Britain's Deng powers Bulls over Knicks

NEW YORK (AFP) –

Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls celebrates after hitting a shot in the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on December 21, 2012 in New York City. The Bulls defeated the Knicks 110-106.

Britain’s Luol Deng scored 29 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds while Italy’s Marco Belinelli added 22 points to spark the Chicago Bulls to a 110-106 NBA victory Friday over the New York Knicks.

France’s Joakim Noah had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls while Kirk Hinrich added 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists as Chicago improved to 15-10 to remain one game ahead of Milwaukee and Indiana in the Central division.

Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points, J.R. Smith added 26 and Raymond Felton contributed 21 for Atlantic division-leading New York, who fell to 19-7 but still have the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Anthony, Noah and New York’s Tyson Chandler were thrown out after a fourth-quarter incident. That came after Knicks coach Mike Woodson had been ejected.

It was only the second home loss in 13 starts for the Knicks, who had won five of their six prior games.

The Bulls, who won for the seventh time in nine games overall, improved to 7-4 on the road this season. They also defeated the Knicks on December 8 in Chicago and have now beaten the Knicks in six of their past seven meetings.

Deng, who was briefly out of the game with a sore left shoulder, made 11 of 24 shots from the field and four of five free throws while Noah went four of 12 from the field but seven of eight from the free-throw line and also added six assists.