Preview: Bulls at Magic

[April 08, 2015]  Former MVP Derrick Rose could return to the lineup for the first time in almost two months when the Chicago Bulls visit the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, starting a five-game stretch in eight days to end the regular season. Rose, who is averaging 18.4 points in 46 games this season, underwent minor knee surgery in late February and was reportedly upgraded from out to questionable.

Chicago, which leads Toronto by one game in the race for third place in the Eastern Conference, hopes to get Rose into a few games to prepare for a playoff run. The Bulls, who play at Miami on Thursday, have lost two of three games in April after finishing March with five wins in six contests. The Magic, who won at Chicago in January, come home after winning back-to-back games on the road at Minnesota and likely playoff-bound Milwaukee. Orlando center Nikola Vucevic averaged 28.5 points and 12 rebounds in those two wins while shooting 67 percent from the field.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Florida (Orlando)

ABOUT THE BULLS (46-31): While Rose may make an appearance against the Magic, fellow guard Kirk Hinrich is even more questionable with a hyperextended knee. All Star Jimmy Butler has picked up where he left off after missing 11 games due to injury while averaging just short of 20 points in the last six contests. Pau Gasol leads the league with 50 double-doubles and averages 18.5 points and 11.8 rebounds while fellow big man Joakim Noah is shooting 67 percent from the field over the last five games.

ABOUT THE MAGIC (24-53): Vucevic has had plenty of help the last two games as forward Tobias Harris posted 48 points and 22 rebounds combined while making 9-of-17 from 3-point range. Vucevic leads the team at 19.6 points per game and Victor Oladipo is next at 17.6, but made only 10-of-38 from the field – 1-of-11 from behind the arc – the last two contests. Elfrid Payton has made a major impact and fellow rookie Aaron Gordon is showing steady progress while recording his first double-double on Saturday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Chicago’s rookie F Nikola Mirotic is averaging 9.7 points in three April outings after scoring 20.8 per game during March.

2. Orlando SG Evan Fournier (11.9), the team’s fourth-leading scorer, could return before the end of the season after missing the last 18 games due to a hip injury.

3. The Bulls are 11th in the league in scoring defense this season (98.2) after leading the NBA in 2013-14 (91.8).

PREDICTION: Bulls 102, Magic 98

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.