Preview: Warriors at Bulls

[December 06, 2014]  SportsDirectInc 2014. All Rights Reserved
 Source News Feed: US Online Report NBA
 
 The Golden State Warriors, who already own the best record in the NBA, are on the verge of making history. The Warriors will try to break a franchise record with their 12th consecutive victory when they visit the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. Golden State has had the benefit of beating up on lesser competition with none of the last 11 opponents currently more than a game above .500, but the Warriors will need to get by a winning team in Chicago in order to pass the 1971-72 squad.

The Bulls are playing at home for just the second time in the last 10 games and have not won at home since knocking off the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 10. Chicago battled the Dallas Mavericks to double overtime in their own building on Tuesday only to fall short 132-129, but bounced back the next night with a 102-95 triumph in Charlotte behind Pau Gasol’s fifth straight double-double. “These games make a big difference at the end of the season on your record,” Gasol told reporters after the Charlotte win. “You can come here with low energy and cruise through it and get a loss after the tough one last night. This type of game really builds a team’s character and shows what you’re made of.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), WGN (Chicago)

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (16-2): Golden State features two of the best pure shooters in the league in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, but it is the team defense that is the biggest area of improvement. The Warriors lead the league in defensive field-goal percentage, holding opponents to 41 percent from the floor, and are limiting foes to an average of 94.9 points during the winning streak. “The defense that we’re playing across the board, not just our starters, has been the key,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters after a 112-85 demolition of New Orleans on Thursday. “When (the second unit) turned it up on the defensive end, that’s when the game changed.”

ABOUT THE BULLS (12-7): The healthy return of Derrick Rose was the big reason for optimism at the beginning of the season, but Gasol, who signed as a free agent, has been the bigger factor in the team’s success of late. “Pau has great toughness and that is what I love about him,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. “The mental toughness is what’s huge for our team.” Gasol is averaging 22.2 points and 12.8 rebounds while guiding the team to a 4-2 record over the last six games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The matchup features the reigning NBA Players of the Month in Curry and Bulls G Jimmy Butler.

2. Chicago has taken three of the last four in the series and held Curry and Thompson to a combined 13 points in a 103-83 home win on Feb. 26.

3. Golden State F Marreese Speights has scored in double figures in five straight games off the bench.

PREDICTION: Warriors 101, Bulls 95

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