Kobe fires 42 points as Lakers beat Bulls

CHICAGO – Kobe Bryant scored a seasonhigh 42 points as the Los Angeles Lakers won  for the 12th time in 13 games, beating the fading Chicago Bulls, 96-87, on Tuesday. Down one through three quarters, the Lakers pulled away early in the fourth and sent  Chicago to its 11th loss in 13 games.

Bryant was simply phenomenal even though he was wearing a splint on his broken right index finger. He was particularly good in the early going, scoring 20 points in the first quarter and 25 in the half. Andrew Bynum added 11 points, Pau Gasol grabbed 16  rebounds and Shannon Brown scored seven of his nine in the fourth as Los Angeles

came away with the win.

Luol Deng scored 21 for Chicago and so did Derrick Rose even though he strained a left rib in the first quarter. Brad Miller scored 15 and Joakim Noah added 11 points and 20 rebounds for his 11th double-double.

At Cleveland, LeBron James had 23 points, six rebounds and seven assists while adding the role of peacemaker to his duties as Cleveland beat New Jersey, 99-89.

The Nets’ Devin Harris was ejected with 3:48 left in the game after committing a flagrant-2 foul on Cleveland’s Jamario Moon. Harris wrapped his arm around Moon’s face and neck and pulled him to the ground while Moon was going up for a breakaway basket. (AP)