Nets at Bulls
All-Star center Pau Gasol is ailing and will miss his third straight
contest when the slumping Chicago Bulls host the Brooklyn Nets on
Thursday. Gasol is hindered with soreness in his right knee and hasn't
yet made enough progress to return to action.
Chicago point guard Derrick Rose (groin) returned from a two-game absence and scored 16 points Wednesday but the Bulls were routed 117-96 by the Washington Wizards. The latest defeat - the seventh in 10 games - leaves Chicago tied with the Detroit Pistons for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Wizards. Brooklyn snapped a four-game losing streak and posted a season best for points in Tuesday's 131-114 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers as shooting guard Bojan Bogdanovic exploded for a career-high 44 points. "He had a huge night," Nets interim coach Tony Brown told reporters. "It was great to see him shoot the ball the way he did, and we kind of rode his back a little bit."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), CSN Chicago
ABOUT THE NETS (19-48): Bogdanovic had four 20-point outings all season before the huge outing against the 76ers in which he made 17-of-27 field-goal attempts, including four 3-pointers. "That's definitely what he's capable of. I can't say I'm surprised," center Brook Lopez told reporters. "We've seen him get super hot before, but he just got a lot more looks." Bogdanovic has prospered since the departure of veteran Joe Johnson and is averaging 18.1 points over the past nine games to raise his season average to 10.5.
ABOUT THE BULLS (33-33): Shooting guard Jimmy Butler has struggled in two games since returning from a knee injury - averaging 15 points on 9-of-30 shooting - while Rose displayed encouraging signs against the Wizards. "I thought his burst looked good, for the most part," coach Fred Hoiberg said after the loss. "We wanted to play him short stints, no longer than seven-minute stints." Forward Taj Gibson is also ailing and is doubtful to play against Brooklyn after being limited to seven minutes against Washington because he aggravated a hamstring injury.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Nets have emerged victorious in their last two visits to Chicago, including 105-102 on Dec. 21.
2. Chicago SF Doug McDermott is averaging 24.5 points and knocked down 15-of-21 field-goal attempts over the past two games.
3. Brooklyn F Thaddeus Young matched his career high with 16 rebounds against the 76ers and has recorded back-to-back double-doubles.