Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Shannon Brown and Lamar Odom each scored 21 points and Kobe Bryant chipped in 20, as the Los Angeles Lakers used a big run in the fourth quarter to down the Chicago Bulls, 98-91. Pau Gasol recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who made 10 three-pointers en route to their fifth straight win.
Derrick Rose carried Chicago with 30 points, eight assists and five boards, but the Bulls couldn't halt their six-game skid against the defending champions. Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson each logged double-doubles, with the former totaling 19 points and 13 rebounds, and the latter notching 16 and 12.
It was a one-possession game in the early stages of the fourth quarter until the Lakers began to pull away behind a 17-2 run that featured four three- pointers. Brown made one for an 82-81 lead to start the spurt, Steve Blake made a pair from long range, and Gasol's 1-for-2 showing at the foul line resulted in a 96-83 game with 4 1/2 minutes to play.
Chicago got as close as 96-89, but Kyle Korver missed a three-point try with just over a minute left prior to Gasol's putback at the other end, essentially clinching the Lakers' victory. Brown drained one from long range just prior to the first-quarter buzzer to tie the game, 26-26, then scored 15 points in the second stanza to help the Lakers take a 51-49 lead into the break.
LA scored the first eight points of the third quarter, but the Bulls slowly chipped away at the deficit and trailed just 74-73 heading to the final frame. The Bulls fell to 2-2 on a seven-game road trip...Luol Deng netted 13 points for Chicago...Odom also grabbed eight rebounds...Both teams shot 39.5 percent from the floor, but the Lakers made 24-of-27 free throws, compared to Chicago's 19-of-26 effort.
For more Lakers news and analysis, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Silver Screen and Roll.