CHICAGO, March 1, (Agencies): Joakim Noah notched the third triple-double of his NBA career Thursday, scoring 23 points with 21 rebounds and 11 blocked shots to lead Chicago to a 93-82 win over stumbling Philadelphia. Carlos Boozer added 21 points and 12 rebounds for Chicago, with Luol Deng contributing 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists. The victory was a boost for a Bulls team that had dropped their prior three games at home. Britain’s Deng took an elbow to the face from 76ers forward Spencer Hawes in the waning seconds. He remained on court for several minutes before proceeding to the locker room. Noah’s 11 blocked shots were a career high and matched a Bulls record for blocks in a regulation game. He became the fourth player in the last 25 years to post a triple-double featuring at least 20 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocks, joining former Rockets great Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal and Shawn Bradley.

The Bulls beat the 76ers for the third straight time, posting their first season sweep since Chicago won all four meetings with Philadelphia in the 1996-97 season. The defeat stretched the Sixers’ losing streak to seven games, and saw their playoff hopes dwindle further. Philadelphia went into the game 5 1/2 games behind Milwaukee for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Jrue Holiday scored 22 points for Philadelphia and Hawes added 20 points and 15 rebounds.

Clippers 99, Pacers 91
In Indianapolis, Chris Paul scored 29 points, and Blake Griffin finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds to help Los Angeles hold off Indiana’s late charge. The Clippers have won three straight and seven of their past eight. David West led the Pacers with 22 points, while All-Star Paul George had 20 points and five assists. Danny Granger finished with a season-high 12 points. But without the suspended Roy Hibbert, the Pacers barely resembled the team that had won five straight by an average margin of 23.8 points.

Lakers 116, Timberwolves 94
In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 33 points and Antawn Jamison added 17 in Los Angeles’ 21st consecutive victory over Minnesota.
Bryant and Jodie Meeks each hit four of Los Angeles’ 16 3-pointers, and Meeks finished with 16 points. The Lakers (29-30) have won 12 of 17 and five of seven while moving within two games of Houston for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with their longest stretch of solid play in this tumultuous season.
J.J. Barea scored 20 points and Luke Ridnour added 19 for the short-handed Timberwolves, who have lost four straight and 20 of 24.
Los Angeles’ mastery of Minnesota is the NBA’s longest active winning streak in any matchup.
Ricky Rubio had 13 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, but Minnesota never threated to get its first win over the Lakers since March 6, 2007.

The mayor of Sacramento said on Thursday evening that 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov would bid to buy the NBA’s Sacramento Kings to keep the basketball team from moving to Seattle, the Sacramento Bee newspaper reported.
Mayor Kevin Johnson also said during his State of the City address that billionaire supermarket mogul Ron Burkle has agreed to work with the city to build a downtown arena, the newspaper reported.
“I hope Seattle gets a team someday,” the mayor said, according to the newspaper. “Let me be perfectly crystal clear. It is not going to be this team. Not our team. No way.”

The Sacramento Kings could not be reached after business hours for comment and a copy of the mayor’s speech was not immediately available. A prominent Seattle investor has a plan to buy the Kings, move them to Seattle and rename them the SuperSonics, after the team the city lost to Oklahoma in 2008. The Kings are Sacramento’s only major professional sports team, and Johnson, a former NBA star, has previously said he would make “every effort” to keep them from leaving town. Sacramento’s offer — which also includes bringing back the Sacramento Monarchs women’s basketball team — will be made to the National Basketball Association on Friday, the Bee reported.