Bulls at Cavaliers
Cleveland can take a big step toward clinching a Central Division title
and the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs when it hosts
Chicago on Sunday. The Cavaliers, who have won the first two games of
their three-game homestand, enter leading the rival Bulls by three games
with six to play.
Cleveland picked up a 108-94 win in the last game in Ohio between the teams on Jan. 19 to kick off a 17-game home winning streak, the third-longest in franchise history. While its chances of catching the Cavaliers are slim, Chicago is trying to hold off Toronto for the third seed in the East. The Bulls got 26 points and 10 rebounds from Pau Gasol - his league-leading 50th double-double - to outlast Detroit 88-82 on Friday and move ahead of the Raptors. It was Chicago's sixth win in eight games following a 1-5 slide early last month.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE BULLS (46-30): The Derrick Rose watch is intensifying in Chicago, as the star guard is getting close to a return from right knee surgery that has kept him out of the lineup for 19 straight games. Head coach Tom Thibodeau said Rose was "unlikely" to return against Detroit on Friday, but the fact that he is being asked about a specific date implies that Rose may indeed return in the coming days. The Cavaliers, who could be a second-round opponent for Chicago if the teams remain in their current seeds, know what Rose can do to them when healthy; he had 30 points in a 113-98 win over Cleveland at home on Feb. 13.
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (49-27): Power forward Kevin Love is expected to return to the lineup after sitting out Thursday's 114-88 win over Miami with a back injury suffered in the previous game against Philadelphia. The back has been an issue off and on for Love this season and he will be a prime candidate to receive some rest down the stretch if and when Cleveland locks up the second seed. "If we do win tomorrow, I'm sure it will be talked about and kind of figured out from there," Love told reporters Saturday at practice.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. SF LeBron James and PG Kyrie Irving had 23 points apiece in Cleveland's win over Miami.
2. Bulls C Joakim Noah has 773 career blocks, one behind Scottie Pippen for second on the all-time franchise list.
3. Cleveland owns a 2-1 lead in the season series and would clinch the tiebreaker with Chicago with a victory Sunday.