CHICAGO (Ticker) -- After missing the season opener with lower back pain, Tyson Chandler was back with a vengeance.
Chandler grabbed a career-high 22 rebounds, scored 13 points and blocked four shots to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 100-94 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
"I watched the other game and I was disappointed watching it," Chandler said. "So I wanted to get out there and bring some energy to the team. I had to bring it."
Scottie Pippen was benched in favor of Kendall Gill but made some clutch plays for the Bulls (1-1) down the stretch, including a driving layup with 1:35 left that provided a 92-90 lead. Pippen finished with 13 points.
"It's great to get that first win," Pippen said. "We pulled out everything we had tonight to pull this game out. It's a learning experience for the youngsters."
Eddy Curry scored 22 points, Jalen Rose added 15 and Gill 12 as the Bulls rebounded from a 99-74 loss to Washington in their opener.
Jason Terry led Atlanta (0-2) with 24 points and Stephen Jackson added 17. Shareef Abdur-Rahim contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out in the final minute.
Chicago led, 78-73, with 8:49 remaining before Atlanta went on a 12-4 run. Terry's 3-pointer made it 85-82 with 4:55 remaining.
"We turned it up defensively and took them out of their comfort zone," Terry said. "That's when we were able to get back in it and take the lead. Give them credit - they stepped up in that fourth quarter and hit big shots."
Pippen's 3-pointer tied it, 87-87, with 3:41 left and Chandler put the Bulls ahead when he hit 1-of-2 free throws 19 seconds later.
Terry hit a 3-pointer with 1:45 left to tie it before Pippen gave the Bulls the lead for good. Curry's resounding dunk over 2002-03 blocked shots leader Theo Ratliff helped Chicago stretch the lead to 94-90 with 1:01 remaining.
The Bulls hung a banner in honor of former general manager Jerry Krause during a halftime ceremony.
"That was the key to the night," Bulls coach Bill Cartwright said. "It was the Jerry Krause karma."
Chandler grabbed 10 rebounds in the first quarter as Chicago jumped out to a 22-6 lead with 5:16 remaining in the first quarter. Atlanta responded with a 15-7 run to close out the first quarter.
"I told the team if we keep playing this hard," Hawks coach Terry Stotts said. "Things will go our way. We just need to learn how to win when the game is there for the taking."
