Paul George, Kawhi Leonard lead Clippers past Bulls

Clippers star Kawhi Leonard drives to the basket between Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, left, center Nikola Vucevic (9) and forward Torrey Craig, third from left, during the second half on Thursday night in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

PUBLISHED: March 14, 2024 at 7:54 p.m. | UPDATED: March 15, 2024 at 12:29 a.m.

Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (12) drives to the basket against Clippers forward Paul George, right, and guard Norman Powell during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, left, shoots over Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, right, talks to forward Torrey Craig during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Clippers in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, center right, looks to pass as Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry, back left, and guard Ayo Dosunmu, front left during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers forward Paul George, left, shoots over Chicago Bulls forward Onuralp Bitim (17) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers head coach Tyrone Lue calls to his team during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, right, shoots against Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers center Daniel Theis, left, dunks against Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers guard Terance Mann, left, drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers center Daniel Theis, left, dunks against Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers center Daniel Theis, center top, hangs from the rim after dunking during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers guard Terance Mann, (14) drives to the basket past Chicago Bulls guard Jevon Carter (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers center Daniel Theis, left, goes up for a dunk against Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Bulls forward Torrey Craig (13) drives to the basket against Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) shoots against Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Bulls forward Henri Drell, center, shoots against Clippers during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Bulls players react as they watch teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Clippers in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers guard James Harden, left, watches teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, right, drives as Clippers guard Norman Powell, left, guards during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Bulls forward Henri Drell claps for teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Clippers in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard drives to the basket between Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, left, center Nikola Vucevic (9) and forward Torrey Craig, third from left, during the second half on Thursday night in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Clippers guard Bones Hyland, right, passes the ball against Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond, center left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (6) drives to the basket against Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

By ANDREW SELIGMAN AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO — Whether he was burying his shots or moving the ball, Paul George seemed to make all the right decisions. The Clippers will sure take more of that.

George made six 3-pointers and scored 28 points, Kawhi Leonard added 27 and the Clippers beat the Chicago Bulls, 126-111, on Thursday night.

The Clippers regrouped after a 20-point lead late in the third quarter dwindled to eight in the fourth and stopped a two-game skid, beating Chicago for the second time in six days. Both teams were missing key players with the Clippers’ James Harden (strained left shoulder) and the Bulls’ Coby White (sore right hip) sidelined. But with All-Stars George and Leonard leading the way, the Clippers had enough to come away with the win.

“We talk about the last 20 games, putting the ball back in PG’s hands so he can get used to it so when we get to the playoffs we know exactly what we want to do,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “Now, he’s just getting accustomed to running more pick-and-rolls and keeping the ball in his hands.”

George shot 11 for 12 from the field and 6 for 7 from 3-point range, one 3-pointer shy of his season high. The Clippers finished 20 for 40 from behind the arc.

George also had seven assists and just one turnover, with the Bulls often double-teaming him and Leonard.

“It was just staying under control, playing through our teammates and I think just taking what they gave us,” he said. “I didn’t think we were out of the norm, we weren’t out of character, we kind of just played our style, slowed the game down for ourselves and took the shots that were available.”

Leonard, who exited Tuesday’s loss to Minnesota because of back spasms, made 12 of 17 shots. He said he thought he got elbowed in the game against the Bulls and irritated it the next day in the loss to Milwaukee.

Norman Powell scored 18 points. Bones Hyland added 17 points and a career-high 11 assists while matching a personal best with four steals for the Clippers, who are in fourth place in the Western Conference.

DeMar DeRozan led Chicago with 21 points after scoring a season-high 46 in Wednesday’s overtime win at Indiana. The Bulls have lost three of four.

Nikola Vucevic scored 19 for Chicago. Alex Caruso made five 3-pointers and finished with 17 points after scoring a season-high 23 the previous night, and Andre Drummond scored 15.

The Clippers led 90-70 after Terance Mann’s fast-break layup with about 4:30 left in the third quarter. But the Bulls weren’t finished.

DeRozan cut it to 98-90 early in the fourth with a finger-roll and 3-pointer. It was a nine-point game midway through the quarter when Hyland made a 3-pointer and Ivica Zubac tipped in a missed 3-point shot by Leonard, and the Clippers remained in control from there.

The Bulls, were breathing a little easier after imaging showed White was not seriously injured, Coach Billy Donovan said. He is day to day after Pascal Siakam blocked his layup and landed on him near the end of regulation at Indiana on Wednesday.