Hinrich’s Herculean effort boosts Bulls

Luol Deng posted 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who snapped a two- game losing streak. Andres Nocioni scored 20 points off the bench, while Ben Gordon scored 11. Malik Allen added 10 points, before leaving the game on a stretcher in the first minute of the second quarter with an apparent head injury.

Kevin Garnett posted 27 points and 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost three of four. Rashad McCants and Marcus Banks scored 18 points apiece. Mark Blount scored 12 points, and Ricky Davis netted 11. Trenton Hassell added 10 points.

Garnett drilled a trey with 1:01 on the clock to cut Minnesota’s deficit to 105-98, and Banks converted a pair of free throws with 40.6 seconds to cut the gap to five. Chicago scored six straight free throws down the stretch, however.

Nocioni hit a pair of free throws with 23.5 seconds left to give Chicago a three-possession advantage, Hinrich converted a pair with 16.5 seconds left, and Deng scored another pair with 10.5 seconds left to seal the win.

The ’Wolves opened the game on a 13-3 run capped by a pair of Blount free throws with 8:33 to go. The Bulls stormed back and outscored Minnesota 28-13 down the stretch to take a 31-26 lead into the second quarter. Chicago maintained its five-point advantage for a 54-49 halftime lead.

The Bulls outscored the ’Wolves by nine points in the third quarter for an 84-70 lead heading into the fourth.

The Timberwolves won just three of 13 games this month. Minnesota sports an 8-19 road mark this season. The Timberwolves are 1-6 in their last seven games away from the Target Center.

Meanwhile, the Bulls have won only five times in 12 games during the month of February. The Bulls are 5-2 in their last seven games at home and own a 13-15 record at home this season.

Game Notes

Forward Malik Allen left the game on a stretcher with an apparent head injury about 20 seconds into the second quarter after banging his head against Darius Songalia’s knee while guarding a driving McCants...In the season series between Minnesota and Chicago, the Timberwolves halted a 2004-05 two-game losing streak on January 11 with a 99-93 win at the Target Center...Minnesota has won 11 of the past 14 meetings, but has dropped 11 of its last 16 trips to the Windy City.