DETROIT — For three quarters, the Pistons looked as if they were going to take another playoff team down to the wire, and maybe get another surprising win.
This time, they couldn’t close the deal.
All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine lived at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter and got some clutch shots to fall in the final minutes, lifting the Chicago Bulls to a 114-108 victory on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena.
Cade Cunningham had 22 points, four assists and six rebounds, Saddiq Bey 12 points and six assists and Jerami Grant 12 points and three rebounds for the Pistons (18-48), who had won six of their previous eight games.
The Pistons had their biggest lead of the game, 99-92, after back-to-back 3-pointers by Rodney McGruder with 9:01 left in the fourth quarter.
The Bulls (40-26) responded with an 11-0 run, with four points from DeRozan (36 points, eight rebounds and four assists) and six from LaVine (25 points and five rebounds).
Bey ended the run with a midrange jumper, but the Bulls kept charging, with a drive by LaVine and two straight baskets in the paint by DeRozan for a 109-101 lead at the 3:20 mark.
Cory Joseph got the Pistons close with a 3-pointer to get within five, but DeRozan made one of two free throws to keep the Pistons at bay.
