Surging Bulls Prepare For Raptors
(WSCR) - The Bulls are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, they've won 13 of their last 15 games and sit just three games behind Boston for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
While dealing with a sprained right wrist and bruised right elbow, Bulls point guard Derrick Rose had his worst scoring performance this season against the Toronto Raptors last month.
Rose's point totals have been a little more robust lately, while it's the Raptors who have been dealing with injuries.
The Bulls' leading scorer will try to help his team win its fifth straight and snap a three-game home skid to struggling Toronto on Tuesday night.
Hampered by injuries, Rose failed to score in double figures for the only time this season in a 110-93 victory at the Air Canada Centre on Dec. 15. He finished with six points and 11 assists, while Carlos Boozer had a season-high 34 points and 12 rebounds.
Rose has averaged 24.3 points in the eight games since and had a team-best 28 to help the Central Division-leading Bulls (22-10) rally for a 100-91 victory over last-place Cleveland on Saturday night. Luol Deng added 23 points, and Boozer had 20 points and 11 rebounds in Chicago's 13th win in 15 games.
"I don't care who you are, it's hard to win in the NBA," said Boozer, averaging 24.8 points and 12.0 rebounds over the last 10 games. "We're proud of ourselves for winning, but we also do want to play much better.
"We take it for what it is. We want to play a lot better moving forward, but we are winning. We know that for us to continue to win, we have to get better."
Toronto (11-22) lost for the 11th time in 14 games Sunday, 93-79 at home to Boston while playing without three of its starters.
Andrea Bargnani, who leads the Raptors with 21.2 points per game, missed his fourth straight contest with a sore left calf, Jerryd Bayless didn't play because of a sprained left ankle suffered in a 114-105 loss in Houston on Friday, and Sonny Weems missed his seventh straight game with back spasms.
Bargnani and Bayless are expected to return Tuesday, while Weems will likely be out again. Jose Calderon is questionable with a sprained ankle, coach Jay Triano said after practice Monday.
"We have to find a way to get (Bargnani's) rhythm back and get him in," Triano said. "It may be short spurts. He's tried to maintain his conditioning through this, but it's nothing compared with games."
DeMar DeRozan has tried to make up for the absences, scoring 27 points against Boston after having a career-high 37 at Houston. Triano, though, said he doesn't expect the swingman's role to change when other players return.
"When Andrea comes back, we're going to need them both to score," Triano said. "We'll have to get Andrea touches, but DeMar is going to have open floor to play with."
Toronto has averaged 107.2 points and held Chicago to 93.2 in winning five of the last six meetings at the United Center following an eight-game skid there.
Rose has scored 13.7 points and shot 42.9 percent during the three-game home losing streak to the Raptors.
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