Walker scores 37 as Hornets beat Bulls

Feb 3 (Reuters) - Kemba Walker erupted for 37 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, and the Charlotte Hornets dominated the fourth quarter for a 125-118 victory over the visiting Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.

Walker scored nine consecutive Hornets points down the stretch and triggered a 15-0 run that turned a 100-99 deficit into a 114-100 lead. The Hornets were never threatened from there.

The win moved the Hornets (26-26) back to the .500 mark for the first time since Dec. 31.

Walker was 10 of 23 from the field and 13 of 14 from the free-throw line. The Hornets also got 18 points from Malik Monk, 16 from Nicolas Batum and 13 each from Jeremy Lamb, Marvin Williams and Miles Bridges.

Charlotte shot 52.4 percent from the field and was 14 of 32 from 3-point range.

The Bulls have now lost 15 of their past 17 games.

Chicago's Bobby Portis put on a show in the first half with 28 points, and he finished with 33 points and nine rebounds. Lauri Markkanen did most of the Bulls' scoring down the stretch and finished with 30. Zach LaVine scored 18, and Shaquille Harrison had 10.

The Hornets led 27-26 after one quarter, but then Portis came off the bench and went to work, and the Bulls took control. Their biggest lead came at 60-45 before the Hornets scored the last six points of the half to trail 60-51 at intermission.

The Hornets then chipped away in the third quarter and wound up leading 88-86 going into the fourth quarter. Walker's 3-pointer gave the Hornets the lead for good at 102-100 with 7:14 remaining, and then he hit two free throws and a layup shortly after.

This was the third and final game between the teams this season. They split the first two, with the Bulls winning 112-110 in Chicago on Oct. 24 and the Hornets winning 135-106 in Charlotte two nights later.

The Hornets will close out a three-game homestand on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Bulls will return home to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.