Zach LaVine capped a 36-point performance with a driving layup and four free throws during the final minute, and the Chicago Bulls held off a late rally to beat the mercurial New Orleans Pelicans 128-124 on Wednesday night.

Coby White scored 25 for the Bulls, who led by as many as 19 and were still up 18 in the fourth quarter before the Pelicans' late surge pulled them as close as 117-113 on Jaxson Hayes alley-oop dunk as he was fouled with 1:49 left.

Hayes missed the free throw, however, and Zion Williamson, who scored 28 points, missed two free throws with a chance to cut it to two with 1:23 left.

The Bulls, pulled out of a three-minute dry spell that included five missed shots and three turnovers when Wendell Carter Jr.'s putback made it 119-113 with 1:05 to go.

It was the middling Bulls' second victory this season over the mystifying Pelicans, who came out flat after knocking off the NBA-leading Utah Jazz on Monday night.

Thaddeus Young scored 18 points and Carter grabbed 15 rebounds for Chicago, which began to pull away for good when White's four-point play on a 3-pointer as he was fouled by Ingram pushed the Bulls' lead to 51-41 with 3:37 left in the first half.

Young's layup as he was fouled by Williamson and Garrett Temple's free throws capped a 20-4 run to close the half and put Chicago up 64-45.

The Bulls begin their All-Star break and don't resume play until March 11 at home against Philadelphia.