Thomas powers Bulls to first win

ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHICAGO — Tyrus Thomas had 19 points and 14 rebounds and the Chicago Bulls finally got their first victory after four losses, beating the Detroit Pistons 97-93 on Thursday night.

Chicago overcame a 36-point performance from Rasheed Wallace in the first meeting between the teams since the Pistons beat the Bulls 4-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals last spring.

Luol Deng added 17 points and Ben Gordon had 16 for the Bulls, while Kirk Hinrich had 14 assists.

Richard Hamilton scored 18 points for the Pistons, who lost after winning their first three games.

Hamilton drove the lane for a sweeping basket as the shot clock went off, cutting the Bulls lead to 94-93 with 1:35 to play.

After the teams traded turnovers, Chicago’s Joe Smith missed a jumper and the Pistons had a chance to retake the lead. But Wallace’s short bank shot wouldn’t stay in and the Bulls rebounded with 33 seconds to go.

Gordon then made the first of two free throws after being fouled by Hamilton to give the Bulls a 95-93 lead with 26 seconds remaining.

After a timeout, Wallace’s turnaround attempt over Thomas hit the rim and came off with 13 seconds to go.

But when Smith missed the first of two from the line it was 96-93 and the Pistons got one last chance for a tie. Hamilton’s 3-pointer was short and the Bulls rebounded with 2.9 seconds left. Thomas’ free throw sealed the victory.

Nets 87, Wizards 85

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Richard Jefferson scored 25 points, including two game-winning free throws with 24 seconds to play as the New Jersey Nets rallied.

The Nets’ fourth victory in five games wasn’t secured until Antoine Wright forced Gilbert Arenas to his right and the Washington guard had to take an off-balance shot that might have been deflected by Vince Carter.

Carter had 24 points, including 12-of-14 from the line, to help New Jersey rally from a 20-point first-half deficit. Bostjan Nachbar had 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, when the Nets shot 65 percent in sending Washington to its fourth straight loss.

Antawn Jamison had 24 points and nine rebounds for Washington, while Caron Butler and Arenas both had 21 points.

The 0-4 start is the first for Washington since 1992-93.

Trailing 85-79 with 1:53 to play, the Wizards tied the game with two defensive stops and six free throws, the last two by Butler with 39 seconds left.

Carter missed a 3-pointer from the left wing with 27 seconds to play but Jefferson attacked the long rebound and was fouled by Antonio Daniels.

Jefferson, who was 12-of-12 from the line, made the first. After Washington called a time out, he made the second.

For some strange reason, Washington spread the court and gave the ball to Arenas, who has struggled with his shooting all season, hitting only 33 percent from the field.

Arenas dribbled the ball about 20 feet from the basket as Wright waited for him to make his move. He didn’t get going until there were about 7 seconds left and he quickly had nowhere to go. His off-balance shot hit nothing, leaving him 7-of-17 from the field.

Jefferson hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and converted a three-point play in an 8-0 run that gave New Jersey an 85-79 lead with 1:53 to play.