DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine put up a show for Chicago Bulls in their home game against Washington Wizards on Sunday, which the hosts went on to win easily with a 102-82 scoreline.
While DeRozan notched up 29 points in the fourth quarter, the highest of the game, LaVine scored 27 points.
The Wizards have lost two straight games now, as they lead over Chicago for the final spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament shrank to a half-game.
Coby White scored 17 points for the Bulls, who led by as many as 21 points. Nikola Vucevic added 16 points and 13 rebounds for his 39th double-double of the season, third-most in the NBA.
Long-range shooting doomed both teams. The Bulls shot 8-for-30 (26.7 percent) from 3-point land, while the Wizards were 6-for-28 (21.4 percent).
Still, timely treys helped the Bulls close things out in the fourth quarter. White hit a three to put the hosts ahead 84-72 with 8:11 to play before LaVine connected with 3:14 to go for a 16-point lead.
Chicago earned a split of the season series with Washington, with the home team winning each of the four matchups between the teams. The first three games were decided by nine combined points.
Bradley Beal had 18 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for Washington. Daniel Gafford had a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Delon Wright (14 points) and Kyle Kuzma (10) also scored in double figures.
Chicago has limited foes to 169 points in the past two games.
The Wizards were without two starters but started strong, leading by as many as six points in the first quarter.
Washington's Kristaps Porzingis, the team's top rebounder and second-leading scorer entering Sunday, sat out with a left knee injury, while Monte Morris was held out with low back soreness. Porzingis and Morris had started each of the team's first 51 games.
It was the eighth win for the Bulls against the Wizards in last 11 matches between the two teams.
Unlike the dominating full-time scoreline, the half-time score read a close 47-45 in favour of the Bulls.
(With agency inputs)
