CHICAGO: Derrick Rose and Luol Deng each scored 26 points as the Chicago Bulls easily beat the Utah Jazz 118-100 in the NBA on Saturday night to close in on the Eastern Conference lead. Rose scored 17 points to help the Bulls take a 37-17 first-quarter lead, and Chicago set a franchise record with 18 3-pointers in winning for the 13th time in 15 games. The Bulls improved their record to 47-18. Boston still leads the Eastern Conference standings with a 46-17 record. At halftime, Chicago celebrated the 20th anniversary of its first NBA title with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and other players and coaches from that team on hand for a ceremony. Al Jefferson led Utah with 33 points. Hornets 115, Kings 103: In New Orleans, Chris Paul returned from a concussion and scored a season-high 33 points and added 15 assists, seven rebounds and five steals for New Orleans. David West scored 25 points and Carl Landry added 20 for New Orleans, which has won four of five games. Marcus Thornton, who was traded from New Orleans to Sacramento last month, scored 25 points in his return. DeMarcus Cousins had 19 points and 11 rebounds. Paul missed two games after a hard collision with Cleveland's Ramon Sessions in a game last Sunday. Lakers 96, Mavericks 91: In Dallas, Kobe Bryant scored 16 points to lead Los Angeles, despite landing awkwardly on his ankle in the third quarter and leaving the game temporarily. Bryant shot just 6 of 20 for the game, but scored six points in a 9-0 run by the Lakers late in the second quarter that put them ahead to stay. Andrew Bynum added 22 points for Los Angeles. Shawn Marion and Dirk Nowitzki each had 25 for the Mavericks, who are only a half-game ahead of Los Angeles for second place in the Western Conference. Heat 118, Grizzlies 85: In Miami, Dwyane Wade had 28 points and nine assists and LeBron James scored 27 points while taking the fourth quarter off as Miami beat Memphis. Wade also had five blocks, four of them in a 55-second span of the opening quarter. The 33-point victory margin was Miami's largest this season. Chris Bosh scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Heat, while Mike Bibby added 17 points on 5-for-5 shooting from 3-point range. O.J. Mayo scored 19 for Memphis, which dropped its second straight. Hawks 91, Trail Blazers 82: In Atlanta, Jeff Teague matched a career high with 24 points and Jamal Crawford added 20 as Atlanta ended a four-game losing streak with a victory over Portland. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 points and Wesley Matthews had 19 for Portland. The Hawks were without starting center Al Horford because of a sprained ankle and reserve forward Josh Powell, who was arrested before the game on traffic charges not far from the Atlanta arena. Clippers 122, Wizards 101: In Washington, Blake Griffin scored all of his 26 points in the first half as Los Angeles defeated Washington. Griffin topped the Wizards' John Wall in the matchup between the last two No. 1 picks in the NBA draft. Wall finished with 25 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Eric Bledsoe added a career-high 23 points for the Clippers, who have won five of their six games this month. Bucks 102, 76ers 74: In Milwaukee, Andrew Bogut scored 17 points and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute had 14 points, 12 rebounds and five steals to lift Milwaukee past Philadelphia. Nuggets 131, Pistons 101: At Denver, J.R. Smith scored 26 of his season-high 31 points in the second half for Denver. Spurs 115, Rockets 107: In Houston, Tony Parker scored 21 points and helped NBA-leading San Antonio hold off Houston. Manu Ginobili added 19 points and Antonio McDyess had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs. Kevin Martin had 12 points in the Rockets' big third quarter and finished with 28. Courtney Lee added 16 points.
