Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, tough defense lift Chicago Bulls over Hornets NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Luol Deng fired in 20 points Tuesday and the Chicago Bulls used to a tenacious defense to get past New Orleans 96-87. Joakim Noah provided 15 points and 17 rebounds as the Bulls held New Orleans to just 41.7 percent shooting from the floor en route to the win -- just their second in six games. Despite the ineffective stretch before the All-Star Game break, the Bulls remain in the playoff hunt with a 31-22 record, good for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Hornets got 20 points from Eric Gordon in stumbling to their fourth defeat in five games.