Jalen Green scored 28 points as the Houston Rockets edged the Chicago Bulls 117-114 on Saturday night to extend their winning streak to six games.
Green added six rebounds, while Alperen Sengun contributed 24 points and 15 rebounds for Houston, which improved to 43-25 and climbed to second place in the Western Conference. Fred VanVleet added 23 points, shooting 5-for-14 from beyond the arc.
Coby White paced Chicago with 23 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Tre Jones chipped in 19 points and six assists as the Bulls (28-39) saw their four-game winning streak snapped.
VanVleet caught fire in the second quarter, scoring 18 of his 21 first-half points to help the Rockets stay within five at halftime. He capped the half with a fadeaway three-pointer at the buzzer, cutting Chicago’s lead to 65-60.
Houston took the lead for good with 5:52 left in the fourth quarter when Green drilled a three-pointer to make it 100-98. He followed up with a layup on the next possession, keeping the Rockets in front for the rest of the night.
The Rockets dominated the glass, outrebounding the Bulls 54-36. Jabari Smith Jr. moved into the starting lineup with Tari Eason sidelined, finishing with 12 points and nine rebounds.
Chicago opened a six-game road trip without Josh Giddey, who was sidelined with an ankle injury. White, despite dealing with a toe issue, started and played 38 minutes.
Houston improved to 25-10 at home and will look to extend its winning streak further when it faces the Denver Nuggets next. The Bulls will try to bounce back as they continue their road trip against the Philadelphia 76ers.
