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Gibson and Bulls take down Pacers

Chicago,  IL (SportsNetwork.com)  - Taj Gibson scored a game-high 23 points on 
9-of-15 shooting off the bench, and the Chicago Bulls grinded out an 89-77 win 
over the Eastern Conference-leading Indiana Pacers at United Center. 

Kirk  Hinrich  checked in with  18 points, Mike  Dunleavy netted 13 and Joakim 
Noah again filled the box score with 10 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, 
four steals and three blocks despite dealing with foul trouble. 

Paul  George  needed 22 shots  to put  up 21 points  in a losing effort, while 
George Hill and David West contributed 17 and 14 points, respectively. 

The Pacers could have wrapped up the Central Division title but shot just 37.0 
percent from the floor in losing for the third time in four games. 

The  one  win came against  Chicago on Friday, but  they followed that up with 
their lowest scoring output of the season in an 82-71 setback in Memphis. 

Indiana again struggled putting points up on Monday despite scoring the game's 
first  seven points,  with the  seven-point lead  serving as  the largest  for 
either squad prior to Chicago's resurgence early in the third quarter. 

The Bulls shot just 31.8 percent from the floor in the first half, including a 
1-for-10  effort from  behind the arc, and went into halftime trailing, 34-33, 
after Hill beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer. 

Adjustments were apparently made in the locker room as Chicago scored on seven 
of  its first eight  possessions out of the break en route to a 14-3 run, with 
Dunleavy providing half of the offense. 

A  Hinrich 3-pointer brought  the margin to a dozen, 55-43, and it was a 64-56 
Bulls  lead  heading to the fourth  thanks to Chicago making 59.1 percent (13- 
of-22) of their shots in the frame. 

Hill's  three-point  play with 4:30 on  the clock got the Pacers within 77-71, 
but Indiana went the next three minutes without making a bucket. 

Hinrich  bookended an 8-2 run with a pair of successful drives to the rim, and 
the Bulls held on for their third win in four games. 

                                   Game Notes 

Indiana  heads into Wednesday's game against the Miami Heat two games ahead of 
the  defending champions  in the  East  standings ...  Noah led  the Bulls  in 
assists  for  the  10th  time  in  the last  11  games  ...  Indiana  came  in 
surrendering  an NBA-low 91.9  ppg and the Bulls were right behind at 92.1 ... 
The  Pacers turned  it over 16 times  and forced 10 turnovers ... Chicago shot 
3-of-5  from the  perimeter  in the  second half  ...  These Central  Division 
rivals split the four-game season series, with each winning twice on their own 
home floor. 

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