NBA scores 2016: The Bulls are on the offensive

The Chicago Bulls are streaking. After beating the Boston Celtics 101-92 on Thursday, they've won six straight games. But that's not the only streak: the Bulls have scored 100 or more points in nine straight. The Bulls, long one of the best defensive teams in the East, are learning how to score.

Chicago used a balanced attack in the win over the Celtics. Jimmy Butler led six Bulls in double figures with 19 points and 10 assists. Derrick Rose added 18 points and Pau Gasol was a force down low, with 17 points and 18 rebounds. At times they looked like the Bulls of old with stalled isolation plays and tough putback buckets, but new coach Fred Hoiberg's team looks capable of lighting up the scoreboard for stretches.

It's the fact that they can defend and score that's making the Bulls look like the only team in the East that could dethrone the Cleveland Cavaliers. But if they're going to, they're going to need to do it for an entire series. A slow start like the one against the Celtics would likely bury them.

The success starts with Butler. It's when he's firing on all cylinders that the Bulls offense is at its best. When the Bulls were down 10 in the second quarter, Butler had only two points and three assists. In the final 4:12 of the first half and the rest of the game he had 17 points and seven assists. His speed on the court drives the Bulls, even if he is in isolation. All of the Bulls' weapons are finding a role. Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott are hitting open shots. Bobby Portis and Tony Snell are giving big minutes off the bench. And the stars like Butler, Rose and Gasol are doing their jobs.

Kobe Bryant puts on a show even in a blowout, but D'Angelo Russell is the future of the Lakers.

The Sacramento Kings are somehow in the playoff race out West even with a 15-21 record, but the Los Angeles Lakers still put on a show. The Kings were blowing out the Lakers, leading by as many as 27, but Bryant was focused and playing all out. He finished the night with 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting, even finding his younger legs for a play:

The Kings, meanwhile, are only a half-game behind the Utah Jazz for the eighth playoff spot in the West. It was against the lowly Lakers on Thursday, but they looked like a team ready to make a push for the playoffs ... through three quarters. DeMarcus Cousins had 29 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, doing everything on offense -- he even hit a three -- and Rajon Rondo ran the offense to perfection. It's too bad the Kings are so volatile and their defense is so spotty. They could be really good.

James Harden is good enough even when he can't shoot from deep.

Harden had 33 points on 13-of-25 shooting, but he was somehow 0-of-7 from three-point land. And he wasn't the only Rocket who couldn't buy a bucket from deep -- they were 7-of-23 from beyond the arc. Even so, the Houston Rockets got buckets in the lane and at the line in their 103-94 win over the Jazz. Harden, despite the poor shooting, found a way to get to the bucket on a night when both teams struggled with injury problems. The Rockets were without Dwight Howard and Donatas Motiejunas and the Jazz didn't have Alec Burks or Derrick Favors. Plus, Rodney Hood left early in the third quarter with an injury and Rudy Gobert was restricted to 15 minutes in his return from injury, with his last game being on Dec. 2. That was the one silver lining for the Jazz, who have to be thrilled to have their defensive stopper back in Gobert. In his 15 minutes of playing time he had six points and three rebounds. The Jazz outscored the Rockets by nine when he was on the floor.

Hawks 126, 76ers 98 (Peachtree Hoops recap | Liberty Ballers recap)

Rockets 103, Jazz 94 (The Dream Shake recap | SLC Dunk recap)