AP
CHICAGO, January 4
Pau Gasol feels healthy and comfortable. The 34-year-old veteran even thinks he can leap higher after previously dealing with knee problems. It looks as if he is on his way to a big year with the Chicago Bulls.
Gasol had 29 points, 16 rebounds and five blocked shots, and the Bulls beat the Boston Celtics 109-104 in overtime on Saturday night.
''The last couple years, I had issues with my knees. I couldn't really jump as much as I'm jumping now,'' said Gasol, who had a career-high nine blocked shots in his previous game. ''Not that I'm jumping super high, maybe an inch more.''
Aaron Brooks added 19 points for the Bulls (24-10), who won for the ninth time in 10 games. Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose had 12 points apiece.
Evan Turner scored 24 of his 29 points after halftime, but Boston dropped to 2-6 since trading Rajon Rondo to Dallas on Dec. 18. Avery Bradley had 17 points for the Celtics (11-20).
The Bulls were without starters Jimmy Butler (bereavement leave) and Mike Dunleavy (right ankle). Rookie Nikola Mirotic scored 10 points in his first start, and Kirk Hinrich replaced Butler for the Bulls' ninth different starting lineup of the season.
''They do what they need to do to win, obviously, even when they're not playing well,'' Turner said.
The Celtics were coming off a 119-101 loss to Rondo and the Mavericks on Friday. Jared Sullinger scored 16 points in Boston's fourth consecutive road loss.
Rose stole the ball and passed to Joakim Noah, who found Gasol for a layup for a 103-99 lead with 2:21 left in overtime. Two Gasol free throws and a Rose layup extended the lead to 107-103 with 24.8 seconds left. The Bulls then held on despite going 2 for 4 at the line in the final eight seconds.
It was Gasol's 17th double-double in his first season with the Bulls. He is averaging 18 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.
''He's playing really good basketball for us and he definitely adds a very different, unique and very positive dimension to our team,'' Noah said.
The Bulls shot 37 percent from the field and committed 18 turnovers. The Celtics shot 45 percent and turned the ball over 22 times.
A Gasol jumper and free throw gave the Bulls a 98-95 lead with 1:13 left in regulation. Green made two free throws to cut the lead to one. Gibson was fouled with 22.7 seconds left and made one of two free throws, and Sullinger scored on a putback with 2.6 seconds left to tie it at 99.
Brooks then missed a 3 at the buzzer.
Spurs beat Wizards for the 17th straight time
AP
SAN ANTONIO, January 4
San Antonio point guard Cory Joseph didn't want to hinder the Spurs after battling an upper respiratory infection the past two days. He ended up hurting the Washington Wizards.
Joseph had 19 points and the Spurs overcame Washington's fast start to beat the Wizards for the 17th straight time, 101-92 on Saturday night.
Joseph opted to play despite running a high fever Friday, but he and San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich were cautious.
Instead, he provided the team with a needed boost.
San Antonio has won 14 straight games at home over Washington, but this was among the more unexpected. With Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard injured and Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili struggling, the Spurs turned to the role players that helped them win a championship last season.
Tiago Splitter scored 16 points, Patty Mills had 15 and Boris Diaw added 14 for San Antonio, which shot just 4 for 16 on 3-pointers. Ginobili had five points, and Duncan four.
Joseph was one point shy of matching his career high and also helped hold Washington point guard John Wall to 15 points on 7-for-13 shooting.
Washington shot 67 percent in the first quarter and 60 percent at the half.
But Washington scored only four points in the final 5 1/2 minutes. Bradley Beal's 3-pointer had pulled the Wizards to 91-88, but they went more than 4 minutes without scoring after that.
Beal and John Wall led the Wizards with 15 points each. Marcin Gortat and Nene had 12 apiece. With Duncan and Ginobili combining to shoot 4 for 16 from the field, the Spurs turned to their super subs from last season.
Mills opened the charge, running down a long rebound, sprinting to the left corner and rattling home a 3-pointer to give the Spurs an 18-14 lead with 6 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter. Mills would score 10 points while playing just 5 1/2 minutes in the opening quarter, including a backdoor cut for a layup off Ginobili's one-handed, whipped pass into the lane.
Mills was 3 for 5 in scoring a season-high in his fourth game since missing offseason shoulder surgery.
Diaw took over once Mills slowed in the second half.
After scoring six consecutive points for the Spurs, Diaw passed out of a double team to Belinelli a 74-73 lead.
Belinelli laid up a pass near the rim fired by Ginobili after Duncan tipped back a missed shot to the Argentine guard.
