NBA

Nicolas Batum has triple-double as Hornets top frustrated Bulls

AP
Charlotte Hornets guard forward Nicolas Batum (5) enters the arena prior to the game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Spectrum Center.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Nic Batum had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his first triple-double of the season, and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Chicago Bulls 103-91 on Friday night for their third straight victory.

It was Batum's seventh triple-double of his career.

Kemba Walker chipped in with 20 points, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots for Charlotte. The held the Bulls to 39.6 percent shooting while blocking a season-high 13 shots.

Jimmy Butler had 26 points for the Bulls (14-15), who have lost five of their last six to fall below .500 for the first time this season. Butler has scored at least 20 points in 24 of the team's 29 games this season.

USA TODAY Sports' NBA triple-double tracker

Charlotte had a crucial four-point swing with 3 minutes left when Batum hustled down the floor to block 7-foot center Robin Lopez's layup off a fast-break layup and Walker converted a reverse layup on the other end.

Despite the efforts of Butler, who drained back-to-back jumpers, the Bulls could never claw back in the game.

Chicago's night ended in frustration with Taj Gibson and Lopez being ejected with 38 seconds left.

Lopez simultaneously elbowed Cody Zeller and Marvin Williams in the face with both elbows, drawing a flagrant 2 technical foul. Gibson then argued the call and was ejected as well. Gibson had picked up his first technical foul earlier in the fourth quarter.

TIP-INS

Bulls: Dwyane Wade played despite battling a migraine headache most of the day and had 12 points on 5-of-16 shooting. ... Chicago outrebounded the Hornets 52-48.

Hornets: Marco Belinelli left the game in the second quarter with a sprained left ankle and did not return. He hopped on one foot to the locker room after coming down wrong on his foot. ... Before the game, Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg called Walker one of the best guards in the NBA, saying, "he's a guy that can take over games at any time. He can get into the paint. He does a great job getting into the bigs' bodies, keeping them off, where he can finish at the rim." ... Team owner Michael Jordan took in the game from the end of Hornets bench.

UP NEXT

Bulls: Chicago will travel to San Antonio for a Christmas day matinee game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Hornets: Head to Brooklyn on Monday to face the Nets. Charlotte has lost four of its last five games on the road.