Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Luol Deng scored 23 points and pulled down nine rebounds and the Chicago Bulls used a strong third quarter to snap a five-game skid, beating the Los Angeles Clippers, 95-75, at Staples Center.
Derrick Rose tallied 21 points and six assists for Chicago, which also received 16 points and 10 rebounds from Tyrus Thomas. Ben Gordon scored 11, and Joakim Noah ended with 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.
"Winning builds confidence," said Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro. "We got solid play tonight. We had good ball movement. I thought our guys gave a good effort and our rebounding was the key."
Eric Gordon had 19 points and seven assists, but accounted for seven of Los Angeles' 15 turnovers as the Clippers lost for the 17th time in 19 games. Fred Jones scored 11 and Al Thornton had 10 for LA, which was outscored 26-9 in the pivotal third quarter. The Clippers were also outrebounded, 52-33.
"This wasn't one of those good efforts," said Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy. "We gave up easy baskets and we missed easy baskets. We laid an egg in the third quarter. We just didn't shoot the ball well."
Ahead 47-44 at the half, the Bulls pulled away with a solid defensive effort in the third. Gordon's jumper capped an 11-2 spurt to start the period and Noah's jam extended the margin to 67-50 with just over three minutes left.
Ricky Davis' three-pointer represented the only points for the Clippers over the last half of the quarter, as they trailed by a hefty 73-53 margin going to the fourth.
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Despite being comfortably ahead, the Bulls chose to play Deng most of the final quarter and Rose wasn't lifted until there was 2 1/2 minutes remaining.
Chicago led 24-19 after one quarter and it stayed tight throughout the second.
