Sustained energy has been hard to find for the Chicago Bulls.

The season has followed the same script — building a lead in the first half only to let it slip away. So when the Miami Heat began to chip away at a lead in the second half Saturday — carving a 27-point deficit down to only three points — it seemed the Bulls were set to once again repeat their greatest weakness.

Instead, the Bulls absorbed the pressure to preserve a 113-99 victory at the United Center. DeMar DeRozan scorched from midrange for a team-high 24 points. Patrick Beverley threw himself from one touchline to the other and scored 17 points while Coby White led a barrage of shots from the 3-point line and finished with 18 points.

The result came on the heels of a double-overtime win Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, giving the Bulls a rare pair of consecutive wins. And as they stretch out a 9-7 record following the All-Star break, the Bulls have found a small lift in their race for play-in contention.

After so many collapses this season, the Bulls were bolstered by their ability to weather the second-half storm from the Heat.

”We came in understanding that this was a must-need win today,” Beverley said. “After a double-overtime game (Friday) we didn’t want to come out in the mud. We wanted to come out and throw the first punch. Our first punch was real heavy and we was able to withstand their punches throughout the game.”

The Bulls improved to 33-37 to maintain their position at 10th in the Eastern Conference.

The Bulls face a home-and-home series against the 76ers, playing in Philadelphia on Monday and at the United Center on Wednesday.

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