Chicago Bulls (6-4) at Los Angeles Lakers (8-3), 10:30 p.m.

Sports Network | November 19, 2009

(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Lakers try to continue their recent dominance of the Chicago Bulls tonight, when the two storied franchises get together at Staples Center.

Los Angeles has won four straight and nine of the last 12 matchups with the Bulls, including three straight in Hollywood. It took both meetings a season ago to improve to 10-4 in the previous 14 encounters.

The Lakers ended a two-game losing streak with a 106-93 triumph versus the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday in LA, as superstar Kobe Bryant shook off a groin injury to score 40 points for the 100th time in his career. Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who avoided their first three-game slide since January 23-27, 2008. Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar chipped in 12 and 10 points off the bench, respectively, in the win.

"We played a couple of good periods and we sustained the effort at the end. I was pleased with the ball movement and the way we played in the first course of the game," said Los Angeles head coach Phil Jackson.

Los Angeles is 1-1 on a five-game homestand and will also host Oklahoma City and New York. In injury news for the Lakers, center Pau Gasol (hamstring) is probable for Thursday and has yet to play this season. Gasol averaged 18.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game in 2008-09.

The annual circus is in town in Chicago, which kicked off a six-game road trip with Tuesday's 101-87 victory over the Kings. John Salmons scored 23 points in his return to Sacramento to lead the Bulls, who have won two straight and five of seven games, and got 15 points and 14 rebounds out of Joakim Noah.

"John Salmons was solid for us. Joakim Noah was a monster especially in the second half," said Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro. "He had a couple of great tip- ins. Just some good performances that we needed."

Luol Deng contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds in the win. Chicago will also visit the Nuggets, Blazers, Jazz and Bucks on the current swing.