Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Pau Gasol scored a season-high 34 points as the Lakers bounced back from their first loss of the season with a 116-109 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Kobe Bryant added 21 points and Andrew Bynum posted 18 points and nine rebounds on a milestone night for the center, as Los Angeles moved to 8-1 on the season with its lone loss coming Friday night, 106-95, at home against Detroit.
With his nine rebounds, Bynum reached 1,000 boards for his career. He became the eighth-youngest player in NBA history to reach the plateau, doing it at 21 years and 22 days of age.
Rookie Derrick Rose had 25 points and nine assists, and Ben Gordon ended with 23 points, but went just 6-of-22 from the field, as the Bulls remained winless on the road after four games.
The Lakers were ahead by only five to start the third quarter, but Bryant hit a jumper and banged in a three-pointer before Bynum jammed and finished off a three-point play for a 69-56 cushion.
Another three-ball by Bryant upped the advantage to 82-65 and it was 90-74 going into the fourth. The closest the Bulls got was the final score. Included in that final period was another three by Bryant with 3 1/2 minutes remaining, moving the lead to 110-97. He finished 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Gasol scored 24 of his points in the first half, but the Bulls remained close in the opening 24 minutes. They were behind 30-29 after one quarter and held a slim edge early in the second, but the Lakers scored 13 in a row at one point for a 51-38 lead. Bryant's layup capped the burst.
