Preview: Thunder at Bulls
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[March 05, 2015]
The Chicago Bulls and the Oklahoma
City Thunder are both dealing with injuries to All-Star players, and so
far both are making the necessary adjustments. The Bulls will try to
take advantage of a tired Thunder squad when they play host Thursday.
Oklahoma City got Russell Westbrook back from a facial fracture on
Wednesday, and he once again proved that he is a legitimate contender in
the MVP race.
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Westbrook went for a career-high 49 points and 16 rebounds while
adding 10 assists to post his fourth straight triple-double in a
123-118 overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday
while wearing a face mask. Westbrook’s heroics have helped cover for
the loss of Kevin Durant (foot), who is slowly making his way back
and is expected to be out at least another week. The Bulls are used
to playing without Derrick Rose (knee), but also are dealing with
the loss of All-Star Jimmy Butler (elbow), who sat out Tuesday’s win
over Washington and will miss three to six weeks.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE THUNDER (34-27): Westbrook took a knee to the side of the
head late in a loss at Portland on Friday, resulting in a dent in
his face where the bone was fractured. The 26-year-old took one game
off before coming back with the mask and became the first player
since Michael Jordan in the 1988-89 season to post four straight
triple-doubles when he picked apart the 76ers on Wednesday, leading
to loud “M-V-P” chants from the home crowd while the reigning MVP,
Durant, waved to the crowd for more from the bench. “For those of
you, including myself, that thought Russell might need a few games
to get used to the mask,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks told
reporters, “we were wrong.”
ABOUT THE BULLS (38-23): Chicago needs players to step up and fill
the scoring load vacated by Butler and Rose, and so far rookie
forward Nikola Mirotic is up for the challenge. Mirotic is averaging
26 points and 8.5 rebounds over the last two games while playing
more than 30 minutes off the bench in each contest. “We’ve just got
to hold the fort down until (Rose and Butler) come back,” Bulls
center Joakim Noah told reporters. “I think a lot of the young boys
really stepped up in a big game (Tuesday against Washington).”
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BUZZER BEATERS
1. Westbrook, Jordan and Pete Maravich are the only players in NBA
history to post consecutive triple-doubles while scoring at least 40
points.
2. Bulls F Taj Gibson (ankle) is expected to miss his third straight
game.
3. Oklahoma City has taken five straight in the series, including a
97-85 triumph in the trip to Chicago last season.
PREDICTION: Thunder 106, Bulls 101
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