Jerami Grant scored 27 points and Toumani Camara added 16 to help the visiting Portland Trail Blazers post a 121-112 victory over the struggling Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.
Robert Williams III recorded 14 points, a season-best 14 rebounds and three blocked shots and fellow reserve Vit Krejci also scored 14 points as Portland won for the sixth time in its past nine games.
Scoot Henderson had 12 points for Portland, which played without All-Star Deni Avdija (back) and big man Donovan Clingan (illness). Jrue Holiday had 10 points and seven assists while Kris Murray and backup Blake Wesley also scored 10 points.
Matas Buzelis had 20 points and seven rebounds and Tre Jones scored 19 points off the bench as Chicago dropped its 11th straight game to match the third-longest losing streak in franchise history.
Josh Giddey had 15 points, nine assists and six rebounds, Nick Richards had 14 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, and Isaac Okoro added 12 points for the Bulls.
The Trail Blazers shot 44.2% from the field, including a lowly 10 of 46 (21.7%) from 3-point range.
Chicago connected on 50% of its attempts and made 9 of 30 from behind the arc (30%). Leonard Miller scored 11 points and Collin Sexton added 10 for the Bulls, who committed 22 turnovers that led to 22 Blazers points.
The Bulls were down by 15 three minutes into the fourth quarter before making a charge with a 15-3 run.
Miller’s thunderous dunk brought Chicago within 108-105 with 3:37 remaining.
However, Grant knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:57 left and Murray scored on a dunk 30 seconds later to give the Trail Blazers a 113-105 lead.
Those five points started an 11-4 run as Portland led by 10 after two free throws by Holiday with 25.8 seconds left while closing it out.
The Bulls trailed by six at halftime but knotted the score at 75 on Giddey’s trey with 7:54 left in the third quarter.
Portland later rattled off nine straight points with Matisse Thybulle’s reverse layup giving the Trail Blazers a 91-80 advantage with 3:25 remaining in the third.
Portland held a 93-86 lead entering the fourth quarter before scoring 12 of the next 16 points. Wesley scored the last four to give the Trail Blazers a 105-90 lead with 9:02 left to play.
Grant scored 16 points as Portland led 69-63 at the break. Jones had 15 points in the half for the Bulls.
