Bulls 83, Clippers 80
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bulls protected a fourth-quarter lead and ended a three-game losing streak with an 83-80 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at the United Center.
The Clippers (13-10), who had a three-game win streak snapped, shot a season-low 34.1 percent from the field. Los Angeles had also won five straight against the Bulls at the United Center.
Forward Pau Gasol scored 24 points to lead four Bulls in double-figures. Forward Blake Griffin, who was ejected with 5:59 left in the third for a flagrant foul, led the Clippers with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Trailing 64-54 to start the fourth, the Clippers stormed back to tie it 66-66 without Griffin. They went on a 12-2 run by hitting four of their first five 3-point attempts, capped by forward Josh Smith's 3-pointer with 6:35 remaining.
It was the third straight game the Bulls had blown a sizable fourth-quarter lead, but they responded with a 10-3 run to go back up 76-69 with 4:31 to play.
Los Angeles hit 8 of 11 from behind the 3-point line in the fourth, but it wasn't enough to come all the way back.
Forward Wesley Johnson's 3-pointer with 29 seconds left in the fourth pulled L.A. to within three points, but guard Chris Paul's off-balance 3-pointer missed and the Bulls got the rebound to seal the win.
Griffin was ejected for fouling Bulls forward Taj Gibson (12 points). Griffin leaped into the air after a pump fake and swung his right forearm into Gibson's head on his way down. Griffin helped Gibson to his feet, while officials reviewed the play on video and then assessed the type 2 flagrant foul, which calls for an automatic ejection.
Chicago led 44-35 at halftime and pushed it to 55-39 on a dunk by Gibson with 8:06 left in the third to cap a 12-4 run.
The Bulls started slowly and trailed 19-11 with 3:23 left in the first. After a timeout, they rattled off a 7-0 run to narrow the gap and built a nine-point halftime lead by outscoring the Clippers 21-11 in the second.
L.A. went 3 for 23 shooting (13.0 percent) in the second quarter, which was the Clippers' second-fewest field goals in a quarter this season.
NOTES: Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg stuck with the same starting lineup he used in a 105-100 loss Wednesday against the Boston Celtics, which meant F Taj Gibson made his second start of the season. Gibson played 19:48 against the Celtics and finished with eight points and seven rebounds. ... Chicago F Mike Dunleavy (back), who hasn't played yet this season, missed his 20th game. ... The Clippers came into the game without any injury issues. ... Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers is pleased with his team's defensive effort, but still wants to see the Clippers get more defensive rebounds. ... Clippers PG Chris Paul faced Bulls PG Derrick Rose for the sixth time Thursday, and the Bulls are now 6-0 in those games. Rose came into the game averaging 24.4 points a game against the Clippers, his highest against any opponent. He had just 11 on Thursday, though.