Just last week we started typing up the obituary for the 2015-16 Bulls. A loss to Cleveland after the break was their fifth straight and they were free-falling out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Now, Chicago hosts Washington on Wednesday in hopes of extending its win streak to three games – something the Bulls haven’t done since the second week of 2016.
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SCHEDULING
It’s been a grueling post-break schedule for the Wizards and it’s not getting any easier. Washington opened the second half of its schedule playing three games in three nights and completes a stretch of five games in seven days with Wednesday’s visit to Chicago. The Wizards can’t throw all the blame at the NBA schedule makers for this fiasco, just some of it. Washington played a make-up game with Utah last Thursday, one that was postponed by the great blizzard last month. The run started well enough with wins over the Jazz and Pistons before looking exhausted in a loss at Miami on Saturday. The Wiz get a few days off before starting a back-to-back with New Orleans on Tuesday.
The Bulls entered the All-Star break having lost four straight and six of seven with defeats administered by the Nuggets, Timberwolves and Hornets, ouch. It certainly didn’t look like things were going to get better out of the break with contests against the East’s best Cleveland and Toronto on consecutive nights. The Cavs pulled out an 11-point win, but the Bulls responded with a thorough beating of the Raptors and made it two straight by knocking off the Lakers with a regulation season-high 126 points. Of course it was the Lakers and their NBA worst defense, and two wins isn’t enough to claim Chicago has overcome its problems, but it’s a start.
INJURIES
The Wizards will likely be without backup point guard Gary Neal, who has missed the last five games with a sore right leg. He is questionable to play against the Pelicans.
The Bulls are still several weeks away from getting Jimmy Butler and Nikola Mirotic back in the lineup. Butler continues to rehab his injured left knee, while Mirotic experienced a setback from his appendectomy that moved his timetable back.
KEY MATCHUP
Injuries to key players are always stressful times for teams. But they can be, and often are, opportunities for others to rise to the occasion. Welcome E’Twaun Moore to the Chicago Bulls. Since entering the starting lineup 11 games ago because of injuries and Tony Snell’s ineffectiveness, Moore is averaging 12.1 points on 48.6 percent shooting, including 50 percent from three-point range. He’s also averaging 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists while playing his typically solid and physical defense. Moore’s first start came Jan. 28 against the Lakers, after he missed his only game to injury, a sore hamstring injury. He said that issue contributed to his missing seven of his next eight three-point attempts. Since then, Moore has shot a sizzling 16 of 26 from beyond the arc and has complemented Derrick Rose in the backcourt. Moore likes to catch and shoot and plays off Rose’s dribble penetration. When the defense keys on Rose, trying to prevent him from driving the lane, Moore sneaks to the arc and his ability to drain those shots spreads the floor. He’s been doing a nice job since being inserted into the starting five.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Leading up to the break the Bulls struggled at times to find their identity. They entered the second half of the season with hopes they could stop themselves from falling out of the playoff picture. With Butler and Mirotic sidelined, the Bulls turned to guys like Moore, Bobby Portis and Doug McDermott to pick up the slack. It took a while for them to feel comfortable in the offense, but they’ve responded and are playing the type of offensive basketball coach Fred Hoiberg wants to see. The Bulls have better spacing, a quicker tempo and more structure in their halfcourt game. Chicago had a confidence-boosting game against the Lakers, dropping a season-high point total in a regulation game and looked like they were having fun doing it. It was the Lakers, so the output comes with an asterisk, but it counts just the same. They also catch a break facing a sure-to-be-fatigued Wizards club that’s playing its fifth game in seven nights. Washington handed the Bulls a 114-100 loss at the UC back on Jan. 11, but this one is different.
Chicago 109, Washington 97
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