ATLANTA -- Matas Buzelis scored 28 points to lead nine Chicago players in double figures and the Bulls outlasted the Atlanta Hawks 152-150 on Sunday in the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season.
Chicago set season highs for points in a first half and game, and held on in the closing seconds in the first of two straight games in Atlanta. The teams will meet again Tuesday night.
The Bulls (13-15) topped their previous high for points in a first half in taking an 83-73 halftime lead. They scored 72 first-half points in a 128-122 loss at Cleveland on Nov. 8. The Bulls also set a season scoring high for a game, topping their total in a 150-147 loss at Utah on Nov. 16. Golden State beat Denver 162-158 on Nov. 2, 1990 in the highest-scoring regulation game in NBA history.
It was only the eighth game in NBA history that featured both teams scoring at least 150 points that ended in regulation, according to ESPN Research. But it's the third time it has happened in the past 35 seasons.
Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 36 points, and Trae Young had a season-high 35. The Hawks (15-15) have lost three straight and seven of nine.
"It's kind of tough winning games when you give up 80 points in the first half," Johnson said. "It's kind of embarrassing in a sense. ... Hopefully we cut down on some of the things we're doing."
Johnson's 3-pointer with five seconds left gave the Bulls a 151-150 lead. Buzelis made one of two free throws with 4.2 seconds left before Young missed a last-second jumper.
Buzelis made a career-high seven 3-pointers in eight attempts for the hot-shooting Bulls, who have won three straight.
Onyeka Okongwu had 23 points and Vit Krejci added 20 for Atlanta.
Young started for the second time in three games after sitting out 21 games because of a right MCL sprain. Coach Quin Snyder said Young would need a continued "acclimation process" to be ready to play back-to-back games.
Bulls guard Coby White had 21 points after being considered questionable because of a sore left ankle. Josh Giddey had 19 points and 12 assists.
Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis (illness) sat out his sixth straight game. The Hawks announced that two-way forward Eli Ndiaye will have season-ending surgery for a torn labrum suffered in a G League game with College Park on Dec. 9.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.