Preview: Hawks at Bulls

[January 04, 2014]  The Atlanta Hawks won't have long to dwell on a crushing defeat when they travel to Chicago to visit the Bulls in the second night of a back-to-back on Saturday. The Hawks let a 15-point lead with less than seven minutes left slip away in a 101-100 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday but likely won't have to worry about that sort of quick offense with the Bulls. Chicago ranks last in the NBA in scoring average but has won four of six.

Atlanta moved Pero Antic into the starting lineup on Friday and was rewarded with career highs of 16 points and four 3-pointers from the big man. Antic's range on the outside will be a key to loosening up the Bulls' strong interior defense. Chicago is still without Derrick Rose but is getting healthy everywhere else. "We have to give everything we have every night," center Joakim Noah told the team's website. "When you come into the locker room you've got to be tired. When you lose a player like (Rose) everyone has to give everything they've got."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta), WGN (Chicago)

ABOUT THE HAWKS (18-15): Atlanta allowed 37 fourth-quarter points to the Warriors, the last three on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Andre Iguodala. The loss dropped the Hawks to 2-2 since Al Horford went out with a season-ending pectoral tear, though Antic's play combined with solid minutes from Elton Brand has helped cover the loss in the first week. Atlanta's remade frontcourt will get some big tests over the next week from the likes of Chicago, Indiana and Dwight Howard-led Houston.

ABOUT THE BULLS (13-18): One player stepping up in Thursday's 94-82 win over the Boston Celtics was forward Mike Dunleavy, who scored 11 points and blocked a pair of shots while drawing a technical foul. "Mike made a lot of big plays," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Whether it's a rebound or a hustle play, a big three, all winning plays. He makes the team better when he is on the floor." Dunleavy's teammates wanted to talk about the anger the veteran showed on his blocks and the technical foul, which he drew for yelling at a referee. "Dunleavy got mad and took over the game," forward Taj Gibson said. "I told him we need him to be angry all the time when he doesn't get a call his way."

BUZZER-BEATERS

1. Chicago has taken four of the last five in the series and took the final two meetings of 2012-13 by an average of 28 points.
   

2. Atlanta F Paul Millsap has recorded a double-double in six of the last seven games.
   

3. Dunleavy is 3 of 3 from 3-point range over the last two games.
   

PREDICTION: Bulls 95, Hawks 89

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