ATLANTA (AP) — Matas Buzelis scored 28 points to lead nine Chicago players in double figures and the Bulls outlasted the Atlanta Hawks 152-150 on Sunday in the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season.
Chicago set season highs for points in a first half and game and held on in the closing seconds in the first of two straight games in Atlanta. The teams will meet again Tuesday night.
The Bulls also were involved in the previous highest-scoring game this season, a 150-147 double-overtime loss at Utah on Nov. 16. Golden State beat Denver 162-158 on Nov. 2, 1990 in the highest-scoring regulation game in NBA history.
The Bulls topped their previous high for points in a first half in taking an 83-73 halftime lead. They scored 72 first-half points in a 128-122 loss at Cleveland on Nov. 8. The Bulls also set a season scoring high for a game, topping their total in a 150-147 loss at Utah on Nov. 16.
Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 36 points, and Trae Young had a season-high 35. The Hawks have lost three straight and seven of nine to fall back to .500 at 15-15.
Johnson’s 3-pointer with five seconds remaining gave the Bulls a 151-150 lead. Buzelis made one of two free throws with 4.2 seconds remaining before Young missed a last-second jumper.
Buzelis made a career-high seven 3-pointers in eight attempts for the hot-shooting Bulls. They have won three straight to improve to 13-15.
Onyeka Okongwu had 23 points and Vit Krejci added 20 for Atlanta.
Young started for the second time in three games after missing 21 games with a right MCL sprain. Coach Quin Snyder said Young will need a continued “acclimation process” to be ready to play back-to-back games.
Bulls guard Coby White had 21 points after being considered questionable with a sore left ankle. Josh Giddey had 19 points and 12 assists.
Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis (illness) missed his sixth straight game. The Hawks announced that two-way forward Eli Ndiaye will have season-ending surgery for a torn labrum suffered in a G League game with College Park on Dec. 9.
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