Pacers lose late lead in loss to Bulls

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Luol Deng had 23 points and 11 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers 109-101 on Tuesday night.

Derrick Rose and John Salmons each scored 21 points for the Bulls, who had lost three of their previous four. Kirk Hinrich scored 17 points, and Brad Miller added 13 for Chicago.

Danny Granger had 27 points and 10 rebounds, Troy Murphy had 18 points and 16 rebounds and Earl Watson added 14 points and six assists for the Pacers.

Chicago shot 51 percent from the field.

Chicago center Joakim Noah was not with the team because of a left foot injury. Miller, a former Pacer, started in his place.

Indiana shot just 33 percent in the fourth quarter and blew a five-point lead.

A 3-point play by Rose, then a two-handed jam by Taj Gibson tied the score at 92 with 7 minutes to go. Rose closed out the 9-0 run with a long jumper from the top of the key that gave the Bulls a 96-92 lead.

A dunk by Deng with 1:56 to play extended Chicago's lead to 103-97, and the Bulls led by at least five points the rest of the way.

Pacers guard Earl Watson drained a 40-foot shot as time expired on the shot clock 2.6 seconds before halftime. The bucket gave the Pacers a 60-57 lead at the break.

A 3-pointer by Granger gave the Pacers a 69-63 lead early in the third quarter, and a 3 by Brandon Rush increased the lead to 73-63.

The Bulls recovered quickly. A runner by Rose cut Indiana's lead to 77-75 late in the quarter, but the Pacers hung on to lead 86-81 at the end of the period.

Notes: Army PFC Alex Hughes proposed to Lindsey Smith on the court between the first and second quarters. ... Pacers C Jeff Foster will have season-ending back surgery after the All-Star break. ... Pacers F Tyler Hansbrough sat out again with an inner ear infection, but coach Jim O'Brien was hopeful he would return soon after the All-Star break. ... Gibson committed his second foul with 9:42 left in the first quarter.