Gasol scores 19, Bulls defeat Hornets 102-95

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Pau Gasol had 19 points and 15 rebounds, Joakim Noah and Nikola Mirotic each posted double-doubles, and the Chicago Bulls handed the Charlotte Hornets their 10th straight loss, 102-95 on Wednesday night.

Noah had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Mirotic added 11 points and 12 rebounds as the Bulls bounced back from a double- overtime loss to Dallas on Tuesday night.

Kirk Hinrich, who had the costly foul on a 3-point shot in the loss to the Mavericks, came up with two big 3-pointers in the final three minutes to help the Bulls (12-7) hold on and improve to 10-3 on the road.

It is the fifth straight game the Bulls have scored at least 100 points.

Kemba Walker had 23 points, and Lance Stephenson had a season-high 20 points to lead the Hornets (4-15), who have lost 12 of 13.

The Hornets were coming off three days of rest while the Bulls played deep into overtime in Chicago on Tuesday.

Jimmy Butler, who had led the Bulls in scoring in seven of the previous nine games, and Derrick Rose each had 15 points for the Bulls in a well-balanced scoring attack.

Gasol came in averaging 20 points and 11.2 rebounds per game and had his 10th double-double of the season by the middle of the third quarter. The Bulls out-rebounded the Hornets 49-42.

The Hornets trailed 61-55 before Walker scored 12 points during a three-minute span near the end of the third quarter to pull Charlotte within 72-71.

Walker had 17 points in the third.

The highlight came when the 6-foot-10 Mirotic got stuck covering Walker on a pick and roll, and tripped and fell when the fourth-year point guard hit the big man with a nasty crossover and stepped back to drain a 3-pointer. The play became quickly became the rage on Twitter.

But Mirotic would get his revenge, scoring nine of his points in the fourth quarter, including a key 3-pointer from the right baseline midway that helped the Bulls push the lead to double digits.

Hinrich's two 3-pointers helped seal the win.

Stephenson has struggled in his first season with the Hornets, but turned in one of his best games, shooting 9 of 18 from the field and grabbing eight rebounds. He kept the Hornets close in the first half, hitting 5 of 7 shots.

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TIP-INS

Bulls: Doug McDermott was a late scratch due to a sore right knee. Taj Gibson sat out with a left ankle injury.

Hornets: Coach Steve Clifford said Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (stress reaction) will be out at least until next Wednesday and possibly longer. He has missed 13 games. Gary Neal (strained shoulder) also remains out.

UP NEXT

Bulls: Host Golden State Warriors on Saturday night.

Hornets: Host the New York Knicks on Friday night.