Griffin wins game at OT buzzer, Hawks hold off Bulls 123-122
ATLANTA (AP) — A.J. Griffin hit a 6-footer on an alley-oop pass at the overtime buzzer and the Atlanta Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 123-122 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night.
DeMar DeRozan sank three free throws with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime to finish with 33 points as it appeared the Bulls had the game wrapped up with less than a second remaining. But Griffin took the alley-oop pass from Jalen Johnson on the sideline and scored on a turnaround jumper with a defender nearby for the win.
Trae Young hit a 20-footer with 1 second left to give the Hawks a 121-119 lead in the extra period, and Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 17 of his 28 points in the first half for Atlanta.
DeRozan calmly swished the free throws after taking the inbound pass and firing up a 3 in which he was fouled by Bogdanovic.
DeRozan had 12 points in the fourth quarter but he missed a layup that would’ve given Chicago a one-point lead with 16.5 seconds remaining.
Derrick Jones Jr. hit one of two free throws that could’ve given the Bulls a one-point victory, but instead sent the game to overtime.
Young had 19 points and 14 assists for the Hawks. The team’s leading scorer this season, Young was just 5 for 18 from the field, including 2 for 8 on 3s, but his runner with 1:45 remaining gave the Hawks the lead at 107-105. He followed with a 3 to make it 110-107 with 50.6 seconds left in regulation.
One night after scoring a season-high 144 points and shooting 63.5% from the field in a lopsided win over Dallas, the Bulls shot 48%, including 28.9% on 3s.
Clint Capela got his eighth straight double-double and 16th of the season, finishing with 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Hawks.
Young has struggled lately, beginning the night 7 of his last 41 on 3s over his last six games and fourth in the league in turnovers.
TIP-INS
Bulls: G Javonte Green was cleared to play despite being listed as questionable with right knee soreness. He had two points in 11 minutes despite missing the last three games. ... G Alex Caruso (lower back contusion) stayed in Chicago to get treatment. ... G Ayo Dosunmu had an abdominal contusion late in the second quarter and didn’t return.
Hawks: G Dejounte Murray, the team’s second-leading scorer, missed his second straight game with a left ankle sprain. He is expected to be sidelined for another week and a half. ... De’Andre Hunter, who missed four straight games with a right hip flexor strain, was a game-time decision and scored 16. ... C Onyeka Okongwu, listed as questionable before the game with left foot soreness, finished with 14 points. ... F John Collins missed his fifth consecutive game with a left ankle sprain. He is expected to be out another week.
CONDOLENCES
Atlanta coach Nate McMillan paid his respects to NBA legend Paul Silas, who passed away Saturday night at 79. The Hawks held a moment of silence for Silas, a former NBA coach who played for St. Louis and Atlanta for the first five years of his career beginning in 1964-65, before the game.
“Kind of a gentle giant of a man,” McMillan said. “His respect, how he carried himself was a class act both as a player and as a coach. I was blessed and really appreciate the support he gave me when I took on the coaching role.”
UP NEXT
Bulls: Host New York on Wednesday and Friday.
Hawks: At Memphis on Monday and Orlando on Wednesday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports