Gordon sparks Bulls
SEATTLE — With the game in the balance, Chicago’s Ben Gordon has a good time.
The rookie guard scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, including a runner with 12.1 seconds left that put Chicago ahead for good, to lead the Bulls to a 100-97 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics Friday night.
“I’ve been playing ball my whole life, and you look forward to situations like that. I look at that situation as fun,” said Gordon, who posted a double-digit point total in the fourth quarter for a league-leading 18th time this season. “I was just trying to make it. I made up for the other shots I missed a little earlier.”
The Sonics lost their third in a row for the first time all season, while Chicago extended its winning streak to three games.
The Bulls led by as many as seven in the fourth quarter, 78-71 with 10:28 to play, but Seattle grabbed a 97-96 lead on a layup by Nick Collison with 20.7 seconds left.
Gordon then put the Bulls ahead with a 14-footer.
On Seattle’s next possession, Ray Allen had his 20-foot jumper blocked by Tyson Chandler. Chris Duhon recovered the loose ball and was fouled. Duhon made 1 of 2 free throws to give Chicago a two-point lead with 4.5 seconds left.
Still with a chance to tie, Rashard Lewis was fouled under the basket by Eddie Curry with 1.2 seconds left.
Lewis missed the first and then missed the second intentionally, and Chandler rebounded, was fouled and made a free throw for the final margin.
“At that point of the game, you put it in your best player’s hand,” Sonics coach Nate McMillan said of Allen and Lewis. “You’ve got to make the free throws and it didn’t happen.”
Lewis led all scorers with 27.
Fortson benched
Sonics forward Danny Fortson did not suit up. McMillan threw Fortson out of Thursday’s practice after the two engaged in a shouting match.
General manager Rick Sund felt Fortson’s behavior was inappropriate and determined the forward would be held out against Chicago.
McMillan said he and Fortson had a good long talk in the morning and the two are ready to move forward.
Bulls 100, SuperSonics 97
| FG | FT | Reb | |||||
| CHICAGO | Min | M-A | M-A | O-T | A | PF | PTS |
| Davis | 28 | 5-9 | 3-3 | 2-4 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
| Nocioni | 27 | 2-5 | 2-2 | 1-5 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| Curry | 41 | 8-14 | 1-4 | 2-8 | 0 | 2 | 17 |
| Chandler | 19 | 2-3 | 8-11 | 3-6 | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| Gordon | 20 | 9-17 | 2-2 | 1-3 | 0 | 4 | 22 |
| Harrington | 6 | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Griffin | 10 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 3-5 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Piatkowski | 14 | 3-8 | 1-1 | 0-1 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| Pargo | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Duhon | 31 | 2-5 | 2-4 | 2-6 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| Hinrich | 43 | 3-16 | 3-4 | 1-5 | 5 | 4 | 11 |
| Totals | 240 | 35-82 | 22-31 | 15-43 | 11 | 27 | 100 |
Percentages: FG .427, FT .710.
3-Point Goals: 8-17, .471 (Piatkowski 3-4, Gordon 2-4, Hinrich 2-5, Duhon 1-3, Nocioni 0-1).
Team Rebounds: 17. Team Turnovers: 18 (19 PTS).
Blocked Shots: 2 (Chandler, Curry).
Turnovers: 16 (Nocioni 5, Hinrich 3, Chandler 2, Griffin 2, Davis, Gordon, Duhon, Harrington).
Steals: 5 (Hinrich 3, Griffin, Nocioni).
Technical Fouls: Davis, 8:41 third.
| FG | FT | Reb | |||||
| SEATTLE | Min | M-A | M-A | O-T | A | PF | PTS |
| Evans | 33 | 3-5 | 3-4 | 3-11 | 0 | 4 | 9 |
| Lewis | 40 | 10-20 | 4-6 | 4-5 | 0 | 5 | 27 |
| James | 31 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 1-4 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Allen | 44 | 4-16 | 7-9 | 0-7 | 1 | 3 | 17 |
| Ridnour | 41 | 5-9 | 3-3 | 0-3 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| Daniels | 20 | 3-8 | 3-4 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Radmanovic | 17 | 4-10 | 0-0 | 0-3 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
| Collison | 13 | 4-7 | 1-1 | 2-4 | 0 | 5 | 9 |
| Potapenko | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 240 | 34-79 | 21-27 | 10-37 | 10 | 28 | 97 |
Percentages: FG .430, FT .778. 3-Point Goals: 8-22, .364 (Lewis 3-6, Allen 2-6, Daniels 1-2, Ridnour 1-3, Radmanovic 1-5).
Team Rebounds: 8. Team Turnovers: 16 (14 PTS).
Blocked Shots: 8 (James 4, Lewis 2, Collison, Ridnour).
Turnovers: 16 (Allen 5, Lewis 3, Ridnour 3, James 2, Radmanovic, Evans, Daniels).
Steals: 9 (Ridnour 4, Lewis, James, Radmanovic, Allen, Daniels).
Technical Fouls: James, 3:52 second.
| Chicago | 21 | 32 | 23 | 24—100 |
| Seattle | 27 | 26 | 16 | 28—97 |
A—17,072 (17,072). T—2:10.