Jimmy Butler scored 22 points and the Bulls beat Golden State, 94-87, on Thursday night in Chicago in the Warriors’ first game since Kevin Durant injured his left leg.
Golden State was breathing a little easier after learning Durant probably will play again this season. He was hurt two nights earlier in a loss at Washington.
The Warriors’ league-record regular-season streak without consecutive losses ended at 146 games, a run that dated to April 2015. Stephen Curry scored 23 points and Klay Thompson finished with 13. The star guards combined to hit just 3 of 22 3-pointers.
Bobby Portis added 17 points and a season-high 13 rebounds for Chicago. The Bulls outscored Golden State, 10-2, over the final three minutes to wipe out a 1-point deficit and come away with their fifth win in six games.
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Butler made all 10 free throws and had five rebounds and six assists.
Durant is scheduled to be examined again in about a month. If the eight-time All-Star is ready to return at that time, there would be about two weeks left in the regular season.
Of course, the Warriors have won big without Durant. They captured the championship two years ago and followed that up with a league-record 73 wins last year.
The Warriors, who beat the Bulls by 31 at home last month, were leading, 85-84, when Butler hit two free throws with 2:53 left to start the game-ending run.
Wade buried a fadeaway jumper and Paul Zipser nailed a 3-pointer from the right wing to make it 91-85 with 1:41 left.
Suns 120, Hornets 103 — Marquese Chriss scored 17 points and host Phoenix shot a season-best 59.7 percent from the field in routing Charlotte.
Chriss made 6 of 9 shots and missed roughly a full quarter after straining a calf early in the first quarter.
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T.J. Warren added 16 points and eight rebounds, and Alan Williams had 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Leandro Barbosa also had 16 points for Phoenix, and Devin Booker had 15 points, nine assists and six rebounds. The Suns are 8-4 against Eastern Conference teams at home this season.
Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 26 points.