DETROIT — Zach LaVine showcased his skills by scoring 16 of his total 25 points during a thrilling fourth quarter, leading the Chicago Bulls to a 122-112 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday evening.

With the score tied at 95 and just under nine minutes remaining in the contest, LaVine sparked a 13-2 surge that allowed the Bulls to take a commanding 11-point lead with just over five minutes left to play. After a sluggish start to the game, he became unstoppable, hitting six 3-pointers in the final period alone.

Nikola Vucevic was the standout performer for the Bulls, finishing the game with an impressive 29 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. Adding to the team’s success, Coby White contributed with 25 points.

For the Pistons, Cade Cunningham put forth a strong effort, recording 26 points and dishing out 10 assists, while Malik Beasley added 21 points to the scoreline.

Key Takeaways: LaVine has consistently posed a challenge for the Pistons throughout his career, averaging 21.7 points in 28 games against them, including a remarkable 51-point performance last season. Though he struggled early on, scoring only seven points on 3-of-11 shooting—1 of 6 from beyond the arc—he came alive in the final quarter. Upon re-entering with 8:46 left on the clock, LaVine quickly found his rhythm, sinking five of his first six shots, all of which were 3-pointers.

For Detroit, keeping the game competitive for the first three quarters proved challenging as they lost track of Chicago’s shooters on the perimeter during crucial moments. The Bulls demonstrated their shooting prowess, converting 23 of 46 attempts (50%) from three-point range, including an impressive 7 of 15 (47%) during the fourth quarter.

A pivotal moment occurred when Detroit was down 80-75 late in the third quarter and became momentarily distracted by a lack of fouls called against them. While they regrouped, Josh Giddey managed to tip in a missed shot, followed by LaVine who executed an uncontested dunk, and then Vucevic hit a three-pointer, extending Chicago’s lead to 87-75.

Notably, the Pistons dominated the boards, securing 16 offensive rebounds compared to the Bulls’ 10. They also maintained a low turnover count with only nine, but struggled from the three-point line, making just 34% of their attempts, while the Bulls hit half of theirs.

In their upcoming games, the Bulls are set to face off against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, while the Pistons will travel to Charlotte for a matchup scheduled on Thursday.