Bulls at Bobcats
THE STORY: The biggest mismatch the NBA can offer at the moment is the Charlotte Bobcats hosting the Chicago Bulls. The Bobcats have dropped 12 straight games and own the fewest wins in the league while ranking near the bottom in every major team statistical category. The Bulls lead the NBA in wins and can score, rebound and defend with the best of them. While Chicago has its rotation pretty much locked down and is just tuning up for the playoffs, Charlotte has fiddled with its lineup on a nightly basis due to injury, youth and ineffectiveness.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSCH (Chicago), SSO (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE BULLS (22-6): After dropping two of the first three on its nine-game circus road trip, Chicago has rebounded to win four in a row - the last three by an average of 22.3 points. The Bulls refuse to have letdowns against the weaker teams in the league, blasting the Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets and New Orleans Hornets over the last three. The easy slate has allowed Chicago to give reigning MVP Derrick Rose plenty of rest while dealing with back spasms. Rose was needed for only 11 minutes on Monday and 22 in Wednesday’s victory.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS (3-22): Charlotte came within 95-89 of knocking off the Bulls on Jan. 21, but that was with Rose, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson out due to injury for Chicago and D.J. Augustin and Gerald Henderson healthy for the Bobcats. That was No. 3 on their current slide, which will match a franchise record if it hits 13 on Friday. Charlotte has averaged just 83.1 points during the losing streak while allowing at least 92 points in all but one game. The lone bright spots of late have been Reggie Williams and Derrick Brown, who have steeped up in increased time.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Augustin (toe) and Henderson (hamstring) are likely out through the All-Star break.
2. Rose has averaged 19.9 points and 6.6 assists in 11 career games against Charlotte.
3. Chicago has taken three straight in the series.