Preview: Bulls at Knicks

[January 12, 2017]  The Chicago Bulls unloaded Derrick Rose on the New York Knicks in the offseason and will run into the former NBA MVP on Thursday in New York as he continues to deal with the fallout from his odd behavior earlier this week. Rose missed Monday's game against New Orleans without informing the club - even declining to answer the team's calls - before returning Tuesday to say he was dealing with a family issue.

Rose still hasn't expounded on the reasons for his disappearing act, but he scored 25 points in Wednesday's 98-97 loss to Philadelphia - a contest in which New York led by 13 points with eight-plus minutes remaining before collapsing for its ninth loss in 10 games. "The good thing about the NBA is we have another game (Thursday)," Rose told reporters after the defeat. "So we've got to keep our heads up and put this one behind us and go out and try to win the next one." Chicago will be without leading scorer Jimmy Butler (illness) for the second straight game while shooting guard Dwyane Wade will be back in the lineup after being held out for rest in Tuesday's 101-99 loss to Washington. First-round pick Denzel Valentine received 30 minutes of playing time with Butler and Wade out and recorded season highs of 19 points and five 3-pointers.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE BULLS (19-20): Point guard Rajon Rondo returned to the rotation after a five-game benching and produced 12 points and six assists in 27 minutes. "I've talked to him about (the benching). The biggest thing is how he's handled it," Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters. "He has been a positive influence on the bench for the younger guys - he's been very vocal encouraging them. In my mind, it was just a matter of time before he got the opportunity to get back out there. He took advantage and we should see him more in the lineup." Rondo recently said Hoiberg didn't give him a reason for why he was pulled from the starting lineup and banished to the bench.

 ABOUT THE KNICKS (17-22): Rose denied reports that he is frustrated with coach Jeff Hornacek, who occasionally has replaced him in the late stages of games in favor of undrafted rookie Ron Baker. He has struggled to find a comfort level with New York but said the possibility of seeing his former squad also had nothing to do with his brief hiatus. "No. It's the past, to tell you the truth," Rose told reporters. "Can't think about the days I played for the Bulls in a Bulls uniform, that is all in the past."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Rose contributed 15 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds as the Knicks posted a 117-104 win over the Bulls on Nov. 4.

2. New York PF Kristaps Porzingis is averaging just eight points on 6-of-23 shooting over his last two games.

3. Chicago F Nikola Mirotic (illness) will sit out his second straight contest.

PREDICTION: Bulls 103, Knicks 98

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