Hinrich, Belinelli lead Bulls past Lakers
By ANDREW SELIGMAN The Associated Press January 21, 2013 11:25PM
Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace (15) challenges Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
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CHICAGO — Kirk Hinrich scored 22 points, Marco Belinelli added 15 points, and the Chicago Bulls pulled away down the stretch to beat the struggling Los Angeles Lakers 95-83 on Monday night.
Belinelli came up big in the closing minutes, scoring eight points during an 18-4 run that broke a 75-75 tie and sent the Lakers to their ninth loss in 11 games.
He started it by hitting two free throws after getting fouled by Dwight Howard with 6:54 left in the game and wrapped two 3-pointers around a layup by Los Angeles’ Earl Clark, making it 89-79 with 2:27 remaining.
The Lakers have now dropped six straight on the road, and this one came after coach Mike D’Antoni shook up the lineup. He moved forward Pau Gasol to a reserve role and replaced him with Clark, but the slide continued on a night when Kobe Bryant and Howard were mostly nonfactors.
