NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 19 (UPI) — Luol Deng fired in 20 points Tuesday and the Chicago Bulls used to a tenacious defense to get past New Orleans 96-87.
Joakim Noah provided 15 points and 17 rebounds as the Bulls held New Orleans to just 41.7 percent shooting from the floor en route to the win — just their second in six games.
Despite the ineffective stretch before the All-Star Game break, the Bulls remain in the playoff hunt with a 31-22 record, good for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Hornets got 20 points from Eric Gordon in stumbling to their fourth defeat in five games.
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