Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) dribbles the ball around Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook during the second half of their NBA game on Thursday The Bulls won 104-98. Picture: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

DPA/Los Angeles


Former league MVP Derrick Rose turned back the hands of time with a vintage performance when it mattered most.
Rose dropped in 10 of his 29 points down the stretch, carrying the Chicago Bulls to a 104-98 victory over the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.
The All-Star guard broke out of a scoring slump, hitting 12 of 25 shots, after tallying just 18 combined points on a frosty 27.6 per cent field goal shooting the previous three contests.
“I tried to be aggressive, taking whatever they were giving me,” Rose said.
The oft-injured Rose has been trying to get into a groove since missing most of the pre-season with a fractured left orbital eye injury that requires him to wear a clear face mask.
“It’s all about rhythm and getting reps,” he explained. “I had two weeks to do nothing after I got hit in the face.
“I’m learning and it’s slowly coming to me. I know it’s a process and there’s going to be ups and downs. I’m anxious and excited for all this to come together.”
Jimmy Butler had a season-high-tying 26 points and Spaniard Pau Gasol had 11 with 10 rebounds for the Bulls (4-2) who bounced back from Wednesday’s 130-105 bashing by the Charlotte Hornets.
“This is what we’re capable and how good we can really be,” Butler said. “D-Rose had it going, so we gave him the ball. When he’s rolling like that it makes everybody’s job easier.”
Kevin Durant dropped in a game-high 33 points, while Russell Westbrook added 22 with 10 assists and eight rebounds in Oklahoma City’s (3-3) third consecutive loss.  
“We have to figure it out,” Durant said. “We’ve got to get stops. We have to buckle down and do it.”
Durant’s jumper knotted the game at 92 apiece but Rose answered with one of his own before taking over in the final 3.5 minutes after the Bulls coughed up an early 10-point, fourth-quarter lead.
After a Dion Waiters’ basket squared it again, Rose banked in the go-ahead jumper and added two free throws for a 98-94 advantage.
Serge Ibaka’s basket drew the Thunder to within two but Rose knocked down another two from outside to open up a six-point cushion with 67 seconds left.
A Durant jumper cut it to four but Rose found Gasol for a layup with 38 seconds left to seal the win.
“Derrick was phenomenal,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “It was great for him to go out and have that type performance and to see him go off down the stretch. For him to have a game like this, it should be great for his confidence.”
lMiami Heat 96, Minnesota Timberwolves 84: Dwyane Wade scored 25 points, Chris Bosh added 16 with 12 rebounds, and the visiting Heat (3-2) held the cold-shooting Timberwolves to 35 per cent field goal shooting.
lCharlotte Hornets 108, Dallas Mavericks 94: Al Jefferson powered for a season-high 31 points on 15-of-18 shooting, and the visiting Hornets (2-4) beat the Mavericks to snap a 14-game slide in Dallas dating back to January of 1998.
Deron Williams led the Mavericks (2-3) with 15 points and German juggernaut Dirk Nowitzki added 14.
lUtah Jazz 96, Denver Nuggets 84: Gordon Hayward seven of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and Frenchman Rudy Golbert grabbed 16 rebounds, helping the visiting Jazz (3-2) drop the Nuggets.
 Italy’s Danilo Gallinari had 18 points for Denver (2-3), which shot just 38.9 percent.
lPortland Trail Blazers 115, Memphis Grizzlies 96: Damian Lilliard drilled seven triples en route to 27 points, including 14 in the third quarter, CJ McCollum netted 20, and the Trail Blazers (4-2) crushed the visiting Grizzlies for their third straight win.
 Courtney Lee led Memphis (3-3) with 18 points, and Zach Randolph added 16 with 10 rebounds against his former team.