Preview: Bulls at Warriors

[February 08, 2017]  The Golden State Warriors looked less than dominant in their last game and had three full days off to figure out what went wrong and get their emotions back under control. The Warriors, who have not lost back-to-back games since April 2015, look for a better effort when they host the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr was ejected in the third quarter at Sacramento on Saturday and fined $25,000 for verbal abuse of the officials, but his tirade failed to adequately fire up the players as they went on to suffer a 109-106 overtime loss to the Kings, ending the latest winning streak at five straight. "It was one of the worst games we've played all season," Kerr told reporters after the loss. "We had no purpose. The ball didn't move. I didn't even recognize our team out there (Saturday). Maybe we were due for one." Not many teams can score at the same pace as the Warriors, but the Bulls are making an effort to improve their pace with an average of 119.5 points over the last four games - three wins. "I think we’ve done a better job lately of listening to the coaches on the game plan," Chicago guard Dwyane Wade told reporters. "I think we’ve executed our game plans phenomenally. The ball has moved around good and I think guys are more comfortable."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN Chicago, CSN Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE BULLS (26-26): Chicago was without All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler in the last two games and Wade took it upon himself to step up with 31 points on Monday, including a jumper with 13 seconds left that gave the Bulls the lead for good after they squandered a 27-point cushion. "You want to come through every time for your team," Wade told reporters. "It's a lot of different reasons, you got some guys who grew up watching you do it and you want to show them you still can do it. ... And then, too, it's just what I love. I love to be able to come through in the clutch." Butler (bruised heel) remains questionable for Wednesday.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (43-8): Kevin Durant suffered through his worst game of the season on Saturday, scoring 10 points on 2-of-10 shooting, and is 4-of-27 from 3-point range over the last four contests. "I just gotta be more aggressive, I've got to shoot more," Durant told reporters after Saturday's setback. "I was trying to make the right play, but sometimes just got to break it off and go score. Just be aggressive and make a play. Felt like I was just swinging it through, screening." While Durant is struggling, Stephen Curry is surging, averaging 34.3 points in three games last week to take Western Conference Player of the Week honors.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bulls PG Michael Carter-Williams is averaging 22 points on 19-of-30 shooting in two games while starting in place of Butler.

2. Warriors SG Klay Thompson left the team this week to be with his family following the death of his grandfather and is questionable for Wednesday.

3. Golden State crushed Chicago 125-94 on Jan. 20 behind 25 points and 11 assists from Curry.

PREDICTION: Warriors 120, Bulls 108

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