Los Angeles Lakers win fifth-straight with victory over the Chicago Bulls
The Los Angeles Lakers (13-2) won their fifth-straight game with a 98-91 victory over the Chicago Bulls (7-5) on Tuesday 23 November at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. The Bulls, at
the end of a seven-game road trip, came into the contest having won five of their past six games.
Shannon Brown, who has made eight three-pointers in his last two games, shot 5-for-10 from deep to finish with 21 points and four rebounds off the bench while Lamar Odom finished with
21 points and eight rebounds. Kobe Bryant finished with 20 points and five assists while Pau Gasol struggled with his shot (3-for-10) but still finished with a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Gasol, whose 12 double-doubles leads the league, also
had four assists and a game-high five blocked shots. Ron Artest shot only 1-for-8 from the field for two points while Matt Barnes chipped in with 10 points off the bench.
The Bulls were led by their speedy point guard Derrick Rose, who finished with 30 points, five rebounds, and eight assists while Joakim Noah, second in the league in rebounding, had 19
points, 13 rebounds, four steals, and three blocks on the night. Taj Gibson also had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds while Luol Deng finished with 13 points. Ronnie Brewer led all Chicago bench players with six points and three rebounds in 27
minutes of play.
The hard-fought game was close for the first three quarters with the Lakers taking a slim 51-49 lead into the break. Going into the final frame, the home team was clinging to a 74-73 lead.
But Los Angeles pulled away in the fourth quarter with a 17-2 run sparked by the Lakers’ bench players. Steve Blake scored two three-pointers during the decisive run while Brown and Barnes
had one each, helping the Lakers take a 96-83 lead with 4:27 left. The Bulls went more than five minutes in the fourth quarter without a field goal and Rose only managed three points in the final frame, which the Lakers won 24-18 for the win.
What they said
Brown, who improved his shot over the off-season, is a native Chicagoan and told reporters after the game he wanted to play well against the Bulls. "I always want to play well against
the place I came from. I grew up watching the Bulls. I was a Bulls fan."
Lakers coach Phil Jackson likes what he’s seen out of Brown so far this season. "He's got so much confidence right now. We're encouraging him to [shoot] when it feels right. Otherwise,
he's got such a great drive, teams have to play back off him because of his speed."
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said the Lakers won the game with their defence. "They put a lot of pressure on us. The
Lakers are a heck of a defensive team. You've got to make quick decisions against them, [and] I thought we settled too much for jumpers."
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