Pargo turns into sore winner

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Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose, left, drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks guard Roko Ukic, center, and forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009, in Chicago. Rose scored 16 points in the Bulls' 83-81 win. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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CHICAGO – Sore back or not, Jannero Pargo hasn’t lost his sunny disposition. He also, apparently, hasn’t lost his shot-making ability.

Asked about his pain before he injected life into a dismal Bulls effort, Pargo opted for a stand-up routine.

“I feel real good,” Pargo said, pausing for comedic timing, “until I start running.”

Think of how the Bucks feel.

Pargo helped rally the Bulls from an 18-point deficit, then ceded to Derrick Rose and Luol Deng late in an improbable 83-81 victory over the Bucks on Tuesday night at the United Center.

Shortly after entering for the first time midway through the third quarter for a slumping John Salmons, Pargo swished a 3-pointer that set off a 12-0 run. Later in that run, Pargo stole the ball and banked home a shot for two of his 10 points.

Luol Deng finished with 24 points and a career-high 20 rebounds for the Bulls, who played without an ill Tyrus Thomas. Rose scored 10 of his 16 points in the fourth and also blocked Brandon Jennings’ attempt to tie with 14.9 seconds left.

Ersan Ilyasova broke from Bucks coach Scott Skiles’ play call and attempted an ill-advised 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds left that drew air after Joakim Noah missed two free throws with 13.7 seconds left.

Pargo’s 3-pointer with 6 minutes, 5 seconds left provided the Bulls with their first lead of the game, a scenario that seemed implausible given the way the Bulls began this one.

“My back was hurting bad, but I had been getting prepared mentally,” Pargo said. “Seeing the way we were playing, I knew we were going to need a spark.”

Indeed, the Bulls could have made fans dog-ear a Thesaurus with how poorly they played in the first half.

They had to rally to score 29 points, avoiding by six the franchise record for fewest points in a half.

They shot 27 percent and committed 12 turnovers by the break. And they did so in spectacular fashion – shooting airballs, dropping simple entry passes, committing 24-second shot-clock violations.

“It was embarrassing,” Deng said.

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