Rose, Boozer hold sway over Detroit
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Derrick Rose hit a game-high 29 points as the Chicago Bulls continued their mastery over the Detroit Pistons with a 95-82 victory on Monday, boosting their home win streak to a season-best seven games.
The speedy point guard scored 11 points in the last 3:32 of the third and the Bulls ended the quarter on a 13-2 run to blow past a Detroit squad that squandered a 12-point halftime lead.
Rose highlighted his night with a thunderous alley-oop dunk in the fourth on a lofty pass from Ronnie Brewer.
"(Rose) is one of the most athletic guys in the league," Brewer told reporters, of his teammate.
"There is a small margin for error on those plays but I knew if I put it in the vicinity he would go up there and get it."
Carlos Boozer added 27 points and 11 rebounds for Chicago (25-12), which beat Detroit (12-25) for the third time this season and the 10th consecutive time overall.
The Bulls extended their lead in the Central Division to 9.5 games.
Tayshaun Prince's 15 points led the way for the struggling Pistons, who lost for the fourth time in five games.
Detroit had its halftime lead trimmed early but still led 68-63 before Rose's run pushed Chicago in front 76-70 at the end of the third.
The Pistons managed a paltry 12 points in the fourth as the Bulls stretched their advantage.
Rumor
Detroit is rumored to be part of a potential three-team trade with the Denver Nuggets and New Jersey Nets that would send All-Star Carmelo Anthony to the Nets alongside longtime Pistons guard Richard Hamilton.
Hamilton scored just two points off the bench against the Bulls.
In Boston, Aaron Brooks hit a pair of free throws with 18 seconds left to hold off a furious Boston rally and help the Houston Rockets beat the Celtics 108-102.
Brooks scored 24 points for the Rockets, who ended a five-game losing streak despite playing without leading scorer Kevin Martin.
Houston was up 106-94 with 3:13 left before Marquis Daniels made a jumper and then Ray Allen and Paul Pierce followed with 3-pointers to make it a four-point game.
Kyle Lowry had 17 points and eight assists and Luis Scola added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Rockets.
Allen scored 19 for Boston and Daniels had season highs of 19 points and seven rebounds for the Celtics, who have lost two straight without star Kevin Garnett. Garnett has been out since late December with a strained right calf, but the team hopes he will be able to return against Sacramento today.
Elsewhere in NBA, it was: Bobcats 96, Grizzlies 82; and Bulls 95, Pistons 82.
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