Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic return from injuries in Bulls' victory
After missing the last 17 games due to inflammation in his right foot, Zach LaVine scored 15 points in his first game back.
CHICAGO — Coby White had 22 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and the Chicago Bulls welcomed back Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic with a 104-91 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night.
DeMar DeRozan contributed 17 points for Chicago, a team that had lost three out of the last four games. Andre Drummond secured 10 rebounds, marking his sixth game in a row with double-figure rebounds.
In his first game since Nov. 28, LaVine scored 15 points and played for nearly 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Vucevic, playing as a reserve, contributed 11 points and seven rebounds in a span of 25 minutes.
LaVine had to sit out 17 games due to inflammation in his right foot, while Vucevic was absent from the last five games because of a strained left adductor.
Although LaVine and Vucevic made a return, Alex Caruso was a last-minute withdrawal for Chicago due to a sore neck.
Bridges contributed 28 points to the Hornets’ score, concluding a 1-5 road trip. Terry Rozier managed 15 points from 5-for-17 shooting, while Cody Martin added 13 points to the tally.
Chicago widened the gap by starting the fourth quarter with a 16-4 run. Ayo Dosunmu scored a 3-pointer, added another basket, and DeRozan successfully completed a three-point play. This increased the score to 90-73 with 7:41 remaining.
At the end of the first half, LaVine asserted his dominance by executing a breakaway dunk and following it up with a 3-pointer. This put the Bulls ahead at 47-41 as they went into halftime.
White was the leading scorer for the Bulls with 11 points, while LaVine contributed nine points in the first half, playing for 15 minutes. On the other hand, Bridges was the top scorer for the Hornets with 17 points, achieved on 7-of-11 shooting.
