Preview: Wizards at Bulls

[November 12, 2016]  Before embarking on a season high-tying six-game road trip, the Chicago Bulls will try to hold down home court when they host the Washington Wizards on Saturday. The Bulls, who begin the sojourn at Portland on Tuesday, won for just the second time in five games when they held on for a 98-95 triumph at Miami the last time out.

Dwyane Wade made his return to South Florida a triumphant one with 13 points, including two big free throws with 13.7 seconds left to help seal the deal. Wade was just 5-of-17 from the floor, however, and is shooting 37.7 percent on the road, compared with 52.6 in four home games. The Wizards ended a 1-2 homestand with a 105-94 loss to Cleveland on Friday night and will be looking for their first road win in four tries. Shooting guard Bradley Beal missed the contest due to a hamstring issue and is day-to-day.

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

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (2-6): Beal's replacement in the starting lineup, Marcus Thornton, struggled mightily to a two-point night on 0-of-5 shooting. That doesn't bode well for a Washington unit that will also be without star point guard John Wall - who was already slated to sit out one end of the back-to-back - on Saturday. Coach Scott Brooks elected to play Wall against the Cavaliers and he responded with 28 points.

ABOUT THE BULLS (5-4): After a 115-107 loss in Atlanta on Wednesday, coach Fred Hoiberg urged his team to step up its defensive game and there was a response in Miami, where the Heat were held to 40.9 percent shooting and scored just 42 points in the second half. "Oh yeah, he's supposed to be [upset]," forward Jimmy Butler said of Hoiberg. "Because he expects perfection, which is great because if that's what we're striving for … even though we'll come up short because nobody's perfect, we'll get as close as possible." Butler, who shouldered much of the blame for the defensive issues, is averaging 26.3 points and 4.3 steals over the last three games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bulls C Robin Lopez attempted 20 shots versus Miami after trying eight or fewer in each of his first eight games.

2. Wizards C Marcin Gortat has double digits in rebounds in seven of the first eight contests.

3. Butler is averaging at least 10 points against every NBA team except the Wizards, who have held him to a 9.1 mark on 33.1 percent in 15 games.

PREDICTION: Bulls 106, Wizards 97

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