Preview: Bulls at Pistons
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[March 05, 2014]
The Chicago Bulls attempt to begin
another winning streak when they visit the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday
night. Chicago has had streaks of five games and four games in the past
month, part of a 24-11 surge since just before Christmas. The latest run
ended with a thud, however, as the Bulls committed a season-high 28
turnovers in a 96-80 loss at Brooklyn on Monday, one day after they
turned the ball over just three times - a franchise low - in a win at
New York.
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While Chicago was ending a four-game winning streak Monday, the
Pistons were snapping their four-game slide with a 96-85 victory
over the Knicks at home. Andre Drummond had a career-high 26
rebounds to go along with 17 points in picking up his 44th
double-double, which ties him with Bill Laimbeer (1983-84) and Grant
Hill (1995-96) for the most in a season for the franchise. The teams
have split the first two meetings with the road team taking both
encounters, the last when Brandon Jennings scored 33 points in
Detroit's 92-75 victory at Chicago on Dec. 7
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE BULLS (33-27): Chicago had won five straight games that
came in the second half of a back-to-back set before the sloppy
effort at Brooklyn, which saw D.J. Augustin lead the way with 16
points off the bench. "I think we had all intentions to play hard,
but like I say, it didn't show," Augustin told reporters. Center
Joakim Noah has been the catalyst in the Bulls' somewhat surprising
success in the wake of the season-ending injury to Derrick Rose but
he was part of the problem at Brooklyn, following up a triple-double
with 10 points, one assist and six turnovers in 35 minutes versus
the Nets.
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ABOUT THE PISTONS (24-36): Detroit is three games out of a playoff
spot and, barring a run into the postseason, Drummond's breakout
campaign is the highlight of the season. The big man ranks second in
the NBA in field goal percentage (61.6) after topping 50 percent for
the 16th straight time Monday, when he played 46 minutes to mark his
highest total since an overtime affair Nov. 1. Drummond has even
made some strides in improving his once-horrific numbers at the
line, making 10-of-16 free throws since an 0-for-8 effort against
Atlanta on Feb. 21.
BUZZER-BEATERS
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Drummond has been limited to nine points on 42.9 percent shooting
in two games against Chicago this season.
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Bulls G Jimmy Butler is averaging 16.8 points and 2.5 steals in
four games since returning from a rib injury.
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Chicago opens a season-long six-game homestand Friday while
Detroit begins a stretch in which it plays 14 of 21 games on the
road at Minnesota.
PREDICTION: Bulls 94, Pistons 90
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