Chicago Bulls’ Tyrus Thomas dunks against San Antonio Spurs’ Richard Jefferson during their NBA game in Chicago.

NBA RESULTS
Chicago 92, San Antonio 85
Denver 97, Portland 84

CHICAGO (AFP) — Luol Deng scored 17 points and added nine rebounds as the Chicago Bulls used a balanced scoring attack to beat the San Antonio Spurs 92-85 in their season-opening game on Thursday.

Derrick Rose finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Bulls, who lost to the Boston Celtics in a hard-fought seven-game first round playoff series last year.

Tyrus Thomas also scored 13 points, while Kirk Hinrich added 14 points off the bench. Joakim Noah had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls.

Tim Duncan scored a game-high 28 points and 16 rebounds for the Spurs who had only one other player in double figures. Manu Ginobili scored 12 points and had six rebounds for San Antonio, who opened the season Wednesday with a victory over New Orleans.

Chicago went on a seven-point scoring run in the third, which Noah closed with two free throws for a 58-52 lead.

The Bulls went on another seven-point binge later in the quarter that propelled the Bulls to a double digit lead. Hinrich scored a basket with a just over two minutes left to make it 72-58.

In the fourth, Duncan sank a free throw and Rose hit a jumper to give the Bulls a game-high 14 point lead at 79-65.