Ball and Bridges lead Hornets to wild 125-123 win over Bulls
Ball and Bridges lead Hornets to wild 125-123 win over Bulls
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, left, guards against his brother, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1), during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, left, and his brother, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2), greet each other after an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) blocks a shot by his brother, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2), during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu, center, handles the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) shoots during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) guards against Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) who looks to shoot during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2), right, guards brother Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball takes a free throw during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8), left, grabs a loose ball from Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) makes a shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, left, guards against his brother, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1), during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, left, guards against his brother, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1), during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, left, and his brother, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2), greet each other after an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, left, and his brother, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2), greet each other after an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) blocks a shot by his brother, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2), during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) blocks a shot by his brother, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2), during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu, center, handles the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu, center, handles the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) shoots during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) shoots during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) guards against Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) who looks to shoot during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) guards against Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) who looks to shoot during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2), right, guards brother Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2), right, guards brother Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball takes a free throw during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball takes a free throw during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8), left, grabs a loose ball from Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8), left, grabs a loose ball from Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) makes a shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) makes a shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
CHICAGO (AP) — LaMelo Ball scored 26 points, Miles Bridges had 21 and the Charlotte Hornets held on for a wild 125-123 win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.
Mark Williams scored 19 points and grabbed 19 rebounds for the Hornets, who rallied to win a second straight game for just the second time this season. Charlotte has won three of four after a 10-game skid.
Charlotte won without Brandon Miller, the Hornets’ No. 2 scorer, and the team announced after the game he has a torn ligament in his right wrist. Miller, who’s averaging a career-high 21 points, will be out indefinitely.
Nikola Vucevic scored a season high 40 points — including 17 in the fourth quarter — and had 13 rebounds, but Chicago dropped a season-high fourth straight.
Zach Lavine scored 19 points and Coby White added 18 for the Bulls. Lonzo Ball, playing against his younger brother, had 6 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Charlotte opened the fourth quarter with a 21-2 run to build a 119-105 lead. Chicago then pushed back with a 12-0 streak of its own.
Chicago cut Charlotte’s lead to one point — 122-121 — on Vucevic’s hook with 1:47 left, but Ball hit two free throws seconds later. Vucevic followed with a basket from the stripe to cut it to a 1-point deficit again before Vasa Micic hit one of two free throws with 12.6 seconds left.
Vucevic missed a 3-point attempt with 6 seconds left, then LaVine missed a shot off the rebound.
Takeaways
Hornets: Charlotte will need to continue to get contributions throughout the roster to help make up for the loss of Miller.
Bulls: Chicago showed some life following a 110-94 home loss to depleted Atlanta on Wednesday.
Key moment
The Hornets seemingly put it away with a 21-2 run to start the fourth quarter and took a 115-105 lead. Chicago didn’t score in the quarter until Vucevic sank a hook 4:26 into the period.
The Bulls were down by as much as 12 in the first half before storming back to lead 103-98 after three quarters.
Key stat
Lonzo Ball, 27, played against younger brother LaMelo, 23, for the fourth time in the NBA.
Up next
Hornets: Host Dallas on Monday.
Bulls: Open a three-game trip at Portland on Sunday.
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