Deng Guides Bulls To Win, NBA Roundup

Bulls Tame Bobcats

(Chicago, IL) -- Luol Deng posted a game-high 21 points with eight rebounds to help the Bulls in an 86-81 win over the Bobcats at the United Center. Bulls center Joakim Noah says this wasn't a pretty win, but a victory nonetheless.

Carlos Boozer added 12 points and hauled in 17 boards while Derrick Rose struggled from the floor on his way to 12 points. Jimmy Butler chipped in 14 points as Chicago won its fifth straight. Jeff Taylor led the way for Charlotte with 20 points off the bench. Gerald Henderson notched 16 points with eight rebounds and six assists as the 'Cats dropped a second in-a-row and their fourth in six games.

Blazers Pummel Nets

(Brooklyn, NY) -- LaMarcus Aldridge went off for 27 points, eight rebounds and two blocks to carry the Trail Blazers to a 108-98 win over the Nets at the Barclays Center. After giving up 40 points to Brooklyn in the first quarter, Portland held the Nets to 58 points the rest of the way. Damian Lillard added 19 points and nine assists, while Wesley Matthews knocked down five from behind the arc on his way to 24 points. The Blazers have won seven in-a-row to jump to 9-2. Kevin Garnett started off the game connecting on his first six shots, but finished 2-of-13 the rest of the way as he scored 16 points and eight rebounds. Paul Pierce struggled with 11 points on 2-of-12 shooting. Brooklyn was without point guard Deron Williams, center Brook Lopez and forward Andrei Kirilenko. They dropped to 3-7 and last place in the Atlantic Division.

Thunder Clip Nuggets

(Oklahoma City, OK) -- The Thunder outscored the Nuggets by 11 points in the fourth quarter behind huge efforts from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to pull out a 115-113 win at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Durant finished with 38 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Westbrook tallied 30 points, 12 boards and seven helpers. Oklahoma City improved to 7-3 including a 4-and-0 record at home. Ty Lawson paced Denver with 29 points and eight assists. J.J. Hickson put together a double-double with 18 points and 19 rebounds for the Nuggets, who are 4-6.

Mavericks Nix 76ers

(Dallas, TX) -- Monta Ellis poured in 24 points with ten assists to lead the Mavericks in a 97-94 win over the visiting 76ers in Dallas. Dirk Nowitzki added 20 points and ten rebounds while Shawn Marion also scored 20 points and hauled in seven boards. Dallas has won four out of five. Evan Turner scored a game-high 26 points and added nine rebounds and seven assists for Philadelphia. Tony Wroten had 19 points while Thaddeus Young notched 12 points and 11 boards in the loss. The Sixers have dropped three straight and seven out of nine.

Warriors Handle Jazz

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The Golden State Warriors shot 55-percent from behind the arc to take down the Utah Jazz 98-87 at EnergySolutions Arena.  The Warriors outscored the Jazz 59-36 in the first half and held a commanding lead throughout the rest of the game. Five Warriors scored in double digits, with Stephen Curry leading the charge with 22 points. David Lee added a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. The Warriors notched their fourth straight win and take the lead in the Pacific Division with an 8-and-3 record. Gordon Hayward had a team-high 18 points but turned the ball over six times in the loss for Utah. Marvin Williams contributed 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench. The Jazz fall to a league-worst 1-11.

Grizz Bruise Past Clippers

(Los Angeles, CA) -- The Grizzlies used their size to beast the Clippers, 106-102, at the STAPLES Center. Zach Randolph continued his strong play with 26 points and 15 rebounds, while Marc Gasol filled up the stat sheet with 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Tony Allen was kicked out of the game for a flagrant two after he kicked Chris Paul in the face. Memphis got above .500 at 6-5. Paul just missed out on a triple-double with 18 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. Blake Griffin paced Los Angeles with 23 points and 11 rebounds. The Clippers are 7-and-4 and took their first home loss of the season.
   

Bryant Cleared For All Basketball Activities

(Los Angeles, CA) -- Kobe Bryant's return to action could be nearing. Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding reports that the Los Angeles Lakers star has been cleared to participate in all basketball activities. Bryant practiced this past Saturday for the first time.  He is recovering from a ruptured left Achilles.

Monday, November 18 Scoreboard

NBA

Portland Trail Blazers 108, Brooklyn Nets 98

Oklahoma City Thunder 115, Denver Nuggets 113

Chicago Bulls 86, Charlotte Bobcats 81

Dallas Mavericks 97, Philadelphia 76ers 94

Golden State Warriors 98, Utah Jazz 87

Memphis Grizzlies 106, Los Angeles Clippers 102

Tuesday, November 19 Schedule (All Times Central)

NBA

6:00 p.m. - Minnesota Timberwolves at Washington Wizards

6:30 p.m. - Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat

6:30 p.m. - New York Knicks at Detroit Pistons

7:00 p.m. - Boston Celtics at Houston Rockets

9:00 p.m. - Phoenix Suns at Sacramento Kings