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  Thursday, Oct. 21 8:30pm ET
Atlanta 112, Chicago 88
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

AMES, Iowa (AP) _ Bimbo Coles scored 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting and handed out 11 assists as the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Chicago Bulls 112-88 Thursday night for their first exhibition victory.

Isaiah Rider added 18 points and Jimmy Jackson 15 for the Hawks (1-5), who shot 62 percent in spoiling the return of Bulls coach Tim Floyd and guard Fred Hoiberg to Iowa State's Hilton Coliseum.

Floyd was Iowa State's coach from 1994-98 before moving to Chicago. Hoiberg, signed last month after four seasons with the Indiana Pacers, scored 1,993 points at Iowa State from 1991-95.

Top draft pick Elton Brand led the Bulls (2-3) with 15 points, but grabbed only two rebounds. He averaged nine rebounds in his first three exhibition games.

Randy Brown and Kornel Davis each scored 11 points for Chicago, which has lost three straight preseason games. Dikembe Mutombo had 10 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks for the Hawks.

Chicago played without forward Toni Kukoc and point guard B.J. Armstrong. Kukoc has a sore right knee, while Armstrong is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

Coles hit a jump shot over Hoiberg 41 seconds into the game and Atlanta never trailed. Chicago managed to make a couple of runs despite shooting just 43 percent and getting outrebounded 53-30.

Ron Artest's basket on an inbounds lob from Brown drew the Bulls to 43-40 with 3:35 left in the first half. Atlanta responded by scoring 10 of the next 12 points _ four each by Coles and Rider _ and led 53-44 at halftime.

The Hawks stretched the lead to 13 before Chicago closed again, drawing to 59-54 on Brand's basket inside. That's as close as it got. Jackson avoided a diving Rusty LaRue for a basket inside, Coles followed with a jumper and a layup, and Rider sank a 3-pointer as the lead grew to 72-60.

Hoiberg, nicknamed "The Mayor" because of his popularity in Ames, addressed the crowd before the game and then drew a standing ovation when he was introduced as a starter.

He had a rough time in the early going, however. In the first three minutes, Hoiberg had two fouls, threw a pass out of bounds and had a shot blocked by Jackson. He then settled down and finished with nine points, finishing his night with a driving dunk long after the outcome was settled.

 


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RECAPS
Cleveland 95
Washington 83

Phoenix 115
Miami 100

Atlanta 112
Chicago 88

Dallas 95
Toronto 93

Orlando 110
Houston 98

Philadelphia 95
San Antonio 91

LA Lakers 93
Golden State 89