Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, right, blocks the shot of Philadelphia 76ers guard Nick Young (1) as Spencer Hawes (00) and Bulls’ Carlos Boozer (5) watch during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013, in Chicago. Noah recorded a triple double of 23 points, 21 rebounds and 11 blocked shots as the Bulls won 93-82. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
CHICAGO—Joakim Noah had 23 points, 21 rebounds and a career-high 11 blocks for his third career triple-double and the Chicago Bulls ended a two-game losing streak with a 93-82 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.
Carlos Boozer added 21 points and 12 rebounds while Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng had 15 and 12 points, respectively, as the Bulls completed a three-game regular season series sweep.
Noah tied the Bulls record for blocks in a regulation game, previously set by Artis Gilmore in 1977.
Jrue Holiday paced the Sixers with 22 points, and Spencer Hawes added 20 points and 15 rebounds.
The loss was Philadelphia’s season-high seventh in a row.
CLIPPERS 99, PACERS 91
INDIANAPOLIS—Chris Paul scored 29 points, and Blake Griffin finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds to help Los Angeles hold off Indiana’s late charge.
The Clippers have won three straight and seven of their past eight.
David West led the Pacers with 22 points, while All-Star Paul George had 20 points and five assists. Danny Granger finished with a season-high 12 points.
But without the suspended Roy Hibbert, the Pacers barely resembled the team that had won five straight by an average margin of 23.8 points.
LAKERS 116, TIMBERWOLVES 94
LOS ANGELES—Kobe Bryant scored 33 points and Antawn Jamison added 17 in Los Angeles’ 21st consecutive victory over Minnesota.
Bryant and Jodie Meeks each hit four of Los Angeles’ 16 3-pointers, and Meeks finished with 16 points. The Lakers (29-30) have won 12 of 17 and five of seven while moving within two games of Houston for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with their longest stretch of solid play in this tumultuous season.
J.J. Barea scored 20 points and Luke Ridnour added 19 for the short-handed Timberwolves, who have lost four straight and 20 of 24.
Los Angeles’ mastery of Minnesota is the NBA’s longest active winning streak in any matchup.
Ricky Rubio had 13 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, but Minnesota never threated to get its first win over the Lakers since March 6, 2007.