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CHICAGO BULLS (26-10) at MAVERICKS (21-18)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: American Airways Middle, Dallas.
TV: Bally Sports activities Southwest, NBA TV.
Radio: The Eagle 97.1 FM; Univision Zona MX 99.1 FM (Spanish)
Concerning the Bulls: They’re the most popular workforce within the NBA, having gained 9 consecutive video games, together with a 130-122 victory over Washington on Friday . . . Shrewd strikes have led them to the perfect report within the Japanese Convention. They acquired Nikola Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso within the offseason, all of whom play a minimum of 28 minutes per recreation . . . DeRozan has been scorching of late. He had buzzer-beating buckets to win two video games in a row final week at Indy and Washington. He has averaged 27 factors, 6 assists and 4.3 assists in 9 video games since coming back from a stint in well being and security protocols. And he’s performed all of it with solely 10 3-point heaves (making 5) throughout these 9 video games . . . DeRozan and Zach LaVine mix to common 52.9 factors per recreation (26.5 and 26.4, respectively). That’s the highest-scoring duo within the NBA, simply forward of Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant and James Harden . . . Largely due to DeRozan, the Bulls don’t take a number of 3-pointers as a workforce, rating final in makes an attempt at 29.9 per recreation. Nonetheless, they’re No. 1 in 3-point accuracy at 38.7 p.c . . . Vucevic is averaging 15.9 factors and 11.7 rebounds . . . In Friday’s defense-optional win over Washington, the Bulls’ reserves outscored the Wizards’ bench 52-29. Coby White had 21 and Ayo Dosunmo had 18 for the Bulls’ backups. Dozunmu, the eighth general choose of final summer time’s draft, has averaged 8.3 factors and shot 71.3 p.c within the final 10 video games.
Concerning the Mavericks: They’re using their longest profitable streak of the season at 5 video games, which implies one thing has to offer because the Bulls are on a nine-game roll . . . The Mavericks even have gained six of their final seven and in 5 of these video games they held opponents under 100 factors. Even on Friday, when Houston eclipsed the century mark in a 130-106 blowout win for the Mavs, the Rockets solely scored 46 factors within the second half, eliminating any probability for a comeback. The Mavericks additionally restricted the Rockets to 42.6 p.c taking pictures . . . The Mavericks have risen to fifth within the NBA in general defensive ranking . . . Medical studies proceed to be breath-holding moments. Kristaps Porzingis will stay in well being and security protocols and is out. So is coach Jason Kidd. Willie Cauley-Stein is on private go away. The query mark is whether or not Luka Dončić (sprained proper ankle) will be capable to play. He’s listed formally as questionable. He missed Friday’s recreation in Houston. The proper ankle is a brand new harm for Dončić, who missed eight video games with a left ankle/knee downside in December after which was out 5 video games for well being and security protocols. On the brilliant facet, Boban Marjanović has cleared well being and security protocols and isn’t listed on the Mavericks’ harm report . . . In his absence, Jalen Brunson has been nothing wanting terrific, averaging 17.4 factors and 6.2 assists within the final 20 video games, scoring in double figures in all of them. The one dangerous information is that Brunson has ruined his sixth man of the 12 months probabilities as a result of he’s a sure-fire starter the remainder of the best way.
Twitter: @ESefko
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