CHICAGO – Coming off one of the best performances of his career, Joakim Noah did all he could to match it.
He came up short, but not by much.
Noah finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, Carlos Boozer scored 20 and the Chicago Bulls beat the Brooklyn Nets 96-85 on Saturday night.
The Bulls went on a 19-0 run that started in the second quarter and stretched into the third, giving them an 18-point lead. And they opened March on a winning note after going 5-8 in February, just their second losing month in 2½ seasons under coach Tom Thibodeau.
“It’s been an up-and-down year,” Noah said. “But I really feel like when we’re playing our best, we can really beat a lot of people. So the potential is definitely there.”
Their superstar point guard is not playing, and to many, Chicago can forget about contending for a championship until Derrick Rose is back and dominating.
Noah understands the perception.
“It doesn’t matter,” he added. “I know the building’s always packed and they’re showing a lot of love.”
How could they not like this?
Noah followed up the third triple-double of his career with another terrific performance that also included four blocks. He committed five turnovers, but even so, it sure was impressive after Thursday’s gem, when he had 23 points, 21 rebounds and a career-high 11 blocks in a win over Philadelphia.
Boozer added eight rebounds and tied a career high with five steals. Jimmy Butler had 13 points, Nate Robinson and Kirk Hinrich scored 12 apiece, and the Bulls won their second straight after dropping seven of 10.
Brook Lopez led Brooklyn with 22 points.
76ers 104, Warriors 97
In Philadelphia, Evan Turner had 22 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, Jrue Holiday scored 27, and the 76ers snapped a seven-game losing streak with a victory over Golden State.
Stephen Curry scored 30 and Klay Thompson added 29 for the Warriors.
Bucks 122, Raptors 114 (OT)
In Milwaukee, Monta Ellis scored six of his 23 points in overtime and Ersan Ilyasova and Brandon Jennings added five apiece in the extra period to spark the Bucks to a win over Toronto.
Ilyasova finished with 29 points and 11 rebounds, while Brandon Jennings had a career-high 19 assists.
Blazers 109, Timberwolves 96
In Portland, Damian Lillard scored 24 points, J.J. Hickson added 18 points and 16 rebounds and the Trail Blazers beat Minnesota to earn only their second victory in nearly a month.
Parker to miss month
AP
San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker will be out for about a month with a left ankle sprain.
Parker, the team’s leading assist man, injured the ankle in the third period of Friday night’s win over the Sacramento Kings.
The team announced Saturday afternoon that an MRI showed Parker had a Grade 2 left ankle sprain, and will be out for “approximately four weeks.”
The 30-year-old Parker closed out February averaging 26.1 points and 8.3 assists and had shot 54 percent from the field.
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