarter · 4:15

    Leonard Miller makes free throw 1 of 2

62. 2nd Quarter · 4:15

    Leonard Miller makes free throw 2 of 2

63. 2nd Quarter · 3:44

    Leonard Miller makes reverse layup (Norman Powell assists)

64. 2nd Quarter · 2:29

    Jalen Green makes driving layup

65. 2nd Quarter · 2:05

    Matas Buzelis makes layup (Jalen Smith assists)

66. 2nd Quarter · 1:22

    Leonard Miller makes 25-foot three point jumper (Josh Giddey assists)

67. 2nd Quarter · 1:13

    Devin Booker makes free throw 2 of 2

68. 2nd Quarter · 1:04

    Norman Powell makes 25-foot three point jumper (Josh Giddey assists)

69. 2nd Quarter · 41.8

    Dillon Brooks makes 1-foot running dunk (Collin Gillespie assists)

70. 2nd Quarter · 31.8

    Norman Powell makes 25-foot three point jumper (Matas Buzelis assists)

71. 3rd Quarter · 11:50

    Dillon Brooks makes 4-foot turnaround jump shot (Devin Booker assists)

72. 3rd Quarter · 11:24

    Dillon Brooks makes driving dunk (Jalen Green assists)

73. 3rd Quarter · 10:53

    Jalen Green makes 11-foot turnaround jump shot

74. 3rd Quarter · 10:21

    Dillon Brooks makes free throw 1 of 2

75. 3rd Quarter · 10:21

    Dillon Brooks makes free throw 2 of 2

76. 3rd Quarter · 10:06

    Josh Giddey makes 25-foot three pointer

77. 3rd Quarter · 9:26

    Matas Buzelis makes 3-foot two point shot (Isaac Okoro assists)

78. 3rd Quarter · 9:04

    Dillon Brooks makes free throw 1 of 2

79. 3rd Quarter · 8:52

    Matas Buzelis makes 1-foot driving dunk (Josh Giddey assists)

80. 3rd Quarter · 8:24

    Devin Booker makes 5-foot pullup jump shot

81. 3rd Quarter · 7:56

    Jalen Smith makes two point shot

82. 3rd Quarter · 7:44

    Devin Booker makes free throw 1 of 2

83. 3rd Quarter · 7:44

    Devin Booker makes free throw 2 of 2

84. 3rd Quarter · 7:00

    Dillon Brooks makes free throw 1 of 2

85. 3rd Quarter · 7:00

    Dillon Brooks makes free throw 2 of 2

86. 3rd Quarter · 6:42

    Jalen Smith makes dunk (Josh Giddey assists)

87. 3rd Quarter · 5:39

    Tobe Awaka makes tip shot

88. 3rd Quarter · 5:18

    Josh Giddey makes free throw 1 of 2

89. 3rd Quarter · 5:18

    Josh Giddey makes free throw 2 of 2

90. 3rd Quarter · 5:10

    Dillon Brooks makes free throw 1 of 2

91. 3rd Quarter · 5:10

    Dillon Brooks makes free throw 2 of 2

92. 3rd Quarter · 4:57

    Dailyn Swain makes 14-foot jumper

93. 3rd Quarter · 4:08

    Luke Kennard makes driving layup (Khaman Maluach assists)

94. 3rd Quarter · 3:32

    Tobe Awaka makes free throw 2 of 2

95. 3rd Quarter · 3:21

    Luke Kennard makes free throw 1 of 2

96. 3rd Quarter · 3:21

    Luke Kennard makes free throw 2 of 2

97. 3rd Quarter · 2:57

    Patrick Williams makes 24-foot three point jumper (Buddy Hield assists)

98. 3rd Quarter · 2:43

    Collin Gillespie makes 24-foot three pointer (Khaman Maluach assists)

99. 3rd Quarter · 2:29

    Tobe Awaka makes dunk (Noa Essengue assists)

100. 3rd Quarter · 1:51

     Collin Gillespie makes free throw 1 of 2

101. 3rd Quarter · 1:24

     Rasheer Fleming makes free throw 2 of 2

102. 3rd Quarter · 1:08

     Buddy Hield makes 26-foot three pointer (Leonard Miller assists)

103. 3rd Quarter · 30.0

     Patrick Williams makes 23-foot three point jumper (Buddy Hield assists)

104. 3rd Quarter · 0.3

     Dailyn Swain makes free throw 1 of 2

105. 3rd Quarter · 0.3

     Dailyn Swain makes free throw 2 of 2

106. 4th Quarter · 11:41

     Tobe Awaka makes driving layup (Dailyn Swain assists)

107. 4th Quarter · 11:25

     Khaman Maluach makes layup (Ryan Dunn assists)

108. 4th Quarter · 11:09

     Caleb Wilson makes 15-foot turnaround jump shot (Dailyn Swain assists)

109. 4th Quarter · 10:52

     Jamaree Bouyea makes 1-foot two point shot (Khaman Maluach assists)

110. 4th Quarter · 9:55

     Dailyn Swain makes free throw 1 of 2

111. 4th Quarter · 9:55

     Dailyn Swain makes free throw 2 of 2

112. 4th Quarter · 9:43

     Jamaree Bouyea makes driving layup

113. 4th Quarter · 8:54

     Caleb Wilson makes driving layup (Dailyn Swain assists)

114. 4th Quarter · 8:19

     Tobe Awaka makes 15-foot two point shot (Dailyn Swain assists)

115. 4th Quarter · 7:58

     Jamaree Bouyea makes 23-foot three point jumper (Pat Spencer assists)

116. 4th Quarter · 7:42

     Ryan Dunn makes layup

117. 4th Quarter · 6:07

     Tobe Awaka makes 24-foot three point jumper (Drew Peterson assists)

118. 4th Quarter · 5:55

     Khaman Maluach makes free throw 1 of 2

119. 4th Quarter · 5:55

     Khaman Maluach makes free throw 2 of 2

120. 4th Quarter · 5:25

     Pat Spencer makes 26-foot running jump shot (Jamaree Bouyea assists)

121. 4th Quarter · 4:42

     Jamaree Bouyea makes 1-foot running dunk

122. 4th Quarter · 4:26

     Drew Peterson makes 26-foot three point jumper (Noa Essengue assists)

123. 4th Quarter · 3:51

     Noa Essengue makes free throw 1 of 2

124. 4th Quarter · 3:51

     Noa Essengue makes free throw 2 of 2

125. 4th Quarter · 2:58

     Brandon Boston Jr. makes two point shot

126. 4th Quarter · 2:25

     Tobe Awaka makes driving layup (Caleb Wilson assists)

127. 4th Quarter · 2:06

     Caleb Wilson makes two point shot

128. 4th Quarter · 1:19

     Koa Peat makes two point shot

129. 4th Quarter · 1:09

     Leonard Miller makes driving layup (Drew Peterson assists)

130. 4th Quarter · 59.6

     Pat Spencer makes free throw 1 of 2

131. 4th Quarter · 59.6

     Pat Spencer makes free throw 2 of 2

132. 4th Quarter · 24.5

     Ryan Dunn makes driving layup (Jamaree Bouyea assists)

133. 4th Quarter · 13.4

     Leonard Miller makes alley oop dunk (Dailyn Swain assists)

134. 4th Quarter · 4.3

     Pat Spencer makes 25-foot three point jumper (Ryan Dunn assists)

135. 4th Quarter · 0.7

     Leonard Miller makes layup (Drew Peterson assists)

136. 4th Quarter · 0.7

     Leonard Miller makes free throw 1 of 1