Jazz at Bulls
One team will get a reprieve from its disappointing start when the struggling Chicago Bulls host the winless Utah Jazz on Friday. Star point guard Derrick Rose's return hasn't yet sparked the Bulls, who are winless on the road but won their only home game. The Jazz dropped the first two contests on their four-game road trip and are off to their worst start since losing the first 11 games of their inaugural campaign in 1974-75.
The Bulls have won five straight meetings with the Jazz, and they need another to avoid their third consecutive defeat. "It's frustrating, but we're pro athletes and it's just four games in," Rose told reporters. "We can't let it get that frustrating. We know if we keep working hard like we're doing, we're going to catch a rhythm soon." Utah seems to be going in the wrong direction. After losing their first two games by three points each, the Jazz have dropped three straight by double digits.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ROOT (Utah), CSN Chicago
ABOUT THE JAZZ (0-5): Utah has been short-handed with rookie point guard Trey Burke (finger) and small forward Marvin Williams (Achilles) yet to make their season debuts. Some of the pieces are in place - fourth-year guard Gordon Hayward averages 19 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists and third-year center Enes Kanter adds 18.6 points and 9.2 rebounds - but the whole package hasn't come together yet. Perhaps the biggest concern is taking care of the ball, as Utah has committed 20 or more turnovers in four of five games.
ABOUT THE BULLS (1-3): Though he did hit a game-winner against New York for the Bulls' lone victory, Rose has hardly been himself. He is averaging more turnovers (5.3) than assists (3.8), and his 15 points per game are lower than he has averaged in any season as a pro. Until he returns to form there isn't much punch at the offensive end, with veteran forward Carlos Boozer leading the team with 18.3 points and 8.3 rebounds and Luol Deng (14.5 points) and Jimmy Butler (11.8 points) being asked to do more.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Jazz shoot an NBA-worst 22.5 percent from 3-point range and the Bulls are not much better, ranking 28th of 30 teams at 25.4 percent.
2. Utah leads the league with 15.4 offensive rebounds, with Kanter posting an NBA-best 5.8 offensive boards.
3. Boozer is 13-for-13 from the foul line, leading the Bulls to an NBA-best 85.2 percent clip from the stripe.