Bulls at Warriors
THE STORY: The Chicago Bulls started the NBA season in style and look to make it two wins in two days when they visit the Golden State Warriors on Monday. Chicago rallied from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to slay Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers 88-87 on Christmas Day with Derrick Rose’s floater in the lane slinking through the net with 4.8 seconds left to provide the victory. The Bulls led the NBA with 62 regular-season victories and have their eyes set on reaching the NBA Finals. This is the second contest of a four-game road trip for the Bulls. Golden State lost to the Los Angeles Clippers 105-86 on Christmas night in Mark Jackson’s debut as coach. The Warriors were outscored by 12 points in the final quarter as Los Angeles pulled away. Golden State is opening the season with back-to-back games for the first time since the 2001-02 season when they lost both.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), CS Bay Area (Golden State)
ABOUT THE BULLS (1-0): While Rose led Chicago with 22 points in the opener, the true star of the victory was forward Luol Deng, who set the stage for Rose’s basket with a steal and then blocked Bryant’s last-second shot to preserve the victory. Deng had 21 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. The 6-foot-9 Deng doesn’t receive a lot of attention nor does he seek it but has been a solid player for the Bulls over the previous seven seasons.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (0-1): Backcourt mates Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry averaged a combined 42.7 points per game last season but both players had poor season debuts and combined for only 19 points against the Clippers. Ellis tallied 15 points on 6-of-19 shooting and Curry had four points on 2-of-12 shooting. Both players have had issues to deal with in recent days. Ellis was hit with a sexual harassment suit by a former team employee and his grandmother died on Christmas Day. Curry’s availability was in doubt until shortly before the game time because of an ankle injury.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Golden State is 8-2 in its last 10 home games against Chicago.
2. Chicago forward Carlos Boozer is averaging 18.2 points and 12.4 rebounds in 20 career games against the Warriors.
3. Ellis has a 25.0 average in eight career games against the Bulls.