Ben Gordon scored 19 points in 21 minutes to
lead the Chicago Bulls to a 99-67 pre-season victory over the San
Antonio Spurs on Thursday night.
Although the new-look Bulls (4-0) used eight players who were not
with the team last season, Gordon and the other holdovers led the
way.
Gordon was 7-of-12 from the field, including making five of his
first six shots. Kirk Hinrich scored 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting
and had five assists in 19 minutes.
With the Spurs trailing by six points, Gordon and Hinrich scored
the Bulls' first 12 points in the third quarter when Chicago scored
14 straight points.
Tim Duncan scored 11 points in 12 minutes for the Spurs (2-2).
None of the Spurs' starters played beyond the first quarter.
The last time the Bulls had an undefeated pre-season was before
the 1992-93 season when Chicago won a third straight NBA title
before Michael Jordan retired for the first time and played
baseball.
Chicago has four games remaining in the pre-season.
The Bulls' new additions also contributed. Ben Wallace, the
Bulls' key free agent signing from Detroit, had 10 rebounds, half
coming on the offensive end. First-round draft choices Tyrus Thomas
and Thabo Sefolosha each hit double figures with Thomas scoring 11
and Sefolosha adding 10.
The Bulls' starters built a 10-point first-quarter lead against
the Spurs' starters before getting their first rest not long after
coach Scott Skiles got a technical foul.
Referee Leon Wood made the call 6:22 into the game when Skiles
walked past half-court and argued that Duncan should have been
called for travelling when he fell in the lane.
The starters for both teams played the first eight minutes, and
Chicago led 23-13 at the first substitution.