Preview: Pistons at Bulls

[April 03, 2015]  The Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons spent most of the 1980s and 90s battling for playoff positioning but the Pistons have been reduced to spoiler in recent years and they'll take on that role again Friday in Chicago. The Bulls come into the game tied for third in the Eastern Conference with the Toronto Raptors with seven games left in the regular season.

Detroit is just trying to win its 30th game after finishing with 29 each of the last two seasons. The Bulls, who have suffered two double-digit losses to the Pistons in the last six weeks, will likely catch a break as Detroit forward Greg Monroe is expected to miss his 10th straight game with a knee injury. Pistons leading scorer Reggie Jackson has also been fighting an illness and then rolled an ankle in Wednesday's loss against the Charlotte Hornets, finishing with nine points on 3-for-16 from the field. Chicago may have suffered another costly injury in Wednesday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, as backup guard Kirk Hinrich suffered a left knee injury in the third quarter and did not return.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, WGN (Chicago)

ABOUT THE PISTONS (29-46): Jackson's availability will be key if Detroit has any chance of toppling the Bulls. Even with him, the Pistons scored just 78 points against the Hornets, their fewest since Jan. 29. Andre Drummond has proven to be one of the league's best rebounders, especially on the offensive end, but isn't skilled at creating opportunities out of the post, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has become highly unreliable lately.

ABOUT THE BULLS (45-30): Pau Gasol recorded his league-leading 49th double-double Wednesday night and he should be primed for his 50th against the shorthanded Pistons. He had 27 points and 10 rebounds in a 16-point loss to Detroit on March 21, compared to 12 points and eight rebounds when Monroe was in the lineup in a nine-point loss on Feb. 20. Gasol also seems to be expanding his perimeter game as he's taken at least one 3-pointer in eight of the last nine 10 games, shooting 5-for-8 in that span.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Detroit backup G Spencer Dinwiddie has missed the last two games with an ankle injury.

2. Detroit F Caron Butler is averaging 5.7 points this season but 16.3 against the Bulls this season.

3. Chicago hasn't lost a season series to the Pistons since 2005-06.

PREDICTION: Bulls 103, Pistons 92

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