Preview: Wizards at Bulls

[March 03, 2015]  Chicago All-Star Jimmy Butler has learned he will be sidelined from three-to-six weeks as the Chicago Bulls prepare to host the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. Butler suffered an elbow injury during Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers and the plan is to avoid surgery and hope rest and treatment will allow him to return this season. The Bulls are also without point guard Derrick Rose, who underwent knee surgery late last week.

Washington snapped a six-game skid by recording a 99-95 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday and now looks to halt a seven-game road losing streak that is one shy of matching the franchise record (2012-13). The recent troubles have dropped the Wizards to fifth place in the Eastern Conference but the club is hoping its fortunes will change now that guard Bradley Beal is back. Beal missed eight straight games with a leg injury and had just eight points on 2-of-10 shooting in his return against the Pistons.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), CSN (Chicago)
 

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (34-26): Center Marcin Gortat has been excelling despite Washington’s struggles and his 17 rebounds against Detroit marked his season-high fifth straight double-digit outing on the boards. Gortat is averaging 14.6 points and 13.4 rebounds over the stretch and shooting 60.3 percent from the field. Point guard John Wall has notched back-to-back 20-point outings but is just 15-of-40 shooting during the stretch and 17-of-50 over this last three games.

ABOUT THE BULLS (37-23): Forward Taj Gibson is also ailing and will miss his second straight game due to a left ankle injury suffered last Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau isn’t much for fretting over injuries as he has shown with Rose’s many injuries and isn’t about to start now. “It’s the nature of the league,” Thibodeau told reporters. “No one’s going to feel sorry for us. We've just got to get out there and we've got to get it done.”

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Washington is 2-1 against the Bulls this season.

2. Wizards SF Paul Pierce had 14 points against Detroit on Saturday after missing two games with a knee injury.

3. Chicago F Nikola Mirotic scored a career-best 29 points in the loss to the Clippers.

PREDICTION: Bulls 92, Wizards 81

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