• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Bulls top Pelicans for 6th straight win

Dec 28, 2014 - 4:25 AM Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Jimmy Butler scored 33 points, and the Chicago Bulls extended their season-high winning streak to six games by topping New Orleans, 107-100, at the United Center.

Derrick Rose added 19 points, while Aaron Brooks scored 13, and Taj Gibson tallied 12 with 10 rebounds.

Butler, who went 12-of-18 from the field, garnered his fifth game with at least 30 points this season. He had none over his first three seasons in the NBA, but has three over his last six contests.

"We got a lot of easy baskets. As a team, we rebounded the ball well and we got into the open court," Butler said. "We got a lot of layups. When we're playing like that we're really hard to beat."

Chicago native Anthony Davis had 29 points to pace the Pelicans, who failed to build on a 97-90 home win over San Antonio Friday night. Tyreke Evans scored 26 and Jrue Holiday notched 19 with seven assists.

Davis, who attended Perspectives Charter High School in Chicago, went 13-of-24 from the field and had 11 rebounds and six blocks.

"They're very good, possibly the best team in the league," Davis said of the Bulls. "They have all types of weapons."

The Bulls used an 11-3 run in the third quarter to move ahead for good. Butler scored six during the surge, including the final four to give Chicago a 72-65 advantage with 2:51 left.

The hosts were up 80-71 after 36 minutes and widened the gap to 16 in the fourth when Nikola Mirotic's 3-pointer made it 91-75 with 7:42 left. The Pelicans got only as close as the final score.

Evans scored 13 in the opening quarter, a period in which the visitors rallied from an eight-point deficit. New Orleans ended the stanza on a 15-5 spurt.

Chicago scored seven in a row late in the second quarter for a 49-43 edge. Brooks had a 3-point play to start the run, which was finished by four Butler free throws.

Davis' jumper in the closing minute had the Pelicans within four points at the half, and they were ahead as many as three in the third. New Orleans' last lead came at 62-61 following a Holiday jumper with 5:31 left.

Game Notes

Ryan Anderson, who had 13 points for the Pelicans, had a streak of 42 made free throws snapped with 3:29 left in the first quarter. It was his first miss since Nov. 29 at Washington ... After beginning their home schedule 2-5, the Bulls have won their last six at the United Center ... Mirotic scored 10 for Chicago, which held a 45-37 rebounding advantage ... Pau Gasol chipped in eight points, nine boards and six assists for the Bulls.