Reggie Jackson scored 22 points, Tobias Harris added 21 and the Detroit Pistons overcame Jimmy Butler‘s first career triple-double to beat the Bulls 94-90 on Saturday night.Marcus Morris had 16 points and Andre Drummond had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Pistons, who remain on track for a playoff spot.Butler had 28 points and career highs of 17 rebounds and 12 assists. Pau Gasol had 16 points and 14 rebounds.Detroit is a half-game ahead of Indiana for seventh in the Eastern Conference and 2 1/2 games up on the ninth-place Bulls.Jackson’s jumper gave Detroit an 86-83 lead with 1:46 left. After E’Twaun Moore and Butler missed 3s, Harris scored on a putback for a five-point lead. Morris made two free throws for Detroit’s largest lead at seven with 43.3 seconds left after Butler missed a layup and committed a foul.The Bulls cut it to 90-88 after Butler’s 3 and three free throws after Jackson committed an offensive foul on the inbound play.Butler briefly went down but remained in the game when Jackson drove to the basket on the other end. Jackson made four free throws in the final 20 seconds.Detroit shot 42.1 percent from the field while the Bulls shot 38.6 percent. Butler went 10 for 25 from the field and grabbed five offensive rebounds. He also had three steals and two blocked shots. Butler averaged 33 points in three previous games against Detroit.The Pistons have won three of four games against the Bulls this season. Detroit beat the Bulls 147-144 in four overtimes on Dec. 18 in their previous meeting at the United Center. The Pistons were finishing a back-to-back after losing 98-89 to Dallas on Friday.Drummond was averaging 26.5 points and 20.5 rebounds against the Bulls this season.Detroit had lost 17 of 19 games in the United Center.Nikola Mirotic had scored 28 points in each of his last two games. He had six.The Pistons were ahead 46-45 at halftime. Butler had 12 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and missed a 3 before the buzzer. Morris scored 12 and Harris had 10 for Detroit.

NOTES—Detroit went 6-3 during its most recent homestand. … Three of the Pistons’ five remaining games are on the road….Derrick Rose (elbow) and Taj Gibson (rib) did not play. Rose said his elbow is improving but remains tender and he is unable to dribble with that arm. He also missed the second half of Thursday’s game against Houston. … Gibson returned to the team Saturday after traveling to New York for a personal issue. … Moore started instead of Rose, and Bobby Portis made his second start in place of Gibson. … Gasol became the 38th NBA player with 10,000 career rebounds. He is also the 36th with 10,000 points and 10,000 rebounds…..The Bulls play Sunday night at Milwaukee.

WINNIPEG—Artemi Panarin keeps finding ways to make a huge impact.Brent Seabrook scored 1:02 into overtime after Panarin tied it late in the third period with his second goal of the game, and the Blackhawks beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-4 on Friday night.Panarin also had two assists, including when he orchestrated a 2-on-1 with Seabrook in overtime. Panarin passed across the slot to the defenseman, and Seabrook beat Ondrej Pavelec with a shot inside the near post.Panarin leads all rookies in goals (27) and assists (41). He’s formed an outstanding duo with linemate Patrick Kane this season – Kane scored Friday and leads the NHL with 96 points.

”That line’s dangerous,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. ”They have a pretty good idea where the other guy is going to end up. They find lanes and seams like they did on the power play and on 5-on-5. They get through some nights and their finish is excellent.”

Brandon Mashinter also scored for the Blackhawks, who sneaked away winners in a game with four lead changes. ”It was a crazy game all game long,” Quenneville said.

”There was some looseness and some great opportunities.” Earlier Friday, Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith was suspended six games for high-sticking Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle. Keith will miss five regular season games and one postseason game.Scott Darling made 28 saves. ”(The win) is definitely the more important part,” Darling said. ”We’re here to win. You never want to let in four goals, but I’m happy with the way we all battled and pulled it out there.”

Blake Wheeler scored twice for Winnipeg and extended his point streak to seven games. Nic Petan and Dustin Byfuglien also scored.Wheeler has four goals and six assists during his run and 71 points on the season, which sets a new career high.

”They’re skating really well and I think they’re playing with a lot of confidence,” Wheeler said of linemates Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers. I’ve been around long enough to not waver in my confidence in myself, and that’s something you have to earn in this league. It’s something you have to develop and I think those guys are on their way to doing that.”

Wheeler made it 2-2 in the second period and assisted on Byfuglien’s goal that made it 3-3 in the third before putting Winnipeg ahead with his second goal of the game. Panarin forced overtime when he scored at 15:17 of the third to make it 4-4.

”It was nice to see us bounce back after giving up that goal,” Seabrook said. ”The resiliency of this team was good to see, and I think it’s definitely a confidence booster going forward to know we can be down and get a big goal and get it to overtime.”

NOTES—Kane’s 40th goal of the season puts him into a tie with Dallas forward Jamie Benn for second in goals behind Washington forward Alex Ovechkin.Mashinter’s goal was his fourth of the season.Petan’s second goal of the season opened the scoring, while Scheifele’s third-period assist extended his point streak to six games.The Blackhawks have dominated Pavelec, who has yet to beat the Hawks through his eight NHL seasons. The 28-year-old goaltender is 0-5-3 in eight career starts against the Blackhawks, who also are 9-1-0 in their last 10 visits to Winnipeg.Jonathan Toews needed stitches after taking a puck to his ear midway through the second period that sent the Blackhawks captain directly to the locker room. Toews returned to the game for the third period….Duncan Keith learned he’s been suspended 6 games for high sticking Minnesota’s Charlie Coyle.

AL EAST

_______

TORONTO

BALTIMORE

BOSTON

NY YANKEES

TAMPA BAY

AL WEST

________

HOUSTON

TEXAS

LA ANGELS of ANAHEIM

OAKLAND

SEATTLE

AL CENTRAL

__________

KANSAS CITY

WHITE SOX

CLEVELAND

DETROIT

MINNESOTA

AL Wild Cards: Texas(1),SOX(2)

NL EAST

_______

WASHINGTON

NY METS

MIAMI

ATLANTA

PHILIDELPHIA

NL WEST

________

SAN FRANCISCO

ARIZONA

LA DODGERS

SAN DIEGO

COLORADO

NL CENTRAL

___________

PITTSBURGH

CUBS

ST.LOUIS

CINCINNATI

MILWAUKEE

NL Wild Cards: CUBS(1),NY Mets(2)

HOUSTON—The Bulls overcame injuries and a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the Houston Rockets and improve their chances of sneaking into the playoffs.Nikola Mirotic scored 28 points and Jimmy Butler added 21 to lead the Bulls to a 103-100 road win Thursday night.In a pivotal game for two teams fighting for the final playoff spots in their respective conferences, the Bulls were fueled by a strong fourth quarter in which they outscored the Rockets 32-20. The Bulls entered the fourth facing a nine-point deficit, but was able to overcome it thanks to hot shooting from Mirotic. ”It was a pretty gutty effort by our guys,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. ”I hope this is something we can build off of.” The Bulls won their second consecutive game following a four-game skid. After Thursday’s win, The Bulls trail Indiana by one game for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, thanks to a Pacers loss to Orlando on Thursday night.The Bulls hold the tiebreaker over Indiana.Trevor Ariza attempted a tying 3 at the buzzer, but it rimmed out and the Bulls held on.Houston fell to 37-39, dropping a half-game behind Utah and Dallas, who are tied for the seventh and eighth seeds in the West.The Bulls bench outscored Houston’s 67-31.James Harden led Houston with 24 points and eight assists, Patrick Beverley had a career-high 22 points, and Michael Beasley added 20 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. ”It’s very frustrating, especially in games where we should win,” Harden said of Houston’s continued inconsistency. ”We’ve got to figure it out.” Bobby Portis started at power forward in place of Taj Gibson, who was sidelined by a broken rib with no clear timetable for a return. Additionally, Derrick Rose (hyperextended left elbow) was limited to 12 minutes and did not play in the second half.

”I made the decision for him that it wasn’t worth it,” Hoiberg said. ”He was out there playing with one arm.” Doug McDermott handled the bulk of the minutes in Rose’s absence, scoring 15 points and grabbing nine rebounds.The Bulls kept pace with the Rockets in the first half, thanks in large part to 21 first-half points from Mirotic. After scoring a team season-high 15 points in the second quarter of Tuesday’s win over Indiana, Mirotic dropped 14 second-quarter points on Houston, hitting four of five 3s. ”He’s shooting with no conscience,” Rose said of Mirotic. ”He was huge for us.”

Houston had a chance to take a lead into halftime, but a 30-foot attempt from Harden clanked off the front of the rim, and the score was tied at 52 at the break.Pau Gasol had 12 points and 10 rebounds to become the 11th player in NBA history to have 500 career double-doubles.

”It’s pretty amazing when I think about it, and it’s really special to me,” Gasol said. ”I’m just humbled and thankful that I’ve been able to play at this level for so long.” Gibson will be reevaluated Friday, Hoiberg said. Gibson, who tried to play through the injury Tuesday for 10 minutes in Indiana, insisted he will return this season.

… Rose (elbow) wore a thick sleeve and made several trips to the locker room for treatment.Rockets: Houston fell to 23-35 when allowing 100 or more points. … Houston missed 16 of 25 3-point attempts, including five of seven misses from Harden. … Houston dominated in the paint, outscoring the Bulls 48-30 from close range. … Clint Capela had eight points and five rebounds off the bench. Rose said the discomfort in his elbow included limited flexibility and a sharp pinch when the arm is extended. He said he has undergone X-rays, which were negative, but said there’s a chance an MRI might be the next step beyond his continued treatment. Rose was limited to less than 12 minutes on Thursday night and was unable to play in the second half.

”I tried to give it my all while I was out there, but it’s really sore,” Rose said. ”I need to get treatment and try to get back on the court as soon as possible.”

Harden finished March with 457 points, 152 assists and 102 rebounds. Per game, he averaged 28.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 6.5 assists. According to statistics from the Rockets, Harden is the first player to record at least 450 points, 150 assists and 100 rebounds in a single month since Oscar Robertson did it in December of 1967…..The Rockets hosted a 90’s Throwback Thursday night, which featured a halftime performance from hip-hop group Tag Team, performing their 1993 hit, ”Whoomp! (There It Is).” Additionally, Houston’s starting lineup was announced by Tim Kitzrow, who rose to prominence in the 90’s with his voice contributions to the video game, NBA Jam….The Bulls host Detroit on Saturday.

NEW YORK—George Washington coach Mike Lonergan held his young daughter in his arms near center court at Madison Square Garden, waiting to climb a ladder and cut down the net.Now he can replace that one his buddy sent him weeks ago for good luck. ”It was in the locker room tonight,” Lonergan said after the Colonials beat Valparaiso 76-60 on Thursday for the school’s first National Invitation Tournament championship. ”I’m not a big motivation guy, but I’ll tell you, I felt that net before every game. And I told those guys, `We win, I’m wearing one of those nets. I don’t care what we do with the other one.”’ Kevin Larsen scored 18 points, Patricio Garino added 14 and fourth-seeded George Washington (28-10) set a school record for wins in a season with a dominant performance in the second half.The Colonials won their fourth straight game against a higher-seeded team and sent three senior starters out with a tournament trophy, softening the sting of being rebuffed by the NCAA selection committee. ”It makes it feel a whole lot better,” Larsen said. ”Like we said, we’d rather win the NIT than get bounced one-and-done in the NCAA Tournament. That’s been the mindset.” Larsen, Garino and point guard Joe McDonald, part of Lonergan’s first full recruiting class at George Washington, walked off winners in their final college game. They arrived with the Colonials coming off a 10-21 season, but made the NCAA Tournament as sophomores. ”These guys, I wanted (them) to leave a legacy. We didn’t make the NCAAs (this year) and we were all heartbroken and it’s hard to bounce back, but they bounced back,” Lonergan said. ”We played our best basketball end of March. I told them I wanted, instead of senior night, I wanted it to be senior month. And that’s what it was.” Junior forward Tyler Cavanaugh, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, scored 12. He averaged 19.4 points and nine rebounds in five NIT games.McDonald had 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists with no turnovers for George Washington, which extended a one-point halftime lead to 19 late in the game. The Colonials went 22 for 26 at the foul line, compared to 6 of 6 for Valpo.George Washington, which started players from Argentina, Denmark and Japan, used its 1-3-1 zone to hold Valparaiso star Alec Peters to two points in the second half. Peters finished with 15 and was the only double-figure scorer for the top-seeded Crusaders (30-7), who went 8 for 28 from 3-point range. ”It’s going to stick with us throughout the offseason,” Peters said. The second unit helped GW rip off a 16-4 run early in the second half that pushed the advantage to 13. Valparaiso never got within single digits again. ”We made them look bad, so I give our guys credit, but that’s a heck of a team,” Lonergan said. It was the first title in a national postseason tournament for the Colonials, who enjoyed much of the fan support among the crowd of 7,016. The school is located four blocks from the White House in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and New York City is about a 225-mile trip up I-95. Some trains take less than three hours. ”NCAAs is always the goal, but we proved this year that you can make a lot of memories in this great tournament,” Cavanaugh said. Neither team had reached the semifinals of the NIT before, and this was the first meeting between the schools. ”I told our guys, one game doesn’t define your season,” Crusaders coach Bryce Drew said. ”We just seemed like we couldn’t really get a rhythm going.” Both senior point guards played through injuries in their final college game. McDonald was able to start after twisting his ankle during Tuesday night’s semifinal rout of San Diego State. Crusaders sparkplug Keith Carter sprained his right foot with about 6 minutes to go in the first half, hitting the floor after jostling with Cavanaugh underneath. Carter initially stayed in the game, keying an 8-0 run with five points and an assist on Peters’ fast-break 3 that tied it at 24. But at the 5:21 mark, Carter came out and missed the rest of the first half. He returned to start the second.Larsen, Garino and McDonald joined Cavanaugh on the all-tournament team. … It was GW’s sixth trip to the NIT. … Besides the Colonials, lower-seeded teams struggled in the NIT. They finished 6-25, including the four wins by GW. … Cavanaugh, a Wake Forest transfer who reached double figures in every game this season, didn’t score until converting a three-point play with 7:34 left in the first half.The Crusaders, who shot 39 percent from the floor, fell to 10-15 against teams from the Atlantic 10. … Before this week, Valpo had not played at Madison Square Garden since the 1940s. … Peters, who made the all-tournament team, had at least 20 points in seven consecutive games before scoring 15 in the semifinals.