Rockets vs. Bulls Preview
CHICAGO, IL (AP) – Even with Carlos Boozer finally in the lineup, the Chicago Bulls did not fare well against the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
They hope things go better against a club near the bottom of the West standings.
Boozer and the Bulls look to avoid a third consecutive loss while trying for a fifth straight win over the visiting Houston Rockets on Saturday night.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGlobal.com have made the Bulls -6.5 point spread favorites for Saturday’s game against the Rockets. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 82% of more than 63 bets for this game have been placed on the Rockets +6.5.
Matchups say Houston is 8-10 ATS this season, while Chicago is 10-6.
Coming off a 4-2 western road trip, Chicago (9-8) appeared to receive a boost when Boozer made his Chicago debut Wednesday against Orlando after missing the first month with a broken bone in his right hand. The centerpiece of the Bulls’ offseason rebuilding program, Boozer had five points and two rebounds in 21 minutes of the 107-78 home loss to the Magic.
He had 12 points with two boards in 21 minutes of Friday’s 104-92 loss at Boston.
While there’s no shame in losing to a pair of NBA title contenders, it appears it might take some time for Boozer and his teammates to find the right chemistry.
“When we get our connections going, I think we should be all right,” All-Star Derrick Rose told the Bulls’ official website.
Chicago has dropped three of its last four. Even without Boozer for the first two games of that stretch, the Bulls shot 41.6 percent, and have allowed consecutive 100-point games for the second time this season.
“There are a lot of things to clean up,” Boozer said. “It shows we have a long way to go.”
After three straight 30-point games, Rose has totaled 35 on 12-of-30 shooting in the last two. He scored 20 against Boston.
Rose, however, has averaged 22.8 points on 53.3-percent shooting in five games against the Rockets. He hit a pair of 3-pointers at the beginning of an 18-0 run and finished with 33 points in a 95-92 win at Houston to open the Bulls’ annual Circus Trip on Nov. 16.
“You want him taking 3s and you’ve just got to live and die by it,” Houston guard Kevin Martin said.
Though the Bulls have averaged 100.5 points on 48.9-percent shooting during a four-game winning streak versus Houston, the Rockets (7-12) enter this contest looking to win three in a row for the first time this season.
Two nights after a 109-99 home win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston snapped a four-game road skid with a 127-111 victory at Memphis on Friday.
Kyle Lowry had a career-high 28 points with 12 assists, Martin also scored 28 and former Bull Brad Miller added 23 as the Rockets set season highs by making 16 3-pointers and shooting 59.5 percent.
“You’re always going to be surprised when you have an offense run like that,” Houston coach Rick Adelman said.
After shooting 35.8 percent during a 10-point loss at Dallas on Monday, Houston has made 54.9 percent of its shots over the last two contests.
“We’ve got a lot of good shooters, and it shows,” Lowry said
Martin, who totaled 50 points against the Lakers and Grizzlies, has averaged 26.0 points in his last three trips to the United Center.
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