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The Los Angeles Lakers put up a fight on Christmas Day but couldn't hold up in a 113-93 loss to the Chicago Bulls. Kobe Bryant sat out for the second straight game, resting his sore knees and body, but this time his teammates weren't able to replicate the stunning game they put up against the Golden State Warriors.
Pau Gasol had a strong game in his first matchup against the Lakers since leaving town, putting up a game-high 23 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. He reminded Lakers fans of his finesse moves, pretty passing and overall skillset as he helped lead the Bulls to a Christmas Day victory. Jimmy Butler also had a good game, scoring 21 points.
The Lakers kept it mostly-competitive but ran out of fuel in the fourth quarter, scoring just 16 points in the final 12 minutes. Wesley Johnson put up the most field goals on the Lakers, shooting 18 times while making just six of his attempts. Jordan Hill scored 16 points, but also put up a large number of shots. His numerous missed mid-range shots definitely hurt the Lakers' offense. Nick Young was a non-factor, playing cold off the bench and making just one of his six shots.
The shorthanded Lakers just didn't have enough in the tank to tack another win on their schedule without Kobe, and immediately travel to Dallas as they face the Mavericks Friday. A tough holiday for the purple and gold, with no word on whether Kobe Bryant will sit out a third game before the Lakers return to Los Angeles.