San  Antonio, TX  (SportsNetwork.com) - Jimmy Butler led seven Bulls in double 
figures  with  19 points as Chicago  defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 96-86, on 
Wednesday night. 

Carlos  Boozer  tallied 16 points and  12 rebounds, while Joakim Noah added 10 
points,  10  boards, eight assists and  four blocks for Chicago, which has won 
five of their last seven games. 

Tony  Parker had 20 points and six assists and Tim Duncan registered 17 points 
and  12 rebounds for the suddenly-sputtering Spurs, who have dropped a season- 
high three straight. 

San  Antonio announced earlier Wednesday that veteran guard Manu Ginobili will 
miss  3-to-4 weeks with a left hamstring strain. The Spurs are already without 
key  contributors  Kawhi Leonard  (finger),  Danny  Green (finger)  and  Tiago 
Splitter (shoulder). 

After  Parker  hit a  technical free throw  to complete an  8-2 Spurs spurt to 
give  them a 52-51 edge a little past the midway point of the third, the Bulls 
responded with a 12-3 surge. 

Jimmy Butler had eight points during the swing, which was capped on his three- 
point play for a 63-55 Bulls cushion late in the third. 

Chicago  took a 68-61  advantage into the fourth, where it netted eight of the 
frame's first 10 points to open up a 76-63 spread. 

The Bulls led by as many as 15 down the stretch. 

Chicago  held  a 21-15  margin after  a quarter of  play and  led 40-36 at the 
break. 

                                   Game Notes 

The Bulls  netted  16  points  off  19  San  Antonio  turnovers  ...  Chicago 
outrebounded San Antonio, 39-31 ... D.J. Augustin and Taj Gibson had 15 points 
apiece for Chicago.