Game Preview: Kings At Bulls

By JEFF MEZYDLO
STATS Senior Writer

(AP) -- Before the Chicago Bulls can focus on a key Central Division showdown, they look to build on a solid finish to their recent road stretch while again trying to avoid playing down to the level of a struggling opponent.

Also hoping to get back on track at the United Center, the Bulls try to continue their home success over a Sacramento Kings team that's attempting to win consecutive games for the first time in 11 weeks Tuesday night.

After snapping a three-game skid with a 107-72 rout of New Orleans on Saturday, Chicago (32-20) had a more difficult time salvaging a 3-3 trip with Sunday's 98-97 win over lowly Orlando.

The Bulls led by as many as 16, but needed to rally from six down with less than a minute left before going ahead on Pau Gasol's rebound dunk with 9.4 seconds to play.

"We'll take it," said Gasol, who posted his 12th straight double-double with 25 points and 15 rebounds. "We started out like we want to play, like we were going to take another step (forward), but it was almost a step back."

Though the Bulls shot 48.7 percent the last two games after making 39.4 percent in losing four of five, they've struggled at times while going 18-9 against teams currently below .500 - the league's 15th-best record heading into this week's action.

They followed a two-point, trip-opening overtime win over Western Conference-leading Golden State by losing in double overtime to the lowly Los Angeles Lakers. Earlier last month, Chicago had a three-game winning streak end with a loss to struggling Utah at home, where it's 13-11 and also fell to Orlando and underachieving Miami for two of its four defeats in the last five there.

"We're capable of good things, and we're capable of bad performances," said Gasol, who leads the NBA with 33 double-double, one more than Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins. "It's something we have to look back at, reflect on and get better."

While Thursday's marquee home date with LeBron James and Cleveland is the final league game before this weekend's All-Star festivities, Chicago can't afford for that trend to continue against Sacramento (18-32).

The Kings (18-32) beat a Bulls team missing Gasol and Derrick Rose 103-88 on Nov. 20, their third win out of four in the series. Though they've dropped four straight at Chicago, the last three were decided by seven or fewer points.

Jimmy Butler, who will join Gasol on the East All-Star roster, had 23 points at Sacramento, scored 27 on Sunday and has averaged 25.8 in the last five contests.

Cousins' jumper as time expired helped the Kings snap a three-game skid Sunday in an 85-83 home win over Phoenix.

Looking to win back-to-back contests for the first time since a three-game run Nov. 20-25, Sacramento has won twice in 13 games while continuing to play amid rumors that George Karl could replace interim coach Tyrone Corbin at the All-Star break.

"I told these guys that the only thing you can control is your play on the floor," said Corbin, whose team yielded an average of 108.4 points in the previous eight games. "Speculation will be around as long as you're in this league."

Cousins, who wouldn't talk about his game-winner after being upset with reports that he was against the potential hiring of Karl, had 28 points and 12 rebounds Sunday. The first-time All-Star has averaged 26.0 points in his last four games, and 24.0 with 14.7 boards in the last three versus Chicago.

It's uncertain if Sacramento's Rudy Gay (foot) or Darren Collison (hip) will play after each missed Sunday's contest.