Suns at Bulls
THE STORY: Two teams going in opposite directions meet at the United Center. Chicago is closing in on the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls, who are 18-4 since the All-Star break, lead Miami by 2 1/2 games and Boston by three games. Phoenix, which advanced to the Western Conference Finals last season, has been eliminated from playoff contention. The Suns have lost 10 of 14 and will miss the postseason for the second time in three years.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, My 45, WCIU
ABOUT THE BULLS (56-20): Chicago's magic number for clinching the East's No. 1 seed is four. The Bulls also trail San Antonio for the best record in the league by one game. Chicago has won 13 of 15 and shows no signs of slowing down. The Bulls have won three straight since a surprising home loss to Philadelphia on March 28. Losing one game didn't sit well with Chicago, which has trailed only three times in the last three games. All three wins came without center Joakim Noah, who has been out with a sprained right ankle. Noah, who averages a team-leading 11.0 rebounds, could return against Phoenix. Point guard Derrick Rose is playing like someone who is about to win the Most Valuable Player Award.
ABOUT THE SUNS (37-39): Sunday wasn't a shining moment in the history of the Phoenix franchise. Head coach Alvin Gentry, who might want to get into the psychic business, expressed concern before the Suns' game in San Antonio that a blowout might be imminent. Gentry's premonition was right on the money. The Suns were embarrassed from start to finish. Phoenix allowed 70 points in the first half and trailed by 31 at one point, making for a misleading 114-97 final score. The lost means Phoenix will be home for the postseason. On top of everything else, point guard Steve Nash, the Suns' leading scorer, missed his second straight game with the flu. He's listed as probable against the Bulls.
WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Rose is averaging 29.4 points and 9.8 assists in the last five games. He scored 36 points and had 10 assists in Saturday's win over Toronto. Phoenix guard Vince Carter is averaging 9.2 points in his last six games.
KEY STATISTIC: The Bulls are 33-5 at home, where they have won 17 of their 18 games.
SEASON SERIES: Rose took over in Chicago's 123-115 double overtime win in Phoenix on Nov. 24. He scored 35 points, including the game-tying layup in the final second of the first overtime. Rose also scored the first five points of the second overtime. The Bulls overcame a 23-point first-quarter deficit.
KEY INJURIES: PHOENIX: G Steve Nash (illness); G Mickael Pietrus (quadricep). CHICAGO: C Joakim Noah (ankle); F Carlos Boozer (illness).
LAST WORD: No one picked the Bulls to finish the regular season with the best record in the Eastern Conference, but it's going to happen barring a major collapse. First-year coach Tom Thibodeau deserves serious consideration for Coach of the Year honors.