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Bulls blow past Hawks

Feb 3, 2013 - 5:11 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Luol Deng, Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler each posted double-doubles to lead the depleted Chicago Bulls to a 93-76 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.

Deng finished with a game-high 25 points and 14 rebounds and Gibson had 19 points and set a career-high with 19 rebounds for the Bulls, who were without starters Joakim Noah (foot), Carlos Boozer (hamstring) and Kirk Hinrich (elbow).

"I'm exhausted, they kept giving me electrolytes on the bench, but I just kept wanting to play," said Gibson, who played 48 minutes in Friday's loss to Brooklyn. "I know late in the game I ran out of gas, but I just had to go out and play a little harder."

Gibson was one of three Bulls' players to log at least 45 minutes on Saturday.

Butler scored 16 points and pulled down 10 boards and Nate Robinson added 20 points and eight assists for the Chicago.

Josh Smith scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Al Horford scored 14 points and pulled down 12 boards for the Hawks, who have dropped two of their last three following a three-game winning streak.

"You have to give that team credit, they played last night and just came out (tonight) and imposed their will the whole game," Horford said of the Bulls. "They dominated both ends, so you have to give them credit."

Chicago held a 24-17 lead after the first quarter, but trailed, 44-43 at the break.

The Bulls, though, held Atlanta to 32 points on 33.3 percent (12-for-36) shooting in the second half.

Chicago, on the other hand, opened the third period on a 14-4 run to go up 57-48 with seven minutes remaining and never looked back.

Atlanta pulled within 61-56 2 1/2 minutes later, but Chicago responded with an 8-4 run at the end of the stanza to take a 69-60 lead into the fourth.

Chicago's lead swelled to 81-66 following Butler's trey with just over five minutes left and the Hawks couldn't get closer than 12 the rest of the way.

Game Notes

Robinson was 4-for-6 from 3-point range ... The Bulls scored 15 points off of 14 Atlanta turnovers ... The Hawks shot just 53.3 percent (8-for-15) from the free throw line.