Bulls 93, Bobcats 85: Joakim Noah collected 13 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists as Chicago took care of visiting Charlotte.

Jimmy Butler scored 19 points off the bench and Nate Robinson added 15 for the Bulls, who have won seven of their last nine. All-Star Luol Deng (hamstring) returned after a five-game absence and chipped in 12 points in 31 minutes.

Kemba Walker and Ben Gordon had 18 points apiece as the Bobcats failed to secure back-to-back wins for the first time since November.

Robinson hit a pair of 3-pointers during an 8-2 burst to begin the fourth quarter that left Chicago with a 71-57 lead. It was 80-66 with 6:39 left when Charlotte made one last push.

Gordon’s 3-pointer sparked a 17-9 run that cut it to six points with 20 seconds left before Kirk Hinrich and Deng sealed it at the free-throw line.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Bulls F Carlos Boozer provided an exclamation point late in the fourth quarter when he drove in from the right side and threw a left-handed dunk down over Bobcats F Bismack Biyombo. … Making his first NBA start, Charlotte F Jeff Adrien scored a career-high 14 points and added 10 rebounds for his first career double-double. … Chicago struggled to 16-of-25 from the free-throw line.