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Lakers outlast Bulls in 2OT to snap 9-game skid

Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today Sports

In their 67 years of existence, the Lakers - be they the Los Angeles or Minneapolis variety - have never lost more than 10 games in a row. 

This year's Lakers, arguably the worst outfit in franchise history, won't be the one to do so - at least, not yet. 

The Lakers avoided tying their franchise-worst losing streak with a 123-118 win over the Chicago Bulls in a double overtime. It was their first win since Kobe Bryant shut down for the season

The Lakers were also welcoming Pau Gasol back to Staples Center for the first time since he left the team in free agency to join the Bulls. Gasol, who won back-to-back championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010, received a video tribute and a standing ovation from the fans in attendance before the game.

It wasn't long, though, before Gasol was being booed while at the free-throw line, and it surely didn't help that he tipped in the game-tying bucket with less than 10 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime. 

Pau Gasol's tip in forces OT (CSN/TNT)

The tie at the end of regulation was, incredibly, the first since the opening tip. The Lakers had been in front the whole way, stretching their lead as wide as 15 points before the Bulls clawed their way back late. 

The Lakers figured to be too deflated to recover and win in overtime, especially after the Bulls went up five on this beautiful sequence that ended with another Gasol bucket:

Joakim Noah Behind The Back To Pau Gasol

But the Lakers kept grinding, and after some clutch free throws from rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson - who took advantage of a rare start to post 18 big points - Jordan Hill rattled home a 20-footer to knot things up and send the game to double-overtime. 

That's when the Bulls started to break down. Derrick Rose couldn't get anything to fall late and finished just 7-of-26 from the field. Newly minted All-Star Jimmy Butler was borderline heroic, scoring 35 points on 17 shots, while pulling down seven boards and ripping three steals, but it went for naught. 

Journeyman shooting guard Wayne Ellington scored eight of his 23 points in the second OT. He finished with a team-high 46 minutes, and a game-high plus-11 rating. 

It's a huge letdown loss for the Bulls, after notching their biggest win of the season against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, though their fatigue is understandable as that game also went to overtime. 

For head coach Tom Thibodeau it was a particularly disappointing result at a time when his future with the team is (fairly or unfairly) looking increasingly cloudy

He reacted appropriately.

Vine by netw3rk

Things won't get any easier for the Bulls, who travel to Phoenix for a matchup with the Suns on Friday to close out a back-to-back. 

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