Gasol powers Bulls past Bucks, 95-87

Chicago Bulls’ Pau Gasol (16) of Spain, goes up to shoot against Milwaukee Bucks’ Zaza Pachulia (27) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015. Chicago won 95-87. AP

CHICAGO — Pau Gasol had a career-high 46 points to go along with 18 rebounds as the Chicago Bulls bounced back from two ugly losses with a 95-87 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.

Gasol was 17 for 30 from the field and 12 for 13 at the line. Kirk Hinrich added 16 points for Chicago, and Jimmy Butler had nine points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in the opener of a three-game homestand.

The Bulls were coming off a pair of bad losses to Utah and Washington, when they shot a combined 36 percent from the field. They weren’t much better against Milwaukee, finishing at 40 percent (35 for 88), but Gasol’s big performance was enough to hold off the Bucks.

Gasol helped the Bulls close it out in the final period. He had a driving layup that made it 87-75 with 4:01 remaining. He finished with four straight free throws, surpassing his previous career best of 44 points for Memphis against Seattle on March 28, 2006.

Brandon Knight scored 20 points for Milwaukee, which had won its last five road games.

Charlotte’s Kemba Walker scored 28 points as the Hornets downed New York 110-82 to extend the Knicks’ losing streak to 15 games.

Charlotte won its fifth in a row and did it so easily that Walker played only three quarters.

Bismack Biyombo added 14 points, tying a career high, and 12 rebounds for the Hornets.

At Los Angeles, Blake Griffin scored 22 points, and Chris Paul had 17 points and 13 assists as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks 120-100 for its sixth win in eight games and second in a row.

Jamal Crawford added 19 points, Matt Barnes had 18 points, J.J. Redick 16, and DeAndre Jordan had 13 points and 15 rebounds in the Clippers’ eighth win in their last 11 games against the Mavericks.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points and Monta Ellis had 15 of his 23 in the first half for Dallas.

The San Antonio Spurs handed the Minnesota Timberwolves their 15th straight loss 108-93 after Austin Daye scored a season-high 22 points and had 10 rebounds.

Australia’s Patty Mills scored 19 points and Tim Duncan added 13 points and six rebounds in 20 minutes for the Spurs (23-15), who were missing Manu Ginobili and Marco Belinelli with injuries.

In other games, LaMarcus Aldridge scored 25 points as the Portland Trail Blazers downed the Orlando Magic 103-92, the Philadelphia 76ers edged the Indiana Pacers 93-92, the Detroit Pistons defeated the New Jersey Nets 98-93, the Toronto Raptors downed the Boston Celtics 109-96 and the Houston Rockets were 97-82 winners over the Utah Jazz.