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Preview: Bucks at Bulls
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[December 10, 2013]
(SportsDirect Inc.) — The Chicago Bulls are still trying to
figure out what kind of team they are going to be without Derrick Rose,
and a slew of other injuries is not helping to clear the picture. The
Bulls hope to have Luol Deng back on Tuesday when they host the
Milwaukee Bucks. Deng (Achilles) and Mike James (knee) were the latest
to hit the injury report, joining Rose (knee) and Jimmy Butler (toe),
and are questionable for the meeting with the Bucks.
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 Milwaukee is dealing with its own host of injuries and is in even
worse shape as the team with the worst record in the Eastern
Conference. The Bucks were already down Larry Sanders at the center
position and just lost Zaza Pachulia for at least a month with a
broken foot. The Bulls know just how they feel. "We got a lot of
guys out, a lot of guys hurt," Chicago forward Taj Gibson said. "And
it's real frustrating because you never really get a chance to get a
rhythm because there's always one guy banged up from the night
before so it's tough but we just got to keep pushing."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), CSN Chicago
ABOUT THE BUCKS (4-16): Milwaukee lost Sanders early and is without
Caron Butler (sprained knee) for now, depleting the depth in the
frontcourt. Ersan Ilyasova, who also missed time, is struggling with
his consistency while coming off the bench, leaving second-year
forwards John Henson and Khris Middleton providing a smaller front
line. "Obviously, we're a little undersized at that position with
Zaza and Larry out, but it's part of the NBA," Henson said after
going up against Nets center Brook Lopez in a 90-82 loss on Sunday.
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ABOUT THE BULLS (8-10): James returned to practice on Monday
but Deng and Butler were both limited to solo shooting on the
side. The two are at best game-time decisions on Tuesday,
putting more pressure on Mike Dunleavy and Taj Gibson while
thinning the bench. Gibson (21 points and 10 rebounds) posted a
double-double on Saturday but rookie Tony Snell, starting in
place of Butler, struggled to eight points on 3-of-12 shooting
in 42 minutes during a 92-75 loss at home to the Detroit
Pistons.
BUZZER-BEATERS:
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The teams split four meetings last season, with the road team
winning each time.
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Bulls C Joakim Noah had a string of two straight
double-doubles come to an end by matching a season low of two
points on 1-of-7 shooting on Saturday.
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Milwaukee PG Brandon Knight is struggling to 18-for-54 from
the field over the last four games.
PREDICTION: Bulls 92, Bucks 85
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