Bulls at Pistons
Coming off a big win Friday, the Chicago Bulls will try to avoid a letdown Saturday when they visit the stumbling Detroit Pistons. The Bulls won their second straight after losing five of six and took over third place in the Eastern Conference from Toronto with Friday’s 108-92 triumph over the Raptors. Detroit has dropped 11 of its last 12 games and is coming off a 94-83 loss at Philadelphia on Wednesday.
With extended injuries to Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson, Chicago has found a new star in rookie Nikola Mirotic. The rookie sharpshooter has averaged 21.2 points in his last 10 games, including 29 in Friday’s win over Toronto and 25 in a triumph over Indiana on Wednesday. Gibson returned Friday from a 10-game absence due to an ankle injury — he had six points in 11 minutes— so coach Tom Thibodeau will have to be creative in finding minutes for both.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE BULLS (42-28): Chicago, which clinched its fifth straight winning season with the win
over Toronto, is looking to win three games in a row for the first time in five weeks. Mike Dunleavy added 21 points and Joakim Noah tied a career high with 14 assists in the win over Toronto. After Gibson returned Friday, Butler (elbow) might be back for this one and is listed as a game-time decision.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (24-44): Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 20 points against the Sixers and Reggie Jackson recorded a triple-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists but shot just 4-of-17 and committed five turnovers. The Pistons entered the contest 28th in the league in shooting (42.6 percent) and shot 33 percent. “If we continue to take those shots against anybody, we're going to shoot in the 30 percent range," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We're taking difficult shots at the rim. There are people open and we won't throw it to them."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pistons F Greg Monroe (knee) has missed the last two games.
2. The Pistons are 2-11 since acquiring Jackson via trade, and the point guard has shot under 40 percent seven times and committed four or more turnovers seven times as well.
3. The teams have split two games this season, with Detroit winning 100-91 at home Feb. 20.